Holzforschung Austria (HFA) was announced first winner of the FEP Award during the gala dinner of the Istanbul General Assembly. Being a privately run institute with over 80 collaborators based in Vienna, the HFA is a non-profit organization whose clients include private individuals, SMEs and industrial companies. The organisation is also a member of several European committees where know-how is shared and standards are set for Europe-wide regulations. The institute is led by Dr. Manfred Brandstätter, a graduate of wood technology from the University of Agricultural Sciences in Vienna.
Wooden flooring constitutes a significant area of study for HFA. With a series of cooperative R&D projects, the organization has been a leading partner in innovation, technical development and standardization for the parquet industry in Austria and beyond. High on the institute’s agenda are topics such as the emission of volatile organic compounds, fire resistance and surface treatments with specific oils and waxes to maintain and protect the wood.
By developing products that do not only meet today’s international standards but also anticipate those of the future, HFA has demonstrated the quality of its innovation and the importance of its forward-thinking to the benefit of the parquet sector.
In a world where the impact of building materials is increasingly valued for both its sustainable and emotional qualities (the look and feel), a good quality product backed by credible information plays a decisive role in the consumers’ buying process. That is why HFA has helped to develop surface treatments that meet actual and future standards and why dozens of companies consult the experienced collaborators of HFA on a regular basis.
