Motivated by his lifelong passion for wood, Josef Grabner founded J Grabner in 2002 as a wood veneer production specialist. Today around 30 employees share his passion for the natural material and its possibilities.
In order to use the valuable resource wood sparingly and sustainably, company specializes in boards with a veneer top layer, i.e. a thin layer of noble wood on a base board.
So, compared to solid wood, it is possible to sustainably produce much more square meter of pure comfort from the same amount of material. The result is a lively, natural old wood structure, which is combined with ease of processing and high-quality design in one panel.
Interview with Ksenia Filimonova, Area Sales Manager Export Saunaboard at J Grabner GmbH.
Easy Engineering: What are the ranges of products?
The company offer three categories of products: wood veneer (CHARISMA), veneered panels for furniture industry (PRAEGEBOARD) and interior wall finishes (ALPINEBOARD), and veneered panels for sauna finishing (SAUNABOARD).
CHARISMA: we are manufacturers of local precious wood species, as well as suppliers of high-quality woods and veneers from all over the world.
SAUNABOARD: veneered plywood panelling designed for finishing saunas. The panels have high technical characteristics which can be offered in a range of designs. Saunaboard’s bonding material is water and heat resistant, formaldehyde free and has been temperature tested up to 90°C. The range is wide and presented by wood and stone veneered panels, dyed veneer, various embossed surfaces. The latest new product has been presented at Interbad exhibition in Stuttgart 2022 calls SAUNABOARD ARTE and represents panels with 3 types of embossing in the Mediterranean motifs: Amonite, Corale and Timber.
Another product, that evolves interest is COLOUR LINE, dyed veneered panels in various colours, which are tested and certified for use in sauna.
PRAEGEBOARD: designed for cabinetry, furniture industry and door production (fronts, visible sides, front panels, finishing, sliding door elements, interior and exterior doors, etc.).
It is available in various embossed surfaces. You can choose between the DIAMANT embossing (embossing depth 1-2 mm), the more deeply embossed DIAMANT 2.0 (embossing depth 2-3 mm), plain and knot-free veneer sorting SELECT.
ALPINEBOARD: wallcovering that brings out the best in every room.
This product, specially developed for interior finishing, goes just as well with the rustic design as it does with classic, elegant style. It is available in different colours of oak and comes with the DIAMANT 2.0 embossing. It is particularly popular on walls in entrance areas, living rooms and when furnishing restaurants and bars.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends and new products?
K.F: Sustainability is still a leading trend in the furniture industry. Сustomers more often decide in favor of using local wood veneer. As for the shapes, there is a trend for textured panelling with fluted, ribbed, and battened character. Some manufacturers offer milled panels by CNC machines. Company J Grabner GmbH on the contrary uses technique of embossing and offers a few textures: fluted round and battened, presented under the names CURVED and STRAIGHT. These surfaces are available for furniture and sauna finishing as well. Soon there will be presented some new fluted textures with a deeper embossing.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
In the period of 2020-2021 the market was booming in private sector: homeowners renovated their houses and equipped private wellness areas. The situation has stabilized 2022. Now there is a shift from private to commercial projects, hotels, and wellness centers.
Company’s core market is DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
Germany leads in the export of furniture items and sets design and quality standards worldwide. Love of combination of modern and rustic design makes Austria and Switzerland a center of wellness tourism. Company’s products suit taste and meet quality demands of this region.
However, the company expands and exports panels inside the EU, to the countries of Asia, Northern America, and Middle East.
J Grabner GmbH
Peter Mitterbauer Straße 2
4661 Roitham | Austria