FDM Asia March 2010

Optimising The Nesting Solution

Green Building Practices

Wood Species And Sustainability

Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986 FDM ASIA MICA (P) NO. 209/11/2009 • PPS 1204/07/2010 (028224) • ISSN 0219-2284

MARCH 2010

Solutions

We show the future of

Batch-size 1

IMA-Solutions for batch-size 1, new freedom – level with process optimisation. For an economic and smooth production, the IMA engineering department worked out tailor made solutions for the automised batch-size 1 production: optimised machine usage with minimised workpiece gaps.

Cover Price: US$10.00

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Contents March 2010 • VOL. 22 NO. 2

FOCUS

14 Veneer On Plywood

It always comes as a surprise that despite the increase in production and use of MDF and OSB, the annual global production and consumption of plywood exceeds that of MDF. By Michael Buckley, Turnstone Singapore

TECHNOLOGY

18 Optimising The Nesting Solution

An insight into the nesting-based technology for the woodworking industry. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam

22 Continuous Reliability In Short Cycle Technology

page

40

With the demand for wood based laminated boards being unprecedented, the need for faster and reliable pressing lines are an automatic choice for many manufacturer of laminated boards worldwide. By Shiv Kumar Shet, Biesse Manufacturing

24 Flame Retardant Additives: The Rise Of Carbon Nanotubes

Potential application of carbon nanotubes as a flame retardant additive. By Krzysztof Grzybowski, Frost & Sullivan

17

24 Established since 1986, FDM Asia, formerly Asia Pacific Forest/Timber Industries, is a business magazine on sawmilling, woodworking, woodbased panels and furniture manufacturing. The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all editorial or advertising material and assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited artwork or manuscripts. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the magazine, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the prior written consent, not unreasonably withheld, of the publisher. Reprints of articles appearing in previous issues of the magazine are available on request, subject to a minimum quantity.

The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the Publisher and while every attempt will be made to ensure the accuracy

and authenticity of information appearing in the magazine, the Publisher accepts no liability for damages caused by misinterpretation of information, expressed or implied, within the pages of the magazine. All correspondence regarding editorial, editorial contributions or editorial content should be directed to the Editor.

The magazine is available on subscription in Singapore at S$126.00 (GST applicable) per annum by surface mail. Subscription by airmail to readers in the Asia Pacific costs S$160 per annum; Europe and the Americas S$230 per annum. For further details refer to the subscription card found within the pages of each issue. For more subscription information, please fax to: (65) 6379 2806 or email: brendatan@epl.com.sg

Member of Business Publication Audit of Circulation, Inc. IMPORTANT NOTICE The circulation of this publication is audited. The Advertiser's Association recommends that advertisers should place their advertisements only in audited publications.

Incorporating:

etm

Eastern

Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd

Trade Media Pte Ltd 1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building #04-02, Singapore 169206 an Eastern Holdings Ltd company

Tel: (65) 6379-2888 • Fax: (65) 6379-2805/6379-2806 • Website: www.fdmasia.com

Printer: Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd

2 FDM Asia

Associate Of of Associate

FDM Asia is published eight times a year (printed 2nd week of issue month) by

march 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

The Academy TheChinese Chinese Academy of of Forestry Forestry

MICA (P) NO. 209/11/2009 • PPS 1204/07/2010 (028224) • ISSN 0219-2284

Regulars

PANELS

26 Environmental Responsibility: Green Building Practices

Environmental responsibility and green building practices are increasingly emphasised in production and today’s building projects. Specifically in North America, programmes such as LEED and REGREEN are gaining in significance. By Mike VandenBurg, Kleiberit

MARKET REPORT

30 Mixed Sentiments

The timber markets of Malaysia, Indonesia and China according to ITTO Tropical Timber Market Report

Special Editorial Feature 35

The CEO Of Diamond Wood China, Stan French, talks about the production, manufacture and marketing of its Accoya wood.

SURFACES & FLOORING

38 Laminating Paper: The Versatile Choice

From commercial applications to living spaces, melamine papers provide options that simulate the look of natural materials, while being wear resistant.

By Ronnie Ying

04 06 64 66 72a 72b

Editorial Industry News Product Highlights Calendar Of Events Enquiry Form Subscription Form

68 Page

advertisers’ enquiry numbers.

s EXHIBITIONS Reviews

58 Domotex Hannover 2010 60 IMM Cologne 2010 62 ZOW Shenzhen

DESIGN & DÉCOR

42 Opening New Doors

Andy Sumner, senior technical consultant, BM TRADA Certification, discusses the third-party Q-Mark certification scheme for doorsets.

46 Jarrod Lim:

A Designer’s Perspective

The up and coming furniture designer talks about his latest collection, his experience with wood, and shares his perspectives on design and manufacturing. By Royce Tan

46

50 3D Edgebanding: A New Generation Product

58

The 'loose' edges of wood-based panels pose a challenge to machining and finishing operations for furniture manufacturers. With the advent of the edge-banding technology, this problem has been tackled successfully. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam

WOODS & SUSTAINABILITY

54 W ood Flooring 2010: Species & Sustainability

54

For 2010 and the future, the question is whether the world can produce enough hardwood material to supply the potential growth of flooring which remains enormous.

By Michael Buckley, Turnstone Singapore

20

60 www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA March 2010

3

Editorial Published by:

Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd (a fully owned subsidiary of Eastern Holdings Ltd) Registration No: 199908196C

A

Back On Track?

ccording to International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, on a year-on-year basis, non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew by 21 percent in January 2010.

On a year-on-year basis, non-oil domestic exports to the top ten NODX markets (China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the US) except the EU-27, have also increased.

In particular, non-oil domestic exports to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan rose by 76 percent, 97 percent and 104 percent respectively. This is but one perspective, albeit at a somewhat macro level. So, it is obligatory to examine things in a context that is more related to our business.

Exhibitions. This is one avenue where, if there is a silver lining, it may be revealing itself. Domotex Hannover, in January, saw a 12 percent increase in visitor attendance, over 2009. On the Singapore front, it is heartening to report that the country has fared well in the IMM Cologne. The Singapore Furniture Industries Council led a consortium of companies and returned with sales results that totalled S$14.6 million (US$10.4 million) in on-spot orders and forecasts of S$236 million worth of sales for 2010, an increase of more than 200 percent from last year.

The fact that there has been no drop in the number of exhibitors in the upcoming regional shows is perhaps testimony that the economic slump has seen its worst. In fact, this March will prove to be an exciting one for trade shows, with MIFF, Indiawood, IFFS, WMF, VIFA, Zow Shenzhen, Domotex Asia and Interzum Guangzhou. FDM Asia will be making its rounds at the shows, and will be reporting on the facts, figures and other goings-on.

This may or may not be precedence setting, but FDM Asia has sought locally based, award-winning furniture designer Jarrod Lim for his philosophies on the pros and cons of working with wood, and why he does what he does. A refreshing change and, it is hoped, a welcomed foil to matters related to the woodworking industry.

All in all, there seem to be some positive signs that a recovery is gaining momentum.

And while enterprises are feeling a renewed confidence in placing financial resources into investments, the only thing left for us is merely to hope that this trend will continue to prevail for the long haul.

managing director

Kenneth Tan

kentan@epl.com.sg

editor

Derek Rodriguez

derekrodriguez@epl.com.sg

technical editor

Joson Ng

josonng@epl.com.sg

features editor

Tjut Rostina

tjutrostina@epl.com.sg

editorial assistant

Eunice Tay

eunicetay@epl.com.sg

senior art director/studio manager

Lawrence Lee

lawrencelee@epl.com.sg

art director

Phyllis Ng

phyllisng@epl.com.sg

advertising sales manager

Sim Eric

simeric@epl.com.sg

business manager (China)

Ding Yongmei

neweastern_sh@yahoo.cn

assistant business manager (China)

Yumi Gui

neweastern_sh@yahoo.cn

senior circulation executive

Brenda Tan

brendatan@epl.com.sg

contributors

Andy Summer

Dr Jegatheswaran Krysztof Grzybowski Michael Buckley Mike VandenBurg Shiv Kumar Shet Ronnie Ying Royce Tan International Tropical Timber Organisation

Executive Board chairman

Stephen Tay

group executive director

Kenneth Tan

financial controller

Robbin Lim

etm

Eastern

Trade Media Pte Ltd an Eastern Holdings Ltd company

Derek Rodriguez

4 FDM Asia  March 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Head Office & Mailing Address: Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd 1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building #04-02, Singapore 169206 Tel: (65) 6379 2888 Fax: (65) 6379 2805 Representative Office Shanghai, China Office: Shanghai New Eastern Media Co. Ltd 15D Block B, Victoria Plaza, No. 1068, Xikang Road, Shanghai, P.R, China 200060 Tel: (86 21) 6276 8394 Fax: (86 21) 6276 4170

ecoscalper – a cut above the rest

ENQUIRY NO. 124

The retrofit ecoscalper from the ContiRoll® ecoline family means that local excess material is simply “shaved off.”

That spells reduced material usage and an improved mat distribution.

www.siempelkamp.com

Industry News

TRADA Publishes Timber Carbon Footprint Study UK: TRADA, the Timber Research

during its life cycle and the

covering several types of timber

and Development Association,

TRADA study was commissioned

used commercially in the UK.

has published a construction

to meet demand from engineers

The aim is to provide data for

briefing on timber carbon

and design professionals for

design professionals, consider

foot-prints, based on a study

such figures for timber.

different end of life options

which quantifies timber’s carbon

Membership and marketing

(eg fuel, waste) and to account

footprint for comparison with

manager Rupert Scott said:

for the carbon sequestration of

other materials.

”Measuring CO2 emissions is

timber in different ways (from

The timber industry has long

not like using a ruler or a set of

excluding it to including it fully).

been confident that, in terms

scales, however. It is more like

The scenarios investigated

of its carbon footprint, timber’s

profit and loss accounting,

by the study include:

environmental credentials are

weighing up what is paid in

Sitka spruce, Scotland,

sound, but it has until now

against what is taken out.

preservative treated – cladding

lacked the means to quantify this

Assessing the carbon footprint

Redwood, Sweden, hydro

argument. The product carbon

of any material is there-

power – timber frame

footprint has been developed

fore complex.” The construction

English oak, central England –

to assess emissions associated

briefing applies calculations

green oak timber frame

with each stage of a product

to several different scenarios

Iroko, Cameroon, decking.

Milan, Italy: The fourth quarter in 2009 showed

of the interviewed companies indicated a

New STA Rules For Import

the first signs of economic recovery for

negative production trend in the final quarter of

Sarawak, Malaysia: The Sarawak

the Italian woodworking machinery and

2009, 39 percent talked of substantial stability,

Timber Association (STA) was informed

tools industry. Good news, though to a

while 14 percent reported expansion.

by the Department of Agriculture

Woodworking Machinery: Q4 Improvement

moderate extent, that bring some optimism

Employment was stationary for 46 percent

that the Government, through, the

for preliminary 2009 balance and 2010

of the sample and decreasing for 54 percent.

National Plant Protection Organisation

forecasts. The increased confidence of

Available stocks were stationary according to

(NPPO) Malaysia, has decided that

international markets feeds expectations

61 percent, decreasing according to 28 percent

all importation of logs and lumber

for improvement in the next few months;

and growing according to the remaining

or sawn timber from all countries

however, going back to pre-crisis levels

11 percent.

must be accompanied with an import

is a long-term goal and will necessarily

The forecast survey outlines possible

permit from Department of Agriculture

require both structural and strategic

short-term trends: although stagnating

Malaysia and a phytosanitary certificate

innovation processes.

production is affecting most companies, a

from the exporting country with effect

According to the quarterly survey based

rally of foreign markets hit by the global

from November 3, 2009.

on a statistic sample that represents the

economic crisis is expected. Foreign orders

After several parties filed an

entire industry, production increased by

will record growth according to 32 percent

appeal, a grace period of six months

5.5 percent compared to the same period

of the sample, while they are expected

is given, and this will be enforced

of the previous year (foreign orders up

to stay at the same level according to 64

from May 1, 2010. However, the

by 17.6 percent, domestic orders down

percent. The remaining 4 per cent expects a

current treatment is required for

by 22.4 percent). Prices have remained

further drop. The Italian market is expected

consignments imported during this

substantially stable, while the orders

to have a shrinking trend according to 14

grace period.

book, at the end of Q4 2009, covered 1.8

percent of the interviewees, it will remain

This requirement is stipulated

months approximately.

stable for 68 percent and it will improve

to protect the timber industry from

for 18 percent.

dangerous pests and diseases.

A quality survey showed that 47 percent

6 FDM Asia march 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

Forestry Efforts To Meet Climate Target

Jakarta, Indonesia: The Indonesian government says reforestation and cuts to deforestation will enable it to meet its Copenhagen emissions reduction commitment solely from the land-use sector. Along with other developing nations such as China, India and Brazil, the Indonesian government announced a commitment in the lead up to the Copenhagen climate conference to cut greenhouse emissions – in its case by at least 26 percent below business as Paularps, The Netherlands

usual levels by 2020.

Like Brazil, and unlike other big emitting nations, a large part of the country’s carbon footprint comes not from industry and energy production but from deforestation. According to reports, the Indonesian minister for forestry, Zulkifli Hasan, says a national plan to plant 21 million hectares of new forest by 2020 and eradicate illegal logging and land-clearing would see the country drastically reduce its emissions.

Good Times Ahead For Furniture Makers

Franklin Guangzhou Launches Web Site Guangzhou, China: Franklin Guangzhou Adhesives has launched a web site to provide information on selection and proper application of both its broad line of wood adhesives for the assembly of furniture, millwork and laminated goods to customers in China and the Pacific Rim. The site provides information on more than a dozen emulsion-based wood adhesives the compay offers under the Titebond, Multibond and ReacTITE

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Local furniture

local manufacturers. He said the high

names for the assembly of furniture,

manufacturers and exporters can look

quality of local furniture and the ability

millwork and laminated goods. This

forward to better times ahead as demand

to deliver in time were among the main

range of product offers water-based

is picking up after almost a year of

reasons why more international buyers

adhesives for most applications on the

slowdown due to the global economic

had come back.

plant floor, including assembly, solid

recession. SHH Resources Holdings

Datuk Teo said previously, many

MD Datuk Teo Wee Cheng said orders

of them sourced their furniture

for made-in-Malaysia furniture were

from Chinese manufacturers but

Fiberglass makers will also find

coming back from international buyers.

after sometime they decided to turn

information on the company’s line

“Manufacturers have started to receive

back to Malaysian furniture producers.

of specialty polymers, including film

more orders, albeit at a gradual rate

He said apart from the ability of

formers and binders, for use in the

but we still perceive this as a good

the local producers to supply quality

production of fibreglass-reinforced

sign,’’ he told StarBiz after the company

goods on time, many of the inter-

products (FRP). The company offers both

AGM recently. Datuk Teo said the

national buyers wanted to decrease

Duracet polyvinyl acetate emulsions

local furniture industry was starting to

their dependency on the Chinese

(PVA) and epoxy emulsions to meet a

stabilise and more international buyers

furniture suppliers and reduce their

broad array of specific manufacturing

were returning to source furniture from

business risks.

requirements.

edge and face gluing, finger jointing and lamination.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA march 2010

7

Industry News

IMA’s Equipment Used For Production Hall Germany: Apart from developing machinery and work cells for furniture processing plants, IMA’s products are also used to tool up complete systems. The Bavarian Waldner group has invested E20 million (US$27 million) to build a hyper modern production hall for laboratory equipment. The contract was awarded to IMA Klessmann working as the prime contractor together with the IMA subsidiary Meinert and its cooperation partners Schelling and Priess & Horstmann working as the subcontractors.

