Our excellence in the plywood production process is reflected in each and every step. Technological advances help us optimize the path from the moment when the tree is cut in the plantation until the plywood panel is sent to our clients.
At Garnica, the production of plywood panels starts with forest management and taking care of the poplar trees. We believe that there is only one way to correctly handle the sale and purchase of plywood, and that’s with legal security and guarantees to ensure we meet all regulations and, above all, contribute to the well-being of the environment. By following these steps, we guarantee forest survival and avoid deforestation.
In the case of poplar trees, it’s a bit easier. Poplar is a fast-growing species and one of the most sustainable on the planet; 15 years after its planting, it’s already sufficiently mature to be cut and moved to the factory.
Currently at Garnica, we have 6 plywood factories throughout Spain and France, and a seventh will soon be added in Troyes (France). In our production centers, we use an automated and detailed system, always supervised by our professionals. We are specialists in plywood, but we also use other species like pine, eucalyptus, and birch.
Our factory with the highest production capacity is located in Valencia de Don Juan, on the river Duero in León, Spain; it has the largest press in Europe and the innovative Fireshield and Duraply ranges are manufactured there. The first center, however, was in Baños de Río Tobía, located on the river Ebro in La Rioja, Spain, which still exists and is the most versatile center. At this center, we have a second factory specialized in the production of large panels. In Fuenmayor, you can find our most innovative factory; it has a lab and a R+D+I center. In Llodio, we have another factory specialized in radiata pine plywood.
Our factory in Samazan in the south of France specializes in the manufacturing of poplar veneers and supplies these veneers to the rest of our plants. Lastly, the seventh factory is located in Troyes in the north of France and is expected to open its doors in 2022. Garnica is the only plywood supplier located in the five main poplar basins in Europe, ensuring that we supply raw materials to our clients.
How Plywood Panels Are Made
First step: from cutting to drying
- Cutting and transfer to the factory: the first step is cutting the tree that was previously grown for 15 years and classified according to its quality. After cutting, the poplar trees are cleaned and we use the byproducts as biomass or for other industries.
- Stripping: once at the factory, we strip the bark from the logs.
- Unrolling: this is the moment of transforming the log into a large veneer blanket. This mantle is cut into veneers that are classified with automatic systems of visual control and that also allow for the optimization of each log.
- Drying: the green veneer is transformed into dry veneer in large sorting dryers. Hygrometric control systems grade the veneer based on moisture content and wood quality.
Creating the Panel
- Forming and pressing: it’s time to glue the veneers together and form the first version of the plywood panel as we know it. Garnica plywood is made up of an odd number of thin, single-piece veneers placed in opposite directions so that the fibre is crossed between one veneer and the next. This allows us to obtain panels of exceptional quality, uniformity, and strength. This process combines automated processes with the supervision of the human team, which intervenes to repair any small defects.
- Sizing and sanding: the raw panel is sanded and squared to achieve the final dimension in length, width, and thickness, in addition to achieving exceptional uniformity and surface quality.
- Value-added finishes: premium finishes such as primer, HPL/CPL laminate, or UV varnish can be added to enhance the beauty of the panel. It can also be combined with other materials to improve both insulation and lightness, or we can add treatments that increase resistance to fire or humidity.
- Packaging: lastly, the wood panels are stacked in bundles and shipped to different destinations around the world.
Plywood production at Garnica is an example of continuous innovation, automating processes to ensure we offer a lightweight, high-quality, and resistant final product that has both aesthetic value and a wide range of uses. If you’re interested in our products and want to learn more about Garnica, contact us today. We’d love to help you find what you’re looking for.
