TIMBER ARCHITEC TURE

INDUSTRY CONSTRUCTIONS
GLUED LAMINATED TIMBER

The plant grounds of HESS TIMBER

High-Quality glulam
timber made in Germany
2

HESS TIMBER is one of Germanys and Europes technical

leaders in timber construction. The company, which
is headquartered in Kleinheubach near Frankfurt am
Main, offers a unique service range for demanding
architects, planners and project developers in Germany
and abroad. In addition to standardised services for
timber construction, such as roof and industrial building
structures for industrial and commercial construction,
HESS TIMBER has also specialised in the planning and
implementation of customised and architecturally
demanding roof structures with unique geometries.

Heavy load transport

HESS TIMBERs ability to cover the entire bandwidth of

services, ranging from planning, glulam products and
construction while maintaining the highest level of quality in
the execution of construction works is due to the fact that it
is probably the only company that combines an engineering
firm, glulam production, CNC beam production and its own
carpentry under one roof. In Spring 2010 HESS TIMBER took a
completely new and extremely fast processing finger-jointing
line concept into operation.
This high-tech production was supplemented in May 2010
with the worldwide first fully automated CNC-Press for curved
glulam beams. In 2006 the core of extensive investments was
a new CNC-controlled, 6-axis processing centre from Maka,
Nersingen and the finger jointing system was optimised with
an x-ray scanner and a modified charging system. Also new
was a high-frequency continuous press for length-independent
manufacture of glulam timber beams. HESS TIMBER now
ranks among the most modern glulam construction companies
in Europe and around the globe. By combining customised
engineering planning, state-of-the-art technology for
production, and the quality of its carpentry services, the
company is able to implement all of its clients requirements at
the highest quality.

Fully automated CNC-Press

Cross-Conveyor

Engineering office

A company with tradition

The company HESS TIMBER GmbH & Co. KG looks back
on an impressive company history.
The general Manager Mathias Hofmann has been active in
the area of project construction of wood facade structures
since 2001 with his former company wohnwerk GmbH.
In 2005, he took over the business fields of the previous
HESS Holzleimbau Technologie (a company with 130 years
of tradition) and founded the new HESS-WOHNWERK GmbH
& Co. KG.
In 2010, the entity was changed to HESS TIMBER GmbH & Co.
KG. Very fortunately, the HESS knowledge continues to live
on with the new company. Also, since the new foundation in
2005, 50 additional jobs could be created. With its current 90
employees, HESS is proud of making a positive contribution to
the regional employment market situation.

130 years tradition

16.000m2 Plant Grounds

90 Employees
3D Planning
Engineering
6-Axis-CNC-Production
Latest Technologies

A special look: Glulam made out of HESS HYBRID

(Spruce/Oak)

Cepl logistics centre

The benefits
of Glulam Timber

Chemical resistance

Glued laminated timber, often shortened as Glulam, is

an engineered wood product manufactured by gluing
together pieces of timber, known as laminates. This
process produces larger size and longer length members,
which can be curved or straight.

Good looking
The natural appearance of glulam is sufficiently attractive to
make it eminently presentable with no cladding indeed, used
as exposed beams, glulam adds to the aesthetic appeal of a
structure.

Timber and the synthetic adhesives used in bonding glulam

have a remarkable resistance to chemical attack and therefore
glulam is often chosen as the preferred structural material
for buildings such as salt barns, water treatment plants, etc.
Glulam is resistant to most acids, rust and other corrosive
agents.
HESS Timber has manufactured and installed many glulam
timber projects where steel could not been used due to
aggressive chemical environments like swimming pools, coal
storage buildings or salt storage buildings.
Even the harsh salty environment of the UAE is not an issue
for glulam structures. The timber canopies of the D1-Tower in
Dubai will show the advantage against steel which often needs
to be a special grade of stainless steel.

Strength to weight
A structural steel beam may be 20% heavier and a concrete
beam 600% heavier than an equivalent glulam beam.
Increased strength due to the laminating process glulam is
stronger than solid timber as it has fewer natural defects and a
wider distribution. It is also comparable to steel in strength but
is much lighter.

Great fire resistance

When subjected to fire, large timber sections have greater
resistance to loss of structural integrity than steel or prestressed concrete. This resistance is provided by a layer of
charcoal which forms around the surface of the section during
exposure to fire. The rate of charring of different species of
timber is known and therefore the performance and endurance
of timber in fire is predictable. The strength of the residual,
unburnt core of timber can readily be calculated, thereby
allowing a realistic assessment of safe resistance to fire to be
made. The method of calculation is given in DIN 4102.
As, on average, wood burns down at a rate of 0.7mm
per minute, the cross section of the material is reduced
by approximately 20mm in 30 minutes and by 40mm in
60 minutes. This is why the load bearing potential of the
remaining cross section is of major importance. The respective
fire resistance grades F 30 and F 60 refer to the fire endurance
of these wooden members. It is interesting to note, after all,
that F 30 and F 60 can be obtained without additional flameretardant treatment. Due to the inherent material properties of
this natural building material, the fire-resistance characteristics
of wooden structural members are excellent.

