Projects

Wood K plus carries out its research work almost exclusively in the form of projects. The COMET programme with the approved K1 centre until 2030 forms the basis for all the other numerous projects that Wood K plus is working on.

The COMET Centre (K1) of Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH (Wood K plus) entitled ‘WOOD – transition to a sustainable bioeconomy’ is funded by the BMIMI (Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure), BMWET (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism) and the co-financing provinces of Carinthia, Lower Austria and Upper Austria as part of COMET – Competence Centres for Excellent Technologies (see Funding projects). The COMET programme is managed by the FFG (www.ffg.at/comet).

COMET is the red-white-red programme of science and industry to support application-oriented cutting-edge research. It creates highly qualified jobs and promotes young scientists in the state. In the COMET competence centres, companies work together with research partners, enabling the direct transfer of new knowledge into marketable products, services and processes.

Comet Center (K1)

Comet Center (K1): „WOOD – transition to a sustainable bioeconomy

From a scientific and technological perspective, the future challenges of the bioeconomy are seen as (1) the holistic and cascading utilisation of renewable raw materials, (2) the increasing demands on the functionality and properties of materials and products and (3) new process technologies that take into account the aspects of the circular economy, including recycling.

EDIH AI5innovation

The HUB AI5innovation is a merger of the successful HUBs AI5production and EDIH innovATE. The main objective of AI5innovation is to bring digital technologies closer to the goods manufacturing industry. Wood K plus focuses on ‘test before invest’ for the wood industry, whereby digital technologies are tested and evaluated in small projects for various applications along the wood value chain.

Current

GLOW

This ASAP feasibility study aims to investigate which specific material-related benchmarks apply in low Earth orbit (LEO) in both physical and chemical terms, and to what extent wood or wood-based materials can meet these requirements with regard to their potential use in small satellites.

Current

RAW

RAW develops digital methods for assessing and utilising reclaimed timber, fast-growing natural fibers, and biopolymer composites in construction. By combining advanced non-destructive testing and computational modelling, the project enables precise mapping and circular use of diverse biobased material streams for innovative and sustainable architectural solutions.

Current

Opti4Value

The project aims to optimise the cascading use of biomass in regional industrial ecosystems. It applies principles of the circular economy, upcycling and recycling of residual materials, and industrial symbiosis.

Current

EISER

The EISER project aims to improve energy and resource efficiency in the pulp and paper industry. For this purpose, strategies are being developed to reduce process water consumption.

Current

champI4.0ns

The champI4.0ns project promotes the use of production-related data in the fields of traceability, planning and control, and quality assurance in the timber industry.

Current

InnoCoat4Plasma

The aim of the InnoCoat4Plasma project is to develop bio-based coatings with functional fillers that are applied using atmospheric pressure plasma technologies and improve the technological and antimicrobial properties of imprinted thermoplastic foils for microfluidic and riblet applications. The solutions are evaluated and optimised using multiscale modelling.

Current

RoboWOOD

In the project RoboWOOD, children and young people discover AI and robotics in the wood processing and recycling industry. Through workshops, excursions and the WooDigiLab, they learn about future technologies in a practical way. The aim is to promote digital expertise and interest in technology through innovative educational formats.

Current

EFRE Invest HTPS

Wood K plus is one of the leading research institutions in the field of wood and renewable raw materials in Europe. By solving the associated research questions at the interface between science and industry, Wood K plus makes a significant contribution to enabling resource-efficient management in the circular bioeconomy.

Current

ATRIUM

Alternatives for an effective Transition to sustainable, Reusable and recyclable construction products by the Innovative production of User and eco-friendly bio-based Materials.

Current

SuS2C

The project deals with the development of high value materials like additves, matrices or functional carbons based on bio-based raw materials mainly from industrial residual or subsidiary streams.

Current

BIOCYCLE-UA-II

The project describes a closed cycle for fully biodegradable plastic products with a focus on polyhydroxyalkanoates. The project addresses production from primary raw materials as well as recycled materials. The effects of mechanical and chemical recycling on process control and product quality are being investigated.

Current

ReThinkWood

As part of the recently approved ReThinkWood research project from the FFG’s Talente regional funding programme, topics relating to the use of lignocellulosic residues and raw materials will be addressed.

Completed

Estella

ESTELLA is a European project funded under the HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01 (A DIGITISED, RESOURCE-EFFICIENT AND RESILIENT INDUSTRY 2021) call for proposals.

Completed

Furplast

FURPLAST focuses on revolutionising plastic production by harnessing the power of nature.

Current

Mycosoft

In the MycoSoft project, research will be carried out over the next 3 years together with the Institute for Experimental Physics at the JKU Linz, the company partners Fronius International, Holz-Reisecker and UPM Steyrermühl to make softwood residues usable for the production of mycelia-bound (myco) packaging and insulation materials.

Current

Deremco

Fiber-reinforced plastics are the structural materials used in a large variety of consumer and industrial products, but the management of post-use composite products in compliance to the circular economy principles is still a serious challenge.

Current

Interwaste

The InterWASTE project aims to find alternative uses for production waste from the eyewear, furniture and wood industries, which are deep-rooted industrial sectors in the programme area.

Current

Reuse

The main objective of the project is to increase skills and knowledge with the help of a cross-border mentoring programme specialising in the transition to a circular economy for SMEs. The project aims to use technological and non-technological solutions to introduce the cascade use model for residual raw materials from production processes.

Current

Addcircles

The main objective of ADDCIRCLES is to empower regional companies and networks for Additive Manufacturing. The technology in perfectly suited to the region’s business landscape, enabling the production of high value-added products through the development of sustainable solutions. As such, ADDCIRCLES will stimulate the region to transition to a resilent and circular economy.

Current