EPF brings together affiliated members – companies and industry organisations from 30 European countries, which generate a combined turnover of € 25 billion and employ over 100,000 people. Latvijas Finieris has been a member of the EPF since 2015 when the European Plywood Association (FEIC) joined the federation. Mārtiņš Lācis, a member of  Latvijas Finieris’ executive board, represents the company on the EPF and also chairs the federation’s Plywood Product Group.

During the three-day event, representatives of the federation’s members received information compiled by the EPF on the industry’s performance and engaged in discussions on pressing issues such as the long-term availability of sustainable wood resources, the use of renewable resources and other matters.

“Every year, participants at the EPF general meeting analyse industry trends and endeavour to forecast upcoming challenges. This year, the focus was on the role of North-Eastern Europe in the industry and plywood production,”

said M. Lācis, following the event.

The annual EPF general meeting, which not only reviews the industry as a whole but also features discussions on current issues, is held in a different country each year. Last year, Spain hosted the event, while Germany will take over hosting duties next year.

“The EPF is united by a shared mission to promote the use of wood and develop the bio-economy. To achieve this, collaboration, representation and advocacy of interests – on the broadest possible scale – are essential. On a daily basis, the EPF provides support to its members to develop and integrate common product standards, shape a unified policy and understanding, and influence global processes.
Hosting EPF members in Latvia not only gave us the opportunity to introduce the story of Latvijas Finieris, from birch seeds to high value-added products around the world, but also to emphasise the need to develop a balanced and region-specific approach to forest resource management at the European level,”

said M. Lācis.

“Event participants visited the Latvijas Finieris “Zābaki” tree nursery. For a large proportion of EPF members, the Latvijas Finieris Birch Programme – our investment in the cultivation of high-value birch seedlings and forest regeneration – was a novelty, as it differs significantly from the typical business profile of a wood processing company, which is not as directly involved in the forestry sector. During the general meeting, we also introduced our approach and plans to replace fossil raw materials with renewable resources. For example, with the support of the European Union, Latvijas Finieris is realising a project to build a synthetic resin production plant in Riga, which will make it possible to significantly reduce the share of fossil phenol in adhesive production by replacing it with renewable lignin – a natural biopolymer found in wood. We also presented our company’s investment in the research and extraction of betulin from birch bark.”

said M. Lācis.

After the general meeting, EPF Chairman Pablo Figueroa López said:

“We extend our deepest gratitude to our hosts, Latvijas Finieris, for their outstanding hospitality and efficiency. As we move forward under the new leadership of Vice-Chair Veronique Hoflack and myself, we are dedicated to building on the legacy of our predecessors, leveraging the collective expertise of our members, and embracing both our current challenges and emerging opportunities”