Photo by De Groot

Sculpture fabricated by HESS TIMBER

Environmentally friendly

As professionals know about the excellent fire behavior of

wood, many fire departments are timber constructions.

A 305mmx165mm steel I beam has the equivalent

performance of a 550mmx135mm softwood glulam
beam but requires six times the energy cost to produce.
A comparable 400mmx250mm reinforced concrete beam
requires five times the energy cost to produce. Add to this
the pollutant by-products of these wasteful processes and
steel and concrete structures are even more environmentally
undesirable.

The renewable source FSC and PEFC

Energy efficient

A small percentage of materials used in building construction

can be recycled but timber is the only renewable building
material. The planting rates are controlled to ensure growth
exceeds harvested quantities. In these countries there is more
standing timber than at any time since the ice age. This cycle
of felling and planting is very beneficial to the atmosphere as
it is only during growth that a tree absorbs CO2 and gives off
vital oxygen. Once a tree is mature this process virtually stops.

Glulam is also energy efficient in use. The well-known

insulation property of timber eliminates the risk of cold
bridging where the frame may penetrate external elements of
the structure. Its low thermal mass helps reduce fuel bills by
absorbing little space heating energy.

HESS timber is FSC /PEFC certified and is entitled to use the

trademark FSC and PEFC.

Versatile
Glulam can be used for roof, lintel and floor beams, columns
and rafters in almost any type of structure.

HESS TIMBER projects...

...range from innovative and award-winning
prestigious projects as well as artistic and customised
roof structures, to very high-performance roof
structures for industry and commercial buildings in
Germany and abroad, with beam lengths of e.g. 40m
and roof areas of up to 20.000m2.

Flagship Store, Peek & Cloppenburg // Cologne, Germany

Timber species:
Dimensions:
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Siberian Larch
11.000 m2

D1-Tower Timber Canopies // Dubai, UAE

Timber species:
Dimensions:

European Fir
1.700m2

Toskana Thermal Bath // Bad Orb, Germany

Timber species: European Spruce
Dimensions:
2.200m2

Pedestrian Bridge // Anaklia, Georgia

Timber species:
Dimensions:

European Spruce
505m span, comprises more than
120 HESS LIMITLESS joints

Sculpture Fingers, De Groot // Rijssen, Netherlands

Timber species: Accoya

(modified Pine)
Dimensions:
11m span, 8m height

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Photo by De Groot

Photo by De Groot

Photo by De Groot

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Barrel roof // Nursing school in Leipzig, Germany

Timber species:
Dimensions:

European Spruce
10m span

Tennis and Bowling centre // Ptange, Luxembourg

Timber species:
Dimensions:

European Spruce
Longest beam up to 55m, HESS LIMITLESS

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Bottom edge of beam highlighted for better understanding

Staudinger Coal Storage // Grokrotzenburg, Germany

Timber species:
Dimensions:

European Spruce
132m in diameter, 52m height
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Our Glulam
Timber Products
HESS TIMBER is offering a wide range of glulam
products that can be adapted to the specific needs
of our customers.

HESS Basic
Standard cross-sections in stock for you! The most
frequent applications of the standard cross-sections are
roof structures, framing and supports in residential and
commercial construction.

Glulam wood Spruce according to DIN 1052:2008-12

Strength class GL 24

Waterproof melamine resin adhesive

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HESS Basic

HESS Block
Cross-sections glued into a solid block. Larger member
widths (>260mm) can be manufactured very economically
by using composite members (blocks) in which two or
more glulam members are glued together into a solid
block

Visual quality, long edges chamfered, cleanly planed

on all four sides
Without chemical surface treatment
Other cross-sections, strength classes, lengths and
lamella thicknesses upon request

Allows the combination of two wood species (see also

HESS Hybrid)

Width range: 8-26cm

Various possibilities due to the unique finger-jointing press

Height range: 10-240cm

Arches and twisted beams are possible with this product

The following standard cross-sections can be delivered at

short notice:
Width incm
Height incm

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8/12

10/12 12/12

8/16

10/16 12/16 14/16 16/16

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Block glued beams can fabricated economically due to a

very unique 3D-Press which was invented and built 2012
by HESS TIMBER

HESS LIMITLESS
Glulam beams of endless length with worldwide delivery!
Scan this QR code with your mobile phone to see the
HESS LIMITLESS movie!

