Internationalization of a Centre for Wooden Bridges

Purpose and goal

1. Mapping of the situation in Europe and outside of Europe for timber bridges. 2. To establish relationships with organizations working with wooden bridges. 3. Finding barriers (rules, regulations) for the use of wooden bridges. 4. Finding challenges and current ´hot´ issues in research and development for timber bridges. Aim and objectives have been achieved.

Results and expected effects

Future opportunities is cooperation on applications for research with partners that have emerged from the project. Industrial participants have had an international outlook that gives them more opportunities to assess risks and opportunities with an international business. Company visits has provided insight into how companies in other countries work. Of value are the lists on the wooden bridge contacts developed as well as the personal and institutional relationships that the project has resulted in.

Approach and implementation

A list of organizations, individuals, companies and authorities involved in timber bridges was developed as a first activity. Then an email was sent to people on this list of contacts where a brief presentation of the project was made and some questions about the interest in wooden bridges were put. Based on the responses from these mailings, a number of interesting contacts were chosen. Primarily, the group agreed to select contacts in Europe and that Spain, Switzerland, Holland, England were particularly interesting.