An innovative CNC panel cutting concept guarantees high-capacity with minimum floor space requirements, simultaneously ensuring both dimensional accuracy and squareness

Already at the beginning of 2010, the new processing plant will be installed to replace the old equipment and increase capacity by 50 percent. Another part of this deal for Waldner is that it satisfies two more points on their wish list: The entire equipment for the hall is supplied from a one-stop-shop, and the new plant substantially increases the capability of the system to produce a large number of variable parts also in batch volumes as low as one. The laboratory furniture manufacturer believes that a clear increase in capacity and the expansion of existing resources will push it ahead of its rivals in the future. This will result in a reduction of delivery times.

Contour milling unit ›KFA‹: provides optimum surface finish and is almost wear-free due to linear drive technology.

Raute Gets Order For A-P machinery deliveries

Weinig Absent At IWF 2010

made by Raute typically

Tauberbischofsheim, Germany: Michael Weinig

exceeds E15 million

has announced that the company will not exhibit

(US$20 million).

at the IWF 2010 Show in Atlanta in August.

“Weinig has enjoyed a strong and mutually

improves Raute’s order

beneficial relationship with IWF for many years and

book and reduces the

we continue to wish the exhibitors a successful

need for adaptation

event. But we see every day the impact that the

measures in the machine

economy has on our market. Our woodworking

Nastola, Finland: Raute Corporation

design and production of the Nastola

industry customers need and deserve all the

has received a significant order

plant during 2010. Despite this

support we can provide during the recovery

comprising almost all production

received order Raute’s order book

from this unprecedented economic recession,”

lines for a plywood mill in the

is not at a level to maintain normal

explained Peter Lohmeyer, vice president of

Asia-Pacific region. The customer

workload, which means that

Sales for Michael Weinig. “By redirecting the

is a well-established plywood

adaptation measures must be

resources typically allocated to a show event

producing company. The machinery

continued due to production and

of this magnitude, we will offer beneficial and

deliveries will take place from June

financial reasons. As a whole the

timely support in helping our customers find

to September 2010 and the start-up

market situation of Raute’s customer

solutions to their production challenges. We want

of the mill by summer 2011.

industries hasn’t yet returned to a

to ensure our customers’ long-term survival by

normal level.

assisting them in finding ways to thrive, even in

Jeric Santiago

The received order

The value of similar mill-scale

today’s economy.”

8 FDM Asia march 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

High Five For Siempelkamp Beijing, China: Siempelkamp has sold five presses in Chin,

Experience Counts

with the fifth one to Tianyuan. The latest sale – a 4’ x 33,8

Providing custom solutions is important with a global

m ContiRoll - comes after both Huayi Wood and Luyuan III

client base with varying detailed requirements and

both ordered 38,7m ContiRoll lines to boost their production

Siempelkamp can look back on 25 years of experience in

of top-quality panels.

the field and more than 200 successfully designed and

China remains one of the most important markets for

constructed continuous presses to ensure that the customer

Siempelkamp, showing continued growth over the past years.

gets exactly what they need. But some requirements never

As early as 1957, Siempelkamp delivered its first presses to

change as Xiancang Meng points out: “Optimum pressure

China. Since 1988, more than 30 lines using ContiRoll technology

distribution, very low tolerances, quick startups and stable

have been sold in China. Siempelkamp also supplies press

ramp-up curves are qualities that all our customers expect.

lines and complete plants for the metal forming and rubber

Only then can they guarantee top quality results for the

industries to the China market.

next link in the value chain whilst ensuring maximum

Siempelkamp has a production facility in Wuxi, Jiangsu

profitability.”

Province with some 200 employees and a sales office in Beijing. The Wuxi facility manufactures parts of the forming

Adding Value for Every Order

and press lines with ContiRoll for the Asian market. Here,

“Giving our customers a competitive edge means adding

Siempelkamp know-how and quality management combines

value”, says Dr Fechner. In wood panel production powerhouses

Chinese manufacturing skill to fulfill the Chinese market

such as China, this is especially important. Siempelkamp adds

requirements for innovative products. With a further E1 million

value through offering full line solutions including elements

(US$1.35 million) to be invested in 2010 for new precision

such as front-end technology, energy plants, sifters, dryers,

machinery in Wuxi, Siempelkamp China seems geared for

forming and press lines as well as complete finishing lines.

ongoing growth.

These elements, complemented by full planning, engineering, assembly and start-up services, result in turn-key plants which

Machines for the Chinese Market

are amongst the most efficient and dependable in the world.

Siempelkamp’s managing director of Wuxi, Xiancang Meng,

According to Dr Fechner, “Levels upon levels of value can

said: “With our machines, Chinese customers can cater

be added to line solutions but what really cements the true

directly to the popular Asian board sizes of 4’ x 8’ as well as

value to our customers is our ongoing service, long after the

4’ x 9’, without the need for expensive cut-to-size lines. While

handover of the machines. This is why a presence in China

the presses sold in China might be comparatively small, they

is hugely important to us – we can be close to our customers

pack just as much punch as their bigger counterparts - the 8’

and ensure that they maximise the value of their investments

and 12’ presses.”

in Siempelkamp presses.”

Välinge To Protect New Licensees Of 5Gs Viken, Sweden: Välinge offered all

opinion, different to all other known

holders. The intension is to establish

new licensees of its 5Gs technology

locking systems and other party patents

a fund with assets that could be used

protection against claims for license

that Välinge has. As such it has offered all

to finance legal actions and provide

fees from other parties.

new licensees protection against claims

security for unjustified license claims

The improved Fold-down Technology

for license fees from other parties. This

from other parties.

uses a side push tongue (5Gs) to

will eliminate all insecurity that has been

“Välinge will protect its rights and

provide a functional and cost effective

created by some patent holders that

use its patents against all infringing

solution for laminate and wood

claim patent protection beyond their

fold down systems on the market and

floorings. Several of its licensees have

original invention.

support its licensees legally in potential

already decided to introduce 5Gs on a large scale.

The new 5Gs solution is in Välinge’s

The company now offers 5Gs licenses

unjustified legal actions from other

on favorable terms since no cross license

patent holders”, says Darko Pervan,

fee has to be paid to any other patent

CEO of the company.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA march 2010

9

Industry News

Schneider’s US$40.5 Million Plant Eberhardzell, Germany: Holzwerk

Schneider is initially intending

construction of a plant at the company’s

to market a large proportion of the

headquarters. The system is designed

insulation board production directly

to allow for the production of both

through its existing sales network.

flexible and pressure-resistant wood

However, the company is also planning

fibre panels without any modification

to expand its sales activities.

or conversion work.

Modified Wood Products To Increase

on its own premises since 2004.

Gebr Schneider has started the

A small share of the production

The plant is configured to operate

will be value added inhouse on a

with a total annual output of both

production line for sandwich elements

products with about 250,000 m³.

being installed in parallel to the

According to the company, the

insulation board plant. This line will

invest-ment will amount to almost

glue the wood fibre insulation boards

E30 m (US$40.5 million), from which

to panel elements at the factory,

approximately E5 m will be spent

and these will then be marketed as

for the building and other civil costs.

semi- finished products.

Installation of the systems is due

Until now, Schneider has

to start in May, and the plant is

predominantly produced structural

expected to start its operations in

wood members for modern house

December 2010.

building. Its product range includes

UK: The range of modified wood products

Back in December 2009, Schneider

not only classic structural wood but

available in the UK is likely to increase

and Dieffenbacher signed a

also KVH (construction solid wood),

as further development work is under-

supply contract for the main plant

laminated beams and wooden planking,

taken in Europe and elsewhere, according

components.

and even glued ceiling elements. In

to a new wood information sheet

The system will be capable of

spite of difficult economic conditions,

from TRADA Technology, modified

producing single-layer panels with a

it was possible to increase sales

wood products.

thickness range of 20 – 240 mm and

in 2009 to about E50 m. A total of

Modified wood is that which has been

densities between 35 and 200 kg/m³.

160,000 m³ of wood products were

treated with a chemical, biological or

This will be Dieffenbacher’s second

produced and sold. The addition

physical agent to enhance its performance.

insulation board plant following

of the insulation board production

It excludes wood treated with biocides

the commissioning of Homatherm in

is expected to boost the annual

(ie wood preservatives).

Berga at the start of April 2009.

turnover by about E30 m to about

The wood information sheet aims to

Given an optimum production

E85 m by 2012. The workforce is set

help specifiers select the most appro-

sequence, the fibre throughput will

to increase from the current 200 to

priate modified wood for a particular

be about 7000 kg/h (od). A large

about 250.

end use. One of the main drivers for

amount of the raw material is going

Schneider is also investing in

wood modification has been to improve

to be provided by the wood chips

expanding its solid wood activities.

the decay resistance of low durability

from the company’s own saw mill

Additional con-tinuous dryers are

timbers including those grown in Europe.

and finishing plant.

being installed and the KVH production

However, a number of other beneficial

Heat and energy for the insulation

is currently being expanded with a

changes to wood properties, including

board plant amounting to about 12.5

second production line and another

improved dimensional stability, may

MW thermal capacity will come from

sorting line. The investment volume

also result. These have increased both

the nearby Bio-Power SKW, operating

for this is about E3 m.

performance of wood products and the range of applications.

10 FDM Asia march 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

Dubai Wood Show Dubai, UAE: Strong delegations from China, Germany, Argentina, Malaysia, UAE and the US head an impressive list of exhibitors to the upcoming Dubai Wood Show from April 13 - 15. Other countries include Canada, Lithuania and Switzerland.

In a recent public announcement, Dawood Al Shezawi, MD of Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions unveiled the Dubai WoodShow programme and highlighted the scope and objectives of the 2010 edition. ’Dubai WoodShow Forum’ will be the launching pad where on one hand, industry players can examine the wealth of business opportunities stemming from the ever-expanding Middle East wood sector, allowing major players to explore ways to differentiate their products and services and maintain leadership in the market. On the other hand, investors and business developers will be able to connect directly with free zones authorities as well as logistics and supply chain services providers and learn about the key requirements needed to successfully enter the Middle East wood market.”

Al Shezawi also discussed the show’s new developments aimed at supporting visitors and exhibitors to capitalise on the time spent at the exhibition and attracting a new breed of attendees. The show will feature the first ever editions of the Dubai WoodShow Forum, Dubai WoodShow Roundtables and Dubai WoodShow Workshops, all of which are free of charge.

“We have created the forum and workshop to present the wood and forestry industry executives attending the woodshow with a premium opportunity to hear experts’ presentations from their competition, generate business ideas, share knowledge and walk away with solutions, techniques and methodologies applicable in their day-to-day management. We also introduced the roundtable which is a dedicated platform for one-on-one business meetings designed to support and empower our business partners in their client portfolio development and market expansion strategies.”

Doubling Timber Self-Sufficiency Tokyo, Japan: The government plans to boost Japan’s timber selfsufficiency rate to 50 percent from the current 24 percent over the next 10 years by promoting forest road development to cut timber production costs, government sources said. Under a new plan aimed at invigorating the forest industry and creating jobs in mountain villages, the government aims to increase the road density for twosimilar to Germany, which is known as an advanced forestry country, according to sources.

ENQUIRY NO. 129

thirds of artificial forests in Japan to 100 meters per hectare, a level

Industry News

D Counsell, UK

Green Buildings Markets Reach Higher Levels Singapore: The rising environmental

management,” says its company consultant Ranajay Dasgupta.

consciousness of consumers in

“Governments and Green Building associations, for their part,

Asia Pacific has placed the Green

should closely collaborate and offer more incentives to

Buildings market on the threshold

the builders.”

of significant growth. In markets

Builders will also be hoping to benefit from corporate social

where awareness of the long-term

responsibility as well as Green Building recognitions, as Green

benefits of Green Buildings is markedly low, governments’ and

brands have better marketability. Although builders win considerable

Green Building councils’ regulations, incentives, and certification

orders from government and non-government projects, most of

systems are proving invaluable.

their business is expected to come from premium customers.

This awareness issue, compounded by the high upfront costs of the buildings and early market development stage in some

Interestingly, the next wave of growth will be seen in buildings that target middle-class consumers.

countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, makes it imperative

“The Asia Pacific Green Building market aims to promote

for builders to depend on regulatory support and Green Building

sustainable building constructions all over the world,” notes Mr

Certification programs.

Dasgupta. “Green Buildings in Asia Pacific markets encourage

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan: Green Buildings - A

environment-friendly practices within the construction and

Strategic Analysis of the Asia Pacific Markets, finds that the market

building industries as well as provide better design, healthier

accounts for less than 6 percent of the total building markets in

environment, energy-efficient offices and homes, and ultimately,

2009 and estimates this to reach 17 percent by 2015.

higher productivity.”

Already, market stakeholders in Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong are well educated about the merits of Green Buildings. New

Cologne Fair Attracted 100,000 Visitors

government initiatives such as the

Cologne, Germany: The IMM Cologne home

The show had 1,053 exhibitors from

Neutral Carbon Emission 2030

furnishings show held in January this year,

51 countries, about the same number that

strategies will further promote

attracted 100,000 visitors, a figure officials say

showed in 2009, according to last year’s

the market.

was on par with last year’s attendance.

show results. This included a 7 percent

These marketing efforts are

International attendance was up 5.7 percent

increase in German manufacturers.

not a recent development. Green

to 42,280, compared with an estimated 40,000

International exhibitors represented

Buildings have been promoted

international visitors in 2009. Attendance

about 58 percent of the total or

since 2000 but the market has

from North America represented the bulk of

611 companies.

still not realised its potential and

this growth, with a 23 percent increase over

Dirk-Uwe Klaas, the chief executive of

this offers substantial scope for

last year, while Eastern European attendance

the Association of the German Furniture

growth. Nearly 14 percent of

was up a reported 18 percent.

Industry said: “In the midst of the crisis,

the new buildings in developed

The show also reported increases from

trade visitors and end consumers alike

countries such as Australia

Asia and South America, while visitors from

have given us impressive confirmation

and Singapore are Green, and

Germany remained stable.

that the IMM Cologne has regained its

the rest of the countries in the

“I see this result as proof that the various

region are expected to follow

activities we have undertaken to attract

Surveys taken at the event also indicate

suit. In fact, close to 30 percent

national and international visitors, such as

that 80 percent of the visitors interviewed

of the new buildings in the Asia

our VIP packages, have been successful,” Udo

would like to attend next year’s show as well,

Pacific are expected to be Green

Traeger, head of show organiser Koelnmesse’s

when Cologne will host the LivingKitchen

by 2015.

furniture, interior design and textiles division,

fair for the first time. Held the same week as

said in a statement.

IMM Cologne, it will be held every two years

“To achieve such success,

former strength.”

developers across countries

Cologne is open to consumers for a portion

and will showcase items such as kitchen

need to exchange Green Building

of the show, and the traffic total includes

furniture, fitted appliances, sinks, fittings,

materials and resources, as

that attendance. Officials have not broken

lighting and other accessories.

well as upgrade their expertise,

out the consumer attendance this year, but

skills, and practices related to

in 2009 it was given at about 23,000.

Green Building development and

12 FDM Asia march 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

The next IMM Cologne event is planned for January 18 - 23, 2011.

ENQUIRY NO. 130

Focus

Veneer

on

Plywood

Despite the increase in production and use of MDF and OSB, the annual global production and consumption of plywood exceeds that of MDF.

By Michael Buckley, Turnstone Singapore

M

uch of the world’s plywood production is softwood or mixed hardwood species mainly for general construction use in shuttering, underlay, and general use where strength is critical. Such uses also include wood I-joists, glued-laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber.

The Plywood Advantage These products not only yield superior performance properties but also make better use of precious forest resources.

