The Grizzlys Wolfsburg, a team in the German Ice Hockey League, have a new partner: the wood-based materials company Sonae Arauco, with its site in neighbouring Nettgau (Saxony-Anhalt), will be at the Grizzlys' side from the 2024/2025 season.

Good neighbourliness and commitment that goes beyond investment in its own production facilities are important to Sonae Arauco. "Teamwork plays a crucial role in our day-to-day work," says Dirk Beyer, Plant Manager in Nettgau. "Together, we create the highest quality, always show full commitment and stand up for each other. But we also look beyond the boundaries of the plant premises and see what is happening in our neighbourhood, what our employees are passionate about in their free time and where we, as a large company and important employer, can support the community. The partnership with the Grizzlys Wolfsburg is a project close to our hearts and we are looking forward to organising the new season with the team that embodies so much cohesion and team spirit."

Sonae Arauco is one of the world's leading producers of innovative engineered wood solutions for furniture, interior design and construction applications. The company, which emerged from the strategic partnership between Sonae Indústria from Portugal and Arauco from Chile, has been active in Germany since 1998 and operates four production sites here as Sonae Arauco Deutschland GmbH. One of the most important corporate values is sustainability. Sonae Arauco has a deep appreciation for the natural raw material wood. By providing sustainable timber solutions, the manufacturer actively contributes to the decarbonisation of the construction industry and thus to a better life and a better world for all.

Sustainability as a common denominator

"The initial contact with Sonae Arauco came as a surprise to us. In our discussions on site in Nettgau, but also with the head office in Portugal, we quickly realised that we were on the same wavelength. We are convinced that we are offering Sonae Arauco an honest platform that will sustainably support the goals of our new partner," explains Simon Drühmel, Head of Sponsoring & Business Development at the Grizzlys Wolfsburg. "Sustainability is a core element of Sonae Arauco's overall productivity. From the upcoming 2024-2025 season, this very important topic will also become relevant for licensing in the German Ice Hockey League and an even more important factor for the Grizzlys than it already is. We therefore also see it as an opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about sustainability."

In this way, both partners benefit from the commitment. In addition to the sponsorship, the Grizzlies gain direct insights into the sustainability commitment of an international company that also works with the renewable and recyclable resource wood. Research projects to strengthen the forests and increase the proportion of recycled wood in various product lines to up to 75 per cent show the variety of measures in terms of a biological circular economy. At the same time, Sonae Arauco can make its name better known and present itself as a potential employer and training company through advertising, an LED board and joint activation measures.