18/18

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20

8/20

10/20 12/20 14/20 16/20

24

8/24

10/24 12/24 14/24 16/24

28

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14/14

14
16

12

10/10

10
12

10

14/28
Length 12,00m

20/20

Innovative glulam product

(patent pending)
Max. section size: 24cmx200cm
Fabrication of long-span beams
comprising of short beams which will be
glued together on site

HESS Block

HESS LIMITLESS

More flexible and economic transport to the

construction site lower total costs at verifiable equal
technical performance

HESS Hybrid

Higher profitability compared to alternative construction

materials and construction conceptions
Short beam lengths of 13,5m (max.) guarantee flexible and
unbeatable transport possibilities (with standard trailer or
shipment-container), low dead load

Higher strength as for a continuous glulam beam!

Multiple application possibilities flexible constructions

No steel parts are used high fire safety

HESS LIMITLESS is almost not visible

Cores cross section of glued laminated timber beam

generally consists of spruce a standard wood species that
has been granted technical approvals up to GL 36 (HESS
LIMITLESS up to GL 38c)
1-2cm thick coating can be made of precious and firm
wood species e.g. Oak, Western red cedar, Accoya and
Belmadur

Proportion of the layer comes up to 3-6% concerning

medium-sized cross sections and is the economic basis
of the product. Positive side effect: triggered by the
manufacturing process we reach a higher strength
New possibilities for architects regarding the visual
appearance, durable solutions for engineers

Countless structural and aesthetic options for interior

construction, facade design and timber construction

A good looking glulam beam that comes at low costs!

Innovative product by HESS TIMBER two different wood
species that perfectly complete each other and generate an
economic product of high quality

High weather resistance due to durable wood layer

such as Oak or Accoya

HESS Column

HESS Hybrid

HESS Column

Columns for indoor and outdoor use are manufactured of

selected woods such as spruce, larch or oak. In the outdoor
area and for load-bearing round supports, we use glulam
timber
Custom products with up to 40m length and 1.6m diameter
Spiral and wining columns, three-dimensionally twisted
turned parts and wood balls from 150 to 1000mm diameter
6-axis-CNC-portal-processing-center for timber column
manufacture and joining

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European Spruce

Radiata Pine

Wood species used

for glulam timber

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The following species are showing a range of the most

typical wood species which we use for our glulam
projects. If you are looking for a wood species that is not
shown here, please let us know. We are more than happy
to offer you solutions.

Western Red Cedar

Fascade Objects made

of Western Red Cedar

Softwood
European Spruce
Botanical name: Picea abies
European Spruce is an economically important coniferous
species grown in Europe and North America. It is used for
most of our products. Superior grades are prized as a premium
tonewood.
Radiata Pine
Botanical name: Pinus radiate
Radiata Pine is a softwood whose availability and ease of use
make it popular for all kinds of construction and decorative
uses. However, we only use it if specified by the customer due
e.g. pressure treatment requirements.
Radiata Pine is also used for the technically modified timber
named Accoya.
Western Red Cedar
Botanical name: Thuja plicata
Western Red Cedar is a large softwood that grows in British
Columbia and some of the nearby western states of the USA.
A versatile timber, it is commonly used for applications such as
cladding, windows and joinery.
However, there is no technical approval available for load
bearing purposes.

Douglas Fir

European Larch

European Beech

Douglas Fir

Hardwood

Botanical name: Pseudotsuga menziesii

Douglas Fir is one of the worlds best-known timber species.
Douglas Fir is a softwood timber, finding a range of weatherprotected applications in heavy construction.

European Beech

European Larch
Botanical name: Larix decidua
Larch is well-known as a tough and durable timber similar to
Douglas Fir (see above). It is also available as a knot-free timber
if premium quality is specified.
Accoya (modified timber)
Accoya is an acetylated long life wood made out of Radiata
Pine (see www.accoya.com). It is mainly used when it comes
to high performance requirements that might only be achieved
otherwise by tropical hardwoods.

European Oak

Botanical name: Fagus sylvatica

Beech is a relatively strong wood with high bending and
compression strength but it is not a durable wood and should
not be used if exposed to weather. However, Beech glulam
timber has its own technical approval and can therefore be
used for load-bearing glulam structures.
European Oak
Botanical name: Quercus
Oak is a hard, heavy wood, and has low stiffness and good
overall strength, making it increasingly popular as a structural
timber. Very similar in appearance and colour to the American
White Oak, European Oak has light-coloured sapwood and a
light to dark brown heartwood.
However, there is no technical approval available for load
bearing purposes. Despite this fact it can be combined very
economically together with our product HESS HYBRID.

