Holzhof Zeil

Holzhof Zeil was a forestry and timber processing enterprise founded in 1967 by the House of Waldburg-Zeil in Unterzeil, a part of Leutkirch im Allgäu below Schloss Zeil in the Ravensburg district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It formed part of the family's forestry operations and was established to shift labour-intensive timber harvesting work, traditionally done in winter, to stationary machine facilities. At its peak, the Holzhof had a processing capacity of 100,000 solid cubic metres of roundwood per year in single-shift operation, making it the largest timber yard in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Of this, 40,000 solid cubic metres came from the family's own forests, while 60,000 solid cubic metres could be processed from external forests. It employed fifteen full-time staff at the end. The facility was designed for the softwood lumber produced in the Oberschwaben and Allgäu regions. Its technical equipment included a sorting line for small-diameter timber and, added in 1971, a large-diameter timber dividing and sorting system with associated cross conveyors and length storage boxes. Delivered roundwood was debarked and end-trimmed if not already done in the forest, then digitally measured and categorised by length, top diameter, mid diameter and wood quality. The main customers were sawmills from the region. The Holzhof occupied a site of approximately 30,000 square metres below and within sight of the ancestral seat of the House of Waldburg-Zeil, near the A96 motorway and the Leutkirch–Memmingen railway line. On 1 August 2015, Holzhof Zeil ceased business operations. After the closure, the site was acquired by the Austrian cable car manufacturer Doppelmayr as a reserve area for a possible German production location, but as of the end of 2023 it had only been used as a storage area. The official website domain holzhof-zeil.de is now listed for sale.

The House of Waldburg-Zeil had long been involved in the timber trade, dating back to the era of log driving on the Iller river. The Holzhof was part of the family's forestry operation and was founded in 1967 in Unterzeil, below Schloss Zeil. Its purpose was to move the labour-intensive harvesting work, which mainly took place in winter after felling, away from the forest and onto stationary machine facilities. The site was equipped with a sorting line for small-diameter timber. In 1971, a large-diameter timber dividing and sorting system was added, along with associated cross conveyors and length storage boxes. The facility had a processing capacity of 100,000 solid cubic metres of roundwood per year in single-shift operation, making it the largest timber yard in Baden-Württemberg. Of this, 40,000 solid cubic metres came from the family's own forests, and 60,000 solid cubic metres could be processed from external forests. It employed fifteen full-time staff at the end. The plant was designed for the softwood lumber arising in the Oberschwaben and Allgäu regions. Delivered roundwood was debarked and end-trimmed if this had not already been done in the forest, then digitally measured and categorised by length, top diameter, mid diameter and wood quality. The main customers were sawmills from the region. The Holzhof occupied a site of approximately 30,000 square metres below and within sight of the ancestral seat of the House of Waldburg-Zeil, near the A96 motorway and the Leutkirch–Memmingen railway line. On 1 August 2015, Holzhof Zeil ceased business operations. After the closure, the site was acquired by the Austrian cable car manufacturer Doppelmayr as a reserve area for a possible German production location, but as of the end of 2023 it had only been used as a storage area.

• 2023

  As of end of 2023, the former site was used only as a storage area by Doppelmayr.

• 2015

  Holzhof Zeil ceased business operations on 1 August 2015.

• 1971

  Large-diameter timber dividing and sorting system added.

• 1967

  Holzhof Zeil founded by the House of Waldburg-Zeil in Unterzeil.

Regional forestry and timber processing operation; largest timber yard in Baden-Württemberg by processing capacity.

• Roundwood processing

  Processing of roundwood with a capacity of 100,000 solid cubic metres per year in single-shift operation.

• Softwood lumber

  The facility was designed for the softwood lumber arising in the Oberschwaben and Allgäu regions.

• Timber sorting and grading

  Digital measurement and categorisation by length, top diameter, mid diameter and wood quality.

1. 1holzhof-zeil.de - This website is for sale! - holzhof zeil Resources and Information.holzhof-zeil.de
2. 2Holzhof Zeilwikidata.org
3. 3Holzhof Zeilde.wikipedia.org