An active partnership

CTBA is the special partner of 60.000 companies of the wood sector. The choice of practical programmes and appraisal of feedback on them are submitted to professional and inter-professional committees made up of CEOs of the sectors concerned, CTBA specialists, and Government supervisors.

At national level, CTBA has intensified its collaboration with the 18 industrials and technical centres of the CTI network .

Within the framework of the research and studies, the CTBA intensifies its actions of partnership with the research institutions like CNRS and INRA, universities, schools, joining them closely to the main themes justifying a co-operative research effort.

International relations

Eurofortech, Eurifi, Euroligna and Eurowood have launched the InnovaWood network in order to create a co-ordinated infrastructure for innovation in Forestry and the Wood and Furniture industry sectors. As from 2003, the four founder networks have been completely integrated into InnovaWood, which encompasses 94 members' organisations from 22 countries.

The overall aim of InnovaWood is to bring business benefits to the Forestry Wood and Furniture sectors by providing a forum for its membership organisations to contribute more effectively to the development of forestry, wood and furniture industries. All this within the framework of an increasing competitiveness of European industries and within the framework of the European Union policies.

InnovaWood has been created to provide an efficient vehicle for the development of educational and research services for the sector. The aim is to complement the actions of the EU Commission in policy key areas including communication on Forestry and Forest-based industries, the drive the creation of a European research area, and the expansion of the EU to include the Central and Eastern European countries. It is also intended to support the many activities of the EU which are intended to benefit the sector, in such areas as Research, Industrial activity, Employment, Social Affairs, Education and Culture.

The Strategy Steering Group has been established to co-ordinate the present and future activities of the network and to prepare the long-term strategy of InnovaWood. Daniel Guinard, the Managing Director of CTBA, is a member of the Strategy Steering Group.

The permanent organisation has been established to represent the sectors divided into five sections:
- Research, technology, development and innovation
- Knowledge transfer
- Training, education
- Environment and sustainability
- Integrated Forestry, wood and furniture sectors

Additional information on InnovaWood can be found at: www.innovawood.com