Omtre Teams Up with Urban Machine for Wood Reclamation

Omtre, a Norwegian start-up specializing in reclaimed timber for reuse in construction, has signed a Letter of Intent to use one of Urban Machine's wood reclaiming robots. This partnership marks a significant milestone as Omtre becomes the first European organization to enlist Urban Machine's cutting-edge technology for wood reclamation.

As the manager of SIRKTRE, one of Norway’s largest funded R&D projects, Omtre plays a pivotal role in developing circular solutions for sustainable construction practices. With a consortium of around 30 companies, multiple research institutes, standardization and certification bodies, and universities, SIRKTRE aims to establish standards for reclaimed timber reuse in construction, with two standards already under public hearing.

In addition to SIRKTRE, Omtre is engaged in several European Union-funded projects with leading EU companies, focusing on initiatives such as automated grading systems. The company is also spearheading the development of a RE-SAWMILL facility to prepare reclaimed wood for construction at an industrial scale. Omtre has several other well-funded projects in the works like Drastic (hosted by the World Green Building Council) and InnoTLT (funded by the Norwegian Research Council)

Urban Machine's wood reclaiming robot will significantly support Omtre's efforts in sustainable lumber reuse. With the use of AI and robotics, Urban Machine’s technology efficiently reclaims wood from construction waste by effectively removing metal fasteners. As a final quality control measure, the wood is run through a metal detector. This ensures the lumber is metal-free and prepared for reuse in new construction projects, streamlining the entire process for Omtre.

This partnership enables Omtre to enhance its circular economy initiatives by maximizing the reuse potential of reclaimed wood – reducing waste and environmental impact. This valuable collaboration will exemplify sustainable construction practices as a model for others to follow.

Wendy Wuyts, an R&D project manager at Omtre, emphasized the importance of overcoming systemic barriers to sustainable circularity in the construction industry with solutions like Urban Machine’s robot. As she indicated, Norway already uses reclaimed timber in structural applications, shining a spotlight on the viability and benefits of Omtre’s sustainable practices. By providing technology for efficient, metal-free wood reclamation, Urban Machine will further enhance Omtre's efforts to achieve sustainability for the construction industry.