Wood in vehicle manufacturing, industry or logistics? What may sound unusual at first opens up a wide range of opportunities for innovative applications. The event “THE POWER OF WOOD – Zukunft. Innovation. Hightech Holz.“, held on 21 October 2026 at the Holzwelten venue of Weitzer Woodsolutions in Weiz, showcased what these applications could look like. Bioeconomy Austria and the Holzcluster Steiermark, together with other Styrian cluster organisations, supported the event as cooperation partners.
The evening focused on how wood and bio-based materials can be used in advanced technical applications. Representatives from industry, research, politics and regional cluster organisations discussed how new material solutions can be developed, integrated into industrial processes and used commercially.
The event was hosted by the Wood Vision Lab, an innovation centre focusing on wood and wood-hybrid materials for lightweight engineering. It supports companies throughout the innovation process, from research and product development to industrial implementation.
Wood in New Industrial Applications
Concrete examples from research and industry demonstrated that wood has far more to offer than its traditional applications in construction and furniture manufacturing. More than a decade of research has led to innovations such as wood-hybrid components for vehicle manufacturing, digital twins of wood-based components and technology demonstrators, including a wooden side-impact beam.
Presentations by Siemens Mobility, Daimler Truck and FB Industry Automation also highlighted the potential of wood in the mobility and logistics sectors. Key topics included technical performance, lightweight design, resource efficiency and the requirements for cost-effective series production.
Another key focus was translating these developments into industrial practice. To support this process, the Wood Vision Lab provides shared infrastructure for research, development, knowledge transfer and collaboration between companies. These facilities will be expanded with a new building in Weiz, scheduled to provide more than 2,000 square metres of office space, networking and event facilities, and a technical centre from autumn 2027.
Cross-Industry Collaboration as a Key to Success
Beyond technological developments, the event also explored how collaboration across different industries can enable new applications.
In her keynote speech, “The Future Grows Where New Connections Are Made: Wood, Innovation and the Power of Networking”, Christiane Varga emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary exchange.
During a subsequent speed-talk session, representatives of Styria’s cluster and innovation ecosystem discussed how shared expertise can be leveraged to drive innovation and strengthen the region’s competitiveness.
The Holzcluster Steiermark also contributed to the discussion. Collaboration between the wood industry, the mobility sector, green technology and other technology fields creates new opportunities to apply existing materials expertise in additional markets.
Creating New Value Through a Wood-Based Bioeconomy
From Bioeconomy Austria’s perspective, the Wood Vision Lab is a clear example of the potential that lies in using renewable raw materials across different industries. Developing wood and other bio-based materials for advanced technical applications can open up new markets for the forestry and wood-based industries, while also creating new bio-based alternatives for industrial applications.
However, bringing such solutions to market requires more than technological research. Suitable production processes, economically viable business models and collaboration along new value chains are equally essential.
This is precisely where Bioeconomy Austria comes in. As a nationwide network, the association promotes exchange across sectors and supports collaboration between companies, research institutions and other stakeholders in the bioeconomy.
The event in Weiz demonstrated how regional resources and scientific expertise can give rise to new industrial applications. For Bioeconomy Austria, this represents an important approach to advancing the use of renewable raw materials in material applications and unlocking new value creation opportunities for the bio-based economy.
© Wood Vision Lab
© Kilian Silberschneider