And it all began with plywood. But there are also a number of specialised uses and particularly where expensive or exotic species are overlaid as veneer and where the plywood properties outperform particleboards or MDF. In several cases such as marine plywood produced to international standards the species throughout the multi-layers are specified to durable species – mainly tropical. But wherever

14 FDM Asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

decorative panels are required to perform in terms of strength or durability, plywood is the preferred substrate.

There are few, if any, decorative species that cannot be sliced for overlay on plywood. From teak to walnut and any oak, fine veneers are available worldwide. What is important however is the construction of the plywood substrate because defects such as core gaps can telegraph through and ‘appear’ on the surface in a way less likely in MDF. Machining, routing and moulding of plywood component parts is often more effective for high precision work after which MDF components may have little strength remaining. So here is a question of you get what you pay for.

In recent years there has been an upsurge in competitive Chinese plywood, not always of sound construction. This is hugely important to fabricators working in high-end sectors such as designer shop-fitting and luxury boatbuilding,

where the end product value leaves the cost of the base plywood as relatively insignificant, especially where expensive veneers are overlaid.

Furthermore, in today’s environmentally sensitive international markets, much of China’s production seems difficult to trace when it comes to the use of sustainable resources. Talking to a number of high-end users who still buy Chinese plywood, certified product is virtually unheard of and even country of origin unknown. China imports plywood logs far and wide.

History In The Making Plywood has been around a very long time. According to APA, the Engineered Wood Association of America, archeologists have found traces of laminated wood in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs.

A thousand years ago, the Chinese shaved wood and glued it together for use in furniture. (So nothing new there!)

Design Refinery

Focus

The Charlie Sideboard featuring plywood edge

The English and French are reported to have worked wood on the general principle of plywood in the 17th and 18th centuries.

And historians credit Czarist Russia for having made forms of plywood prior to the 20th century as well. Russia is still a producer today. In the early days of plywood when resource was not an issue, decorative plywood used in the manufacture of household items, such as cabinets, chests, desk tops and doors were made from decorative species throughout. Indeed in Germany solid beech plywood is still made for school and children’s furniture.

Today efficiency in application and maximising log yield are fundamental to resource management and the plywood manufacturing process achieves a more complete utilisation of the log than solid lumber.

As the American Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association (HPVA) says, “no

Plywood Patented, Then Forgotten The first patent for what could be called plywood was issued December 26, 1865, to John K Mayo of New York City. A re-issue of that patent, dated August 18, 1868, described Mayo’s development as follows: "The invention consists in cementing or otherwise fastening together a number of these scales of sheets, with the grain of the successive pieces, or some of them, running crosswise or diversely from that of the others…" Mr Mayo may have had a vision but apparently not much business sense since history does not record that he ever capitalised on his patents.

1905: An Industry Is Born In 1905, the city of Portland, Oregon, was getting ready to host a World’s Fair as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Several local businesses were asked to prepare exhibits for the event, including Portland Manufacturing Company, a small wooden box factory in the St Johns district of the city.

Part owner and plant manager Gustav Carlson decided to laminate wood panels from a variety of Pacific Northwest softwoods. Using paint brushes as glue spreaders and house jacks as presses, several panels were laid up for display. Called ‘3-ply veneer work,’ the product created considerable interest among fairgoers, including several door, cabinet and trunk manufacturers who then placed orders.

By 1907, Portland Manufacturing had installed an automatic glue spreader and a sectional hand press. Production soared to 420 panels a day. And an industry was born.

Source: APA

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARCH 2010

15

Focus

Furniture & Flooring Applications

Other Niche Markets In the mad markets of the boom-time nineties luxury boatbuilding enjoyed a spectacular run, fuelled by large numbers of wealthy people, whose naval architects favoured cherry and teak veneers for their plush interiors.

Given the problems of humidity in a marine environment, marine grade plywood is the preferred substrate to provide strength and to avoid subsequent de-lamination. This market has now dried up – literally!

Film and theatre sets are another key application, especially for thin plywood.

Scene builders and scene shifters particularly love the strength-to-weight

Designer shop display in Singapore's Orchard Road

ratio of thin plywood; and where closeup shots are likely real wood veneer is used.

The same is true for shop fitting, display and exhibition stand building, where the ability to bend tight curves is often needed. In Europe, producers in Finland have always led the way with thin plywood using birch, originally developed for building light aircraft. In the US, some importers are known to favour Malaysian plywood as being the best thin tropical production on a reliable basis.

American walnut on plywood chairs by Lui Hon Fay & Cici Chen

16 FDM Asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Turnstone Singapore

Cilicon Factory Singapore

In the veneered plywood sector one of the main applications remains furniture, particularly where strong panels, thin panels and moulded panels are needed, either for their intrinsic strength or to match solid wood.

Cabinet backs and interiors can use MDF but where any strength is needed, plywood wins. Moulded parts for furniture, such as chair seats are often more easily produced in veneered plywood than solid wood. The ability to mould veneered plywood has been aiding designing for a long while.

The Red Dot Awards in 2009 gave an honourable mention to the ‘G J Chair’ teak plywood chair – a remake of a 1963 design – now made by Lange production ApS, Denmark.

An obvious modern use of veneered plywood is in mass market engineered

flooring of suitably hard decorative species laminated on base plywood.

This has technical advantages of stability in manufacture and installation as well as extending valuable and costly forest resources.

American red and white oak, and European oak, are the dominant species for hardwood flooring surface globally accounting for almost 60 per cent of the European market according to the Federation of Parquet Flooring (FEP) and at least two thirds of the USA market by common consent.

Turnstone Singapore

sawdust results from either rotary cutting or slicing (the two most popular methods of cutting veneer). Greater square foot coverage, in comparison to solid wood products, is achieved by using veneer.

Thus, plywood manufacturing makes better use of the high value woods prized by consumers today”.

‘Benithem’ moulded chairs of veneered plywood at the MIFF Malaysian furniture show 2009

AHEC

Turnstone Singapore

Focus

Renzo Piano’s Rome Auditorium

Complex machining requires the strength of plywood

A Rich Market Take a walk down Singapore’s Orchard Road, or stroll through any high-end shopping mall around the world and there are bound to be hidden examples of plywood under exotic veneers. The likes of Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Rolex, Cartier and Armani all spend huge budgets on top quality shop-fitting with a difference – high security systems installed in strong cabinets which belie the technology behind them.

These fit-outs require the strength of plywood not only for security reasons but because the machining, routing and moulding of component parts is high precision work and often reduces

the finished cabinet sections to fine dimensions in which MDF would have little strength remaining.

The material specification for marble, stainless steel, glass and wood is always of the highest for such clients. Ebony, afromosia, teak, American walnut and white oak are all commonly used mainly veneered on plywood and edged in matching solid wood.

One Technical Solution Edging has long been a problem for plywood, particularly in painted applications where it is hard to disguise. That was one of the opportunities that MDF overcame with its ability to mould and paint to a perfect finish.

But in recent years some architects and designers have emphasised their use of plywood by showing its raw edge, as demonstrated in ‘The Charlie Sideboard’

by Design Refinery, designed and made in Melbourne, Australia from sustainable hoop pine plywood overlaid with American black walnut.

When exposed edging is not an option from a design or usage point of view, then in today’s market there is invariably a supply of solid edging lumber to match veneer.

Some Project References Around the world there are spectacular examples of veneered plywood in architectural projects, some of which also use MDF. In Rome, Renzo Piano’s Auditorium is a modern monument to the use of wood in a building that he insisted should echo the material of the musical stringed and wind instruments. In this case he specified American black cherry for its warmth of colour and acoustics.

In conclusion, there seems to be a healthy and continuing need for plywood – the pioneer of engineered wood – as well as a strong, stable and effective base material for some of the world’s rarer decorative species for high value applications. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 2101

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARCH 2010

17

Technology

Optimising

Nesting Solution The

An insight into the nesting-based technology for the woodworking industry. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam

18 FDM Asia  March 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

increase their competitiveness, the increasing application of information communication technology (ICT) was the most notable technique employed throughout the industry, especially among those engaged in the export market.

One of the main drivers that have spurred this transformation has been the availability of custom-made computer software that could be customised to suit the various factories’ needs.

In fact, through the application of ICT tools, some of the manufacturers surveyed in the study have indicated a reduction of almost eight percent in their direct labour cost as well as supervision and administration costs.

With the ever-increasing labour cost, both in China and the Southeast Asian region, manufacturers are all geared towards savings in labour cost by means of ICT tools.

In this article, one of the fastest growing manufacturing technologies, will

be elaborated, to highlight the revolution that is being implemented throughout the furniture manufacturing industry around the world.

Nested-Based Case goods furniture, such as cabinets and wardrobes, are normally produced en masse as the manufacturing technology is essentially process-driven.

Under such circumstances, the necessity to optimise production by reducing time and wastage is paramount. This is to ensure competitive

Dplanet, Capetow, S Africa

I

n a recent report by the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG) in collaboration with researchers at the Nanjing Forestry University, China, it was found that almost 63 percent of all furniture manufacturing, particularly solid wood and panel product manufacturers, both in China and the South-east Asian region are involved in contract mass production.

As a result, the supply elasticity of products within these categories is getting smaller, due to the competition within the country as well as regional manufacturers.

For example, the traditional English Windsor chair, has seen its price per unit being eroded from US$27 in 1993 down to US$6 in 2009. As such, there is an increasing need to optimise production processes, with the aim of reducing manufacturing cost in order to remain competitive.

Although the report revealed the strategies used by manufacturers to

Technology

manufacturing as such products have high supply elasticity, and are often under price pressure. Over the last few years, nested-based manufacturing (NBM) has been advocated as the most viable solution for the mass production manufacturing bases, as it allows shortened manufacturing cycle time and reduction in wastage, all of which are key ingredients for success in this product segment.

NBM is a production method in which a variety of parts are grouped (or nested) on a sheet of plywood (PW), particleboard (PB), medium density fiberboard (MDF), or any other panel product. Those parts are then cut and machined using a computer numeric control (CNC) router. Visually, a nested sheet appears much like a puzzle with parts of the project laid out in close proximity to minimise material waste and increase yield.

Computer software determines the optimal layout and machining instructions to get the desired product. In fact, NBM is simply about enhancing the cutting plan, often a challenge for production planners and factory managers in the panel-product based furniture manufacturing factories.

As all the construction details are worked out in the office on a computer, the margin for manufacturing errors are reduced significantly, and further, the NBM makes the assembly and construction of the final products much easier due to the accurate machining operations. The process begins with the final full-size drawing of a product, put together by product design software.

Once the drawing is finished with all final measurements and specifications checked, the software programme nests the parts of the project. This nesting

information is then sent to another programme that gives directions to the router on which tools to use, the depth of cuts and the machining to be done on each part. In other words, the software takes over the optimisation of the manufacturing process – not only controlling the machining operations, its sequence, but also ensuring maximum yield. This in turn will ensure increased profitability through a reduction of wastage.

From an ICT perspective, NBM is simply putting the computer-aided-design (CAD) and computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) tools to use in order to work together for process optimisation in the manufacture of furniture in a mass production environment.

The Nature Of Nbm When nesting began in the woodworking industry during the early part of this century, the geometry of the furniture parts and components was not from a third-party software package, as it is currently practised. It was simply the result of an AutoCAD drawing done by an engineer, working on the worktable in the factory or furniture design house.

The fact that furniture is a fashion means diversity both in design and construction are norm to the industry, and using AutoCAD software to cope with such tasks simply seemed too taxing. As a result, the design development stage

in the furniture manufacturing industry is often tedious and expensive.

Efficiency was constantly improved upon by integrating the furniture design software with the nesting process.

According to panel processing machine manufacturers, NBM will continue to see improvements, with the software becoming more powerful. Options of curved surface, radius work and more are being integrated into the furniture design software packages.

For mass production furniture environments, four essential machinestations make up the cornerstone of the manufacturing operations: 1. Through-feed panel processing lines, with an edgebanding line.

This is a pre-requisite for efficient handling of panels materials used in the manufacture of case goods and office furniture.

2. Multi-boring stations based on the 32 mm platform, which ensures that the parts and components are interchangeable. Further, it allows coordination of the whole assembly of the furniture.

3. CNC centres with router, panel saw and borers, which makes up the most important workstation in the panel-based furniture manufacturing outfits.

With the increasing labour cost, both in China and the South-east Asian region, manufacturers are all geared towards savings in labour cost by means of ICT tools.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  March 2010

19

Technology

4. Clamp-carriers or pneumatic clamping stations, which serves the needs of the assembly operations.

The fact that the above machine stations can be controlled using a computer that interfaces with the machine, enables the operation to be carried out automatically.

The interface between the computer and machine languages has been the point of transformation in the development of NBM technology, as computers and machines were able to work together to carry out the tasks in the most efficient and productive manner.

In fact, through the application of the NBM technology, a reduction of cycle-time for manufacturing has been reported to be by almost 35 percent, which brings about significant cost savings.

The Benefits Of Nbm Improved material handling in the form of automatic loading and unloading for the NBM cells is increasingly common, and such a versatile technology renders this process a high degree of suitability for companies of all sizes and different products.

Nested-based processing is normally calculated to be at a processing time of four to six minutes, with two to four minutes of manually loading and unloading time or up to 30 seconds for automatic loading and unloading. The production that can be achieved is at approximately 50 panels per shift, if the factory loads manually, and 100 panels per shift if it loads automatically.

Although computer software controls all these machining stations, the cutting tools used also play an important role. It has been reported that standard nesting cutting tools, such as 12 mm triplefluted TC tips can average 30 metres

20 FDM Asia March 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

per minute, and is usually resharpened after producing up to 60 panels or sheets. These tools can undergo the sharpening process five times before it is rendered useless.

On the other hand, high-end nesting cutting tools with four flutes usually produce up to 50 metres per minute, and produce an average of 45 panels.

However, the single biggest drawback is that there is no possibility of resharpening the cutting tools.

Although the improvement to efficiency is visible, the advantage in using higher end tooling is the speed in production and the choice made in the option for selecting these tools is solely left to the furniture manufacturer. The advantages of NBM is that it requires a simple set up, and reduces the inventory through ‘Just-In-Time’ (JIT) principles, reduces the need for floor space, and provide a degree of assured quality in assembly tooling scheduling, as well as a higher chance of increasing sales and profits.

The reworking of machined parts and components is also possible. Typical furniture manufacturing operations such as grooving, boring, routing, sizing and trimming can be planned in an organised line, thereby creating a smooth flow in production and execution of production orders.

By and large, the application of NBM has transformed the panel-based furniture manufacturing to an extent that higher throughputs can be achieved at lower cost. The efficiency of materials handling, especially the bulky panel products, is significantly improved to an extent that loss in productive time due to materials handling hiccups is reduced by almost 75 percent.

The application of such technology is also one the manufacturing strengths of office furniture manufacturers, operating

in high-labour cost countries in Europe and North America.

The Future Of Nbm With the growing competition in the panelbased furniture manufacturing industry throughout the world, the application of NBM technology is envisaged to grow by up to 2.5 percent per annum.

According to a recent report by IFRG, the total sales volume of NBM technology in China and Southeast Asia amounts to almost US$3.5 million per annum. This amount simply refers to the software being used to implement such technologies.

If the automated machining stations are included in the total, it would be up to almost US$25 million per annum, clearly reflecting the market potential for such technologies.

The advantages of NBM technology include streamlined production that allows custom jobs to be executed efficiently. Floor space can be reduced to a great extent due to the practice of JIT principles with an increase of 25 percent better material yield.

In addition, there is less material handling because of the better accuracy and finish of the panel products cut when compared to a manual saw.

