Rull toured the sawmill facilities and the new cross-laminated timber (CLT) structural panel plant, a strategic investment for industrialized construction in Catalonia.
The President of the Parliament of Catalonia, M. H. Mr. Josep Rull i Andreu, visited Grup Boix’s facilities in Puig-reig this Friday to experience firsthand the company’s activity and, most notably, the project for its new cross-laminated timber plant (CLT – Cross Laminated Timber).
The institutional visit began with a meeting at the central offices with the company’s founders, Joan and Josep Maria Boix; the head of ESG criteria, Marina Boix; and the general manager, Carles Martí. The meeting was also attended by the mayor of Puig-reig, Eva Serra. Afterwards, the entourage moved to the industrial site to tour the historic sawmill and the new CLT manufacturing line.
A strategic value chain for the country
The tour highlighted the importance of building a complete industrial value chain in the country: from the necessary active and sustainable management of Catalan forests to industrial transformation and its final application in architecture and construction.
With more than five decades of history, Grup Boix has taken a technological leap forward with the launch of this new CLT plant. This technology makes it possible to manufacture solid wood panels for structural use that facilitate the rise of industrialized construction, a key sector for reducing the carbon footprint and replacing highly polluting materials.
During the visit, it was emphasized that having in-house transformation capacity in Catalonia reduces dependence on external markets, retains added value within the territory, and addresses the challenges of the ecological transition.
The President of the Parliament also highlighted the innovative capacity and vision of Grup Boix, as well as the company’s proximity model. In this regard, he emphasized that the new plant allows for progress in wood transformation locally and strengthens the connection between forest management, industry, and construction.
“Grup Boix has demonstrated extraordinary power, vision, and generosity toward the country. At a time when the climate emergency is gripping us and forest management is essential, basic, Grup Boix proves that without industry there is no forest management. And a highly innovative, highly sophisticated industry, and that is what we have seen with this new plant that already incorporates this advanced and modern vision.”
Rull also remarked on Grup Boix’s proximity model, where raw materials and the final destination of products are located within a radius of approximately 150 kilometers from Puig-reig. In this sense, he highlighted that the development of CLT allows part of the construction process to take place right here, in the territory, reinforcing the country’s sustainability and industrial capacity.
Along the same lines, Carles Martí, general manager of Grup Boix, emphasized the opportunity that this transformation represents for the Catalan forestry industry and the need to have in-house capacity to respond to new construction demand.
“The transformation facing the construction sector opens up a major opportunity for the Catalan forestry industry. Having the capacity to transform our own resource into high-level structural solutions allows us to move toward a more autonomous, sustainable economy deeply rooted in the territory,” pointed out Carles Martí, general manager of Grup Boix.
Grup Boix to officially inaugurate the new plant in October
This institutional visit took place just a few weeks before the official inauguration of the new CLT plant, scheduled for October. The event will feature authorities and representatives from the institutional and business spheres to officially present this key infrastructure for the industrial future of the region and the country.
