The AUSTROFOMA takes place every four years and is one of the world's most important exhibitions for the forestry industry. This year, 168 companies presented their latest innovations and technologies for harvesting, timber transport, forestry and the use of biomass energy.
The Chinese delegation was highly interested in the displayed forestry machines and had lively discussions about technical details with the exhibitors. Additionally, the delegates also met with Franz Titschenbacher, the chairman of the organizer Landeskammer Steiermark, and actively discussed cooperation matters.
On September 28th the delegation visited the HBLA forestry school in Bruck an der Mur. There, the school director Mr. Wolfgang Hintsteiner presented the forest education curriculum to the delegates and gave the group a guided tour around the school campus. Members of the Chinese delegation expressed their excitement about the professional training methods of forestry practitioners in Austria. They said that this perfect combination of theoretical courses and practical experience education is unique. They look forward to further enhancing their understanding and are looking for cooperation opportunities between the two parties.
After the visit the HBLA forestry school in Bruck an der Mur, the delegates continued to visit Johann Offner Holzindustrie. Sales Director, Mr.Bucher led the delegation to visit the most advanced fully automated sawmill in Austria.
On the following Monday, October 2nd, the delegates continued their journey to Vienna, where they visited the Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards, and Landscape. There, Mr. Foglar-Deinhardstein, the director for Forest Policy, Forest Economics and Forest Information, explained Austria’s forest policy to the Chinese delegates. Afterwards Mr. Schuschnigg, Head of Unit Forests-Society-International Relations, gave the delegates an introduction of his centre and his mission.
Thanks both to the visit of AUSTROFOMA and the exchange with industry relevant companies and government agencies, the Chinese delegation left Austria with a profound, in-depth understanding of Austria’s forestry machine technology, and thus laid the foundation for future cooperation between Austria and China, both at government and enterprise level.
