LVL Corner
Pectin fir: an update on resources
Sapin Pectiné (Abies alba), also known as "silver fir", belongs to the Pinaceae family, which includes most of the species used for forest production, such as spruce, Douglas fir and pine.
Its twig of comb-toothed needles(from the Latin pecten) has earned it the name "pectine". This large tree, up to 60 meters tall with a circumference of up to 6 meters, is considered Europe's tallest species.
An abundant species in France
It is an abundant resource that is growing in France by more than 1 million m3 per year. It is also an under-exploited species, as it is grown in mountainous areas that are difficult to access. Below is a breakdown of silver fir forests in France.
Pectin fir in the AURA region
A species endemic to Auvergne, the pectin fir represents an estimated standing volume of 86 million m3 of which 31 million m3 of large and very large timber. It is these large and very large trees that fir-tree forest owners need to deal with first, in order to return to the virtuous circle of a more balanced production silviculture, producing quality wood that is less exposed to global warming and parasites.
Although part of the resource is located in areas that are difficult to access, the inventory of deposits in the AURA region shows an interesting potential.
VOLUME OF PECTIN FIR IN THE AURA REGION (SOURCE SCIERIE BORIE AND CBD BOIS)
The reasoned choice of proximity
We chose to locate our engineered wood manufacturing plant close to the Pectiné Fir forests of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Our plant in Lempdes-sur-Allagnon (43 Haute-Loire) will be producing TEBOLVL®by the end of 2025.
The LVL manufacturing process, which involves peeling and gluing 3 mm veneers, is well suited to the Pectin Fir species, since it reduces the original wood defects present in the log and disperses them evenly. It can also be used to treat large and very large logs, which have been weakened by global warming and are currently neglected.
The supply plan provides for a distance to the processing site of less than 100 km. The table below shows the standing volumes of pected fir that can be mobilized within a 100 km radius.
VOLUME/SUPPLY RADIUS 100 KM (SOURCE SCIERIE BORIE AND CBD BOIS)
This departmental supply plan includes 14.5 million m3 of Big Wood (diam > 47.5 cm) and Very Big Wood (diam > 67.5 cm).
The pected fir revival
In the past, this noble wood was used to make large pieces, but today it must adapt to meet the new needs of the wood industry. The reasoned exploitation of this resource will have numerous spin-offs, through the development of a dynamic local industry that will sustainably enhance the value of the massif.
It will also respond to forest health issues by using large trees that are more sensitive to health and climatic crises, to make way for younger, more resistant specimens.
In economic terms, the expected renewal will be a source of added value for the region, and will generate direct and indirect employment.
Finally, on the environmental side, by promoting short supply, processing and distribution channels, the impact will be more favorable than importing raw or processed wood.