Fraunhofer WKI

What Fraunhofer WKI does

Fraunhofer WKI (Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI) is a German applied research institute within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft network, specializing in wood, natural fiber-based materials, and renewable raw materials. Founded in 1946 by Dr. Wilhelm Klauditz to address post-war timber scarcity, the institute operates from its Braunschweig headquarters with two specialized research centers — ZELUBA (lightweight and environmentally-friendly construction) co-located on the TU Braunschweig campus, and ZirTex (circular composite materials and textiles) in Hannover — plus a fourth site, the Fraunhofer Center Circular Economy for Mobility (CCEM) in Wolfsburg. The institute has approximately 85 employees across these sites and documented 124+ reference projects. Its core technical capabilities span numerical simulation (FEM, WUFI hygrothermal, COMSOL multiphysics), fire protection for wood and bio-composites (intumescent coatings achieving building class B1, non-combustible wood-fiber insulation reaching class A2, 60+ minutes fire resistance), computed tomography and electron microscopy with sub-micron resolution, recycling of bio-plastics and composites, mycelium-based biomaterials, and bio-based formaldehyde-free adhesive systems.

Name

Fraunhofer WKI

Legal name

Fraunhofer-Institut für Holzforschung Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI

Website

https://wki.fraunhofer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Fraunhofer WKI is a German applied research institute (founded 1946) specializing in wood, natural fiber, and renewable raw materials, serving industrial partners in wood-based panels, prefabricated housing, construction, automotive, and composites through collaborative R&D, testing, certification, and professional training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Wood and Bio-Based Materials Research

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Wood Grading, Testing & Certification Services (IMAMABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mass Timber & Structural Engineered Wood (CLT, Glulam, NLT/DLT) (IMADADAC), Wood Remanufacturing (Mouldings, Millwork Blanks, Cut Stock) (IMAMABAI)

Keywords

• Wood research services
• Bio-based materials
• Fire protection testing
• Composite recycling
• Professional timber training

Headquarters

HQ city

Braunschweig

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: Funded by German federal and state governments through the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft umbrella. Receives public R&D project funding from bodies such as BMEL, FNR, and BMBF for collaborative research projects.
2. Industry Contract Research: Collaborative R&D projects with industrial partners from wood-based materials, prefabricated housing, and related industries. Industry partners co-fund development work.
3. WKI | AKADEMIE® Professional Training: Fee-charging continuing education courses for specialists in bonded load-bearing timber products, recognized under §6 of the continuing education regulations of the Lower Saxony Chamber of Engineers. Courses include theoretical and practical components.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fraunhofer WKI is an applied research institute that conducts contract R&D for industry, develops and tests wood-based, bio-based and sustainable construction materials, and provides analytical, testing, and certification services for the wood-based materials, construction, and mobility sectors. It also runs the WKI | AKADEMIE® continuing-education program for specialists in bonded load-bearing timber products, and operates specialized centers (ZELUBA®, ZirTex, CCEM) covering lightweight construction, circular composites, and circular economy for mobility.

Product overview

Fraunhofer WKI is a research institute specializing in wood research and sustainable materials from renewable resources. The organization operates as a platform of specialized research centers and departments rather than a single product. Core offerings include: ZELUBA for lightweight construction and building physics, ZirTex for circular economy of composites and textiles, and specialized analytical services including computed tomography and numerical simulation. Supporting departments cover wood technology (HNT), material analysis (MAIC), binders and coatings (BICO), and quality assessment. The WKI | AKADEMIE provides professional training and certification programs. Research focuses on biocomposites, fire protection, bio-based adhesives, recycling technologies, and mycelium-based materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZELUBA®: Center for Light and Environmentally-Friendly Structures - develops solutions for the construction industry including hybrid material systems, building physics, fire protection, and numerical simulation
• WKI | AKADEMIE®

