The three Latvian companies working under the ZAZA TIMBER brand, which specialize in the manufacturing of glued laminated timber structures, design and construction of timber buildings and bridges, continued their development in export markets in 2022, increasing turnover by 14% and implementing measures to improve export capacity. The total turnover of the companies in 2022 reached 6.33 million euros (in 2021 – 5.54 million euros).
ZAZA TIMBER Production SIA, a manufacturer of glued laminated timber (glulam) structures, increased its turnover by 30% in 2022 – from 2.63 million euros in 2021 to 3.42 million euros in 2022. The company ended the year with a large loss of 384 thousand euros, as opposed to a profit of 290 thousand euros a year earlier. In 2022, the company made significant investments in the development of the production quality system, attracting qualified specialists, improving production efficiency and investing in new post-processing equipment.
In 2022, the company manufactured and supplied glulam structures for the construction of bridges, office and industrial buildings, schools, recreational complexes, sports halls and electric car charging stations – in Norway, Spain, Denmark, Andorra, the Baltic States and elsewhere. At the company’s production facility in Jelgava County, structures up to 32 meters long, including curved ones, are manufactured and post-processing of high precision and complexity is carried out.
The turnover of the design company ZAZA TIMBER Engineering SIA increased by 22% in 2022 and was 181 thousand euros. The company ended the year with a large loss of 21,000 euros, as opposed to a large profit of 383 euros a year earlier. In 2022, the company expanded its team and invested in hardware performance and software.
Last year, the company’s design team worked on international and local projects of offices, bridges, and residential buildings, designing timber structures, making calculations, developing detailing and assembly drawings, as well as providing author supervision. Among the most important foreign projects were the facade and skylight structures of the Aker Tech House office building in Fornebu, Norway, an office building in Christiania and the Sami museum in Kautokeino, Norway, a timber bridge and a student house in Linköping, Sweden. Among the important projects in Latvia were the timber bridge over the Vircavas river in Jelgava County, the “TZMO” office and logistics center in Riga, the “Avoti” office building in Gulbene County and the “Latvijas finiera” nursery in Sigulda County.
ZAZA TIMBER Construction SIA, which specializes in timber structure assembly, worked with a turnover of 2.73 million euros in 2022, which was almost unchanged compared to 2021, when the turnover of the company was 2.76 million euros. The company closed the year 2022 with a profit of 215 thousand euros, as opposed to a loss of 142 thousand euros in 2021. The company’s largest construction projects in 2022 were the facade and skylight structures of the Aker Tech House office building in Norway, a network of electric car charging stations in Denmark, and a timber bridge in Sweden.
In 2022, the company concluded the implementation of quality management processes and obtained the ISO 9001:2015 certificate, received the certificate of the Norwegian Construction Agency (Sentralt godkjent) for the design of building structures, the assembly of timber structures and the assembly of metal and concrete structures. In the middle of the year, the company started work on obtaining member status in the Swedish builders’ union (Bygg Nads), which was successfully completed in July 2023.
Māris Peilāns, chairman of the board of ZAZA TIMBER production, design and construction companies, says: “Our chosen strategy is starting to pay off – to be a one-stop agency in timber construction projects. Although our businesses also work separately, there are more and more projects for which we not only produce glulam structures, but also provide design and assembly services. Clients appreciate this opportunity and our professional and well-coordinated teams. At the same time, we see that the requirements in the construction industry are so high that their fulfillment creates too much of a burden for small companies, they must be quite large and stable so that they are not perceived as a hindrance, but as an advantage. Therefore, the focus of ZAZA TIMBER is to continue growing, invest in capacity and quality, and strenghten financials.”
Māris Peilāns, chairman of the board of ZAZA TIMBER brand companies.
The ZAZA TIMBER (www.zazatimber.lv) brand was created in 2021 to promote the growth of the companies it represents in export markets. The letters A and Z in the name ZAZA TIMBER indicate a full spectrum of services – from the design of wooden structures to the finished building. ZAZA TIMBER companies employ 60 people. The true beneficiaries of ZAZA TIMBER brand companies are Baiba Radžele and Eva Peilāne.
