Chief executive Wolf-Gert Dieffenbacher said that the company was booked with orders into the third quarter of 2008 and that turnover of euro260m in 2006 was expected to top euro300m in 2007.

“We have 14 continuous lines on order: nine for MDF, three for OSB and two for particleboard,” he told a press conference held at Ligna.

“The country focus has changed – North America is down at the moment, Asia – China and South East Asia – is strong and eastern Europe, especially Russia, is also strong.

“There is a very strong focus on thin board in those nine MDF lines and speeds of 16-1700mm/sec are realistic,” said the chief executive. “I am very happy with the order situation. I have been in this business for 27 years and never known it as good as this.”

Mr Dieffenbacher welcomed Marcus Habegger, managing director of Kronospan, to the meeting, who confirmed that his company had placed 12 projects with the machinery supplier in the last five years, mainly in eastern Europe, but also in Alabama, US.

Also present was Mr JC Kuo, chief executive of Evergreen Fibreboard and Siam Fibreboard, who confirmed that he had ordered a third MDF line for his Hat Yai, Thailand, factory, from Dieffenbacher.