- Schorn & Groh of Karlsruhe says it purchased an entire birch burl plantation from the Finnish Forest Research Institute. The 65-year-old plantation has an estimated volume of more than 20 tons of export quality timber, says Schorn & Groh. The deal closed last month.

Originally planted in 1937 by the Finnish Forest Research Institute, Schorn & Groh says it harvested the first 170 trunks in March. "For birch the dimensions were quite unusual," says the lumber and veneer company, with lengths of up to 3.2 meters, averaging between 1.2 and 1.5 meters and diameters of up to 40 cm.

"The quality of the wood grain in the trunks' interior ranges from good to very good," says Schorn & Gruhe. "This birch burl fulfills the demanding requirements for use in automobiles and interior joinery."

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