Products and services

• ZELUBA® (Zentrum für leichte und umweltgerechte Bauten) — Center for Light and Environmentally-Friendly Structures Applied research center developing hybrid material systems, building physics, fire protection, and numerical simulation solutions for lightweight and environmentally-friendly structures made from renewable raw materials. Targets the construction industry.
• ZirTex (Zirkuläre Verbundkunststoffe und Textilien) — Circular Composite Materials and Textiles Research center for the circular economy of composite materials and textiles, providing fiber analytics, short-fiber-reinforced compounds, hybrid bio-composites, functionalized technical textiles, and recycling of bio-plastics and composite materials. Targets manufacturers of composites and technical textiles.
• Fraunhofer Center Circular Economy for Mobility (CCEM) Research center co-located with Open Hybrid LabFactory e.V. in Wolfsburg, addressing circular economy solutions for the mobility sector, including bio-based composites and lightweight vehicle interior components. Targets automotive and transportation manufacturers.
• Computed Tomography and Electron Microscopy Analytical Services Non-destructive material and component examination services using Procon X-Ray CT AlphaDuo (240 kV micro-focus, 225 kV high-power tubes, up to 500 mm measuring chamber, <1 μm voxel resolution) and scanning electron microscopy with EDX. Includes in-situ CT testing under tensile, compression, 4-point bending at -20 to +160°C. Targets industrial R&D and quality control customers.
• WKI | AKADEMIE® Professional Training Continuing education and certification program for specialists in bonded load-bearing timber products, repair of timber components, and bonding in wooden construction. Recognized under §6 of the continuing education regulations of the Lower Saxony Chamber of Engineers. Targets glulam manufacturers, renovation companies, and bonded timber specialists.
• Numerical Simulation Services Finite element simulations for mechanical analysis, hygrothermal simulation (WUFI), coupled multiphysics simulation (COMSOL Multiphysics), heat and moisture transport modeling, fluid mechanics, crack propagation, cohesive zone modeling, and viscoelastic/mechanosorptive creep. Includes structural analysis including earthquake behavior. Targets industrial partners needing validated material, component, and system-level models.
• Fire Protection Development and Testing Services Development and characterization of fire protection for wood and bio-composite materials: intumescent coatings (building-material class B1), non-combustible hybrid plywood panels (class A2/A1) using modified wood layers and foam glass, glow-protection agents for natural insulation materials, and fire-resistance solutions achieving 60+ minutes for timber construction components. Includes fire testing and certification services. Targets construction and wood-based materials industries.
• PÜZ — Testing, Monitoring and Certification Services Quality assessment and certification services for wood-based materials and construction products under the PÜZ framework, supporting regulatory compliance for industrial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Non-combustible wood-fiber insulation materials achieving building material class A2 (non-combustible) while retaining high wood fiber content
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Technische Universität Braunschweig (Institute of Building Materials, Concrete Construction and Fire Safety)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ZELUBA® center is located on the campus of TU Braunschweig and is closely connected to the university's Institute of Building Materials, Concrete Construction and Fire Safety. The ZELUBA® building itself uses a hybrid construction with a high proportion of renewable raw materials, reflecting shared research interests. Joint research on fire-resistant cross-laminated timber (FireSafe-CLT project) and other structural topics.
• Fraunhofer ICTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating in the LeihMM-I project on heatable bio-based lightweight construction materials with lighting function for vehicle interiors. Fraunhofer ICT contributed material samples and expertise in composite materials.
• Fraunhofer IAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly developing and testing bio-based flame retardants (ammonium phytate from corn steep liquor) in the ScaleAmP project for WPC and other biomaterials.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS (Application Center CTMT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with Fraunhofer IIS's Application Center for Computed Tomography in Measurement Technology (CTMT) for in-situ 4-point bending CT tests on larger, more realistic samples (up to 150 mm x 25 mm) in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14125. Enables multi-scale comparative analysis of failure processes.
• Hannover University of Applied Sciences and ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe electron microscopy laboratory of the HOFZET Application Center is operated jointly with Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Includes modern scanning electron microscopy with EDX detector and comprehensive sample preparation facilities.
• YcoLabs (Braunschweig-based startup)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Braunschweig-based startup YcoLabs in the WKImeetsYcolabs project, using fungal mycelium organic growth as a natural binder to process plant residues into thermal insulation materials.
• Studio Jonathan RadetzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign company collaboration in the LinumTube project for developing a two-material furniture system (tubular steel and natural-fiber textiles) with high recyclability, demonstrating feasibility through seating elements for semi-public spaces.
• Open Hybrid LabFactory e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen Hybrid LabFactory e.V. is the host organization for the Fraunhofer Center Circular Economy for Mobility (CCEM) location in Wolfsburg, indicating a strategic operational partnership for the CCEM.
• European Panel FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the triennial European Wood-Based Panel Symposium (14th edition in October 2026 in Hamburg), alongside Fraunhofer WKI and in cooperation with the International Association for Technical Issues related to Wood.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• FPInnovations: Canadian non-profit forest products research institute conducting R&D on wood-based panels, engineered wood, and bio-based materials. Closest international peer in terms of industry-focused wood materials research mandate.
• Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute): New Zealand Crown Research Institute conducting research on forestry, wood products, biomaterials, and bioenergy. Comparable government-funded forest products research mandate with similar industry engagement model.
• Fraunhofer IBP (Institute for Building Physics): Sister Fraunhofer institute focused on building physics, energy efficiency, and hygrothermal performance. Closest organizational peer within the Fraunhofer network with overlapping competence in building physics and fire protection.
• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden: Swedish state-funded applied research organization with substantial forest products, wood materials, and bioeconomy divisions. Directly comparable public research institute model serving similar industrial partners in Scandinavia and the EU.
• USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL): US federal wood research laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin conducting fundamental and applied research on wood as a material. Direct international counterpart with comparable government-funded wood science mandate.
• InnoRenew CoE: Slovenian-based research center focused on renewable materials and sustainable building, with active work on engineered wood products, adhesives, and circular economy. Emerging European peer in adjacent bio-based materials research.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish government-owned applied research organization with strong capabilities in biomaterials, wood-based products, and sustainable construction. Comparable applied research mandate with similar industrial contract research and IP licensing model.
• EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology): Swiss federal materials science laboratory with active research in wood, bio-based composites, fire testing, and building materials. Comparable advanced materials characterization and fire testing infrastructure.
• Thünen Institute: German federal research institute under the BMEL umbrella focused on forestry, wood, and forest products. Closest geographic peer with overlapping mandate in wood research and similar public funding structure.

Emerging players

• Ecovative Design: US-based company commercializing mycelium-based materials for packaging, insulation, and food — directly overlaps with WKI's WKImeetsYcolabs mycelium research with YcoLabs. Commercial counterpart to WKI's bio-based materials platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fraunhofer-institute-for-wood-research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fraunhofer WKI