VM Holz (V\u00f6cklamarkter Holzindustrie GmbH), an Austrian timber group operating a large softwood sawmill, is planning a \u20ac70 million expansion as part of a wider \u20ac170 million industrial and logistics project in V\u00f6cklamarkt, Upper Austria.<\/p>\n
The project, known as RITA \u2013 Rail Intermodal Terminal Austria \u2013 combines the expansion of the existing sawmill with a new intermodal freight terminal, modern rail infrastructure and a 22,000 m\u00b2 warehouse intended mainly as a central storage facility for Austrian pulp producer Lenzing.<\/p>\n
Around \u20ac70 million would be invested by VM Holz in the sawmill, a new electric sawlog yard and related infrastructure. A further \u20ac100 million is allocated to the RITA terminal, warehouse and logistics facilities.<\/p>\n
For VM Holz, the development goes well beyond the addition of a container terminal. The company plans to modernise the sawmill, reorganise sawlog handling, improve noise protection and expand the use of rail at a site that already has a connection to Austria\u2019s Westbahn railway corridor.<\/p>\n
Annual sawlog processing capacity is expected to reach 850,000 m\u00b3, compared with the approximately 700,000 m\u00b3 associated with the mill today.<\/p>\n
New sawlog handling and sawmill equipment<\/strong><\/p>\n VM Holz intends to install a new sawlog infeed in 2027 and partially renew its sawline. The planned fully electric sawlog yard would use four electrically powered portal log handlers and two dedicated rail tracks, with a centrally positioned sorting line.<\/p>\n The new yard would provide storage capacity for more than 100,000 m\u00b3 of sawlogs, with stacks reaching up to eight metres. Moving log handling from diesel machinery to electric equipment is intended to reduce local emissions and noise.<\/p>\n Pellet production capacity at the site is expected to reach 200,000 tonnes per year. The biomass combined heat and power plant would have maximum electricity output of 13 MW and heat delivery capacity of up to 30 MW. A battery storage system with a capacity of 30 MWh is also included in the plans.<\/p>\n VM Holz currently provides around 220 jobs. The investment is not a proposal for an entirely new sawmill, but a substantial redevelopment of an existing industrial site that already combines lumber production, drying, pellet manufacturing and biomass energy generation.<\/p>\n Five-track terminal for 740-metre trains<\/strong><\/p>\n The RITA section of the development would include five tracks for loading and unloading container trains. The infrastructure is designed to accommodate trains approximately 740 metres long, while two enclosed electric portal cranes would be used for container handling.<\/p>\n Together with the two dedicated tracks for sawlog deliveries, the development would include seven new or reorganised rail tracks. Five would belong to the intermodal terminal and two would serve the VM Holz sawlog directly.<\/p>\n The operating plan is based on an average of around three trains per day and 15 trains per week. The proposed regulatory ceiling would be 20 trains per week.<\/p>\n The terminal is intended to handle wood, pulp, industrial products and containers currently transported to a greater extent by road. Its location next to the sawmill would allow VM Holz to increase rail deliveries of sawlogs and shipments of finished products while also serving other large industrial companies in Upper Austria.<\/p>\n The terminal and associated infrastructure would occupy approximately 12.23 hectares within the VM Holz property. This includes 5.64 hectares for the terminal, 4.98 hectares for the warehouse and its external areas, and 1.61 hectares for container repair and storage facilities.<\/p>\n Around 2.79 hectares would require an additional change in land-use designation compared with the zoning approved in 2022.<\/p>\n The terminal is scheduled to enter operation in 2029, subject to planning approval and the required permits. The developers estimate that the logistics project could create between 90 and 100 additional jobs.<\/p>\n Lenzing warehouse central to the project<\/strong><\/p>\n The proposed warehouse is one of the main reasons for the choice of V\u00f6cklamarkt. Mediterranean Shipping Company approached VM Holz in 2024 while searching for a site close to Lenzing with direct access to the Westbahn railway corridor. VM Holz and MSC subsequently reached a preliminary agreement in May 2025.<\/p>\n The warehouse would consolidate stocks currently distributed across more than ten separate locations used by Lenzing. Placing the warehouse, terminal and rail infrastructure at one location is intended to transfer more freight to rail and reduce longer-distance truck movements across the region.<\/p>\n The plans estimate approximately 300 truck movements per day for the terminal, with a requested upper limit of 450. For the VM Holz operation itself, annual truck movements are projected to decline from around 105,000 without RITA to approximately 80,000 after the development. The reduction would come mainly from the increased use of rail for sawlogs and finished products.<\/p>\n A new access road is also planned to divert industrial traffic away from the centre of V\u00f6cklamarkt. After its completion, the existing entrance through the town would be used mainly by passenger vehicles. A new VM Holz office building and employee parking area are scheduled for 2028 or 2029.<\/p>\n Project faces local opposition<\/strong><\/p>\n The size of the development has triggered a heated debate in V\u00f6cklamarkt and neighbouring communities. Local opponents have raised concerns over additional truck traffic, noise, light emissions and the conversion of agricultural and forest land required for the proposed access road.<\/p>\n A petition opposing the terminal had collected more than 3,600 signatures by early September. Critics argue that existing intermodal terminals in Upper Austria and Salzburg should be used instead of constructing another facility close to residential areas.<\/p>\n The developers contest several of the figures circulated by opponents. They maintain that the terminal, warehouse and related facilities would be integrated into the existing VM Holz industrial property, with 2.79 hectares requiring additional rezoning. They also argue that the combination of rail transport, electric handling equipment and a new road connection would reduce industrial traffic through the centre of V\u00f6cklamarkt.<\/p>\n The municipal authorities have taken a cautious position. Although the owners of VM Holz presented initial plans to members of the municipal council in June, no formal written application or complete project documentation had been submitted when the development became public. No final decision on the required land-use changes has therefore been taken.<\/p>\n The figures announced for investment, employment and transport should consequently be treated as project targets rather than approved operating conditions. The development still depends on zoning decisions, environmental assessment and other regulatory procedures.<\/p>\n About V\u00f6cklamarkter Holzindustrie<\/strong><\/p>\n V\u00f6cklamarkter Holzindustrie GmbH is based in V\u00f6cklamarkt in Upper Austria and operates under the VM Holz name. The company is one of Austria\u2019s larger softwood sawmill operators, with annual intake of approximately 700,000 m\u00b3 of spruce sawlogs.<\/p>\n The company produces spruce softwood lumber for customers in Austria and international markets and operates drying facilities alongside its sawmill activities.<\/p>\n The industrial site also includes pellet production and a biomass combined heat and power plant, allowing VM Holz to use bark, sawdust and other wood residues generated during lumber operations. The proposed expansion would increase sawlog processing capacity to 850,000 m\u00b3 per year and pellet production to 200,000 tonnes.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" VM Holz (V\u00f6cklamarkter Holzindustrie GmbH), an Austrian timber group operating a large softwood sawmill, is planning a \u20ac70 million expansion as part of a wider \u20ac170 million industrial and logistics project in V\u00f6cklamarkt, Upper Austria.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99877,"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-99876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n