Södra, one of the UK’s foremost suppliers of sustainable timber, has launched a landmark immersive experience that transports viewers to its world-leading Swedish forestry operation.

Using the latest 360ᴼ video technology, Södra’s video takes users to the forest – just a small section in its network totalling over two million acres – and the ‘Södra neighbourhood’.

The virtual reality neighbourhood offers a glimpse of how wood-based products can facilitate a more sustainable way of life. In the forest, users can meet a forest inspector and a family of forest-owners. Södra is run by more than 42,000 forest owners in southern Sweden – many of whom have inherited forests passed on through several generations.

As well as narration at each stage, users are able to click, drag and control their own perspective for a truly immersive experience. As they look around, knowledge bubbles appear, allowing users to view information, videos and fun facts relevant to what they’re seeing.

For those in the UK’s timber and merchants’ industries this video offers a unique chance to discover the potential of wood-based products and experience Södra’s Swedish operation as close to first-hand as possible, without getting on a plane.

Södra Sales Director, Nigel Buckley-Ryan, explains the motivation behind the experience: “We wanted to bring to life wood’s almost endless number of uses. Of course, we’re confident that high-quality, sustainable timber will continue to transform the UK construction industry in the coming years. But some of the perhaps less-obvious by-products of wood as a raw material are fascinating – from biomethanol and tall oil, both renewable fuels, to lyocell and viscose for textiles for clothing, bed linen and soft furnishings (to name just a few).”

Nigel continues: “We’re incredibly proud of our Swedish operation and passionate about how sustainably-managed forests can facilitate a truly sustainable future. This video allows us to share this passion with our UK audience – some of whom may not have been aware of the possibilities wood can offer or ever had the opportunity to see what a world-leading forestry operation looks like. People can now experience that from the comfort of their own homes.”

Södra’s immersive 360ᴼ experience is available to view at www.sodraexperience.com For more information, visit www.sodra.com/en-gb/gb/