On Thursday, March 13, the Estonian Woodhouse Association elected seven of the sector’s strongest leaders to its board, united by a shared goal of taking Estonia’s woodhouse industry to the next level. The companies represented are industry frontrunners, whose expertise ranges from engineering solutions and automation to international exports and traditional craftsmanship.
The Association continues its mission – to strengthen industry unity, grow export volumes to €1 billion, and bring 2,000 new professionals into the sector. To achieve this, the focus is on education, innovation, and increasing international visibility. One key initiative is the Woodhouse Academy, aimed at securing Estonia’s position as Europe’s leading exporter of prefabricated wooden houses.
“Investment in education is an investment in the sector’s survival – without a qualified workforce, we will not meet our export goals or future demand,” emphasizes board member Martin Talts. “Estonian wooden houses have become complex, high-value products that require cross-sector collaboration and high-level competence. We see strong growth in multi-storey buildings, energy-efficient renovation, and globally demanded Estonian-designed small houses,” adds Talts.
“An Estonian wooden house must become a recognized mark of quality across Europe. Just as Finland is known for saunas and Germany for cars, Estonia should be known for sustainable, high-quality wooden houses,” adds Priit Kallas (Iglucraft), outlining the board’s vision. Accordingly, the new board will focus on strategic marketing, reputation building, workforce development, and education. It will also continue to pursue productivity gains, international competitiveness, and preserving valued traditions.
The new boardmembers of Estonian Woodhouse Association:
- Priit Kallas, Iglucraft OÜ
- Alo Tamm, Harmet OÜ
- Ragner Lõbu, Hobbiton OÜ
- Martin Talts, KMT Prefab
- Indrek Rehme, Kodumaja AS
- Siim Leisalu, Timbeco Woodhouse OÜ
- Lauri Tuulberg, Welement AS
“The crises of the past year have clearly shaken the sector, but the key lies in comprehensive collaboration and optimism. Those two elements – the cooperation and optimism – have opened new opportunities, creating significant growth potential for the industry. The current board’s role is to find ways to realize that potential,” desbribes Annika Kadaja, General manager of the Estonian Woodhouse Association, the board’s focus areas.
Before the Association’s general assembly, members visited also the modular house producer Module Tech OÜ, where they had the opportunity to explore the company’s production facilities. Afterwards, the group toured at Muuga Harbour, where Rene Pärt, Head of Business Development at the Port of Tallinn, presented the group’s development plans in both transport and real estate, including the expansion of the Muuga port complex.
Muuga Harbour is set to become a key contact point within the Rail Baltic freight system, providing Estonian exporters with a strategically important land transport corridor to Central European markets.
