Commercial Interior Supplier Profile: Kronospan

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with the team at Kronospan, a company with a rich heritage in the wood-based panel industry. Since its founding in 1897, Kronospan has evolved into a global leader, known for its commitment to sustainability and innovation. For over 50 years, their facility in North Wales has been producing a wide range of high-quality products.

In our conversation, we explored how Kronospan continues to set itself apart in the commercial sector through its dedication to eco-friendly manufacturing, cutting-edge design, and a forward-thinking approach to meeting industry needs.

Could you tell me about your business’ heritage?

Kronospan was founded in 1897 as a sawmill in Lungotz, Austria. Since then it has expanded to 41 sites globally, employing over 14,000 people, and is a leading manufacturer of wood-based panels.

We have been manufacturing in Chirk, North Wales, for over 50 years, producing MDF, particleboard, melamine faced boards, structural boards and worktops, and we are the UK’s only domestic manufacturer of laminate flooring. By manufacturing such a comprehensive range of products in the UK we are helping to keep the carbon footprint of our products as low as possible. Pioneering recycled timber processes have helped to achieve industry-leading levels of recycled content without compromising quality. This makes Kronospan the sustainable choice for environmentally conscious consumers.

What sets your business apart in the commercial sector?

Having invested heavily into our recycling and quality control processes, Kronospan has achieved over 80% recycled wood content in our particleboard and many products are carbon negative. However innovation is more than what goes into the boards we make; it’s also the decors of the melamine faced boards under the Kronodesign brand.

Our design teams observe and study the latest emerging trends to develop exclusive decors which excite and inspire. This enables you to create the perfect palette from over 250 options, including ultra-realistic woodgrains, trend-leading colours, stone effects and playful metallics.

Can you introduce us to 3 important members of your team?

Our specification team comprises of:

Head of Specification (UK and Ireland) – Bridie Loveluck

Specification Manager (Midlands & London) – Barry Leckie

Specification Manager (Republic & Northern Ireland) – Alastair Clements

Could you talk me through 3 key projects you’ve supplied?

Kronospan product has been used in countless projects of all shapes and sizes, including those specified by world-renowned architects for iconic buildings and household brands.

Our favourite projects are less about scale and more those which have made the most of original combinations incorporating our less common décors. A concrete or stone effect Flow provides a visual richness, whilst a Metal décor accent like Brushed Gold or Brushed Copper adds a surprise element and a little intrigue and dimension. With over 250 décors to choose from it’s possible to create something truly unique.

How do you develop your products and select the product designers you work with? Could you introduce us to some of them?

Kronospan has recently launched the new Pure collection. This sophisticated collection of muted natural uni colors and contemporary woodgrains helps create a calming and elegant interior.  The new Pearlsand (PD) texture, used for uni colors, is a sand-like surface with excellent scratch resistant properties, ideal for furniture fronts and tops. 

Pure also sees the introduction of Strata woodgrain effects, with Natural Canella Oak and Coast Evoke Oak are both available in these versions. Strata is a linear wood effect which gives the appearance of wood panelling and has the advantages of a smooth surface, such as no crevices to collect dust.

How does your company address sustainability and what are your sustainability targets?

Wood-based panel production is a great way to introduce and maintain the principles of the circular economy. That means we can bring back into production a material that has already been used. We create a technological and business environment that allows us to introduce the recycled wood in a wider product portfolio. In the process of sourcing wood in our work, we have established clear priorities: 1st choice – recycled wood; 2nd choice – sawmill residue; 3rd choice – sustainable forestry wood.

The production process incorporates a new system of drying wood strands at natural low temperature and making maximum use of recycled wood, thus dramatically reducing CVOCs. The recycled material is cleaned, refined, analysed and sorted.

Investments such as these have meant Kronospan is ahead of the industry in terms of hitting sustainability targets. The company is carbon negative and collects 3.2m tonnes of recycled wood a year, saving 4.9m trees.

There are still opportunities to take further steps towards decarbonisation and we are looking to the future with the Vision 2025 sustainability plan. Upgrading the local distribution grid in Chirk to 132V, which planning permission has been allowed for, will enable a higher proportion of renewables into our electricity mix. Solar panels will be installed across the roof space of the factory, with a potential capacity of 7 MWp.

What does the future hold?

As mentioned, a focus on sustainability is key in Kronospan’s future. Aside from this, we will continue to lead – and take inspiration from –  key interior design movements. We are releasing our new ‘Trends’ at the end of the year, which will showcase new décors that work together in a cohesive way. Our design facility in Malta sources design inspiration from across the globe and develops exclusive décors you cannot find elsewhere. As an ongoing project this launch is still top secret, but rest assured we’re going to remain on the pulse of the latest movements in design.

We are also keen to work more closely with architects, specifiers and designers to provide everything they need for our products, in a way which works best for them. Kronospan is already listed on RIBA and NBS, with BIM models and EPDs for all of our products, but we are also looking forward to learning what else we can offer to meet the needs of the specification market.

Following so many years of grey and glossy minimalism, warm natural colours were welcomed with open arms this year. This trend isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, and it’s easy to see why.

Warm rusts and muted burnt tones are comforting and calming, whilst still being interesting. They provide the ideal backdrop to play with texture, and pair perfectly with other decors which use nature as a reference point, such as woodgrains and stone. Earthy tones and textures are calming, versatile, and layer together effortlessly.

Find Kronospan on Supplier Finder

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At Supplier Finder, our mission is simple: to help you find the perfect commercial furnishing suppliers for your interior schemes and projects. We understand the importance of having confidence in the suppliers you specify and the products that bring your designs to life. That’s why each supplier featured on our platform is accredited through Commercial Interiors UK’s rigorous membership application process. This ensures that you engage with only the best in the industry!