Eucalyptus Grandis – as beautiful as it is practical
The challenge of sustainable supply has been facing the tropical plywood industry for decades. Responding with an innovative forest management and product development strategy, we’ve focused on a solution that meets the environmental, technical, quality and aesthetic requirements demanded by global markets.
Over the last 30 years, we’ve successfully established sustainably managed Eucalyptus Grandis and Taeda Pine plantations in Uruguay which have grown from virtually nothing to over 65,000 hectares today.
With the Uruguayan climate facilitating faster growth rates, we’ve seen much of our current forest estate reaching maturity over the past few years. At the same time, we’ve invested in research and development that’s enabled us to leverage the potential of Eucalyptus Grandis, whose rich pink/red colouring makes it aesthetically similar to high end tropical species such as Meranti and Okoume.
Culminating in the launch of the new LUMIN TRP (Tropical Replacement Panel) last year, here we explore why Eucalyptus Grandis has been central to the creation of a sustainable alternative to traditional tropical plywoods.
Leading by example
Tropical species have traditionally been extremely popular in plywood production, but sustainable supply had started to become more and more difficult to secure in the latter half of the 20th century.
With low volumes of certified timber available, sustainably managed commercial plantations have emerged as a solution to both protecting the environment and increasing the long-term supply of certified and sustainable wood products.
In 1997, LUMIN (formerly the US company Weyerhaeuser) established Eucalyptus Grandis and Taeda Pine plantations in Uruguay but crucially, we also developed an effective timberland strategy and invested significantly into product development.
It has been the combination of long-term thinking and a commitment to investment that has seen LUMIN come to the fore as a source of tropical plywood alternatives in the global market.
Why Eucalyptus Grandis?
Eucalyptus Grandis presents many aesthetic and technical qualities that makes it a viable and sustainable alternative to traditional tropical species.
One of the standout advantages of Eucalyptus Grandis is its uniform properties and its high growth rates. Growing up to 3-4 metres in less than a year, compared to Tropical or North American hardwood, Eucalyptus Grandis also grows 11 times more quickly. These fast growing rates combined with excellent technical qualities, mean this species has opened the door to the vast demand for alternatives to tropical wood products.
Using Eucalyptus Grandis to manufacture TRP gives panels a rich pink/red coloured wood that is sought after in many markets. Aesthetically similar to Meranti and Okoume, it has enabled us to deliver an innovative alternative to tropical plywood that is ideal for specifiers looking for a sustainable, structurally and environmentally certified, hardwood plywood with a beautiful appearance.
Growing the future
Looking to the future, Eucalyptus Grandis will make up approximately 60% of LUMIN plantations going forward. Our current target is to produce 34,000-36,000m3 of LUMIN TRP panels annually (and a similar volume of veneer), which will provide global markets with a long term, sustainable solution which also contributes positively to the net zero agenda.
The properties of Eucalyptus combined with excellent growth dynamics, and backed by a tropical replacement strategy, will ensure LUMIN has excellent potential to become a significant part of the net zero agenda over the next years and beyond.
To find out more about LUMIN TRP and our contribution to the net zero agenda, you can download the whitepaper here.
