comprehensive utilisation
Every chip counts
Boards, blocks, nails – in Torgau we manufacture all intermediate products ourselves. For this purpose, sawmill by-products are refined into our own finished products. This makes us independent of suppliers and service providers – and protects the environment.
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comprehensive
Our unique concept
We have a consistent approach in the European packaging industry: the comprehensive utilization of wood as a raw material—from the bark down to the very last chip. And all this in the best possible way: bark is converted into CO2-neutral energy in our own power plants, while sawdust and wood chips are used for pallet blocks as well as high-quality briquettes and pellets. Together with our own production of pallet nails, that makes us crisis-proof and allows us to deliver reliably even under difficult economic conditions. At the same time, the self-sufficient, integrated production enables us to offer a wide range of products in the areas of pallets, biofuels, sawn timber and garden and milled products.
from trunk to finished product
Wood is a valuable raw material that must be used with care. This is also applies to the production of pallets and other products. Our pledge is therefore clear: We use every trunk as fully as possible.
To deliver this, we have invested in state-of-the-art technology:all tree trunks are harvested with modern harvester machines and then transported to the factory. There they are debarked and then measured in full contour using laser and camera technology. The data obtained through these processes forms the basis for further processing in the sawmill and settlement with the suppliers.
The boards are used to produce high-quality pallets, milling and garden products. Planed goods for export are also produced. The resulting sawdust and wood chips are dried and processed into high-quality biofuels and pallet blocks.
The energy needed to dry the sawdust and the pallets is also produced on site – from the tree bark of the logs, which is utilised in our own combined heat and power plants. We also feed green electricity into the public grid in accordance with the Renewable Energies Act.
Consistently well thought-out
Self-sufficient production
From the delivery of the logs to the finished pallet usually takes just 24 hours. And this happens even under difficult economic conditions. Thanks to our unique concept, we can operate largely independently of external service providers and suppliers. From the harvest to the pallet, everyone works hand in hand.
Environmentally conscious
Sustainable raw materials
Forests make an important contribution to environmental and climate protection. They sequester CO2, help regulate the climate, and provide a vital habitat for animals.
We have made it our goal to protect and preserve them.
When sourcing raw materials, we therefore rely on Mercer Holz, our wood procurement organization for all German production sites of Mercer International.
Our sister company offers expert procurement, timber harvesting, and logistics services for all German Mercer locations as well as for third-party customers.
Just like us, Mercer Holz is committed to strict sustainability guidelines and sources timber exclusively from responsibly managed forests—regardless of whether they are state-owned or privately owned.
Cutting-edge technology
Sawmills
In our two sawmills, up to 1.1 million solid cubic metres of wood are processed annually into timber for our own pallet production and for export.
Each sawmill is ideally equipped for cutting the 2.40 – 4.00m long logs: in the weak wood sawmill, two HewSaw R200 sawing lines cut logs with smaller diameters. A LINCK chipper-reducer circular saw line processes the medium logs in online operation, while an EWD double quadro band saw line, with upstream CT log, processes the heavy logs into timber, also in online operation. Using the latest scanner and measuring technology, the sawing lines are electronically controlled to get the maximum yield out of the cut logs.
Perfect load carriers
Pallet production
We are proud to be Europe’s market leader for EPAL pallets and to have the largest production site for pallets. Our team produces up to 50,000 pallets per day in a 4-shift system in consistently high quality.
This is made possible by modern technology and highly automated processes. The pallets are automatically assembled on production lines and are then ready for drying.
Thanks to our self-sufficient production and the resulting independence from external suppliers and service providers, orders for a wide variety of load carriers are processed reliably and quickly and the load carriers are delivered on time.We ensure the high quality of the EPAL load carriers in cooperation with the Gütegemeinschaft Paletten e.V. (EPAL) and through our own quality management system.
MAde in Torgau
Pallet components
11 boards, 9 blocks and 78 special nails – all manufactured and produced in Torgau. In this way, we operate largely independently of external service providers and suppliers – to the benefit of our customers.We use the sawdust that is produced in our factory for the production of the pallet blocks. They are pressed and dried on site.
We buy raw wire for the special nails. This is punched into nails in our own nail production system with modern machines. To cover our own high demand, we produce up to 20 tonnes of nails every day. They are certified by EPAL and approved for use with Euro pallets. All nails are subject to regular strict quality controls.
