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Mühlböck Holztrocknungsanlagen is implementing a major project for the new wood processing plant of Fagus Slovenica doo in Kočevska Reka. The Upper Austrian company is supplying a total of 15 combined drying and steaming chambers of type 1306 PRO. Commissioning of the new plant is scheduled for the end of 2027.

Fagus Slovenica – known as Snežnik until 2025 – is a subsidiary of the Slovenian state forestry company Slovenski državni gozdovi (SiDG). A new wood and energy complex is currently under construction in Kočevska Reka, representing an investment of approximately €50 million.

The centerpiece of the site will be Slovenia’s largest hardwood sawmill. This will be complemented by modern sorting and processing technology, a biomass-fired power plant, and Mühlböck’s new drying kiln facility.

With this new production line, Fagus Slovenica will focus its future processing efforts exclusively on beech wood. The site is located in one of Europe’s most important beech forest regions, thus ensuring a secure, long-term supply of raw materials.

Flexible combination of steaming and drying

Mühlböck is supplying a total of 15 chambers of varying sizes for the project. Ten units are 15 meters long, while others are six or eight meters long.

This allows for flexible and needs-based processing of different batch sizes. All units feature integrated steaming tanks, combining steaming and drying of the wood in a single chamber.

Separate steaming systems are not required, thus reducing both investment costs and space requirements. Furthermore, the wood bundles do not need to be restacked or reloaded between individual process steps. This simplifies production processes, saves time, and reduces material and personnel costs.

“We are delighted to have Mühlböck’s decades of experience and high level of technical expertise on board. They are an important foundation for the safe execution of the wood drying project at our new location,” explains Rok Rutar, Managing Director of Fagus Slovenica. He emphasizes that the consistent drying quality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of the systems are particularly crucial.

High demands are placed on beechwood drying.

Steaming is a crucial step in the processing of beech wood. It ensures the desired color tone and simultaneously creates the conditions for high-quality further processing. Mühlböck’s 1306 PRO drying chambers enable precise process control and reduce thermal energy consumption while maintaining consistently high drying quality.

“With demanding hardwoods like beech, experience and process know-how determine the final wood quality. We are particularly pleased to have been selected as a technology partner for a project of this scale,” says Harald Kroiss, Sales Manager at Mühlböck Wood Drying Systems.

The complete construction of a new drying chamber complex with 15 units is one of Mühlböck’s largest single projects in recent years. Extensive performance and quality guarantees were also agreed upon as part of the contract.

With more than 13,200 drying systems installed worldwide, Mühlböck brings extensive experience to this major Slovenian project. “International projects like this demonstrate that our combination of technical expertise, many years of experience, and customized solutions is convincing even in particularly demanding investment projects,” emphasizes Managing Director Wolfgang Staufer.

Mühlböck Type 1306 PRO

Rok Rutar   Managing Director at Fagus Slovenica d.o.o.

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