Egger, the well-known Austrian panel producer, restarted its OSB plant in Wismar five days ahead of schedule thanks to a modernization project carried out by Siempelkamp that increased production capacity by more than 15 percent. After a shutdown of just 52 days, the upgraded plant produced the first board on October 29th, 2025, marking a new milestone in the twenty-five-year collaboration between the two companies.
THE PLANT
The goal of the modernization, as mentioned, was to achieve a significant increase in capacity — at least 15 percent — at the OSB plant that Siempelkamp supplied in 1999 and commissioned in 2000. The project included the installation of new mat formers and the integration of a “Contitherm” preheating system, while the continuous “ContiRoll” press was equipped with new hot platens and pressure distribution plates. An improved hydraulic control system was also installed to optimize thickness control. The upgrade was completed with entirely new electrical equipment and control systems.
THE COLLABORATION
The contract between Egger and Siempelkamp was signed in April 2024, and preliminary planning began with a meeting in mid-June 2024. The first board was already produced on October 29th, 2025. Commissioning therefore concluded the OSB plant’s shutdown five days earlier than originally scheduled.
Egger produces OSB, MDF and HDF panels, as well as laminate flooring, at the Wismar plant, which was opened in 1999 and is now one of seven Egger sites in Germany. The facility employs around 850 people and is one of the largest employers in north-western Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. “After 25 years of OSB production in Wismar, it was time to bring key aspects of our board production — forming, pressing and extraction — up to the latest technical standards and to increase competitiveness by improving performance. The excellent cooperation between Siempelkamp and Egger in project planning and implementation was one of the keys that led to the early commissioning,” said Raimund Hagspiel, managing director of Egger in Wismar.
