FROM A WOOD CONVERTER TO A SERVICE PROVIDER
A traditional manufacturer of interior panelling has transformed into an operator that develops and implements trendy timber façade solutions and wants to serve its customers in cooperation with timber producers.
TAPIO NURMINEN, photo MOCOPINUS
LED panels can also be connected to Mocopinus’ Pinumont façade elements.
Metsä Fibre’s long-term customer Mocopinus, established in 1865 in Ulm, Germany, has in the recent years made radical changes in terms of development. The company has evolved from a wood converter to a service provider. Mocopinus is shifting continuously, and to an increasing degree, from the production of goods sold by metre in construction goods stores, to providing comprehensive solutions to end customers. “Of course we still supply goods to industry stores. They sell our products used in both interiors and façades and external cladding,” says Guido Schüler , Mocopinus’s de- partment head in charge of sourcing. “Even so, we are also communicating directly with the end customers – architects and developers – even more than before. We understand the fact that we are a service provider. While we cannot fulfil all the wishes coming our way, we want to be a partner that develops flexible solutions suitable for our customers’ projects,” he adds. TIMBER MARKETPLACE HELPS IN COMMUNICATIONS Metsä Fibre is a key supplier of the company employing 300 people. “Our focus is increasingly on the production of services. Our partners also play a major role in achieving this goal. What we expect from our suppliers is flexibility, punctu- ality and precision,” says Schüler. He says that flexible and innovative solutions to custom- ers’ problems only come about when the daily contacts between the manufacturer and supplier work well.
“We have worked on and developed our cooperation with Metsä Fibre for years now. In this respect, our Finnish partner provides us with Timber Marketplace, which we view as a pioneering tool in the industry,” says Schüler. This online tool from Metsä Fibre is an integral part of Mocopinus’s day-to-day business. “We also work continuously together to expand the functionalities of the service so that it would serve as an even better communication tool,” adds Schüler. QUALITY IS IMPROVED TOGETHER Traditionally, the quality criteria for a timber producer and its customers converting wood are put to the test twice during the production process. When the goods arrive, the customer inspects their quality. Afterwards, it confirms that it has been able to make high-quality products out of the supplied goods. “Meeting strict quality standards and maintaining quali- ty require daily communication with suppliers. This takes place on a personal level, and it is a key part of our close cooperation,” says Schüler. A CONVERTER OF NORDIC SPRUCE Guido Schüler has 15 years of experience in making pur- chases at Mocopinus. “We aim for long-standing cooperation relations whose frameworks are defined in three-month supply agree- ments. The necessary adjustments – which allow us to confirm the shared quality criteria and ensure that the
now. Wood construction accounts for approximately 25 per cent of all construction. The share is growing at a slow but steady rate. “Most of our products end up in façades and exterior cladding. This sector is growing even faster than other sectors of wood construction,” says Schüler. He stresses that Mocopinus benefits from the fact that in the Central European markets wood is used increasingly in the structures of buildings. This also makes wood as a façade material more accepted. “I envision a very bright future for wood, and especially the products we make. It is more a question of expanding the qualitative, rather than the quantitative, side of the business into new areas,” says Schüler. •
customer’s wishes are met – are taken care of during daily communication,” says Schüler. Mocopinus processes a little over 200,000 cubic metres of softwood every year. Roughly 75 per cent of that is Nordic spruce. In contrast to Central European forests, Nordic spruce grows in forests that are not too dense. The lowest branch- es of softwood growing in thick forests are not as healthy as those of northern softwood. “Central European timber is good for structural ele- ments, whereas the raw material from Northern Europe is ideal for our products, which are mainly used in façades,” says Schüler. According to him, Nordic wood has a good reputation in terms of environmental friendliness and sustainability. Mocopinus has used only FSC- or PEFC-certified wood since 2012. This is another reason why Metsä Fibre is the right supplier of timber for Mocopinus. Mocopinus’s primary market areas are located in Germa- ny, France, Switzerland and Austria. It also exports some products to Spain and Portugal. WOOD CONSTRUCTION IS GROWING The construction industry in German speaking Europe has enjoyed good business conditions for quite some time
MOCOPINUS Produces timber panelling particularly for façades and exterior cladding, but also for interior surfaces • Established in 1865 • 300 employees in Germany • Turnover 100 million euros in 2020 • Processes more than 200,000 cubic metres of sawn timber a year www.mocopinus.com
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