Follow the journey from the first construction works and equipment installation to a fully automated manufacturing facility producing Sonablock acoustic panels for customers worldwide.

In 2024, construction began on what would become one of the most ambitious industrial investment projects in Latvia’s timber industry. The goal was clear: to build the world’s most advanced wood wool acoustic panel factory, combining automation, robotics and European engineering with Stiga RM’s fully integrated wood value chain.

The new 15,000 m² manufacturing facility was designed from the ground up to deliver exceptional production efficiency, consistent quality and sustainable manufacturing. Located in the Smārde Industrial Park near Tukums, the factory represents a new generation of industrial production where every process has been engineered for precision.

Over the following months, access roads were constructed, utility networks installed, the timber yard asphalted, and the office building and boiler house completed. Every stage of the project was carefully planned to prepare the site for one of Europe’s most technologically advanced production facilities.

As construction progressed, the project entered a new milestone – the installation of advanced production equipment supplied by leading European technology partners. This marked the transition from building infrastructure to creating a fully operational manufacturing ecosystem.

Designed Around Technology

The facility integrates fully automated production lines, robotics, artificial intelligence and custom built equipment supplied by leading European manufacturers. Nearly 30% of the factory equipment was engineered and manufactured by Stiga RM Metāls, combining international expertise with in-house engineering capabilities.

The result is a factory capable of producing up to 4.5 million m² of wood wool acoustic panels every year, ensuring outstanding consistency, efficiency and product quality.

“The new factory is expected to become the world’s most advanced wood wool cement board (WWCB) plant, with a level of technological solutions and robotisation currently unmatched anywhere else. We have set ourselves big and ambitious goals, which is why we allocated sufficient time before start-up to ensure the production process is as efficient, precise and streamlined as possible.” — Sandis Fogelmanis, Factory Manager

More Than a Factory

The Sonablock factory is more than a manufacturing facility.

It represents Stiga RM’s philosophy of full-cycle production – from responsibly managed forests and timber harvesting to advanced manufacturing and finished acoustic panels exported worldwide. Today, the factory stands as one of Europe’s most advanced examples of sustainable, high-value wood processing and a major milestone in the development of Latvia’s timber industry.