02/02/2007 Structural engineers and building designers can now design timber structures faster and with more versatility by using the Finnwood single member calculation software developed by Finnforest. The free of charge software offers its different user groups the Kerto® products as well as varying selection of other timber products. Finnwood is a single member calculation software for the calculation of timber structures. The software allows the user to design single members, such as floor and roof beams and columns for the structural models and loads chosen by the user. The user is also able to print out structural calculations, for example, for the approval of authorities. The benefits of the software are a clear user interface and quick and easy calculation of structural members. The software calculates according to the valid timber design norms, such as Eurocode and its national annexes. Eurocode is a design standard which will gradually take effect in all the European Union countries. Eurocode is currently in use, for example, in Britain and Spain. Finnwood is a European-wide software which is delivered to its users free of charge. For the moment, Finnwood is in use in Finland, Germany, France, Denmark, Britain, Spain and Portugal. This year the software will also be launched in Belgium, Sweden and in the USA, in which case the software will debut outside Europe. The current number of Finnwood users is approximately 4,000; over 1,200 of them in Finland. The continuous development of Finnwood software is based on the needs of the users in each country. The development is carried out in close cooperation between the Finnforest parent company in Finland and its European subsidiaries. Each country organization takes responsibility for the local software environment including translations into local language, and independently decides on how and when to provide the local users with a new version of the software. At the end of December 2006, the new software version 2.1 of Finnwood was launched in Spain and Portugal in two languages, in Spanish and in English, respectively. This was followed by Finland, where the Finnish software version Finnwood 2.1 was published in mid-January. Finnwood 2.1 will soon be taken into use also in France. The Finnish Finnwood 2.1 software version was delivered to the users via the web site www.finnforest.fi. The same delivery process has also been in use on the French and German web sites and will later this year be available for the British users as well. Further information: Choose the local Finnforest site from www.finnforest.com