Products, markets, trade

e-drewno system was created to enable customers to take part in a wood sale auction in a forest district without necessity of physical attendance. Currently, about 20% of all wood sold to enterprises by State Forests in Poland is offered on auctions on e-drewno.pl. After registration in the system and providing forest district nname the customer gets individual access, enabling participation in the auction. For practical reasons it is recommended to indicate the forest district which is located closest to the place of residence / running business activity. All the information exchanged online between the customer's computer and the server operating the auction is coded. When placing the offer it is registered and given position in the ranking, which depends on the proposed price. If the prices given are the same, the position is determined by an order of placing the offers registered by www.e-drewno.pl portal.  During the auction each customer can place unlimited number of offers and modify earlier offers. Winning offers can be only modified to the following extent: wood weight, minimum wood weight, price (up only). In order to protect business data, participants in the auction cannot see the names of other companies taking part in the auction. The system is easy to use and administrate, includes a price calculator and offers access to reports.

Forestry crane work is often an isolated and rugged business carried out in challenging temperatures and harsh environments. Hiab’s HiVision™is transforming the working conditions and productivity using virtual reality technology, goggles, external cameras. Precision  and efficient log lifting every time - all from the safety and comfort of the crane cabin. HiVision™ is the first fully digitalised solution that gives a 270 degree view horizontally and 130 degree view vertically using external cameras mounted to the body of the equipment. The virtual reality technology assesses the external working conditions so the operator can stay safely within the truck cabin. Once the ‘target’ has been identified, the system allows the operator to guide the crane using an electronic joystick mounted on each armrest of the truck’s passenger seat. 

The objective of the ChainWood project is to design and develop a secure software infrastructure based on blockchain and Internet of Things technologies, adjusted to all wood supply chains, allowing the different actors to make the most of their data and manage the product in a more efficient way in terms of cost, traceability and sustainability. The main solutions to problems detected are: transaction assurance, Real-time trusted information, Semi-automation of the operation, Accessible quality data, Improved competition.

Recommendations:

• For producers: Real-time information on the volume and status of the product.
• For the processing industry: Access to a huge source of raw material data that will allow them to optimize their supply processes and streamline the management of their operations.
•  For operating companies: Transparency and assurance in transactions, making the most of today's technology.
• For control authorities: Cost reduction in auditing and control processes, as well as a more precise knowledge of supply chains.
• For logistics companies: Information that will enable them to optimize their fleet and provide services more efficiently.
• For public administrations: Easier access to timber data, allowing a more agile and efficient management of the processes they supervise.

By setting up these Wood MAKER spaces we want to promote wood as manufacturing and building material, as well as fostering local wood manufacturing as a real opportunity to generate local businesses and improve forest land-owners economies. We see that currently many broad-leaf species woods are being addressed to low-value uses, which causes employment and welfare losses at rural communities 4 Maker spaces are planned to be set up each in the 4 galician provinces. These centers will be open to all kinds of profiles interested on making a good use of local timbers, meaning non-expert and expert users to make all kinds of projects from DIY kind to professional commercialization projects. These spaces would make available a variety of services: wood manufacturing service (from wood log to semi or finished products), innovation service, design service, commercialization service, business digitalization among others.

Wood is first is a promotion campaign initiated by Croatian Chamber of Commerce, implemented with Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate for forestry, hunting and wood processing industry and Croatian Forests Ltd. Campaign was initiated in 2007 with the aim to raise awareness about wood as renewable material, promote and increase use of wood and increase competitiveness of wood processing industry in Croatia. Activities included promotion on fairs and calls for designers and architects to submit their design of wood products (furniture and other equipment).

Campaign had good results and attitude towards wood in everyday use is positively changed through press conferences, database of wood products producers (furniture, woody biomass, wood for construction, other) establishment, catalogue of wood processing companies and their products, info booklet about socially responsible public procurement (emphasis is on using wood products, green public procurement, certification of wood products), info booklet about public procurement of wood products, info booklet about wood pellets

The project aims to use new technologies to make the wood sales system economical and dynamic, and to fluidize information to increase wood mobilization and get forest owners involved in management.
Two tools have been developed:
- a computerized wood auction sale system coupled with an online sales platform: SYLVATRADE system
- a digital GIS data sharing platform for optimized management accessible to all stakeholders (owners, managers, buyers) called NEOSYLVAQ.

In the long term, the expert firm Coudert wishes to organise wood sales exclusively online.

