05/09/2026
Warren & Penny European Study Tour 🇸🇪 🇩🇪 🇳🇱
The purpose of the government-supported European Study Tour has been simple: to bring new knowledge, ideas and technologies back to Australia and explore how they might shape the future of timber fabrication.
We began in Gothenburg, Sweden, at the Wood Products & Technology expo, where we explored some of the latest developments in timber manufacturing, prefabrication and construction technology.
From Sweden, we travelled to Bremen, Germany, to visit KUKA, one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of industrial robotic systems. While robotics has long transformed industries such as automotive manufacturing, its growing application in timber fabrication and construction presents some fascinating opportunities for our industry.
The final leg took us to the Netherlands, where we visited Bart from AIfunghi, a business working with mycelium — the root-like structure of fungi — to grow furniture and other products. Beyond furniture, mycelium-based materials have exciting potential as lightweight, low-impact insulation and building products.
Across three countries, the common thread has been clear: the future of construction lies in combining natural materials with advanced manufacturing, clever design and new ways of thinking.
We’re heading home with plenty of ideas — and a few experiments we’re looking forward to trying.
