Italian Florian Legno Group plans to resume wood processing at the former Cedar site in Vrbovsko/HR. Further investments are planned, including the completion of a new sawmill and a pellet mill. Around 100 jobs are expected to be created within three years.

With FLO VRBOVSKO and FLO ENERGO, the Florian Group is reinforcing its presence in Europe and aiming to revitalise a major industrial complex.

The Florian Group is continuing its path of growth and international expansion, further consolidating its presence in Croatia, where it has been operating for over thirty years.

With FLO VRBOVSKO and FLO ENERGO, the Group is launching an ambitious industrial project in Vrbovsko, in the Gorski Kotar region, with the aim of reactivating the former Cedar plants, which have been closed for around five years.

The complex has significant production infrastructure, including drying plants, timber processing facilities, a cogeneration plant and a direct rail link to the network leading to the port of Fiume/Rijeka. The biomass-fired cogeneration plant will generate electricity while supplying useful heat to support both existing production facilities and future developments at the site. This integration of energy generation and industrial heat use will form an important part of the complex’s revitalisation.

A strategic hub for the Florian supply chain

President Elvio Florian’s vision is to transform Vrbovsko into a new strategic hub for the entire Group, reinforcing integration between the various companies.

The aim is to maintain and enhance the specialisations of the existing plants, concentrating within the new hub the processing of timber that is not further processed at the other Florian production sites.

The investment is also driven by logistical considerations, with the site’s direct rail connection and access to the port of Rijeka offering opportunities to optimise transport flows across the Group’s supply chain.

New investments and opportunities for the local area

The project involves a gradual restart of the plants, accompanied by further investment to complete and expand production activities.

President Elvio Florian’s vision goes beyond industrial revitalisation. In recent years, the Vrbovsko area has experienced a period of gradual decline in manufacturing activity, resulting in fewer job opportunities and forcing many residents to seek work away from home.

The aim is to help reverse this trend by bringing manufacturing back to the area, creating new job opportunities and offering people the chance to return to work close to their families and their home region.

An initial phase is planned, creating around 30 new jobs, with the aim of reaching 100 employees within three years.

This investment therefore aims to represent not only a new opportunity for growth for the Florian Group, but also a tangible contribution to the economic and social recovery of the local community.

With this new project, Florian reaffirms its vision: to continue investing in production, strengthen its supply chain and enhance the potential of the businesses and regions in which it operates.

Source:  florianinc.com