Just weeks after announcing the closure of two Swedish sawmills, Vida is investing in additional production capacity at another site.<\/p>\n
The company has ordered two continuous kilns from Valutec for its Bruza sawmill in Hj\u00e4ltevad, Sweden, adding drying capacity of approximately 120,000 m\u00b3 per year. The equipment is scheduled to be commissioned in spring 2027.<\/p>\n
At first glance, the decision appears contradictory. Earlier this year, Vida said it would permanently close its sawmills in Urshult and Orrefors, citing a long-term shortage of sawlogs in southern Sweden. The closures affect 92 employees and remove two of the group's 15 sawmills from operation.<\/p>\n
The new investment suggests the issue is not whether Vida wants to produce more lumber. It is where.<\/p>\n
\"We have invested significant resources in Bruza, and this investment is crucial to enabling future increases in sawmill production,\" said Jonas Axelsson, Technical Manager at Vida.<\/p>\n
The company has repeatedly argued that southern Sweden faces a structural imbalance between sawmill capacity and available timber supply. In interviews following the closure announcement reported by Global Wood Markets Info, CEO Karl-Johan L\u00f6wenadler said the decision was driven by long-term raw material constraints rather than financial weakness.<\/p>\n
While Urshult and Orrefors will disappear from Vida's production network, Bruza is being prepared for additional growth. Over the past few years, the site has already received major investments, including a new planing mill. The drying expansion removes another bottleneck and creates room for higher output in the future.<\/p>\n
For lumber buyers, the message is that Swedish production is not necessarily shrinking. Instead, capacity is becoming increasingly concentrated in mills that can secure logs, justify large-scale investments and operate more efficiently.<\/p>\n
The latest order also extends a long relationship between Vida and Valutec.<\/p>\n
\"Vida is one of our most long-term customers, and we have completed many successful projects together over the years,\" said Joakim Berglund, Sales Manager at Valutec.<\/p>\n
\"Making this investment in today's market conditions demonstrates our long-term confidence in the sawmill industry and the opportunities we see ahead,\" Axelsson said.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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