"The Competence Network for the sustainable use of wood [NHN] is a research and development cluster of industrial enterprises and research establishments along the entire forestry and wood value chain. The goal of the NHN is to promote interdisciplinary cooperation between the institutions represented by its members and to support them in carrying out application-oriented research.

In its interfacial role between research and industrial partners, the NHN engages primarily in the acquisition, planning and management of projects, offers vocational and advanced training opportunities and is responsible for gathering, processing and distributing information available on a national and international level together with its own research findings in areas related to forestry and the wood industry.

The core competencies of the NHN are found in the areas of wood production, wood technology, wood processing, biotechnology and molecular biology. The networking of different areas of competence makes it possible to realize interdisciplinary concepts all along the forestry and wood process chain.

Current NHN research concentrates on the following:

• Ecological and market-oriented forestry strategies

• Modern logistics and efficient wood sorting concepts

• Production of innovative wood-based materials

• Biotechnology in the wood industry

• Wood protection: wood modification, finishing, surface treatment, coating

• Development and analysis of products and production processes"