Country Business Reports interviews and articles by Discovery Reports Discoveryreports.com Drawing on more than 140 years of Swiss timber innovation, Häring has created wooden buildings that are stronger than steel or concrete. From an all-wood military installation in a technology-driven Asian country to repel a nuclear electromagnetic pulse attack, to a gigantic wooden greenhouse in Chengdu, China, the family-owned company has proven the limitless potential of wood in architecture. Häring is sharing this distinct expertise worldwide to propel its vision of a greener planet for generations to come. “Unlike cement and steel production, which emit a lot of CO2, wood grows simply on water and sunlight,” says chairman Chris Haring, who is also an engineer and belongs to Häring’s fourth generation of managers. “Wood can be as strong as steel in terms of its fibre strength relative to its weight. Like in the ancient temples of China and Japan, timber is an extremely long-lasting building material if you have the specific know-how. These qualities make wood one of the most sustainable and intelligent construction materials imaginable.” The company’s expertise in glued laminated timber technology, or glulam, allows it to create large contoured structures that are earthquake-resistant. Covering the whole value chain from real estate development to renovation and redevelopment, Häring boasts of a rapid prototyping process that makes every single project distinct. Across Asia, the company’s factory in Tianjin, China, and office in Singapore are spearheading its regional expansion. Häring similarly shares its best practices and fast-growing tree species with forest owners and partners in markets such as Australia, Bhutan, Malaysia and Indonesia. “We can cover everything under the sun,” says Haring, referring to a project that can house an Airbus A380 and a jumbo jet side by side. “The size and capacity of our wooden building materials are truly fantastic, and many people don’t know it yet. Buildings could look like this in the future – no concrete or steel, just wood – light, fast, green.” www.haring.ch