Less skilled manpower is required to operate the CNC machine due to the automated NBM process. Ultimately, any software that is compatible with the factory’s machining line can yield a productive solution.

Modern day technology reveals higher levels of NBM, which have evolved over time with countless types of software packages and supportive gadgets to modify the older machinery such that they can adapt to the latest technologies and produce at a yield comparable to that of the newer machines.

Technology

Trueshaped nesting is one such development that adds flexibility and value to the whole production process.

This form of nesting confirms that there are no assumptions made by the software, while considering the sizes and shapes of the materials. The actual requirement is achieved and material wastages are reduced. It also enables the interlocking of parts.

On the other hand, more elaborate software versions such as the Pronest nesting software has the function to manage higher level and more complicated shape designs.

In recent years, many of the highgrade nesting software can be used for the production of complicated parts where precision and criteria of a

similar nature are involved. It must be emphasised that NBM, being operated entirely on software, is a tool capable of producing the many miscellaneous shapes and sizes of panel products needed to satisfy the demand for furniture manufacturing.

Economics Of Nbm For many of the furniture manufacturers employing the technology, it is about speed, flexibility and cost competitiveness.

As panel products based furniture becomes more complicated to suit the variable needs of customers, its manufacturing processes calls a very high degree of flexibility.

Through the use of automated machining stations, adverse product

range can be produced in a short cycle time. In fact, with the advent of the NBM technology, production of office furniture on manual systems is unimaginable as the manufacturing cost becomes too prohibitive. In this context, the technology is here to stay and will continue to transform the panel productsbased furniture industry. FDM The author wishes to thank Biesse Group of Italy for sharing their insights into the NBM technology.

ENQUIRY NO. 2202

The Altendorf WA 8:

The benchmark for quality.

Altendorf WA 8 NT with non-tilting saw unit and manual rise/fall adjustment of the main saw blade.

Altendorf WA 8 TE with motorised rise/fall and tilt adjustment of the main saw blade.

Since Altendorf was established in 1906, the company has repeatedly set new standards. Now you can experience this for yourself with the Altendorf WA 8. It makes light work of everything from simple but precise squaring cuts through to complex angles, and is ergonomical and easy to use. With a level of quality all its own, the WA 8 lives up to the promise of the international market leader.

Altendorf WA 8 X with motorised rise/fall and tilt adjustment of the main saw blade and motorised adjustment of the rip fence.

F E AT U R E S Sliding table length 2,000, 2,600, 3,000 or 3,200 mm Cutting width 1,000 or 1,300 mm Cutting height max. 100, 125 mm

ENQUIRY NO. 125

Altendorf WA 8 T with manual rise/fall and tilt adjustment of the main saw blade.

Altendorf Asia Sdn. Bhd. No. 45, Jalan TPP 1/1 · Taman Industri Puchong · 47100 Puchong, Selangor D. E. Malaysia Phone +60 3 8060 9689 · Fax +60 8061 9689 · altasia@tm.net.my · www.altendorf.com

sd_WA8_Anzeige+Produkt+171x122_01 1

02.02.2010 9:48:38 Uhr www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA March 2010

21

Technology Demand for wood based laminated boards is increasing, as seen in Domotex 2010.

Technology With the demand for wood based laminated boards being unprecedented, the need for faster and reliable pressing lines are an automatic choice for many a manufacturer of laminated boards world wide. Optimised sizes and reduced cost of short cycle pressing lines combined with advanced and state of the art technology catered to buyers will be an unbeatable factor which can prove to win a sale. By Shiv Kumar Shet, business development manager, Biesse Manufacturing

T

hese days companies of great repute in the wood working industry are in for continuous improvement in R&D as far as their products are concerned.

They spend millions of dollars to get out the best solution to cater to the industry.

This has resulted in a great boost for manufacturers of furniture and makers of panel boards who update their fleet with such modern improvisations and increase their profits.

However, this is applicable to makers of furniture who really care about their products which are a combination of

22 FDM Asia  march 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

both innovation and high quality to their clients. This is due to the high input as far as investments are made.

The invention of the particleboard and the MDF has replaced solid wood to a great extent and thereby new machinery to layer these kind of man-made panels have risen. However, it is evident that such panels needs to be layered with a thin film of paper, veneer or any other materials to give it a better look or as required.

Short cycle presses, as they are popularly known, are also called low

pressure lamination presses. They are used for surface lamination. Resins of melamine or other foils are used for the lamination.

Huge companies like Siempelkemp, Wemhoner and Dieffenbacher cater to manufacturers of panel boards to laminate their products. They provide complete solutions on turn key basis which include the loading till the packing stages. Short cycle presses (SCP) or low pressure lamination presses (LPL) are used in the manufacture of partition walls, false ceilings, boards used in door

Deutsche Messe AG

Continuous Reliabilty In

Technology frames and widely in modular furniture and sometimes in floor tiles. The pressure applied on these boards are between 20-40 kg/sq cm and are suitable for production batches of approximately 50 to 110 boards per hour.

The different stages in the short cycle pressing are generally in the following sequence: • • • • • • • •

Panel board storage Conveying by mechanical or robotized movement.

Impregnated design paper/foils/veneer etc The hot press – the heart of the system Lifting normally pneumatically Conveyor which can be roller, belt transmission etc Sizing/Cutting Storage of the finished prelaminated boards

MR ATM

Basically, the procedure of applying glue on the surface of the panel and pressing it with the laminate, foil or veneer and then holding on to a few hours in the case of a cold press or to hold on for two to three minutes in a hot press is called the lamination process. When the same process in executed continuously and for a long term with huge quantity is often referred to as the short cycle press or continuous presses.

The latest technology in short cycle presses is about multi-piston pressing in short cycles. The advantage here is that the machines are fitted with multi-

pistons which are much more than the number of pistons used in a standard press. The control in building the pressure, the hydraulic packs and the usage of hot platens is controlled with great precision.

However, some companies have patented their methods making them a monopoly. Siempelkemp have patented their paper laying technology which is more often used in laminate flooring.

Inline paper laying system is yet another way to stick the laminate and also enable systems to quickly transfer the layered panel with a fresh one. This is normally used by companies who have very high output and is more often used in flooring products.

The company has also developed machinery to produce thin boards with speeds from 105 m/min to 120 m/min.

There is an improvement in the distribution of pressure by addition of more cylinders and distribution of heat uniformly in the platens which can improve the rigidness or stiffness.

Simple improvements like distribution of pressure depending upon the size of the mat are also controlled automatically.

The line is also designed to take care by itself its own parts by actuating the pressure cylinders as per demand.

Of late high pressure laminate pressing lines (HPL) are also used to manufacture products as mentioned above. Normally high pressure decorative laminates like formica or sun mica are processed in the HPL lines. HPL is also widely used in industrial products like industrial laminates used in insulation boards, PCBs with copper clad, insulator sheets and wherever high pressure is required for impregnating any material onto it.

Very high production outputs like 12 million m2 of laminate are obtained from the HPL. Features like mould-plate safety, uninterrupted assembly and lesser human intervention is often found to be the rewards while using the HPL. High pressure laminate lines can be further

enhanced by automating the line with options like SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), optimising layout, and automatic controls of press plates, timed cleaning systems and control of air. However, the cost of the system will increase proportionally with the addition of each system.

SCPs, HPLs and other pressing technologies available in the modern day industry is here to stay and continuous improvements will yield to more sophisticated lines in days to come. It won’t be long when every medium and large scale manufacturer of the modular furniture will equip themselves with such lines to cater to the ever demanding customer. The pressing technology is vast and continuous research is being made for economisation of lines for it to be available for every producer of furniture all over the world.

In addition to the speed and sophistication that is being involved in the modern day short cycle pressing technology needs to be combined with factors which can attribute to the saving in energy, usage of parts made from composite or recycled materials to improve the cost of the entire line which is a very heavy budget. Can we imagine such lines running on generators using solar power, or by compact steam generators fueled by waste from any other source?

Why not?

It only requires an attempt and we are sure that companies with great resources like think-tanks in their R&D departments (who can modernise old ideas to latest trends) can find it easy to make a break through. Today's manufacturers need to pen down thoughts to reduce damage to nature, exploitation of our natural resources and think hard on global warming issues.

India’s Mahatma Gandhi referred to as the 'Father of the nation' once said that the earth has enough to satisfy everyone’s need and not greed. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 2201

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA march 2010

23

Technology

Rise

The

Of

Carbon Nanotubes

Potential application of carbon nanotubes as a flame retardant additive

By Krzysztof Grzybowski, Frost & Sullivan

C

arbon nanotubes (CNTs), which were formerly perceived as highly expensive and problematic in use particles, are now incorporated in various solutions, including as a flame retardant additive. Nowadays, few research groups are investigating this material even as an agent providing nonflammable feature to various products and coating layers.

The development of carbon nanotubes has left the stage of application within the most technically demanding solutions and is now considered in many industrial areas.

CNTs are the most popular and recognisable element of present nanotechnology. Among various types of CNTs we can distinguish single, double, and multi walled particles. Their

24 FDM Asia  March 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

different structures result in various physical, mechanical, and chemical properties.

The most interesting nanotubes from a scientific point of view are single walled nanotubes, which possess outstanding properties in comparison to the rest of the mentioned above. However, currently the only possible route for their production is on a small, laboratory scale. This fact influences their price (in some cases even up to US$1,000 per gram) and limits their application in commercial solutions.

Perspective Of Carbon Nanotubes Market Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are the most reasonable ones for commercialisation as a composite

additive or coating element. They offer less attractive properties, but they can be produced on a high scale at a relatively low price.

In the past, their application area was limited to a few specific solutions, in which cost was not a driving factor (such as sport equipment). However, over the last two years, intensive scaling up of MWCNTs production has led to the dramatic price decrease down to below US$100/kg (depending on the shipment conditions).

Current technical developments in nanotubes fabrication promise further increase in the production capacity and price reduction. In effect, one of the key players-Bayer Materials, has announced plans of increasing production capacity of MWCNTs from

Kornel Kovacs,Szolnok,Hungary

Flame Retardant Additives:

Technology 60 tonnes per year (status for the end of 2007) to 3,000 tonnes per year by the end of 2012. Despite the fact that some market experts are skeptical with this prognosis, the planned 50 times increase in production capacity should be taken into account as one of the signals depicting the changes that are currently taking place in the chemical industry, mostly related to the application of nano-materials.

Application Of CNTs It was reported that a loading of one percent of MWCNTs distributed within polyethylene increased the material strain energy density by approximately 150 percent, and the ductility by approximately 140 percent. Some scientists have recently proposed application of CNTs in fiber composites. They found that the tensile strength of a poly(vinyl alcohol) film tripled with the addition of one wt percent of single wall nanotubes.

In scientists’ opinion, the reinforced material reduced its shrinkage by 50 percent and possessed raised temperature of melting by 40 deg C, in comparison to the material without additive. Moreover, mechanical analysis of CNTs based composites suggests that embedded particles may effectively hamper the formation of cracks that can propagate and lead to fatigue failure.

As Such, CNTs-reinforced polymer or (metallic) is seen as a potentially fruitful area of new, tougher, and fatigue resistant material. Other additives like carbon nanofibres and can affect design material with its relatively huge sizes.

Moreover, their price is also leveraged due to the increasing demand from aerospace sector.

The Flame Retardant Market Current regulations are forcing producers from various industries to meet the increasingly stringent standards referred

to the products’ usage safety, and described by the normalised tests like UL-94 and many others. The need for fire resistant material is undoubted when we analyse the fire statistic data.

For instance, in the US, the number of fires increased about six percent from 2004 right up to 2006. In addition, during this time, the loss caused by these fires increased more than 15 percent.

The global flame retardant chemicals market was 1.8 million metric tonnes (as of 2006) and its value is now estimated below US$3 billion. These numbers include the major flame retardants groups: inorganic, bromine-based, chlorine-based, phosphorus-based, and nitrogen-based.

In addition, this market still exhibits increasing potential. The compound annual growth rate is estimated at four percent to five percent for the total market up to 2015, with the highest growth seen in developing countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, including China, India, and South Korea.

There will be stable demand in established markets such as North America and Europe. As of 2006, the North American market was valued at US$780 million, and the European market was valued at US$762 million.

Mechanism Of CNTs Flame Retardancy The carbon nanotube dispersed in the bulk composite acts as a flame retardant additive in several ways.

Firstly, during a fire network of carbon nanotubes inside the material is acting as a barrier for chemicals diffusion and thermal transport. During a fire, carbon nanotubes provide a protective char on the material surface. Char of carbon nanotubes decrease the out of the material diffusion of evaporated chemicals, and simultaneously, the diffusion of oxygen from close environment toward the surface of the material.

Moreover, the char made of carbon

nanotubes provides the heat thermal barrier that decreases the rate of the heat transport. In effect, the melting of the material and its evaporisation is slower than the unprotected one.

For flame retardant applications, the efficient concentration of nanotubes within designed material depends mostly on the particles structure, surface modifications, and state of additive dispersion and resin properties.

Increasing popularity of carbon nanotubes result in their decreasing price. Current price of multi-walled carbon nanotubes placed below US$100 per kg, should go down to the level of US$10 to US$20 per kg within the next few years. At that level price, this additive will be highly attractive for various applications.

On the other hand, application of single walled carbon nanotubes is now rather unrealistic for flame retardant nanocomposites, because of their low dispersive properties and high price.

However, some latest experiments prove possibility of their high scale production.

The key issue for CNTs potential application in flame retardant solution refers to the proper homogenous dispersion. It was found and experimentally proved that material with bundles of CNTs is able to form, so called, empty ‘islands’ that are free of these particles.

Experiments proved that material failure as a flame retardant is mostly resulted due to its poor dispersion.

However, this problem should be classified as a 'know how' limitation and many producers have overcome it in their technologies.

In effect, implementation part of CNTs seems to be a problem of the past.

Now, they are perceived as promising additives even in the flame retardant solutions. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 2203

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARch 2010

25

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Environmental Responsibility:

Green Building Practices Environmental responsibility and green building practices are increasingly emphasised in production and today’s building projects. Specifically in North America, programmes such as LEED and REGREEN are gaining in significance.

By Mike VandenBurg. sales manager, Kleiberit, US.

G

Only tested and clean adhesives leaves the factory before being delivered around the world.

26 FDM Asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

reen. It’s here to stay. The term almost creates a feeling of satisfaction that someone has looked at an item closely enough to say that its use is for the betterment of all. Building materials, electronics, transportation, furniture – choices are made to utilise the latest technology.

To offer the most value, to know some thoughtful consideration was put into creating this green item.

Product design is obviously key from a saleability standpoint. If the design imparts a positive reaction, a purchase is made. Furniture has long played in the arena of creating a point of view.

People desire to own a certain design and is proud to display and discuss the origin of their decision, about how their emotion moved them to bring this piece into their life.

Plus they are happy to share that the design and material was created keeping our environment in mind. Design now seems to incorporate more then just an

Panels

extra fold here or a shade darker there.

The building blocks of furniture are being taking into consideration more and more to the point that green has become part of the design, part of the slogan. End users are asking for green.

The rapid pace of our planet’s realisation that we need to do things in a different way is driving new technology into this millennium.

The Changing Consumer The adhesive and coating industry has a long history of being an ally with the furniture industry – one that the consumer never really considers but is important all the same.

Consumer choices go back to the Customer specific bonding in all fields are conducted in the new technical center - to the customers advantage emotional, the design. Adhesives and coatings are these building blocks that not many people outside of the ergonomically positive. The health of our labour and the furniture manufacturing plant put much thought into. This ability to travel further with less energy are green. is changing.

