Forestry Logistics - Transport Options for All Types of Forest Products

Timber is a versatile resource with global demand. As an experienced logistics partner for all types of forest logistics, we deliver your forestry products safely to their destination thanks to our global network.

Rhenus truck being loaded with forest material

Forestry Logistics from a trusted partner

The Rhenus Group provides logistics services for all aspects of the raw material wood. This includes the entire timber logistics the storage and timber trade of sawmill by-products such as wood shavings and wood chips, as well as energy and roundwood directly from the forest and recycled timber from industry. We supply customers in the paper, wood-based products, energy and soil industries with sawmill by-products, recycled and industrial wood, and deliver biomass for thermal use.

We also place a particular focus on the trading and transporting of logs to supply the sawmill industry. Another major part of our work is buying and selling timber. For this, we buy trees directly from the forest or forest owners and sell them for subsequent processing. This enables us to supply you with larger quantities for your business. In this way, we can supply our customers reliably – and take the pressure off the sawmills when it comes to marketing their by-products.

Forestry products - Overview

We have the right equipment and expertise for all types of forest logistics. Whether it is wood chips or whole logs straight from the forest, our forest logistics will get your goods to their destination safely and reliably. We transport products such as wood chips, sawdust, bark or  sross-cut timber. In addition to sawmill by-products, we can also transport biomass products. These include, for example, landscape maintenance materials such as green waste wood chips, forest wood chips or screen overflow.

As a certified waste management facility, we are authorized to treat, transport, store and trade waste. Regular monitoring audits certify that we meet the requirements for organization, equipment and activities specified in the waste management facility regulations. This means that our customers can rely on the reliable, professional and proper disposal of their waste wood.

We also offer our customers timber that is certified according to the FSC standard FSC-STD-40-004. Furthermore, most of our timber is PEFC certified.

A Rhenus truck transporting forestry goods

Road transport

Our qualified drivers safely transport your forestry products by road to their destination in our specialized vehicles.

Excavator loading logs onto a barge at a port facility

Water transport

We transport forestry products by ship on European inland waterways and on international waterways.

Train loaded with logs on open railway tracks under a sunny sky

Rail transport

In addition to transport by ship and road, we are able to transport forest products by rail to the hinterland.

Forestry Logistics in Warehouses and Ports

We handle large quantities of consistently high-quality forest products from our various locations.

We respond flexibly to your requirements and preferences in all aspects of forest logistics – our trained employees always ensure the optimal storage of your goods. 

Our group-wide network of Rhenus locations enables us to intermediately store the wood, whether by water, road, rail or in the immediate vicinity of your production site.

Advantages of forest logistics from Rhenus

  • Company fleet: Our own fleet ensures both flexibility and  on time delivery.
  • In-house personnel: Using our own personnel ensures that our services are of the highest quality.
  • Wide catchment area: Our locations guarantee a wide catchment area for the procurement of raw materials and sales – from north to south.
  • Fast decision making: We are characterized by short and fast decision-making processes.
  • Transport licenses: We have the necessary licenses for your domestic and cross-border transport to carry out the desired timber transport for you.

Certificates: Rhenus Forest Logistics

Specialist disposal company

As a certified specialist disposal company, we are authorized to transport, store, treat and trade in timber and wood products at our locations.

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Specialist disposal company

RED II expands the sustainability requirements. Bioenergy plants that generate electricity, heating or cooling above certain thresholds must prove the sustainable production of the biomass.

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RED II

Thanks to an accreditation process that meets international standards, the quality seal offers complete and bindingproof of responsible forest management

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PEFC

Timber from the conversion of natural forests into plantations or from forests with genetically modified trees is excluded from trade.

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FSC
Friendly call center agent who is talking to a customer

Do you need a safe and efficient solution for the transportation of your timber products?

Our experienced team offers you tailor-made timber logistics - flexible, reliable and on time. Contact us for your individual transport solution!

Frequently Asked Questions

Our customers include pulp and paper mills, the wood-based materials industry, combined heat and power plants, pellet producers and private households. Our suppliers are mainly forest owners and state-owned forestry companies for our roundwood purchases, as well as sawmills and recycling companies for their sawmill by-products and recycled materials.

We can offer you comprehensive services along the entire supply chain. This includes trading, processing, forestry transport, storage or stocking of products in our own warehouses. Thanks to our comprehensive network of group-wide Rhenus locations, we can adapt to your needs and are happy to find tailor-made solutions for your product

Our forestry transport fleet includes our own trucks of various types, such as articulated trucks,  walking floor trucks, roll-off tippers, and crane trucks. We also work with a large number of partner companies.

The mode of transportation depends on the type of product, the intended use and the distance to be traveled. Most commonly, timber is transported by specialized trucks. These have special bodies and loading systems for logs or sawn timber.  Logging trucks are also used for particularly large or long logs. In particular, large quantities of forestry products are often transported over long distances on freight trains. In international trade, timber is often transported on cargo ships, especially from countries with intensive forestry.