The new plant has 13,000 m² of facilities, incorporates advanced technology and digitalized production processes, and allows for the expansion of structural timber panel production for industrialized construction.
Grup Boix officially inaugurated its new cross-laminated timber (CLT) plant in Puig-reig this Saturday, October 17. This infrastructure represents an investment of 40 million euros and reinforces the company’s commitment to wood processing and the development of structural solutions for industrialized construction.
The event was attended by more than 200 people and a broad institutional and business representation, including the President of the Parliament of Catalonia, Josep Rull; the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Òscar Ordeig; the Mayor of Puig-reig, Eva Serra; the Secretary General of the Sports Department, Abel Garcia; the Director General of Forests and Environmental Management of the Department of Agriculture, Jaume Minguell; the Director of Territorial Services in Central Catalonia, Ivet Castaño; and the President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Josep Santacreu. The event was also attended by the former President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Jordi Pujol.
A project to give more value to local timber
During the inaugural ceremony, the CEO of Grup Boix, Joan Boix, welcomed the attendees and reviewed the path taken by the company to bring the project to fruition. “It is a project that we had to do here; otherwise, we wouldn’t have done it anywhere,” he stated, referring to the connection between the new plant and the sawmill and industrial activity that the group already carries out in Puig-reig.
Boix explained that the company has been working on this initiative for ten years, with the aim of making progress in wood processing and expanding its applications. As he pointed out, the project allows for adding new value to local timber, which has traditionally been used mainly for products such as pallets and biomass. In this regard, he argued that driving demand for higher-quality timber can contribute to improving the economic return of forest management in Catalonia.
Josep Rull highlights the company’s resilience and vision for the future
The President of the Parliament of Catalonia, Josep Rull, described the event as “exceptional and extraordinary” and emphasized the Boix family’s ability to envision new horizons for the company, Puig-reig, Berguedà, and the country as a whole.
In his speech, Rull recalled the company’s ability to overcome adversity, especially following the fire that devastated the sawmill in 1994. The President of the Parliament highlighted that the group not only rebuilt its activity, but has continued to move forward and expand its industrial project. The addition of CLT production represents, in this sense, a new chapter in this journey.
Rull also linked the initiative to the challenges of circularity, the fight against climate change, and decarbonization. “What a proud moment for our country,” he expressed, thanking the Boix family for making possible an industrial project that, from Puig-reig, contributes to exploring new applications of wood in construction.
Òscar Ordeig claims forest management as a national priority
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Òscar Ordeig, defined the inauguration as “a great day for the country, for the sector, and for industry” and highlighted the importance of having industrial capacity to make progress in the management of Catalan forests.
Ordeig pointed out that the new plant opens up an opportunity to increase the value of forest resources through their industrial transformation. In this regard, he stated that the industrialization of wood intended for construction can multiply its added value by ten.
The Minister argued that forest management must be a national priority, taking into account the weight of forest area in Catalonia and the need to increase the resources allocated to managing it properly. He also championed the sector’s potential to generate employment, boost the circular economy, and foster innovation, calling for stronger collaboration among companies to develop joint projects and consolidate Catalonia’s industrial leadership in this field.
Puig-reig opens a new chapter in its industrial history
The Mayor of Puig-reig, Eva Serra, expressed the municipality’s pride in hosting an infrastructure that, as she highlighted, combines the company’s roots, an ambitious vision for the future, and a commitment to the territory.
Serra valued the trajectory of Grup Boix and its ability to anticipate the sector’s challenges, emphasizing that the project proves that a family-owned business can also drive ambitious, future-oriented industrial initiatives based on talent and innovation.
Furthermore, the mayor underlined the impact that the investment could have on the local economy, creating quality employment, generating wealth, and bringing new opportunities for the population. In this sense, she highlighted the importance of retaining talent in the territory and helping to prevent economic depopulation.
Unveiling of the inaugural plaque
During the institutional and business speeches, the unveiling of the commemorative inauguration plaque took place, one of the central moments of the event. The day served to officially present the new facilities and highlight the industrial dimension of the project.
With this inauguration, Grup Boix opens a new stage in its trajectory of more than five decades linked to forest management and wood processing, expanding its activity towards the manufacturing of structural products for industrialized construction.
