Oak wood differs from tree to tree: the quality of the wood is affected by the conditions and the location in which the tree grew. If we were to compare various wood, we could conclude that the poorer the conditions in which the tree grew, the valuable its wood is. That is why oak wood from the harshest of regions is the most valuable. An oak that grew in sandy soil will have a thick and dark bark and light straw-coloured timber. The wood is very hard and unyielding. If a tree grew close to water, say, on a riverbank, on marshy land, its timber will be called lead or iron. Such oak trees stand out in their straight trunks and lush foliage. The bark is hard, spotted, light brown of colour with a blue tint. The timber has a rosy tinge, broad flutes. The yield of the wood is excellent, yet it will often split in the process of drying. It is an unusually heavy kind of wood.
Oak wood is shipped to our plant from various European countries, but logs first make their way to our sawmills, and it is critical that we responsibly control the whole process from the first and so far raw plank of wood.
Drying oak wood has to be done naturally. Any acceleration to the process risks damaging the wood with fractures. Our plant uses convectional Belgian dryers: the drying process is long and involves alternating temperatures to recreate a natural environment to the maximum degree possible. Wood dried that way does not split or break in production, and its service to the man is long and reliable. We do not rush our processes, because it takes a century for an oak to grow into a mature tree in its natural habitat.
Sometimes clients become worried about excessive deforestation driven by growing consumption. We believe that a careful human being can and should treat all natural resources responsibly: only use as much as is necessary, and then reforest what has been cut down to maintain a balance. We value the highly limited resources of oak and not a single sliver goes to waste: the idea of making heating briquettes has turned out to be a success.
We value and treasure oak. When we talk about it and about what we do, we believe that we will nurture a responsible approach to sustainable consumption.