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Awards
Schweighofer Prize 2011
European Innovation Prize for Forestry
The Schweighofer Prize awards innovative ideas, technologies,
products and services concerning the whole value chain in
order to strengthen the competitiveness of the European
Forest Based Sector. HESS TIMBER was awarded for the
innovation and development of the HESS LIMITLESS Joining
System (www.schweighofer-prize.org).
Timber construction Outfitter of the year 2011
The editorial department of the timber journal Holzkurier
awarded HESS TIMBER for the new patent system HESS.
High bay timber warehouse The biggest one worldwide
HESS TIMBER planned, fabricated, delivered and installed the
biggest fully automatically operated timber warehouse for
Josera pet food. The 30m high building with a capacity of
9.200 palettes represents a true innovation.
The Anaklia bridge - the longest in Europe!

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Sculpture Together We Are Strong
on the plant grounds of HESS TIMBER

The 505 m long pedestrian wood bridge was erected in

Anaklia/Georgia in 2011/2012. It is verifiably the longest timber
wood bride in Europe, and one of the longest timber bridges
worldwide.
Timber Award North Rhine-Westphalia 2006

Outlook
Because of the enormous opportunities for modern and
demanding timber construction resulting from the HESS
LIMITLESS product innovation, HESS TIMBER will continue
to expand its international activities.
In addition to current projects, mainly in western and southern
Europe, the company is also working on developing projects
and cooperation opportunities all over Europe and in other
regions such as Turkey, the Gulf region and northern Africa.
HESS TIMBER cordially invites you to personally learn more
about the companys architectural innovation and technical
perfection as part of a plant visit.

HESS TIMBER was awarded as the leading timber construction

company together with the architect Renzo Piano (Paris) and
the structural engineers Knippers Helbig (Stuttgart) for the
timber shell facade of the flagship store Peek & Cloppenburg
in Cologne.

Certificates
Certificate of conformity for glulam strength grades
Certificate for the glulam timber strength grades GL24, GL28,
GL32 and GL36 according to DIN 1052:2008, 05.08.2013 by
MPA Stuttgart (Materials Testing Institute of the University of
Stuttgart).
Certificate of conformity for HESS LIMITLESS
Certificate for HESS LIMITLESS according to Z-9.1-775,
01.08.2011 by the MPA Stuttgart.
Certificate of conformity for composite glulam

EC certificate of conformity
Certificate for glulam timber according to EN 14080:2005,
07.06.2010 by KIT (Institute for Technology, Karlsruhe).
KOMO Certificate (Netherlands)
Certificate with certificate report for load bearing glulam
members, 01.10.2013 by SKH Netherlands.
PEFC
Chain of Custody (PEFC 04-31-1721)
FSC
Chain-of-Custody (FSC-C106169)

Certificate for glued composite glulam according to

DIN 1052:2008, 23.02.2011 by MPA Stuttgart.
Technical approval for HESS LIMITLESS
General technical approval for the HESS LIMITLESS,
09.06.2010 by DIBt Deutsches Institut fr Bautechnik.
Gluing Certificate A
Competence to manufacture glued laminated timber of
all dimensions including finger jointed lamellas for glued
laminated timber.

More information on HESS TIMBER and our products can

also be found at: www.hess-timber.com
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Gluing Certificate A
Competence to manufacture bonded, composite components
made from laminated wood, provided they are note regulated
by DIN EN 14080.
Gluing Certificate B
Competence to manufacture bonded connections in the
form of glued-in steel rods, glued reinforcements and spliced
connections.

Contents

Gluing Certificate C1

High-Quality glulam timber made in Germany

Competence to manufacture glued laminated timber with the

joint system HESS LIMITLESS.

A company with tradition

Gluing Certificate D
Competence to repare load-bearing timber structures
by means of crack fillings, glued-in steel rods, glued
reinforcements and spliced connections (all gluing certificates
16.05.2013 by MPA Stuttgart).

The benefits of glulam timber

HESS TIMBER projects

2
3
4-5
6-13

Our glulam timber products

14-15

Wood species used for glulam timber

16-17

Outlook 18
Awards 18
Certificates 19

HESS TIMBER E 13/10 Photos HESS TIMBER 2013

TIMBER ARCHITEC TURE

INDUSTRY CONSTRUCTIONS
GLUED LAMINATED TIMBER
HESS TIMBER GmbH & Co. KG
Am Hundsrck 2 63924 Kleinheubach Germany
Phone +49 (0)9371-4003-0 Fax +49 (0)9371-4003-360
Email info@hess-timber.com www.hess-timber.com