Furniture producers are rethinking their assembly Over and over the consumer hears terms such as source processes to incorporate adhesives into their design to reduction. Reduce, reuse and recycle. They know the smell create some of the same benefits. Processes are being of new car comes in part from adhesives. Formaldehyde changed to accommodate new adhesive formulas that offer is used on people recently passed, so to have the same better, more consistent properties. material inside the table on which they eat causes one to However, the rule does not stop at better, but cleaner, think. How much energy is put into creating that attractive safer and more responsible. Thirty years ago solvent adhesives finish on the new bookshelf? How can adhesives and were the norm as they were easy to use and worked well in coatings play a role in helping move our comfort needs a wide variety of applications. It was obvious to some that forward? Green. in order to be environmentally responsible, these formulas needed to change. What could take the place of this popular Forward Thinking and successful adhesive? Polyurethane hot melt.

Some manufacturers realised the need for environmentally friendly adhesives and developed polyurethane (PUR) hot melt adhesives for lamination as an alternative to solvent New Application based adhesives. Kleiberit is an example of such a company.

Not a new development was polyurethane, but the application Its current PUR hot melt product line offers a wide range was new. We saw early, markets developing and changing, of quality adhesives for a variety of applications. Its primers and felt that the adage “we’ve always done it that way” was complement their PUR hot melt adhesives with water based old thinking. These new polyurethane adhesives became and low-VOC primers. easy to use, fast and offered properties beyond the old The transportation industry has long known the benefits technology. To benefit, it was green before green was a of adhesives vs. mechanical fastening. Gas mileage is watchword. Polyurethane became a core competence. improved with the use of the lower weight adhesives.

The furniture industry continues to define new applications Hiding the fastener from the consumer was another step in for the polyurethane adhesives which offer the flexibility to be the design process adding time and money. The repetitive used from the fabric to the rigid wood. No VOCs here, this nature of the fixing of the mechanical fastener was not is green and it’s only getting better. Lower monomer content

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARCH 2010

27

Panels

formulas are furthering the step toward responsibility and not only provide benefits in the manufacturing plant but in the ship, trucks and trains that carry these chemicals.

Reduction? The amount of polyurethane used to achieve the required bond is typically less than the alternative. Using less is green. Furniture has taken note and continues to come up with new challenges. Why? Because the consumer is demanding it. Materials that had not been used in the past for furniture production because their properties did not allow for a sturdy product are now more common than ever. Superman cannot come close to kryptonite but who knows when the adhesive company will be asked to stick to it.

Primers are used to create a surface that is adhesive friendly. Like the solvent adhesives of yesterday the primers worked well but didn’t offer a positive environmental choice.

Low VOC and water base primers continue to meet the challenges of the design. The consumer may hear the term VOC, but is not likely to know or care about what vapour pressure the organics are measured.

The manufacturer however knows what the costs are for emission control or recovery through the use of non-green materials, and this cost is passed on. New raw materials and chemists paralleling what substrates the furniture companies want to use in the newest design have brought ideas and products to market faster than ever.

The Rules Have Changed The consumer is fickle so the furniture manufacturer must be nimble and ready to grasp the next trend. Yet again, the discussion that keeps getting louder is the desire for green.

The consumer knows he does not like formaldehyde and isn’t interested how it works. How can an adhesive be formaldehyde free yet offer the properties required for new materials and designs? Again the application of polyurethane was new and to this day is formaldehyde free. It is the duty to provide the consumer with a green product that will not be harmful during the lifecycle of their acquisition. Emission is a word that just sounds bad, consumers are knowledgeable and they are asking more questions about what the new era of furniture is emitting inside their homes. The rules of production have changed, we now have to comply with regulation.

The building blocks create the ‘gut’ of the furniture and its resiliency is tested over time to create a quality model for which a consumer will purchase this brand again. What about the ‘skin’? That surface where we

28 FDM Asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

place our books, our memories through photographs and what we eat. Finishing operations are not exempt from the green reform.

Again, we see new materials, new processes, reduction of materials used to achieve quality results. Reduced energy consumption in the finishing operation plays a key role in providing environmental advantages. Also, the question of why should we apply a material and then take (sand) some of it away – and then do this again and again is raised.

Catalysed, solvent borne coatings are toxic and capture of these materials in manufacturing is costly. Yet more costly is to not identify and control where the emissions, excess and spent materials travel during their lifespan in the plant and out of the stacks. How do we also clean these application lines and equipment? More so what level of noxious chemical rids a manufacturing plant of its long used high VOC finishing material?

Waterborne and higher solids UV finishing products are a learned use. Transition to these materials has not come easy but the efforts are paying off. Chemistry has evolved a traditionally dirty process into one that is paying dividends for users and consumers. Forward thinking has made these new offerings surpass what’s been used before from a quality and cleanliness perspective. However there is still room for improvement and the users are taking the next step.

The energy to apply and cure multiple coatings of UV curable or to dry water base coatings isn’t small. Some consider the costs associated as just overheads - this thinking is losing ground. Less energy required to achieve the same results can only be a good thing. If only a simple method of creating depth of finish plus durability with minimal materials existed. The use of a hot melt and application of a shell UV curing top coat in one pass is part of the solution.

A Win-Win Situation What’s now available isn’t a replacement, but an advancement.

No more does too much ozone exist. The manufacturing line need not be the length of a football field length in order to apply, sand, cure, dry and repeat the process.

Where does the sanding go? If one applies a material to create a finish only to remove a portion, is this spending time and resources wisely?

Elimination, not reduction, of the loss of material through sanding keeps money in the pocket of the user and unnecessary waste from entering the air we breathe. If the application line is compact enough to fill existing rooms

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Anz Ind_50Jahre_1-2_FPR_02_GB_Asia_Anz Ind_50Jahre_1-2_FPR_02_GB_Asia 18.02.10 17:08 Seite 1

50 years HOMAG Mit Partnerschaft

© www.M A R T I N I -werbeagentur.de 02/2010

Securing success through partnership andzum strategy und Strategie Erfolg

HotCoating: The perfect alternative to lacquering. Easy to apply in one step - whether rolled or flat material.

instead of having to add on to existing facilities, then this is a responsible use of space and resources. A hot coat type application process serves the needs of a green movement for generations to come as well as providing a finish which the consumer is demanding.

The Green Trend

High speed production of all types of high quality flooring BARGSTEDT FRIZ HOLZMA HOMAG LIGMATECH

HOMAG´s flooring concepts can solve your specific production problems. Whether as a stand-alone machine or integrated in a machine line, HOMAG has the ideal solution to offer for efficient and economical processing of parquet flooring.

'Homag's flooring specialists understand the demands of the worldwide standards and patents for flooring production.'

TORWEGGE WEEKE WEINMANN SCHULER HOMAG Asia Pvt Ltd No. 68 Sungei Kadut Loop · #04-00 Nutzcentre Singapore 729504 Tel. +65 63698183 ext 551 · Fax +65 63698313 info@homag-asia.com

ENQUIRY NO. 128

Green has become a sales tool and educating the consumer creating demand for green certification of product is growing.

As shown, new products are being developed continuously to accommodate this almost insatiable need for environmental responsibility.

The producers of furniture, chemicals, windows, adhesives and even particle board have to listen to this calling or be left in the rear view mirror. In the US, the green trend has been set by California. Now, years after, other states and Canadian provinces are following the trend with similar emission laws.

Both producer and consumer can enjoy the benefits of new greener technologies. It’s doesn’t come easy – but nothing this good and worthwhile ever does.

The green trend is adopted by many companies in America and Europe, not only due to emission laws, but because both producer and consumer enjoy the benefits of new green technologies. To put more weight on thoughtful consideration in creating new green products, will open markets in countries with a new look at environment-friendly production especially since the latest UNO Climate conference in Copenhagen 2009. FDM

Success with a system

ENQUIRY NO. 2301

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARCH 2010

29

MarketReport

Mixed

Sentiments

The timber markets of Malaysia, Indonesia and China, according to ITTO Tropical Timber Market Report.

Malaysia Malaysia Progresses With VPA

Exporters Cautious

The advisor to the Malaysian Ministry of Plantation, Industries and Commodities said that progress has been made in the negotiation between the European Union (EU) and Malaysia concerning the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA).

The advisor added that further consultation between the various stakeholders in the country needed to be held before the agreement is concluded.

The Ambassador and Head of the EU mission commented that, apart from a few technical issues that needed to be resolved, he was hopeful that VPA will be concluded between June and July 2010.

If that is the case, Malaysia will be the first country in Asia to conclude the agreement. It will also provide Malaysian timber products with smoother access to the EU market.

Malaysian timber exporters are closely watching developments in the EU and US markets. Currently economic recovery in the two main markets is considered weak and may not be sustained.

With the US dollar weakening against the Malaysian ringgit, timber exporters will face a tough time in the US market if they cannot trim prices. In addition, because of the advantageous exchange rate of the Chinese renminbi against the US dollar, competition from Chinese manufacturers, especially of furniture, will continue to be fierce.

Timber Export Recovery Malaysia is expecting commodity exports, particularly exports of timber products, to recover in line with the economic recovery in both the EU and the US. Exports of Malaysian commodities declined from RM112 billion (US$33 billion) in 2008 to only RM90 billion in 2009 due to the global economy slowdown.

Demand for Malaysian timber fell from RM22.8 billion in 2008 to RM19.8 billion in 2009.

30 FDM Asia  MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

New Year Slow Down Prices of Malaysian timber products remain relatively stable as most businesses wind down for the annual Chinese Lunar New Year holidays.

Price increases for sawn rubberwood lead the charge as there has been less felling of rubberwood trees because prices of natural latex rubber continues to climb upwards. The sharp rise in prices for natural rubber and palm oil could lead to a sharp drop in the supply of rubberwood logs and oil palm fibres.

A prolonged shortage of rubberwood logs may take root and this could impact the local furniture and panel product industry after the Chinese New Year holiday.

MarketReport Log Prices

Other Panel Prices

Sarawak log, FOB Meranti SQ up Small Super small Keruing SQ up Small Super small Kapur SQ up Selangan Batu SQ up

US$ per m3 227-251 211-242 203-227 216-228 196-226 174-204 206-231 185-222

Malaysia, Other Panels, FOB

Pen. Malaysia logs, domestic (SQ ex-log yard) DR Meranti Balau Merbau Rubberwood Keruing

US$ per m3

Added Value Product Prices

233-252 298-327 323-355 59-93 216-232

Peninsular Malaysian meranti logs are top grade and are used for scantlings for the EU. Their prices are higher than Sarawak’s.

US$ per m3

Particleboard Export 12mm & up Domestic 12mm & up

226-249 212-229

MDF Export 15-19mm Domestic 12-18mm

279-310 270-288

US$ per m3 530-540

Malaysia, Mouldings, FOB Selagan Batu Decking Red Meranti Mouldings 11 x 68/92mm x 7ft up Grade A Grade B

545-558 498-507

Furniture And Parts Prices

Sawnwood Prices Malaysia Sawnwood, FOB White Meranti A & up Seraya Scantlings (75x125 KD) Sepetir Boards Sesendok 25,50mm Kembang Semangkok

US$ per m3 281-311 433-446 250-272 345-363 295-318

Malaysian Sawnwood, domestic Balau (25 & 50mm,100mm+) Merbau Kempas 50mm x (75,100 & 125mm) Rubberwood 25 x 75 x 660mm up 50-75mm Sq. >75mm Sq.

US$ per m3 325-345 451-503 261-301 207-257 246-278 268-297

Plywood Prices Malaysia ply MR BB/CC, FOB 2.7mm 3mm 9mm & up

US$ per m3 404-466 384-414 330-402

Meranti ply BB/CC, domestic 3mm 12-18mm

US$ per m3 329-420 313-342

Malaysia, Rubberwood, FOB Semi-finished dining table solid laminated top 2.5’ x 4’, extension leaf As above, Oak Veneer Windsor Chair Colonial Chair Queen Anne Chair (soft seat) without arm with arm Chair Seat 27 x 430 x 500mm

US$ per piece

Rubberwood Tabletop 22 x 760 x 1220mm sanded & edge profiled Top Grade Standard

US$ per m3

62-87 69-83 61-63 59-64 59-67 59-68 47-52

568-601 552-571

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARch 2010

31

MarketReport

Indonesia Sawnwood Prices Indonesia Pushes Ahead Indonesian manufacturers are working hard to further penetrate the Indian plywood market according to the Indonesian Wood Panel Association (APKINDO).

India imports up to 16 million cubic metres of timber annually, domestic consumption is currently around 95 million cubic metres. According to APKINDO, Indonesia is in a strong position to compete for a bigger share of the Indian market for 2.7 mm thickness plywood which is in high demand in India.

Reports suggest some large timber concessionaires in Kalimantan are seeking certification as part of their corporate governance development to try and secure a long-term future in the sector.

Certification is also seen as a means for providing job security as well getting production onto a more sustainable track.

Reports indicate that some concessionaires have approached The Borneo Initiative, a Dutch non-governmental organisation specialising in sustainable forest management. This organisation apparently provides support during the certification process which will be via the Indonesian Ecolabeling Institute.

Up to one million hectares of forests are said to be ready for certification, with 600,000 hectares in Kalimantan alone.

177-196 199-233 219-242 223-250

234-248 221-239 204-223

Indonesia ply MR BB/CC, FOB 2.7mm 3mm 6mm

US$ per m3 392-449 349-390 328-370

MR Plywood (Jakarta), domestic 9mm 12mm 15mm

US$ per m3 250-261 242-252 231-245

Other Panel Prices Indonesia, Other Panels, FOB Particleboard Export 9-18mm Domestic 9mm 12-15mm 18mm

US$ per m3 215-224 194-206 186-197 176-188

MDF Export 12-18mm Domestic 12-18mm

Log Prices (Domestic)

32 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

US$ per m3

Plywood Prices

Certification In Kalimantan

Indonesia logs, domestic prices Plywood logs Face Logs Core logs Sawlogs (Meranti) Falcata logs Rubberwood Pine Mahoni (plantation mahogany)

Indonesia, construction material, domestic Kampar (Ex-mill) AD 3 x 12-15 x 400cm KD AD 3 x 20 x 400cm KD Keruing (Ex-mill) AD 3 x 12-15 x 400cm AD 2 x 20 x 400cm AD 3 x 30 x 400cm

US$ per m3 187-230 169-202 178-239 147-181 51-75 160-199 468-495

249-262 231-242

Added Value Product Prices Indonesia, Mouldings, FOB Laminated Boards Falcata wood Red Meranti Mouldings 11 x 68/92mm x 7ft up Grade A Grade B

US$ per m3 297-309

484-518 440-461

MarketReport

China China’s Wood Products Trade Logs imports totaled 28 million cu m, valued at US$4,087 million in 2009, down five percent in volume and 21 percent in value from 2008. Of the total, softwood log imports were 20.30 million cu m, valued at US$2,233 million, up nine percent in volume and down 7 percent in value; hardwood log imports were 7.76 million cu m, valued at US$ 1,854 million, down 30 percent in volume and 33 percent in value.

Of the total log imports, tropical log imports totaled 6.11 million cu m, (22 percent of the national total) down 15 percent from 2008.

The following five countries were main suppliers of logs to China in 2009, Russia (14.81 million cu m, 53 percent of total log imports), New Zealand (4.41 million cu m, 16 percent), Papua New Guinea (1.66 million cu m, 6 percent), Solomon Islands (1.12 million cu m, 4 percent) and Gabon (1.10 million cu m, 3.9 percent).

Sawnwood imports totaled 9.88 million cu m, valued at US$2,319 million in 2009, up 39 percent in volume and 15 percent in value over 2008. Of the total, softwood sawnwood imports were 6.34 million cu m, valued at US$1,099 million, up 74 percent in volume and 52 percent in value from 2008.

