1. History of the timber industry

1.1 Wood, the oldest building material

Over the ages, wood has provided mankind with resources for housing, tools and heating. Wooden constructions soon provided lasting shelter from the elements. A natural material, long available in large quantities and within easy reach, durable and healthy, wood combines a number of great qualities, not least its ability to be transformed and worked. For this reason, wooden housing has never ceased to reinvent itself over the years. In Europe, half-timbered houses from the 15th century still bear witness to this today. Whether construction is reduced to a pile of logs, the successful combination of carpenter and stonemason, or the more elaborate techniques of a wooden assembly lined with cob, the wooden house has proved its durability, solidity...