France\u2019s SIAT Group is preparing to expand its production base, with plans to increase timber processing and add more finished products to its range for the construction market.<\/p>\n
The investment centres on Saint-Agnan, near Brassac in the Tarn department, where annual roundwood processing would rise to around 500,000 m\u00b3 from approximately 150,000 m\u00b3. The project also includes a pellet plant with capacity of 100,000 tonnes a year.<\/p>\n
Known as Project NORE, the development would combine sawmilling, kiln drying, further processing and biomass energy production. SIAT\u2019s project declaration sets out two saw lines: one for small and medium-diameter logs and another for larger timber. A new log yard would incorporate scanning and cutting optimisation.<\/p>\n
Dry timber would then pass through sorting, machining and resawing equipment to produce structural timber, rafters, roofing battens and boards. SIAT intends to supply builders\u2019 merchants and DIY chains in southern and western France.<\/p>\n
Pellets and drying capacity come first<\/strong><\/p>\n The first phase covers cogeneration, drying kilns and a plant using sawmill residues to manufacture pellets and\/or pallet blocks. The new sawmilling and further-processing equipment would follow in the second phase.<\/p>\n Heat from the biomass plant would dry both sawn timber and sawdust, while electricity would primarily supply the factory. The planned pellet unit would add 100,000 tonnes of annual capacity to a group already reporting around 120,000 tonnes of pellet production a year.<\/p>\n Five production sites across two regions<\/strong><\/p>\n Headquartered in Urmatt, Alsace, SIAT reports annual production of around 430,000 m\u00b3 of finished wood products. The family-owned business operates across five locations: Urmatt, Heiligenberg and Niederhaslach in Alsace, and Brassac and Labrugui\u00e8re in the Tarn. The two southern operations joined the group in 2020.<\/p>\n Urmatt and Brassac carry out primary processing. Labrugui\u00e8re specialises in roofing timber, while the Niederhaslach planing mill produces interior wood products. The group supplies construction and framing timber, roof components, outdoor timber, packaging and formwork products.<\/p>\n At Labrugui\u00e8re, SIAT invested EUR 10 million in modernisation and a roofing-batten operation. Launched in 2023, the new unit was announced with annual capacity of 50,000 m\u00b3. The same year, the group added a bandsaw line at Urmatt for non-standard timber orders.<\/p>\n Urmatt also produces Bois d\u2019Or heating pellets from softwood sawdust, sold in bags and bulk. Bark is used in the biomass cogeneration plant. The Saint-Agnan development would extend this combination of timber processing and residue utilisation to the group\u2019s southern operations.<\/p>\n Expansion raises competition for logs<\/strong><\/p>\n SIAT says the larger mill would process more timber within Occitanie instead of sending it outside the region. Its procurement plan allows for deliveries from up to three hours away by road, with an estimated average journey of one hour and 15 minutes.<\/p>\n FNE Occitanie-Pyr\u00e9n\u00e9es and local association Calelh question whether regional forests can supply the additional volumes without squeezing other processors. They have also raised concerns over water use and truck traffic, and threatened legal action if the project receives approval.<\/p>\n No firm commissioning date for the complete development has been established in the documents reviewed.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" France\u2019s SIAT Group is preparing to expand its production base, with plans to increase timber processing and add more finished products to its range for the construction market.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":100344,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n