Latvian timber and forestry company Stiga RM has successfully completed a project to modernise its birch plywood factory in Kuldīga, investing a total of EUR 22.4 million, of which EUR 5.145 million was raised through the ALTUM Large Investment Project Support Programme. This development will significantly increase production capacity, improve product quality and open the door to new export opportunities.
The modernisation project in Kuldīga was launched in early 2023 and the company reached its maximum capacity at the end of last year. New, high-precision production equipment has been installed – mainly from Finnish manufacturer Raute, a world leader in plywood processing technologies. As a result, the efficiency of birch plywood production has been significantly improved, the product portfolio expanded and the share of laminated plywood increased, thus significantly increasing the added value of the products.
Andris Ramoliņš, Chairman of the Board at Stiga RM, says: "Thanks to this modernisation project, we have been able to implement significant changes in production, introducing sustainable solutions and creating additional jobs for highly qualified specialists. ALTUM support has enabled us to implement the project in full immediately – it has been a crucial stepping stone for the next phases in our development."
The modernisation has created 38 new jobs while improving the working environment and providing modern working conditions for the factory staff.
The high-quality birch plywood produced in Kuldīga is exported to more than 50 countries around the world and the company produces around 60 000 cubic metres per year. The largest export markets are Germany, Scandinavia, the UK and the United States, where the quality of Latvian birch and Stiga RM’s sustainable production approach are highly valued.
The company’s structure integrates the entire supply chain – from forest management and timber procurement to processing and delivery to the end customer. Stiga RM owns more than 11 000 hectares of forests, which are managed responsibly and with a long-term vision, planting more than 400 hectares of new forest each year and managing a further 700 hectares of young stands.
Stiga RM is a family-owned company founded in 1994 in Tukums and today unites six subsidiaries in various fields, from woodworking and metalworking to transport and real estate development. At the same time, work is also underway on the world’s most modern wood-based acoustic particleboard (WWCB) factory, which will start operations in Tukums in 2026. The total investment in the project will exceed EUR 30 million, further expanding the company’s competence in the production of high added value products.
Stiga RM is also the largest log transport company in the Baltic and Scandinavian region with a fleet of specialised log carriers, ensuring efficient and reliable logistics throughout the supply chain.