The wood sector plays a significant role in the national economy, and for the last few years, it has been supported by an official Wood Cluster.
On May 15, 2019, the Wood Cluster Forum was held to discuss the sector’s most pressing issues and chart a path for its future. More than 230 people attended the event which was held at the Kulturhaus in Mersch, in the centre of Luxembourg. Opening the proceedings was Carole Dieschbourg, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, who emphasized the need for sustainability in the wood sector. Cluster manager Philippe Genot presented a new and comprehensive overview which included a detailed report of all the business in Luxembourg involved in the sector, information that will help to identify the sector’s strengths and weaknesses. Other speakers discussed how established the sector is, noting that half of all wood companies in the Grand Duchy are more than 12 years old. The speakers cautioned, however, that this means some companies might need help to modernise and take advantage of digitalisation and innovation. The closing remarks were delivered by Claude Turmes, Minister for Energy and Spatial Planning, who talked about the need to protect the forests, and he highlighted the cluster’s vital collaborations with colleagues from the Greater Region which includes nearby parts of France, Germany, and Belgium.
