Slovenia is the third-most forested country in the European Union after Finland and Sweden, and has an annual increment of about 9 million cubic metres of wood. Although the wood industry is on the rise, this natural resource still has untapped potential. To change this, the Action Plan for Increasing the Competitiveness of the Forest-Wood Chain in Slovenia by 2020 was adopted, with the promotional slogan 'Wood Is Beautiful'. Our aim is to increase the competitiveness of the entire forest-wood value chain, increase the efficiency of forest management and to revive and develop the processing of wood and the use of its residues. We seek to maximise the value added in every link in the forest-wood processing chain, including the pulp, paper and chemical industries, and the use of wood biomass for energy and new technology purposes.

Improving each link in the value chain

The wood-value chain in Slovenia links sustainable, multipurpose and nature-friendly forest management, wood processing, the design, production and sale of wood products and other wood components, and the use of scrap wood and waste for energy production. All the links in this chain operate in Slovenia, but some of them no longer function optimally. There is room for improvement in each link in the chain, and in particular in the untapped opportunities for integration within and between links.

Our priorities therefore include promoting the creation and integration of woodworking companies with knowledge institutions and creative industries, encouraging domestic public and private investment, channelling European Union funds, supporting the entry of woodworking companies into foreign markets, and promotional activities to increase the use of wood.