Participants of the Alpine Europe: Innovation in the Circular Economy Summer School 2026 from the University of Primorska, Oregon State University, Saarland University and partner institutions continued their two-week programme with visits to companies in the wood industry and a cultural heritage site related to wood and historical artefacts.

The tenth day of the Summer School was dedicated to visiting two family-owned companies in the wood industry. The programme started with a visit to Solis Timber d.o.o. in Straža, a company whose core business is sawmilling. Participants learned about the production process, following the transformation of logs into wood products used in construction. In the afternoon, participants visited Stilles d.o.o. in Sevnica, which produces luxury furniture for hotels as well as cross-laminated timber (CLT) for wooden buildings. They also learned about the company’s innovative CLT developments. The company operates the first production line for cross-laminated timber (CLT) in Slovenia.

The eleventh day of the Summer School began with a visit to the village Velika Nedelja near Ormož. Participants were welcomed by Zoran Trop, a wood scientist and a passionate collector of antiques. He invited the group into his 19th-century house, Antikvitete Trop, which is also an important cultural site. There, he showed participants his collection of historical artefacts, including chairs, tables, mirrors and many other objects, which he carefully restores. In the afternoon, participants had free time in Maribor, which they spent exploring the city.

Led by faculty from the University of Primorska and Oregon State University (USA), the Summer School is organised by UP FAMNIT, UP IAM and the NEBAP Hub in collaboration with Oregon State University, a global partner of the T4EU Alliance. As such this summer school presents a crucial step in strengthening the global relevance of T4EU and its partners.