The computer sales tool (SYLVATRADE tool) is a platform created from a database to generate standardized batch records and edit contracts. It is associated with the NEOSYLVAQ cartographic platform to give the buyer an overview of the lots, the location and outline of each lot on cartography, access and itineraries and finally facilitates the organization of lot visits.  
At the time of the sale the buyer has several information on the lot on his digital tablet: geographical situation, cadastre, surface, species,... A quasi immediate computer processing makes it possible to display the best offer and its amount to the whole room. The computerized management makes it possible to treat approximately 90 000 m3 of wood in 2 hours. Sales balances can be carried out by computer and quickly by species, volume class, and geographical unit.  The group sales can be followed either remotely on the Internet, or in a room on digital tablets. The results of the offers appear in real time and the contractual documents are published during the sale and are signed electronically at the exit of sale.

WoodsApp is a map based forest information system, where user can utilize search engine that enables finding ideal forest compartment according to user-specific requirements. All Finnish-wide open forest stand data by Finnish Forest Centre is available in the system. Service works effortlessly on both mobile device or tablet, when you are searching suitable wood trade and silvicultural work units. WoodsApp brings significant benefits for timber buyers, forest service providers and forest owners associations. The service is an effective tool for searching timber trade or silviculture targets, the new customer acquisition of the forest service business and the purchase of forest property. You can see area, main tree species, development class, cutting potential, action proposals and other information related to the forest stand. In addition to open forest stand data, useful background and theme maps are available. These maps help in finding important natural habitats or evaluate cutting potential.

"FMMF Il Legno" identifies wood products derived from Montagne Fiorentine Model Forest boundaries. The brand can be used only by public and private forest owners and by the forestry companies that are members of the MFMF association who have signed a set of regulations about safety and sustainable cutting. It guarantees: the legality of the products supplied through compliance with international, national and regional laws regarding forestry, commerce and taxation; compliance with current safety regulations; the presence and respect of regular contracts for the buying and selling of the woods.

This project has tried to improve conditions of the companies (owners and users) of first transformation who work on the territory of FMMF, through a continuous training process that can improve the working conditions of the operators in the woods. It has tried to put together demand with offer by selling products (certified timber) that guarantees environmental, economic and social sustainability. The demand is often unwilling to use the forest due to a high fragmentation of the forest property with a marked prevalence of limited private property surfaces.

Types of products guaranteed: woody biomass for energy, firewood, wood chips, pellets, round wood, semi-finished products, wooden products.
The brand managers have carried out activities to promote the brand chain: participation in events; participation at meetings with trade associations or public bodies (Tuscany Region, CNA Borgo San Lorenzo, Gal START, etc.).
They supported the FMMF members drafting projects (PSR calls, GAL START calls, forestry PIF - integrated supply chain projects) and with documents in compliance with EUTR regulation 995/2010 (DUE DILIGENCE).
Project "Bosco Chiavi in ​​Mano" was designed to help owners manage their forests efficiently; professionals offer a service that simplifies forest management and facilitates transactions. 250 turned chestnut poles were sold, 650 q. of firewood, barrels, boards, 250 square meters of chestnut for the floor of the C.BIO shop in Florence and a Center dedicated to Chestnut at Castagno D’andrea was made with branded chestnut wood.

The coop. Eco-Energie was born from the Baglioni family farm. To survive in the italian firewood market, characterized by strong unfair competition, the owner decided to innovate their approach to forest works. After 5 years of study, he has decided to invest in a gradual but consistent manner in the production and sale of wood chips, diversifying at the same time the production also focusing on naturalistic engineering. From 2015 the company also directly manages a district heating system through a turnkey service, the so-called contracting.

Eco-Energie is characterized by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and propensity to risk. This is demonstrated by the huge investments in mechanization, training and the search for new solutions such as contracting activities.
This seems to pay off: diversifying end products derived from the wood normally used, increasing productivity through better organization, gradually investing in the use of advanced mechanization and focusing on the training of employees seem to be firm points from which many companies in the sector could start again.

The growth of Eco-Energie has been impressive: the company currently has more than 20 employees and continues to invest in new machines and equipment. They are numerous, the training activities of the employees (also in the field of security) and contracts increase, multi-year contracts for the supply of wood chips to existing plants.
However, management problems arise and organization related to spaces, to guarantee an even better product in less time.
Thus the need to acquire oneself has arisen a biomass platform: a logistic center covered where to sort the material, store and dry the wood and chips and sell the products also to the retail.
From this cooperative a new company (Etruria Energie - www.etruriaenergie.it) was born recently (2016), which offers a turnkey service for the installation of renewable energy plants, in particular from wood biomass, for public and private users.