Milestones Precious Woods

1990 Precious Woods is founded by Swiss Investors. The company begins in Costa Rica with reforestation of uncultivated pasture.

1993 With the founding of Precious Woods Ltd. the private company opens its doors to shareholders.

1994–1997 Market entry in Brazil. Precious Woods Amazon is founded with the establishment of a sustainable forestry operation. In 1997, it is the first company in the region to be certified according to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards.

2001 Precious Woods together with the Dutch timber trading company A. van den Berg B.V. founds another forestry business in the Brazilian state of Pará (Precious Woods Pará).

2002 Precious Woods Holding AG becomes a public company by being listed at the SIX Swiss Exchange.

2003 Precious Woods continuously expands its activities and extends reforestation operations in Central America and Nicaragua.

2005 In Itacoatiara, Brazil, Precious Woods acquires 80% of BK Energia, a biomass power plant affiliated to PW Amazon’s sawmill, which has been in operation since 2002. In the same year Precious Woods acquires its largest customer and partner, the Dutch company A. van den Berg B.V., which was continued as Precious Wood Europe.

2006 Precious Woods sells its first carbon emission rights, thereby expanding its activities in the business segment of non-timber products from tropical forests.

2007 Acquisition of the forestry company Compagnie Equatoriale des Bois (CEB) and the veneer company Tropical Gabon Industrie (TGI) in Gabon. Acquisition of a minority stake in the company Nordsudtimber in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

2008 In October 2008, the subsidiary Precious Woods Gabon receives the FSC-certificate for its forestry operation (Forest Management Certificate) and the product chain certification (Chain of Custody Certificate) for the sawmilling and moulding activities. The lack of stable legal and institutional frameworks in the Brazilian state of Pará is forcing Precious Woods to give up its forestry operation.

2009 The FSC certification for the TGI veneer factory makes Precious Woods the first company in the world whose entire production line in the forestry and timber industry in the tropics is comprehensively certified.

2010 The radical restructuring of the Precious Woods Group intensifies; issues from the past being resolved, the productivity increased and the market position strengthened. Precious Woods receives the environmental award from the Swiss Environmental Foundation (Umweltpreis der Schweizerischen Umweltstiftung).

2011 In October, the partial sale of 75% of PW Central America to two existing Swiss shareholders approved by the 2011 General Meeting of Shareholders will be completed, resulting in a partial debt reduction for the Holding company.

2012 The Extraordinary General Meeting approves the increase of the ordinary, sold to the existing co-shareholders and the debt is reduced further. The Group sells 40 % of its shares in BK Energia to the co-shareholder, holding now only 40 % of the shares.

2013 On 15 March 2013, the capital increase was carried out successfully. The share capital was increased by CHF 309 451 to CHF 3 747 806 by 309 451 shares with a nominal value of CHF 1.00. The delisting from SIX Swiss Exchange effected on August 2013. In November 2013, it was decided to dissolve the sales company PW Europe in the Netherlands and to transfer its activities to Precious Woods Holding.

2014 Successful conversion of the distribution structure over the PW Holding of the B2B of PW Amazon.

2015 On 30 December 2015, the right to convert convertible loans was exercised to purchase shares. The capital increase amounted to 1 216 214 shares with a nominal value of CHF 1 each to CHF 4 984 020.

2016 On 28 June 2016, the share capital increased with authorized capital in the amount of CHF 806 798 (806 798 shares with a nominal value of CHF 1.00 each). Furthermore, the share capital increased with conditional capital in the amount of CHF 93 850 (93 850 shares with a nominal value of CHF 1.00 each) in August 2016.

2019 The land areas and biomass in Brazil were assessed and reported at fair value.

2020 We have entered into a new partnership for our veneer production (TGI) with effect from 1 October 2020. The new company Compagnie des placages de la Lowé (CPL) will strengthen Precious Woods competences in Gabon.