Activities of the Centre for the Development of Wood Processing, Furniture, and Pulp and Paper Industry
Activities of the Centre aimed at development of wood processing, furniture, pulp and paper industry are mainly the following fields:

The Centre co-operates with Ministry of Economy and other organisations in preparation of strategic, conceptual and development plans of the wood processing industry. The Centre prepares the study “Conceptual trend actualisation of technology policy of wood processing and pulp and paper industry”, which is innovated every third year. In the framework of this study the innovative development is evaluated, targets for a three-year time period and for 5-10 year perspectives are specified. World trends in research and development of wood processing industry are analysed. The innovative development of this industry sector in Slovakia is evaluated based on economic assets resulting from research projects. In the framework of co-operation with state supervisory bodies lectures are presented, documentation and experts opinions are prepared.
The Centre actively participates in fulfilment of the action program “Wood – the raw material of 21st century” approved by the Government of the Slovak Republic in 1999. The objective of this programme is to increase the volume of wood processing to final products up to 1 million m3 until 2005, to mediate to the public up-to-date information about the status of forestry and wood processing industry, about broad application of wood in other areas of national economy, as well as to provide information on creation of new jobs, preferably in regions in Slovakia with high unemployment. The “Program of supporting the development of processing and utilisation of wood raw material” is one of progressive steps leading to the program fulfilment of the action programme. The Centre participates on preparation of a new pulp and paper mill in Slovakia.
The Centre updates the aims of research and development programs in the framework of technology policy of wood processing industry. The Centre is a technical sponsor of the research program “Intensification of the inland and renewable (secondary) raw materials utilisation”. The program’s objective is enhancing the competitiveness and ensuring of innovative development in wood processing, furniture, pulp and paper industry. By this increased volume of processing a 4 to 8 times higher appreciation of wood raw material can be achieved. Sufficient resources of wood raw material in the Slovak Republic are a prerequisite for using new progressive technologies in the existing and new factories. Research in the field of wood processing is demanding on technical equipment, therefore a co-operation with EU Institutions is desirable. The co-operation is ensured by joint international projects.
The Centre co-ordinates the co-operation in the phase of project proposals preparation, in solving and implementation of results in the framework of state sponsored programs, Government orders, projects supported by Science and Technology Supporting Agency, another tasks of research and development, international projects of Fifth and Sixth (EC) Framework Programmes and projects based on bilateral agreements.
The Centre organises and co-operates in the preparation of conferences and symposiums focused on development of wood processing, furniture, pulp and paper industry. The representatives of the Centre actively attend domestic and foreign events, they appear in electronic mass media and inform about the Centres activity in newspapers and specialised journals.
The Centre participates in the development of technical standards and their harmonisation with EU through the TSK (Technical Standardisation Commission no.16 and 19), in which actively work representatives of organisations associated in Centre.
The Centre participates in co-operation with LIGNOTESTING in activities connected with the development of metrology. A comprehensive study on metrology and its guaranties in the Slovak Republic was elaborated under the name of “Metrology”. It is a working support for implementation of metrology in wood processing, furniture and pulp and paper industry enterprises.
At present, co-operation is prepared between universities and other state organisations in terms of the new Universities Act as well as of the Slovak Academy of Science Act.