Project Application

During the second year the „Mountain Timber“ consortium began to operate, which was made up of processing plants and foresters who then began to implement the project idea, step by step.

Before the end of the second year a limited company was founded.  A large portion of the wood processing plants, a producer of innovative wood heating as well as forest owners united and became a marketing organisation.  The townships are also supporting members of this organisation.

Work Package 1 "Development Organisation structure"

The criteria for a successful brand and organisation were worked out using organisational development measures in closed meetings.  As long as everything was just on paper, everyone agreed.  It started to get animated, though, when the costs were distributed.  But this will be discussed in WP5.

Work Package 2 "The Development of Marketing Strategies"

Answers to questions like:  Can we realistically find customers?  

Why should the customer choose us? had to be found.  

These questions, and many more, were the result of the numerous meetings and talks with experts.  In hindsight, it was an enormous learning process for all of the participating businesses.  That alone makes the LEADER + project invaluable.

Work Package 3 "Developing political communication strategies"

In this segment, we had to answer the questions:  How do we communicate?  Which communication channels do we use?

The results showed that copying the big competitors would lead us to our objective but it was just not affordable.  In this kind of situation, other possibilities have to be found.  The Biosphere Park was a good method of communication for the Mountain Timber project.  Communication through co-operation!  Even today, the Biosphere Park is the most important partner for communicating the matters of mountain timber because of its unwavering image.  At the same time, the Biosphere park is profiting from the exemplary Mountain Timber project.  

Work Package 4 "Turning product innovation into implementation plans“

Organisation of the Certificate of Origin, public appearances, trade fairs, common offers, acquiring advertising, invitations, excursions, etc. were the main focus of the work, parallel to WP5.

Work Package 5 „Pilot Operation“

This is the work package that gets down to business.  Offers were made, services were agreed upon internally, billing was clarified, other project activities were finalized and marketing activities carried out.

This type of work is linked to costs resulting in hot negotiations and a few disagreements.  On the other side, amazing successes were achieved.  The organisation was able to land big contracts, win contests and accept awards.  Despite the daily difficulties, there were also a number of reasons to celebrate.  Co-operation with young architects from the valley was also something to be happy about.  The architects made a new design for the Walser House as well as a number of other objects like bus stops, outdoor furniture, indoor furniture, tiled ovens and other furnishings.

The co-operation celebrated a number of new contracts like the Community Centre in Blons, 10 complete family dwellings, 1 extension for a Wellness hotel facility - the Mountain Timber apartment for healthy living, an exhibition dairy and a number of room furnishings and bio apartments.  

A good reason to celebrate is always awards that are won.  There was:

• First prize for the future prize „Country Living“,
• First prize for the Timber Architecture prize 2005 for the Community Centre in Blons,
• First prize for the Timber architecture 2003 for the „Schneggarei“ building,
• Third prize for the Austrian Agrarian project with the „Cheese and Wood“ project.  
• The project will come to an end after the re-launch of the image brochures and an event with the schools in the valley in 2006.

Project costs

Costs:     € 94.504.-
Sponsor contribution from the  EU:     54.902.-

Contact

Artur Müller
Buchholz 33
6731 Sonntag
Tel. 05554/20080
Fax 05554/20040

E-mail: artur.mueller@aon.at