Stable
NAIL PRODUCTION
At least 78 special nails must be added in each Euro pallet to guarantee its stability. To meet this high demand for nails, we produce up to 20 tonnes of them per day directly on site.
Raw wire is used for this purpose, which is punched into nails in modern special machines. The nails we produce are certified by EPAL and approved for use with Euro pallets. They are subject to regular strict quality controls.
Suitable for export
Drying
With a few exceptions, all Mercer Torgau pallets meet the requirements of the ISPM 15 standard. The “International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures for Wood Packaging in International Trade” aims to prevent wood pests from being imported into other ecosystems. Various measures are possible to meet the standards – for example, appropriate heat treatment.
Our pallets are dried to the required wood moisture content in the largest channel dryers installed in Europe and in nine drying chambers and treated in accordance with the IPPC guidelines (ISPM 15). In four-shift operation, up to 17 million pallets can be dried per year. This corresponds to an annual drying capacity of 720,000m³.
We obtain 100% of the energy we need for this from renewable energy, which is generated in a CO2-neutral way in the company’s own biomass combined heat and power plants.
100% green
Sustainable energy
A total of three Renewable Energies Act (EEG)-certified power plants produce renewable energy from tree bark and forest residues – so-called renewable raw materials (NaWaRo) – at our plant. The 7 boilers produce up to 1,200 MWh of heat per day. This heat is used for drying the pallets, timber and sawdust. The three turbines in the power plants produce an additional 90 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity per year. This covers approximately the plant’s electricity needs and would also be enough to supply 30,000 households with electricity.Both the electricity and heat are 100% renewable. The electricity is fed into the public grid, fully in accordance with the EEG.
Sustainable
Biofuels
The sawdust produced at our plant is a valuable raw material for us – for example, for the production of sustainable and high-quality biofuels such as wood briquettes and pellets.
The biofuels are produced only by pressing the sawdust. They are free of chemicals and, as a pure natural product, provide clean and cosy warmth.
All of our company’s biofuels are certified according to ENplus. The quality seal places high demands on production, quality assurance, labelling, logistics and storage of the briquettes. This is how we want to give the trade and consumers more security and orientation when choosing their biofuels.
Durable wood
Garden
At our second location in Dahlen near Torgau, we produce high-quality wooden products for the garden – from privacy screens to classic fences to pergola systems to flooring to play equipment such as climbing swings and sandboxes.
The wood for these products comes from sustainably managed forests. We prove this, among other things, with the long-standing certification of our operation according to PEFC. This certification is the guarantee for an independently monitored and fully traceable processing chain for sustainably grown wood.
Distribution takes place via partners such as hardware stores. This allows consumers nationwide to choose from our high-quality garden range.
Secure supply
Logistics
For us, logistics is not a secondary process, but a key factor in our success. Thanks to our dedicated team and modern infrastructure, we successfully meet the challenges of an efficient supply chain every day.
Every day, up to 95 vehicles operate at our plant—from jumbo trucks to wheel loaders, excavators, and forklifts. They ensure that raw wood and our products are transported throughout the plant grounds.
Between 60 and 100 trucks leave our plant daily, loaded with pallets, lumber, and biofuels. This ensures that our products reliably reach customers and retail outlets throughout Germany.
In addition, up to four block trains depart from the Port of Torgau each month, transporting sawn timber to German seaports—a key component of our international logistics chain.
For us, logistics is more than just transportation: it connects people, processes, and markets—day in and day out.
High availability
Warehouse logistics
Mercer Torgau has more than 50,000 m2 of storage space which is used for its various products. For example, we operate a FiFo warehouse for sawn timber, assortment warehouses for garden and milled products and, of course, warehouses for our biofuels. Customers benefit doubly from the high storage capacities: orders are picked quickly and delivered at short notice if required, and our warehouses can also be used as consignment warehouses.
We also use part of the storage area for ourselves: centralised warehousing allows us to quickly provide the tools and materials we need within our company.
State-of-the-art
GRINDING SHOP
All cutting and milling tools are repaired, reconditioned and sharpened in our own tool grinding shop.For this purpose, we have the most modern computer-controlled machine tools at our disposal, such as grinding robots, automatic soldering machines and chain sharpening machines.
All tools are provided with a machine-readable QR code in order to be able to effectively plan maintenance intervals and thus always ensure the quality of our products.