More than €40 million invested in Akmenė: strengthening Lithuania’s renovation and modern construction capacity

Rietuva has commenced operations at its new manufacturing facility in the Akmenė Free Economic Zone (FEZ), following an investment exceeding €40 million. The milestone was marked by a meeting attended by representatives of national government institutions, local authorities, business organisations and project partners.

During the event, the company presented the technological solutions implemented at the facility, its product portfolio, the project’s implementation results and its future development plans.

The factory, covering more than 20,000 square metres, manufactures wall, roof, floor and renovation panels, as well as other structural elements made from engineered timber. These products are intended for the renovation of apartment buildings and public buildings, as well as for new construction projects in Lithuania and international markets.

Increasing the productivity of building renovation and construction remains one of the key priorities for both Lithuania and the EU. As a result, industrialised manufacturing is emerging as an alternative to traditional construction methods. Since the majority of the work is completed at the factory, only the assembly of structural elements remains on site. This helps reduce construction time while ensuring greater manufacturing precision.

During its initial phase of operations, the factory plans to achieve an annual production capacity of approximately 210,000–250,000 square metres of panels. This would be sufficient to renovate around 150 apartment buildings per year.

“Lithuania’s current renovation pace is still insufficient to achieve the long-term objectives set by the state and the EU. Accelerating building renovation requires more efficient manufacturing and construction solutions. We believe industrialised manufacturing can become an important part of this transformation,” says Saulius Mikėnas, Deputy Director for Production at Rietuva.

The meeting brought together representatives of relevant ministries, local government, businesses and project partners. Discussions emphasised that investment projects of this kind strengthen regional competitiveness, promote high value-added manufacturing and create favourable conditions for the faster adoption of advanced construction solutions in Lithuania.

“This modern production line is an excellent example of how European Union and state investments go beyond financial allocations by becoming advanced technologies and sustainable jobs,” says Minister of Environment Ieva Andriulaitytė.

According to Lina Mockutė, Director of the Akmenė FEZ, investments of this scale strengthen the region’s competitiveness and create opportunities for further industrial development.

“This project once again demonstrates that Akmenė and the FEZ is an attractive location for ambitious industrial projects. It creates new jobs, strengthens the region’s industrial potential and contributes to Lithuania’s economic growth,” says Mockutė.

The factory is currently building its team, with recruitment underway for production, engineering and administrative specialists. Once the project is fully implemented, the company plans to create approximately 160 jobs.

The project is financed through two funding instruments. The first supports the construction of the factory and the creation of jobs. State aid of €8.16 million, administered by the Innovation Agency, has been allocated to a project valued at €21.50 million.

The second supports the installation of automated manufacturing equipment. State aid of €7.51 million, administered by the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA), has been allocated to a project valued at €19.10 million. The combined value of the two projects exceeds €40.6 million, while the total amount of state aid provided is approximately €15.7 million.

The project is co-financed by the European Union and the European Union’s NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Facility. It will contribute to the development of advanced construction solutions, the expansion of high value-added manufacturing and the strengthening of the competitiveness of Lithuania’s industry.