The University of Thessaly actively participated in the transnational interim meeting of the FULAR project – Shaping New Paths towards Furniture Circularity, which took place on May 11–12, 2026, in Tirana, at the premises of the Agricultural University of Tirana, with the participation of all project partners.
The University of Thessaly was represented by the Laboratory of Furniture Technology and Quality Control and Wood Constructions of the Department of Forestry, Wood Sciences and Design, while the participation of the University of Thessaly team was coordinated by Professor Georgios Dalos.
The first day of the meeting was successfully completed through productive discussions, presentations, and exchanges of expertise regarding the progress of Work Packages WP1 and WP2, as well as the next steps for the implementation of WP3. Special emphasis was placed on the development of actions promoting circular economy principles, sustainability, and innovation in the furniture and wood industry sector.
At the same time, the role of universities and research laboratories in supporting the green transition of the furniture industry was highlighted through applied research, knowledge transfer, the utilization of wood and wood-based materials, as well as the development of new educational and technical tools.
The project partners discussed issues concerning:
- the development of educational workshops,
- prototyping activities,
- the integration of innovative circular economy practices,
- the sustainable utilization of wood and wood-based products,
- as well as the coordination of the project’s upcoming joint activities.
As part of the project activities, visits were also carried out to wood and furniture sector companies in Albania.
The FULAR team visited FPM Tutto Mobili, where modern furniture production technologies, innovative manufacturing processes, and sustainable production practices were presented, with an emphasis on creating high-quality products with a reduced environmental footprint.
In parallel, a visit was conducted to Simac Albania, a company specializing in equipment and machinery for the wood industry. The visit highlighted the crucial role of modern technologies and advanced industrial equipment in improving production efficiency, optimizing industrial processes, and supporting the circular economy in the wood processing and furniture sectors.
The University of Thessaly continues to actively contribute to the promotion of sustainable development, innovation, and transnational cooperation in the field of wood technology and the furniture industry, strengthening the transition toward more sustainable and circular production models.