Hardwood sawnwood imports were 3.54 million cu m, valued at US$1,220 million, up 3 percent and down 6 percent respectively.

Imported sawnwood came mainly from Russia and Canada. The top five suppliers were Russia (3.12 million cu m, 31 percent), Canada (2.44 million cu m, 25 percent), Thailand (1.02 million cu m, 10 percent), the United States (0.93 million cu m, 9 percent) and New Zealand (0.42 million cu m, 4 percent).

Imports of various wood-based panels continued to fall in 2009. 2009 plywood imports were 179,600 cu m, valued at US$89 million, down 39 percent in volume and 47 percent in value from 2008.

Fibreboard imports amounted to 288,800 tonnes, valued at US$119.5 million, down nine percent in volume and 15 percent in value from 2008.

Particleboard imports came to 290,200 tons, valued at

US$88.9 million, up 19 percent in volume and down three percent in value from 2008. Veneer imports were 54,200 tonnes, valued at US$63.7 million, down 21 percent in volume and 35 percent in value.

Trade In Wooden Furniture China imported furniture worth US$298 million in 2009, up 5 percent in volume and down 4.6 percent in value from 2008. In contrast China exported furniture valued at US$12 billion in 2009, up 9 percent in value over 2008.

Other Wood Product Exports In 2009, exports of other wood products such as wooden doors, windows and flooring as well as package materials were worth US$3,118 million, went down 6 percent from 2008.

Wood-Based Panel Exports Plywood: A total of 5.63 million cu m of plywood were exported in 2009, valued at US$2,524 million, down 22 percent in volume and 26 percent in value from 2008.

Fiberboard: Fiberboard exports totaled 1.50 million tons in 2009, valued at US$883 million, down 20 percent in volume and 19 percent in value from 2008.

Particleboard: Particle board exports totaled 80 600 tons in 2009, valued at US$32.38 million, down 36 percent in volume and 29 percent in value from 2008.

Veneer: veneer exports amounted to 85,700 tonnes in 2009, valued at US$172.68 million, down 22 percent in volume and 29 percent in value from 2008.

Sawnwood: A total of 555 900 cu m of sawnwood were exported in 2009, valued at US$345 million, down 19 percent in volume and 14 percent in value from 2008.

Sawnwood Export Quotas 2010 China’s Ministry of Commerce has released information on its Distribution Plan for Export Quotas of Sawnwood in 2010. This Plan was developed in light of the

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARch 2010

33

MarketReport Zhejiang Jiashan Kaihua International Timber Market Logs Okoume 80cm+ Sapele 80cm+ Wenge 80cm+

Logs Lauan (50-60cm) Kapur (up to 79cm) Merbau 6m, (up to 79cm) Teak Wenge Sawnwood Teak sawn grade A (Africa) US Maple 2” KD US Cherry 2” US Walnut 2” Lauan Okoume Sapele

Yuan per m3 1900-2100 1900-2100 3500-4000 11000-13000 5200-5300

9300 7500-10000 10000-13000 14000-15500 3500-3800 4500-5000 5400-6000

Shanghai Furen Wholesale Market Sawnwood Beech KD Grade A US Cherry, 25mm US Red Oak, 50mm Sapele 50mm FAS (Congo) KD (2”, FAS) KD (2”,grade A)

Yuan per m3 4800-4900 4500-4600 9800-10050 6000-6100 5700-5800

Hebei Shijiangzhuang Wholesale Market Logs Korean Pine 4m, 38cm+ diam.

Mongolian Scots Pine 4m, 30cm diam.

6m, 30cm+ diam.

Sawnwood Mongolian Scots Pine 4m, 5-6cm thick

4m,10cm thick

Yuan per m3 1650 1200 1300 1400 1450

Sawnwood Doussie European beech boules Radiata

3600-4000 3200-3400 800-1200

Plywood US Black Walnut 4x8x3 mm Beech 4x8x3 mm Teak 4x8x3 mm Poplar (4x8x3-5 mm)

6000-8000 6000-8000 6000-8000 3000-4000

ITTO TTM Report

Guangzhou City Imported Timber Market

Yuan per m3 2900-3400 6000-6600 13000-14500

Shandong De Zhou Timber Market Logs Larch White Pine Korean Pine

Mongolian Scots Pine

6m, 24-28cm diam.

6m, 24-28cm diam.

4m, 30cm diam.

6m, 30cm diam.

6m, 30cm diam.

Yuan per m3 1160 1250 1400 1500 1220

anticipated supply and demand situation in international markets as well as the production and distribution in the regions or enterprises during January to November of 2009. Export quotas for foreign enterprises operating in China have been specially considered.

According to the Distribution Plan for Export Quotas of Sawnwood in 2010, the total export of sawnwood in 2010 is 212,000 cu m. Among 29 provinces or companies who are getting export quotas, there are six provinces (cities) whose export quota is over 10 000 cu m each.

They are Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, 98 200 cu m; Dalian City, 17 100 cu m; Sichuan Province, 16 600 cu m; Heilongjiang Province, 16 000 cu m; Tianjin City, 14 700 cu m and Jilin Province, 13 300 cu m.

Provincial commerce departments are required to strictly follow the export plan and keep the Ministry of Commerce informed of progress.

ENQUIRY NO. 2704

34 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Special Editorial Feature

Interview with CEO of Diamond Wood Being green and multifunctional, a new innovative engineered wood called“Accoya®” has aroused huge market enthusiasm. In an exclusive interview, Mr Stan French, CEO of Diamond Wood China, shared his view for the product and his company strategy with FDM Asia.

Mr Stan French Chief Executive Officer Diamond Wood China

Could you give a brief outline of Diamond Wood China?

A: Diamond Wood China was established in 2007 in Hong Kong. We are dedicated to providing the vast Asian construction projects and wood product manufacturers with a new type of wood that has excellent performance and sustainability—known as Accoya® wood. Diamond Wood is the exclusive licensee for manufacturing and marketing this product in Asia.

The owner of the intellectual property for Accoya® wood is a British company called Accsys, which has a wholly owned subsidiary named Titan Wood. They focus on the licensing of wood acetylation technology and the development of the Accoya® wood brand globally.

The Hong Kong entity acts as the holding company whose main activities are to manage business development and assume responsibilities for the procurement of key raw materials and for developing export sales. We has formed a wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise in Nanjing, China which will construct and operate

the first manufacturing facility and also formed a wholly owned Foreign Invested Commercial Enterprise in Shanghai, China providing commercial services, developing product marketing and establishing sales channels ahead of the plant reaching commercial production.

Q: How would you describe the brand “Accoya® wood”?

A: In recent years, the supply of many traditional hardwood species is becoming less and less. Although hardwoods perform well, they need a long time to reach maturity (up to 100 years). In this regard, Accoya® wood provides an affordable hardwood alternative that is sourced from fast growing softwoods.

Accoya® wood is manufactured using a proprietary wood acetylation technology.

The manufacturing process uses softwood from sustainable sources, and combining with acetic anhydride (or high-strength vinegar) produces a high performances new wood species that has superior durability and dimensional stability. The acetylation process is completely non-toxic and all by products are recycled.

Accoya® wood can be cut into various

thickness and specification without splits, thus expanding its potential application and rendering its greater processing advantage. The FSC certified Accoya® wood ensures that every batch is of consistent quality, and reaches the highest possible standards. Lastly, the wood’s machining, gluing and finishing properties are also excellent.

Accoya® wood is helping to protect the world’s precious hardwood resources and the increasingly worsening ecological environment as well as reducing tropical rainforest logging. Its long service life also provides an added benefit of Accoya®: helping to reduce carbon emissions.

Q: What are the major features and strengths of the “Acetylation process” used in Accoya® wood?

A: In a nutshell, acetylation technology is a process to improve the wood’s function.

Unmodified wood has ‘free hydroxyl groups’ that absorb and release water as climatic conditions change, making it prone to expansion, contraction, splitting and rotting. Acetylation effectively changes the free hydroxyls within the wood into acetyl groups. This is done by reacting the wood with acetic anhydride or concentrated vinegar when in dilute form. When the free hydroxyl group is transformed to an acetyl group, the wood’s water absorption ability is greatly reduced, rendering the wood more dimensionally stable and durable, whereas strengthening its pest, fungi and bio-organism resistance. The coating service lifetime of acetylated www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARCH 2010

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Special Editorial Feature

wood is three to four times longer than normal wood, which is guaranteed for 50 years in any exterior use and 25 years when used in the ground or in fresh water. Meanwhile, this technology can effectively improve the utilisation of wood and reduce wood consumption.

Accoya® wood is modified all the way through, not just at the surface layer like other alternative treatments. When Accoya® wood is cut or jointed, there are no exposed untreated surfaces in any dimension. This negates the need to apply additional chemical preservatives on-site.

Moreover, the wood acetylation technology is non-toxic and non-polluting to the environment and water resources. It also strengths the original wood by up to 15 percent, Accoya® wood’s appearance has no significant difference to the wood before modification.

Q: What are the merits of Accoya® wood compared to other typical hardwood species?

A: Accoya® wood’s high-performance characteristics equal or even surpass the best tropical hardwood species. First, it

36 FDM Asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

possesses excellent class I durability and weather resistance, perfect for outdoor use. Next, it’s dimensional stability up to 97.7 percent, is highest among all the hardwood speices. Compared with other woods, the swelling and shrinkage of Accoya® wood is reduced by 75 percent or more, making its surface coating and varnish last three or four times longer, greatly reducing maintenance costs.

Moreover, Accoya® wood is also nontoxic and environmentally friendly which can be safely reused and recycled. The wood is indigestible to insects and micro-organisms and therefore more resistant to decay. Accoya® wood has superior resistance to the effects of UV exposure when translucent coated, means that its natural appearance is retained for longer, meanwhile, the wood has reduced thermal conductivity, offering superior heat insulation and energy conserving Besides that, the yield rate for Accoya® wood is up to 98 percent, whereas for most other wood species, this rate is normally in the 60-70 percent range. As the whole block of Accoya® wood has uniform density, it can avoid

an intractable problem faced by most timbers: wood knots.

Q: How does your company position itself in the global market?

A: Our main strategy is for three areas: firstly is for high-end niche sector, we position ourselves as a direct replacement for tropical hardwoods like teak, oak and maple that have similar performances and prices. Accoya® wood is also an ideal solution for replacing energy intensive materials like PVC, steel and aluminum.

Secondly, we intend to upgrade the market. That means providing a good solution and alternative product where the properties of durability, stability and reliability render the highest value for people who are seeking standard hardwoods but are not satisfied with their performance.

Thirdly, we will address large markets like flooring. With the increase use of under-floor heating system in residential buildings, many flooring manufacturers take focus on the development of solid wood flooring for under floor heat systems.

Special Editorial Feature

Accoya® wood flooring can solve lots of quality issues like swelling, shrinking, surface cracking, warping, discoloration and coating film splitting of other solid wood floors that especially happens with floor heat system.

Diamond Wood is addressing a growing market for performance wood, which in China alone has already reached over US$20 billion per year.

The company works with domestic Asian construction firms and Asian wood product manufacturers.

Q: What is the market feedback for Accoya® wood? And what are its production plans in China?

A: The feedback is wonderful, especially from architects, building companies and manufacturers of wooden products.

The wood can meet huge demands no matter from environment point of view or performance requirement. The big issue for green tech is that it is often not economical. Accoya® wood is both environmentally and ecologically excellent.

We have attended a series of important shows in 2009 like the Tianjin Int’l Garden & Landscape Design & Facilities Exhibition, Shanghai International Garden and Landscape Design & City Construction Exhibition and CIFF Guangzhou, etc.

We hope through these shows, we can make more architects and manufacturers aware of Accoya® wood and its superior functions and ultimately increase its usage in more extensive projects and applications.

Our first factory in Nanjing, will be capable of producing more than 360,000 m³ of Accoya® wood per year. It is expected to be fully operational in 2011.

Until the Nanjing factory is completed and operational, we will import Accoya® wood from Titan Wood’s factory in Europe with a view to developing key Asian customers and channel partners.

Accoya® and the Trimarque Device are registered trademarks owned by Titan Wood Limited.

The Diamond Wood logo is a registered trademark owned by Diamond Wood China Limited. These logos may not be used or reproduced without written permission from Titan Wood Limited and Diamond Wood China Limited. For further information, please see www.diamondwoodchina.com, www.accoya.info . Diamond Wood China Limited is a company registered in Hong Kong SAR.

Q: What are the outstanding applications of Accoya® wood?

Could you cite some famous and typical cases of its usage?

A: Accoya® wood’s unique characteristics outperform any other timber species.

We have turned traditional perceptions of wood as a construction material with severe limits to be used in a much wider field of applications.

Accoya® wood is basically intended for outdoor applications in cladding, siding, windows, doors, outdoor furniture and landscaping applications. Meanwhile, the wood can also be found in some indoor areas, like kitchens, bathrooms, interior flooring and furniture, where moisture may cause performance problems to wood.

Up to now, Accoya® wood has been widely used in a variety of commercial and residential markets, such as outdoor decking, landscaping and exterior door decoration.

Q: How will you envision the market outlook for 2010? Will you have further expansion plans?

A: Asia, especially China, is still a vast market for our marketing operation. The construction economy is in good shape, the outlook for the building industry is

optimistic. So we will strengthen our efforts in this regards. Meanwhile, the manufacturing sector in Europe and America is a little weak due to the economic crisis, but we expect the situation to improve this year. We are branching out in South-east Asia and have well-established distributors in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.

Q: What is your general business ideology and winning formula for your company’s success?

A: Firstly, the product quality will be always in the focal point. The design and function of our product has aroused more attention worldwide. We intend to offer the market a cost effective, durable and sustainable outdoor timber solution.

We have talented, passionate and well-trained employees who have a common goal for being the leader in this industry and servicing our clients’ needs fully. Meanwhile, we know the art for constantly challenge ourselves to scale new heights and not cease to try innovative technologies for further improving our product. All these elements place us on the leading edge in this industry. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 2601

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Surfaces & Flooring

Laminating Paper

Versatile The

From commercial applications to living spaces, melamine papers provide options that simulate the look of natural materials, while being wear resistant.

By Ronnie Ying

Choice

O

f the myriad of interiors that use melamine papers, laminate flooring represents one of the fastest growing applications. The popularity of melamine papers in laminate flooring is largely due to the durability of the melamine resin impregnated papers.

The resins confer a transparent protective layer to the saturated décor papers, while offering excellent colour retention. Melamine papers also possess increased resistance to scratching, wear, water and chemical attack.

Apart from laminate flooring, the papers also grace applications ranging from commercial utilities such as office partitions, store fixtures and displays to residential features such as kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and shelving. The wide-ranging usage of the melamine paper bears testament to its excellent structural qualities.

As melamine papers are used exclusively for indoor applications, their design range is dictated by interior design trends and consumer demands. Even so, these trends are not monolithic in nature. Designs created for residential applications, for example, differ largely from melamine papers produced for commercial usage.

These sub-specialisations, and sometimes overlapping styles have created a range of melamine papers featuring different designs and colours. The choice of décor is only limited by the consumer’s imagination, and the current state of the art.

Papers designed for living spaces often sport natural themes.

Emphasis is placed on creating a warm, conducive and cosy

38 FDM Asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Kronotex

Wide-Ranging Use

environment. To achieve this, melamine papers often feature wood themes. Current trends are geared towards the simulation of dark woods such as walnut, wenge and merbau.

Question Of Design Matt finishes featuring these wood grains are currently popular among homeowners as they depict a timeworn, lived-in

ambience. At the other end of the spectrum, a high-gloss finish, especially for dark wood designs, create a sophisticated luxe atmosphere reminiscent of lacquered antique rosewood.

