How is plywood manufactured step by step

At Garnica, plywood panel manufacturing begins with proper forest management and caring for the forest as a whole. We believe that there’s only one right way to handle the sale and purchase of poplar and that’s through complete legal clarity and guarantees to ensure satisfaction of those involved and, above all, the land’s health. This is how we ensure that forests survive and avoid deforestation. 

In the case of poplar wood, there are some advantages. It’s a fast growing tree and one of the world’s most sustainable species; after just 15 years, it’s ready to be cut down and transferred to our factory. 

At Garnica, we currently have six plywood factories located throughout Spain and France; we’ll soon be opening a seventh in Troyes, France. Our production centers make plywood panels in an automated and detailed manner, always under the supervision of our experts. We specialize in polar, but also use other species like pine, eucalyptus, or birch. 

Our factory with the highest production capacity is located in Valencia de Don Juan and has the biggest press in all of Europe; this is where our innovative ranges Duraply and Fireshield are manufactured. Our first center, however, was Baños de Río Tobía, which is still active and is the most versatile. In this same location, we have a second factory that specializes in manufacturing large panels. In Fuenmayor, you can find our most innovative factory with a lab and R&D+i center. In Llodio, we have another factory that specializes in radiata pine. 

Our factories in Samazan (in the south of France) specialize in the manufacturing of poplar veneer that supplies the rest of the plants with veneers. Lastly, the last factory is located in Troyes (in the north of France); the factory will be up and running later this year. Garnica is the only plywood panel manufacturer with a presence in the five main poplar basins in Europe, ensuring we can supply our clients with the raw materials they need

First Steps: Cutting & Drying

• Cutting and transferring to the factory: the first step is to cut the tree; this tree has been previously cultivated for 15 years and classified according to its measure and quality. 
• Stripping: once the logs have arrived at the factory, we remove the bark.

• Peeling: it’s time to transform the log into a large sheet of veneer. This sheet is cut into thin sheets of wood that are classified through an automatic visual control system and that also allows us to take advantage of each piece of the log. 
• Drying: The green veneer is transformed into dry veneer in large, classifying dryers. Hygrometric control systems sort the green veneer based on moisture content and wood quality.

Assembling the Panel

• Assembling and pressing: this is the moment to glue the dry veneers together and form the first version of the plywood panel that we know and love. At Garnica, we use thin one-piece veneers for the construction of our panels, resulting in superior quality and virtually void-free plywood products. Automated processes are combined with the supervision of our personnel, who are prepared to step in to repair any small defect. 

• Calibrating and sanding:  the raw panel is sanded and squared to achieve the desired thickness and size, in addition to reaching exceptional uniformity and surface quality.
• Value-added finishes: we can add premium finishes like primer, laminate, a UV varnish that increases the panel’s beauty, or treatments that increase resistance to fire or humidity. These finishes can also be combined with other materials to improve both isolation and lightness. 
• Packing: lastly, the plywood panels are packaged and sent to different destinations around the world.

Garnica’s plywood panel production is an example of continuous innovation, automating processes, ensuring a quality final product, and offering a high-quality, resistant, lightweight plywood panel that has great aesthetic value and a wide variety of uses. If you’re interested in our products and you want to learn more about Garnica’s catalog, contact us. We’re here to help you find what you’re looking for.