Forests in Bavaria are not only a defining element of the landscape but also a central supplier of raw materials: Over one third of the state’s area is forested. Of this, almost two thirds consist of softwood – primarily spruce – and just over one third of hardwoods such as beech and oak. This distinction is relevant not only for forestry and the sawmill industry but also for the material use of wood, which is at the heart of the BAMBI project – Market Potential of Wood-Based Bioeconomy in Bavaria.

Availability of Wood: A Resource in Transition

The wood market is currently undergoing major changes. The closure of traditional buyers such as paper mills, including the UPM plant in Ettringen or Sappi in Stockstadt, illustrates the decline of classic material utilization pathways (source: BVSE, 2023). At the same time, large quantities of wood from sustainable forestry remain available. This opens up new potential for value-added applications.

What Is Actually in Wood?

Chemically, wood is composed primarily of three components:
cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin – together they account for around 95–98% of the wood. The exact composition varies depending on species (hardwood vs. softwood), age, and site conditions.

• Cellulose is a linear polysaccharide that provides tensile strength and stability as the main structural framework of wood. It is already widely used industrially, for example in the production of paper, textile fibers, hygiene products, or cellulose derivatives such as cellulose acetate.
• Hemicellulose is a branched, amorphous polysaccharide mixture that crosslinks cellulose fibers and adds additional strength and stability. Due to its high degree of branching and lack of crystallinity, hemicellulose is easier to break down than cellulose. It is often used as a by-product or burned. Yet its chemical diversity offers great potential: xylitol (a sugar substitute), furfurals (precursors for plastics or solvents), biosurfactants, and bio-based solvents are just a few examples (source: Bioökonomie.de, Dossier on Biorefineries).
• Lignin is a complex, aromatic, and highly crosslinked polymer that embeds itself between cellulose and hemicellulose fibers and binds them together. It provides compressive strength and protects wood from chemical and biological degradation.
  Lignin is produced in large quantities as a by-product of pulp production and is still mainly used for energy generation. Yet lignin offers enormous opportunities for material applications:
• Aromatic platform chemicals: Lignin can be broken down into building blocks such as vanillin, phenols, or ferulic acid.
• Bio-based adhesives and binders: Lignin can replace phenol resins in particleboard or plywood.
• Carbon fibers: Using solvent-free processes, lignin can be transformed into high-quality carbon fibers, providing a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based fibers.
• Additives for lubricants and bitumen: Lignin can replace fossil components in machine oils or road surfacing – as recently demonstrated in Estonia, where lignin-based asphalt was used in road construction (source: LinkedIn – KMG OÜ, 2024). 
• Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals: Its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties make lignin attractive for skin care and medical applications (source: Bioökonomie.de, Dossier Lignin – Reststoff mit Potenzial) 

This Is Where BAMBI Comes In

The BAMBI project takes a holistic approach: Wood is to be used as fully as possible, with all its components being used in targeted material applications – from high-quality logs to by-products such as sawdust, trimmings, and residues from chemical processing. The concept of cascade use—the repeated material use of wood across different stages—plays an important role here.

The project focuses in particular on hemicellulose and lignin, whose use has so far been limited, even though their chemical structure makes them promising raw materials for bio-based materials, chemicals, and high-performance products.

The goal of BAMBI is to open up new utilization pathways in Bavaria through stakeholder exchange along the entire value chain—ensuring that wood as a resource is used in a way that is ecologically meaningful, economically attractive, and technologically innovative.

In BAMBI, we aim to stimulate more efficient use of the wood resources available in Bavaria. This includes short-term measures such as improved use of deadwood by regional sawmills, as well as long-term perspectives in bio-based materials and innovative processing technologies. BAMBI provides a platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and technology transfer—creating the foundation for innovation and new developments.

Interested in Joining the BAMBI Project?

On 22 October, we will host our stakeholder workshop for partners along the entire wood value chain at the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy in Munich.