Welcome to this website, a project of COST Action E49. This website provides information about research in the wood-based panels sector. It includes two different features: A database for research projects and institutes in the sector, and a priority research list where industrialists, academics and members of governmental organizations are invited to vote on the importance of different research topics.

The aim of the database is to provide information on capabilities and research projects conducted in Europe and outside of the continent. Such information is certainly useful for the industry, the research community and other decision makers.

All research institutes are encouraged to provide details about their projects. Although COST Action E49 is a European initiative, institutes from outside the European Union are also invited to submit projects to the database. Any research project related to the wood-based panels sector that finished within the last two years, as well as on-going projects, can be submitted. As a result, the database will indicate current the competences of the research institutes involved in wood-based panels research.

One requirement when developing the database was to limit the information requested by the online form so that it does not take more than five minutes to provide the information for one project. Therefore, only basic keywords to classify the projects are asked. Additional information can be provided by uploading a project summary, or by putting a link to a project website.

The database can be searched in two ways: A keyword search and a full-text search in the uploaded project summary. In addition, contact information for all projects and research institutes is provided.

The priority research list defines the most important research topics for wood-based panel and has two principle aims: Firstly, to encourage researchers to align their activities with current industry needs, and secondly to give an overview of the entire sector's perception about necessary research activities. Everybody involved in the wood-based panels sector is invited to contribute to this list.

Contributors to the priority research list can either, submit a new research topic and/or vote for one or more of the suggested topics. The number of votes and the time elapsed since an individual vote has been submitted affect the priority of a research topic. While the overall rank depends on the votes received from all participants, a more detailed view is provided by distinguishing between votes from the industry, academia and governmental organizations. If interested in a specific topic the voter can also ask for further information from the topic organizer. Finally, the priority research list gives voters the opportunity to register their interest in participating in one or more of the research projects.

COST Action E49, an initiative funded by the European Commission, is entitled Processes and Performance of Wood-Based Panels. It is a network of scientists and industrialists who are interested in wood-based panel related research and who wish to coordinate such research on a European level. The principal aim of COST Action E49 is to support the wood-based panels sector to meet future demands and competition from other materials and markets through the scientific-based advance of the panels and their production processes.

It is permitted to use the content of this site for non-commercial purposes, provided that the source is attributed properly, and that it does not violate any property rights of the authors.