International Association for Technical Wood Issues
The International Association for Technical Wood Issues e. V. (iVTH) is a registered association for the promotion of wood research. It is a member of the AiF Working Group of Industrial Research Associations and is based in Braunschweig .
history
The foundation goes back to the year 1946. The association and an associated test and advice center were brought into being on June 7, 1946 at the inaugural meeting of the wood researcher Wilhelm Klauditz . The Braunschweig-Riddagshausen regional forest administration at that time invited the following founding members to attend: Oberforstmeister v. Loesch (Forest Administration of the State of Braunschweig), Professor Gustav Gassner (Rector of the Technical University of Braunschweig ), Oberbaurat Böhlke (City Administration of Braunschweig), Oberlandforstmeister Hausmann (Landesforstamt Hannover), Dr. Klauditz (head of the former chemical-technological institute of the Reichsanstalt für Holzforschung), Oberforstmeister Knippel (Landesforstamt Hannover), Dr. König (Holig-Homogenholzwerke Hann.-Münden), engineer Kopte (Mühlenbau und Industrie GmbH), Professor Lutz (Technical University of Braunschweig), Vice President Munte (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) and Professor Hermann Winter (Technical University of Braunschweig).
aims
The motive and goal of founding the association was stated as follows:
“The scarcity of wood as a raw material and the impossibility of eliminating this scarcity in the foreseeable future make it an inevitable obligation to use the available wood economically in such a way that the greatest possible economic success is achieved with the least possible effort. This is only possible if the existing possibilities are tried out through trials and the results are made available to the parties involved in German business. To achieve this goal, the Association for Technical Wood Issues is founded. "
The research and advice center belonging to the association had its roots in the Reichsanstalt für Holzforschung (Reich Institute for Wood Research), which was divided into the mechanical-technological institute, headed by the wood researcher Franz Kollmann , and the chemical-technological institute, headed by Professor GA Kienitz until 1944 (after his Death, Wilhelm Klauditz took over the management of the institute). After the end of the war , there was no more government support from the Reich Forestry Office. Wilhelm Klauditz continued to try very hard to preserve wood research. Support and cooperation was found with the Lower Saxony state forest administration, the forestry and wood industry , the connection to the Technical University of Braunschweig and the support of the association for technical wood issues with the bundling of common interests of industry, forestry and wood management.
Funding contributions from the federal government, membership fees and donations from industry as well as the association's entry into the Working Group of Industrial Research Associations ( AiF ) in 1958 and the involvement of several federal states (previously focus on Lower Saxony) created a financial basis to carry out wood research. After Wilhelm Klauditz's death in 1963, previous efforts were expanded through intensive contacts with other research institutions and the Institute for Wood Research (also known as the Wilhelm Klauditz Institute ) was incorporated into the Fraunhofer Society in January 1972 . At that time the association for technical wood issues became the WKI's sponsorship association .
The association was renamed from VTH to its current name in 2004. The renaming reflects members on different continents and a growing sphere of activity. In addition to the geographical expansion, the iVTH opened its funding to other research institutions besides the Wilhelm Klauditz Institute.
tasks
The association pursues exclusively and directly non-profit purposes. It promotes science, research and technology in the field of forestry and wood management as well as related economic areas. Research and development projects are funded, research contracts are awarded and scientific events are held. Furthermore, advisory and expert committees are convened and research results are communicated to members, associations and government agencies. The focus is on promoting research for SMEs for the purpose of community research.
Wilhelm Klauditz Prize for wood research and environmental protection
Every three years the association usually awards the Wilhelm Klauditz Prize on special occasions . The association honors outstanding scientific and application-technical work in the field of wood research and wood use or related knowledge serving environmental protection. The price consists of a monetary amount, the amount of which is determined at the time of the tender, and a certificate. Both individuals and project groups can be proposed or apply for the prize. Price proposals can be submitted by research institutions and their institutes, industry and business associations and individual companies.
The first award ceremony took place in 1988 to Edmone Roffael , Lutz Mehlhorn and Rainer Marutzky for the topic "Investigations into the formaldehyde release of wood-based materials and other materials as well as the development of methods to reduce the formaldehyde release potential ".
financing
Public and private donors, associations and institutions, individual members, as well as companies from the wood processing and wood construction sector finance the association. The iVTH than AiF Research Association, applicant and Erstzuwendungsempfänger after cessation of business of the German Society for Wood Research also adopted in December 2009, taking care of the ongoing projects of industrial research as already planned for 2010 project applications.
literature
- 50 years of the Association for Technical Wood Issues, Wilhelm Klauditz Institute; Festschrift, publisher: Association for Technical Wood Issues, born 1995/96.