Stiga RM enters into cooperation with LBTU on support in education and science

In late February, Stiga RM, one of Latvia’s leading timber companies, signed a cooperation agreement with Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU) in support of science and education.

As part of the agreement, Stiga RM will financially aid in the establishment of the first forest management and wood use exposition in Latvia at the LBTU Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences. Through interactive and digital solutions, visitors will learn how seedlings become high value-added products made in Latvia, discovering forest management cycles, the diversity of Latvia’s forests and the potential uses and applications of wood.

Stiga RM is also committed to providing internships for future forestry professionals. They will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the daily lives of forestry and wood processing industry specialists, gaining practical experience in working with forestry machinery, as well as with highly technological wood and metal processing equipment at Stiga RM factories. The company will also take part in various joint industry and public events.

“The LBTU Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences has introduced a practice-based study process, involving industry professionals and cooperating with companies in the industry. It gives future engineers and professionals the opportunity to not only listen to lectures given by experts but also participate in the production process, thus already beginning to understand the nuances of manufacturing during their studies. The successful cooperation with the Latvian capital company Stiga RM, further consolidated by the signing of a cooperation agreement, will open up even more opportunities for students to acquire the professional competencies that are so necessary for young specialists entering the labour market. The jointly initiated project of establishing an exposition on forest management and wood use will be beneficial not only for the students but also for the general public, as this will be a one-of-a-kind exposition in Latvia,” says Linards Sisenis, Dean of the Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences.

“Until now, the woodworking sector has been thought of in a narrow sense, not realising its full potential for innovation, education and scientific development. But with the growing demand for responsibly used wood, there is also a need for young, ambitious and knowledgeable professionals to bring a breath of fresh air into the sector. Cooperating with LBTU will allow this path to be pursued more quickly, facilitating the development of future specialists. The cooperation also opens up new opportunities to promote the woodworking sector, making it attractive to younger generations who might choose it as a future career path. We are convinced that this is the right way to promote and strengthen the sustainability sector,” says Andris Ramoliņš, owner of Stiga RM.

About Stiga RM:

Stiga RM is a family company from Tukums, founded in 1994 with the goal of protecting Latvia’s prosperity through responsible forest management. The company manages the full cycle of forest management on its almost 11,000 hectares of land, the majority of which is covered by forests, using the principles of sustainable forest management. Stiga RM’s factory in Kuldīga produces birch plywood from high-quality Latvian birch wood. The world’s most advanced production facility of Wood Wool Cement Board (WWCB) is currently under construction in Tukums. The company also offers roundwood transportation services, providing the largest fleet of log trucks in the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.