Melamine papers are especially suitable in recreating this high-end look, as the impregnated melamine resin produces a glossy finish to the melamine papers.

Apart from wood themes, designers of melamine papers also draw inspiration from stone and rock. The most popular design choices dominating stone themes include terracotta, marble and slate. While wood themes place emphasis on the wood grain and hue, stone-inspired melamine papers often go a step further, by seeking the recreation of texture. The challenge for these melamine papers is to create a sense of tactility in a two-dimensional design.

The ease of colour matching, due to the rampant use of melamine papers in an array of home furnishings and fixtures, has also contributed to the growing popularity of the melamine paper as a surfacing material.

High pressure and low pressure laminated products can be mixed and matched with ease, depending on the durability and strength required if the applications they adorn, since the melamine papers can be designed, with exacting precision, with the same pattern, texture and colour.

The demand for a harmonious flow of design and cohesion between different living spaces in the residential setting is therefore well matched by the versatility and quality of the melamine paper.

Kronotex

Kronotex

Surfaces & Flooring

Designs range from the pared-down simplicity of industrial cement and steel to the avant-garde art-deco movement exhibiting bold colours and abstract designs.

The industrial look features melamine papers with a

Commercial Usage ENQUIRY NO. 108

Commercial space designs, in contrast to the residential setting, tend to be more adventurous. Unlike living spaces, where the emphasis is placed on creating an oasis from the stress of daily living, commercial spaces are geared towards creating a lasting impression on the visitors.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  MARCH 2010

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Surfaces & Flooring subtle patina to simulate unfinished cement, while highgloss, mirrored finishes are used to create the realism of steel and aluminium.

Other trends include the use if light wood themes inspired by beech and birch, and painting them with colours such as green and blue. Lively, solid blocks of colour evince a sense of playfulness, while the simplicity allows merchandise to be showcased without the distraction of too many design focal points.

More interesting and forward-looking design trends feature melamine papers impregnated with unusual pigments, or bold patterns. Pearlescent pigment for example, lends sheen to the melamine paper and projects an illusion of three-dimensionality to a flat surface.

Abstract art and patterns, when paired with bold colours, are used to create accent pieces. These designs are often tailored to a niche market of consumers who want to create a sophisticated, designer look, without overextending their budget.

Realism In Simulation

Back To Basics Melamine papers are a subset of décor papers which have been saturated with melamine resin. The ubiquitous melamine, a low pressure laminate, is the result of thermally fusing melamine paper onto a substrate, usually chipboard or medium density fibreboard.

The use of melamine papers however, is not restricted to producing low pressure laminates. High pressure laminates also feature décor papers saturated with melamine resin, with several layers of kraft paper impregnated with phenolic resin forming the backing to the décor paper overlay. Laminates featuring designs printed on melamine paper have found their way into virtually every living and commercial space.

The designs of melamine paper are printed on alpha cellulose paper, which is regarded as the premium grade in the paper manufacturing industry. The décor paper is then impregnated with melamine resin. The two most commonly used resins are melamine formaldehyde (MF) and melamine urea formaldehyde (MUF).

In fact, one of the greatest advantages of utilising melamine

Once the décor paper is saturated with the resin,

papers is their affordability. Laminate surfaces featuring

it is partially thermally cured under carefully controlled

melamine papers are more cost-effective when compared

conditions, in a a process known as the B-stage. The partially cured melamine paper is then cut into customer specified sheets and wrapped in plastic.

As the melamine paper is an intermediate product, storage conditions must be monitored to prevent premature advancement (known as ‘blocking’) of the resin. The optimal storage conditions consist of room temperature (25 deg C) and 50 percent relative humidity.

High humidity and temperature may cause the aforementioned blocking and shorten shelf life of the paper. The premature advancement of the melamine paper will subsequently produce an inferior quality Storage

laminate. life

of

the melamine is approximately three months.

For papers in a particular quality grade, the difference in price is often due to the complexity

Kronotex

imprinted design.

40 FDM Asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Wonderlane

and quality of the

Surfaces & Flooring to competing surfaces such as natural wood,

Advanced printing technology has also enabled the successful replication of these competing materials onto the melamine paper, and in some cases, even surfaces of the visual quality of their natural counterparts.

The papers are durable, water and chemical resistant, colour-fast and resistant to wear and tear. When treated with UV protection, they also become resistant to fading from exposure to direct sunlight. These sterling qualities have made laminates surfaced with melamine papers popular.

From the low pressure laminate to the hard-wearing high pressure laminate, the melamine paper looks likely to be remain a popular printing dĂŠcor overlay for years to come. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 2401

ENQUIRY NO. 132

Kronotex

marble and metal.

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Opening

new doors

Andy Sumner, Senior Technical Consultant, BM TRADA Certification Ltd, discusses third-party Q-Mark certification scheme for doorsets to prove lifetime performance.

I

n today’s market, demands for guarantees of overall fitness for purpose are increasing. No longer is it enough for a doorset simply to work at a building handover. The contractor and owner want evidence that it will continue to perform well into the warranty period of the building and beyond.

Depending on their location and application, doors must withstand varying levels of traffic and abuse. A door in a crosscorridor of a school, for example, is subject to heavy traffic and frequent abuse, while a classroom door in the same school must withstand the same type of treatment at the hands of pupils, but less frequently. The entrance door to a large office block sees a lot of traffic, but is generally subjected to lower levels of abuse by office workers than pupils will inflict in schools, while a door to an individual office is likely to have infrequent traffic and little abuse.

Factors To Consider Manufacturers and facilities managers have to consider such factors when trying to identify the performance levels required of the doors they are producing or specifying. Without a reliable means of comparison, this can lead to doors being selected which are less durable than they need to be. Price is not the best differentiator of performance.

BM TRADA developed its third-party Q-Mark certification scheme for the lifetime performance of hinged and pivot doorsets in response to growing demand from facility managers and other

42 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

specifiers. The scheme is deliberately ‘heavyweight’ in terms of the performance criteria demanded – it is based on sister company Chiltern Dynamics’ highly successful Classification for Service Life Test Programme CDTM01.

Durability A Key Issue There was demand, too, for third-party certification from some manufacturers who had passed the test programme. The test evidence had already secured them contracts that they might not otherwise have won, especially those targeting hospitals, where durability is a key issue.

However, while testing demonstrates that one individual product is able to meet certain requirements, thirdparty certification provides the assurance that all doorsets coming from the production line would be made to the same specification as that originally tested. As such, certification such as the Q-Mark gives manufacturers a major competitive advantage and is an invaluable yardstick for the CDTM01 Classification for Service specifier. BM TRADA Q-Mark Life test programme incorporates elements from a number of British schemes are acknowledged to and European standards.

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set high standards, not just for individual products, but also for the market as a whole – and while specifiers are often driven by price, certification enables manufacturers to offer more than simply value for money.

Standards Of Workmanship Scheme requirements are set to provide enhanced performance of the product. Legislative requirements must be met, but durability and standards of workmanship are set at a higher than average level. Scheme membership is based solely on meeting technical requirements and specifiers can be confident that only suppliers who have met BM TRADA’s stringent standards have been awarded certification.

Over the years working closely with industry, Chiltern Dynamics has developed and refined the CDTM01 test programme to ensure that testing fully represents the end use environment and the new Q-Mark scheme reflects that. It incorporates the most demanding elements from a number of British and European standards, including the DD 171 Guide to specifying performance requirements for hinged or pivoted doors; BS EN 1191 Windows and doors – resistance to repeated opening and closing – test method; BS EN 1192 Doors – classification of strength requirements; and BS EN 12046-2 Operating forces – Test method – doors.

Based on their performance under testing, doors can then be classified against BS EN 12400: Windows and doors – Mechanical durability – Requirements and classification. The classification is expressed as a category of duty. The test programme covers a whole range of criteria, including: • Vertical load • Static Torsion • Soft and heavy impact • Hard body impact • Slamming shut • Slamming open • Closure against obstruction • Resistance to jarring and vibration • Abusive force on handles • Operating forces Cycling - between 250,000 and one million opening and closing cycles tested depending on duty classification – as an indication of service life.

Duty Classification ENQUIRY NO. 115

The relevant end-use application is based on Chiltern Dynamics’ research, site surveys and published figures for typical number of operations for doors installed in specific locations. The requirements for each test reflects the doorset’s intended severity

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DesignDecor of duty, for example, a large office building entrance doorset completes more than 900,000 operations each year, doors in school corridors 100,000 operations or more and dwelling entrances greater than 5,000 operations. Similar variations exist for strength and dimensional demands and these are reflected in the test programme requirements.

The ‘severe duty’ classification represents what the standards refer to as the ’frequent violent usage’ doorsets may undergo in a busy school or hospital environment, for example – and in response to feedback from the industry, Chiltern Dynamics can now add a ‘very severe’ classification to the programme if additional testing is carried out, for example applying higher forces or increasing the severity of testing, as applicable.

Where doorsets are required to perform additional functions, such as fire resistance or security, added assurance can be provided by specifying additional certification for these characteristics, ensuring that all of the applicable scopes of certification cover the specification to be tested.

Performance Scheme All Q-Mark schemes require the manufacturer to have in place a Quality Management System, ideally under certification to ISO 9001:2000 or similar. This system will be audited as part of the enhanced lifetime performance scheme. Furthermore, scheme members must provide test evidence to the appropriate classifications within CDTM01 for each doorset type covered. Audit testing is the ultimate

Cycling - between 250,000 and one million opening and closing cycles tested depending on duty classification – as an indication of service life.

differentiator of the Q-Mark scheme compared with some others. Initial type testing proves only that, on the day, one product has met the requirements. Audit testing means that any product selected from the production line must pass the same requirements.

A nominated person in the member’s organisation will be responsible for looking after the Q-Mark enhanced lifetime performance scheme, which also requires: • Controlled documented procedures defining the critical areas of doorset manufacture and assembly, including customer requirements, work instructions, traceability and quality control.

• Training records to be kept for those people directly involved with the process of manufacturing certified products.

• A process to record customer feedback.

• Installation/ maintenance instructions to ensure that the finished product is installed and functions as it was designed.

Internal Audit

Testing is a key part of any certification programme.

44 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

When companies apply to join the scheme, BM TRADA will carry out an initial audit at the company premises to review procedures, processes and the products that are to be included within the scope of certification. Once the auditor has verified that all the scheme requirements have been met, the member will then be issued with a Q-Mark certificate and their details entered onto the BM TRADA website.

Surveillance audit visits will be conducted each year to ensure that the member is correctly fulfilling the requirements of the scheme and that each certified product is still being manufactured to the defined procedures.

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DesignDecor Doorsets which have achieved the Q-Mark for Enhanced lifetime performance will also be well placed to enter the wider European market. The Construction Products Directive (CPD) considers the requirements for durability of products, demonstrated by testing an ‘as built’ doorset. Cyclic testing of doorsets is used as a mechanism to demonstrate durability along with other performance tests, to comply with national regulatory requirements, compliance with the CPD and ultimately achieving CE marking. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 2501

About BM TRADA Certification...

Part of the BM TRADA Group, BM TRADA Certification is a leading multi-sector certification body accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Established in the construction industry for more than 30 years, BM TRADA offers certification to quality, environmental, information security and health & safety management systems, as well as chain of custody and personnel schemes. It also offers its own Q-Mark range of product certification schemes, CE marking and British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC) window energy rating, as well as a wide range of training courses. The company has established joint venture partnerships in Spain, Latvia and Turkey and works with agents in more than 40 countries around the world.

By specifying or selecting a Q-Marked product assures that every product manufactured offers the same level of performance through an approved quality management system. Performance and ENQUIRY NO. 126

production continue to be regularly checked through audit testing and inspections.

ENQUIRY NO. 1602

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Jarrod Lim:

A

Designer’s Perspective The up and coming furniture designer talks about his latest collection, his experience with wood, and shares his thoughts on design and manufacturing. By Royce Tan

such as the construction, engineering and the actual manufacturing of the furniture designs would count as the difficult parts of the job.

Give us a little background about yourself.

A: I was born in Australia and moved to

Singapore three years ago, after spending two years in England and Italy.

What motivated your decision to choose this profession?

A: I think ever since I was in high school I have been interested in creative pursuits like drawing and art. After I studied Product Design at the University, it turned into a passion for furniture design and interior design. It just kind of developed from there.

Like many of the arts of that require some amount of raw talent, do you see being a designer as more of a calling then a job?

A: Talent is one aspect, but I think a lot of the skills can be learnt. It’s not so much the raw talent but the way you think and your passion for the job, 46 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

because a lot of people sort of see the job as something fun and interesting but in reality its actually really difficult to keep going. The money is difficult to get, and so you really have to have more passion and perseverance then just plain skills. The skills you learn through experience anyway.

So is being a designer all work and no play then?

A:

Well, in reality, there are fun parts to the job. The actual designing part of the job is quite fun, the drawing and stuff like that is fun but these are just only such a small portion of what you actually have to do to get the product made and manufactured.

So really there are fun parts to the job like conceptualising, visualising, drawing and art, but there are real-life practicalities and difficulties of getting the furniture made and manufactured to contend with as well. Technical aspects

As a designer, what is it about wood that draws and attracts you to use it as a design material for your furniture designs and pieces?

A:

Well, for one, I like the natural warmth of wood. It is just a very human material, something easy to live with.

And aesthetically speaking, it’s sort of soft and warm as well. In short, it has that very homely appeal and it can also be still quite modern and not really all that antiquated country style.

What also draws me to wood is that its quite easy to work with because of its malleability. You can basically industrially cut it to any shape and form. You can cut it, glue it and join it.

How long have your design concepts revolved around wood?

A:

When I was working in England and Italy, I worked mostly with wood – designing tables, chairs and cabinets.

That hasn’t changed after coming to Singapore. In fact, I have probably done a lot more wooden products because there are so many wood-based manufacturing

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Hi-Ho Rocking Horse

Bezier Coffee Tables

companies around the region, especially in Indonesia.

Tell us about your working experience with wood.

A:

It’s not really something that you kind of think about as compared with working with metals, for example. It’s just something you do. It’s kind of a given that if you are doing to design furniture, at some point you are going to do something in wood.

And it’s not that difficult because the actual design process is something that translates to all materials. You have to experience the aesthetics and the quality of wood, consider it’s various qualities and strengths, what wood can do, and what it cannot do and how far you can push the material.

For example, if you want very skinny legs for a chair, you would have to see if you could actually make that in wood. Once you have done your research on the qualities and strengths of the material, then the process is the same whether it’s a plastic chair or whether it’s a wooden chair, or a metal chair. The thinking process is the same and you kind of design around the qualities of the material.

How does wood measure up when compared with metals and composites?

A:

There will always be a market for wooden furniture. It’s not really a competitor or a competition with other materials used for furniture design and manufacturing.

Sure, there will be people who will want to buy metal chairs, and some will want plastic chairs. It depends on what they need to use it for. So if you are going to do a wooden chair, it’s not really a decision as to whether you would rather use metal. Its sort of the thing that you have decided to do a wooden chair, and you don’t need to wonder whether there’s a metal version that would be better because there’s always going to be a need for wooden chairs and tables, just as there will always be a need for metal chairs and tables probably to be used outdoors.

It’s not so much that they want a wooden chair, or table, it just that all their machines are wooden furniture manufacturing machines so they can only produce wooden furniture designs.

Some of the other companies I work for, specialises in metals products while some companies specialises in small items. There are a lot of companies in

the region specialising in making wooden furniture.

Well with regard to the design and manufacturing of furniture from chipboard like what Ikea does. You have to understand that they are targeting a different market altogether. They are targeting the market of mass- consumers and thus it would make sense to them to use chipboards that are way cheaper than solid wood.

Their furniture is priced for the massmarket. It all depends on what you are looking for, and what you want. Do you want furniture that last a couple of years and you have to discard them after they have worn themselves out or do you want furniture which is what I design that are longer lasting, that will last you for up to a decade or more. There are of course benefits to using chipboards. Chipboards are lighter, relatively stable, and cheaper but they do wrap over time.

How do you see the future of wood being used in furniture design and manufacturing?

A:

I think the demand for wood in my business will remain pretty stable.

Importantly is where the wooden furniture is made. Once again, there will always be a market for wood in the arena of furniture design and manufacturing.

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DesignDecor I don’t think its suddenly going to become more popular as it already reached its peak in terms of usage and popularity. Then people are satisfied with wood, they don’t want to change to high-tech materials. They are not going to buy a big plastic table. Furniture made in Europe is more sought after and therefore more expensive. But some are not willing to pay the price for an Italian table when they can buy a table from china for far less.

Is wood the preferred material of choice in Asia?

A:

I think wood is still the preferred material, also because most of the factories in and around the region have already been set up to build wooden furniture products.

Have you designed wooden furniture for the Western market?

A: Yes, all my products are not so much

aimed at a particular market but at the international furniture design scene. When I was working in Europe, everything we did was European based. Then, I was just designing for the international market, and now I still do.

If so what do you think are some variations and differences of the western wooden furniture market’s temperaments and requirements as contrasted with wooden furniture market in the East, Singapore and Asia at large.

A:

Well, there are a lot of differences.

Even between the western markets, there are a lot of differences in market temperaments between America and Europe. The Americans sort of prefer heavier and thicker furniture: a bit more sort of country style or old and traditional style kind of furniture. Whereas, maybe some of the Europeans prefer furniture that is a bit more slender, a bit more modern. Asia, with the exception of

Japan that is its very own unique and distinct market, doesn’t really have its own modern style yet.

Japans’ furniture market is different from all of them (the world and Asia at large). What make the Japanese market distinct from all of Asia and the world is they are willing to pay more money, the quality is better, the design is cleaner.

Singapore is a very small market so there is no specific character of the Singapore market per se that you can say, “Ok, we need to specifically design our furniture for this particular market that likes their furniture this particular way or we need to change this part of the design to fit Singapore’s market”.

Singapore kind of just takes whatever comes out of the west or the east, mostly from the West.

look using wood. Once again, focusing on the warmth and the sort of homely feel, but with more of a sensitive, almost modern character. There’s also a bit of fun to it. So its kind of a combination of elements, very clean but with something interesting added to it.

Do you foresee a growing demand for furniture design and manufacturing that deals with wood locally and in Asia over the next few years?

Could you tell us about your latest range of products? What were your inspirations? And what do you hope to convey?

A:

I think my new product range is trying to do sort of a clean modern Collar Magazine Rack

48 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

&

DesignDecor

Apex Chairs

A: No, I don’t think it will. There definitely won’t be some exponential growth or anything like that. It’s just that I don’t think wood is going to outgrow other materials in terms of demand and consumption.

On the environment, do you think we can ever find an ecological balance between our needs and consumption of our forestry reserves and yet ensure the long-term

Jarrod Lim won the Singapore Furniture Design Award 2006 for his streamline chair.

sustainability and of those dwindling resources?

A: Most of my designs are quite costly because I use more expensive materials so the people that would buy these products are not going to throw them away. I design furniture to be used for a long time. So I think the impact on the environment of these types of designs is very low, minimal even though they use wood.

I think what gives the furniture design and manufacturing industry a bad name would be the large manufacturing companies that mass produce furniture from lower-priced timber and sell them cheap. These are the sorts of furniture that gets thrown away after a while and thus contributes to the wastage of our natural resources.

So if I can design a better chair that would probably use the same amount of wood as some other chair that they would manufacture. And if I can design a chair that people see and say “This chair is much nicer

than the other” and they would rather keep my chair far longer than the other cheaper one. That would thus reduce the demand for wood since, they would already have a longer lasting chair, and would not need a new chair.

In the end, it is the value that the customer places on that particular tree that is being used to create a particular product for the consumer market that really matters with regard to this matter of sustainability, prudent usage and conservation of our forestry reserves.

So if the wood is going be used, it’s better to turn it into something valuable.

I think there is always going to be a demand for wooden furniture. But its whether you turn it into a cheap piece of furniture that will only last three years or whether you turn it into an expensive or rather well-made piece of furniture that will last 20 years.

With regard to the manufacturing process, how do you go about navigating through the whole manufacturing process from the conceptualisation of your furniture designs to its completion?

A: I work with the manufacturers and I

have to build a relationship with them, know what they are capable of designing and making. And you design something and generally you work together to see what the best way of producing a sample, testing it, and see if it’s going to work. We then consider whether its too expensive to make, or too difficult to make and make the necessary adjustments.

I also work closely with the technicians from the furniture manufacturing company as there is a process of evaluation of the furniture design undertaken by myself, the designer and the manufacturing company as well. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 2503

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49

&

DesignDecor

3D Edgebanding:

New A

Generation Product The ‘loose’ edges of wood-based panels pose a challenge to machining and finishing operations for furniture manufacturers. With the advent of the edge-banding technology, this problem has been tackled successfully.

By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam.

David Hunter, Tennessee, US

E

50 FDM Asia  MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

dgebanding technology has come a long way since the late 1990s, certainly from the days of iron on edgings. With the current edgebanding technology, it is relatively easy to accommodate all the needs of the panel-based furniture manufacturers, whether it is high volume production runs or smaller batch quantities.

The technology allows the fabrication of panel edges to a variety of finish, size and material. Since the development of the base material, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a stable and environmentally friendly material that can be recycled on site, interest for ply-vinyl chloride (PVC) as the base material for edgebanding has been declining in the marketplace.

The ABS material reflects the general commitment of both furniture manufacturers and consumers to the overall future of the environment.

Furthermore, the ABS makes it possible to edge panels from 12 mm up to 60

&

DesignDecor

• • • •

high pressure laminate edging acrylic multiplex 3D designs veneer edgeband solid hardwoods of up to 20 mm in thickness

These edgebandings are commonly used on single and double-sided lines enabling high speed, high quality production onto melamine-faced chipboard, melaminefaced MDF, door-blanks, laminated chipboard, MDF or plywood, and even solid grade laminates. These panels are usually pre-milled for a quality finish.

In recent years, with the 3D edgeband

technology, a dimension of both functionality and aesthetics to edge-band manufacturing has been realised.

The 3D edge-bands are manufactured in transparent acrylic, and their decorative finish is applied on the reverse side.

Viewed through the glass-clear material, the decorative finish gains a depth and a 3D effect. The edgeband surface can be polished to any desired level of gloss.

The hard acrylic layer protects the colours or decorative finishes applied to the reverse from any kind of damage, and every decorative image remains perfectly preserved even for milled radii. The 3D edge-bands can be applied manually and automatically when straight processing on all edge-band gluing machines with hot-melt adhesive technology.

Generally, thermoplastic edgebands

set the global trends in quality and design.

Whether used in the kitchen, bathroom, and living room or at the office, the 3D edgeband ensures a creative and classy look. Used on the front, carcass, table and worktop, It offers numerous applications to ensure design-oriented accents.

An Edge For 3D The premium natural edgebands appears as natural as to be almost indistinguishable from genuine wood. Matt lacquer and naturalistic embossing gives the structure a natural-seeming velvety and wooden character. Combined with matching boards, it results in a perfect genuine wood decorative finish.

On the other hand, 3D premium gloss edge-bands continue to be used alongside its premium natural edgebands

ENQUIRY NO. 127

mm thick and in widths from 0.8 mm to 3 mm. In terms of material options, four categories of edgebanding materials are available:

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARch 2010

51

&

DesignDecor to give customers the furniture of their desired taste. The biggest advantage of the 3D edgebands is the high-gloss finish – removing the need to polish.

The edgebands demonstrate very good surface durability and are robust in the face of mechanical and chemical attacks. Different edgeband solutions are on offer in the marketplace, from suppliers such as Dollken and Rehau, for widely varying needs and requests – always matched exactly to the gloss level and the decorative appearance of the board.

From the consumers' perspective, the edgebands has the following advantages:

The Future The wood-based panels industry will continue to grow as the global furniture sector expands. With the increasing concern over the shortage of high-value solid wood resources, wood-based panels will continue to take up market share as the primary raw material in the furniture sector.

On the other hand, as furniture becomes more fashion-sensitive merchandise, manufacturers will be forced to produce intricate designs using

52 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Terry Johnston, Michigan, US

nanaow2006

• The high-class appearance • The printed images are completely safe from damage and remain preserved even for milled radii • The edgeband surface can be polished to any level of gloss • The availability of many up-to-date colours and decorative finishes • The possibility of made-to-order production for any desired decorative finish • The robust and good surface durability provides an excellent surface for consumers • The wide variety of edgeband solutions available to cater for various substrates to suit various applications and pricepoints

wood-based panels, which will inevitably require 3D edgebands.

According to the international Furniture Research Group (IFRG), the market for edge-bands in the Asian furniture sector is poised to hit US$100 million per annum, within the next years. If this upward trend continues, edgebanding technology can gain greater prominence as an element of ‘value-creation’ within the furniture industry. After all, being fashion, edgebands on furniture will enhance its aesthetics. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 2502

Advertorial

Advertorial

Homag:

For the manufacturing of

Kitchens, Office, Lounge, Dining And Bedroom Furniture

The BHX 500 Optimat enables simultaneous processing of both sides of cupboards. Hereby it is possible to manufacture identical or mirrored parts in a single processing and clamping step.

Combined with its impressive pedigree – the BHX range also provides manufacturers with great flexibility – No need to have large production runs, the BHX, equipped with the unique Wood wop six software, copes with changeover instantly, so batch one production now becomes profitable.

The BHX 500 Optimat concept is based on the idea of dividing the machine into three technology ranges: the loading/in feed area, processing/machining area and withdrawal/out feed area. Hereby the gained independence optimises the processing steps in terms of quality and time. The machine is commonly worked with one machinist and, producing up wards of 600 panels per shift.

To fulfil the customer’s expectations and raise the production output speedily and at the highest quality the BHX 500 Optimat

is equipped with a special power package.

High-Speed processing aggregates up to 7500RPM accelerated the axes up to 10m/sec and the processing speeds up to 130m/min hereby permanently keeping this machine in motion.

The BHX also takes care of the “foil” surfaces, with the patented clamping, and air table, components have minimal contact with the machine table that reduces the risk of scratches on surfaces.

Consequently the BHX 500 Optimat complete with five axis CNC-Technology meets all the demands of present day furniture production quickly and efficiently.

For more details on these impressive and affordable machines, Homag Asia will be pleased to send you more details and visit your factory to discuss your particular application, in the meantime www.weeke.com is the site to visit.

With the testimony of 10 machines sold so far in 2010, is SE Asia alone, we hope you will take the opportunity to make sure your company is aware of the benefits of these “must have machines”.

Homag Asia Pte Ltd Email sales@homag-asia.com Tel: +65 6369 8183 for more information

The BHX 500 – also has a smaller but equally impressive sibling – the BHX 050. This machine is specified for manufacturers producing around 250 components per shift, requiring ultimate flexibility from one panel to the next. This machine is highly suited to kitchen manufacturers, and indeed as a very profitable machine for reworking in larger producers.

ENQUIRY NO. 134

The Weeke BHX – CNC processing centres are fast becoming the “must have machines” for furniture makers worldwide.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARch 2010

53

Wood & Sustainability

Wood Flooring 2010:

&

Species Sustainability Asian markets are consuming more and there is indication that China’s continuing economic development will sustain its manufacturers. For 2010 and the future, the question is whether the world can produce enough hardwood material to supply the potential growth of flooring. By Michael Buckley, Turnstone Singapore

I

n the US, real wood flooring is the norm, whereas in Europe, wood still accounts for less than six percent of floor coverings by area, in terms of new installations.

The European Federation of Parquet Flooring (FEP) estimates that its members’ wood-based flooring sales dropped by seven percent in 2008, and by 15 percent in 2009. Does this have anything to do with the sustainability of hardwood raw material?

Not really, for several reasons.

Overwhelming Evidence Firstly, in both the USA and the EU, there is overwhelming evidence that the main flooring species used are highly sustainable temperate hardwoods, particularly oak.

This ‘king’ of temperate species grows right across North America, throughout Europe, in much of Russia, northern China, as well as Japan and Korea. Oak resources are huge.

54 FDM Asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Secondly, many consumers are beginning to understand that hardwood forests can, and are being managed sustainably and that the environmental credentials of real wood are better than those of many of its competitors, especially in flooring.

The leading products by consumption in Europe, for example, are still textiles (carpets and rugs) and ceramics, both of which leave a significant environmental footprint. High in market share also is (plastic) laminate flooring partly derived from non-renewable hydrocarbons. This is not to be confused with engineered wood flooring, often referred to as ‘laminated’ (wood) flooring. Much of the textile flooring products used in such markets as UK, are synthetic oil derivatives, although some are natural fibre.

So one might ask what limits the wood flooring market from further development, which its small six percent share indicates could still be possible.

As always, cost comparison is important, but in the case of flooring, so are installation and performance in use.

These, in turn, influence consumer attitudes and in this respect, the US leads Europe in the sense that more American consumers see wood as the natural material for flooring.

In Asia, aesthetics, cost and performance are also critical. But, what binds all these important world markets together is undoubtedly the ‘look’, or image of wood.

Wood Floors The boom in condominiums within Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, and increasingly in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Saigon, all demonstrate the importance of wood floors, where the majority of ‘show’ apartments feature wood flooring as an attractive selling point.

Do consumers think about sustainability of flooring when making their decisions?

Wood & Sustainability

Parquet production vs. consumption in 000 m² 120.000

Production and Consumption for 2008

Flooring products

M k t shares Market h 2008 ((according di tto IIntercontuft) t t ft)

112.226

110.000 100 334 100.334

100.000 90.000

101.547 84.725

80.000 70 000 70.000 60.000 50.000 40.000 30.000 20.000 10.000 0 Total Production

Statistics 2008

Total consumption

FEP FEP FEP

European Federation of the Parquet Industry Fédération européenne de l’industrie du parquet Föderation der europäischen Parkett-Industrie

Statistics 2008

FEP FEP FEP

European Federation of the Parquet Industry Fédération européenne de l’industrie du parquet Föderation der europäischen Parkett-Industrie

FEP 2008: 1. Production vs Consumption 2. Flooring products

All About Choice As in all trends, the question of choice is paramount, for consumers can be fickle and unpredictable, but always demand choice. For hardwood flooring, there is no problem here.

The world’s forests in the US, Europe and tropical countries offer a huge choice of species that are suitable for flooring.

But as suggested at the recent AHEC industry conference presentation in Athens, there are four main commercial hardwoods of major significance in the world; oak, beech, teak and the mahoganies. All are suitable for flooring from a technical point of view, along with many others.

For example, maple, merbau, wenge, iroko and ipe, as well as walnut, hickory and ash all provide a wealth of colours, grains and patterns for flooring. In addition, there are many other lesser known species from South America, Indochina and Africa. But, there is another angle on sustainability.

Manufacturers need to be guaranteed sustainable supplies of raw material, in order to invest in technical trialling, tooling, finishing processes and marketing for any new or ‘limited’ available species to make it worthwhile.

In this sense, sustainability takes on a different meaning. The net result is a tendency for manufacturers to only use those species that are sustainable.

The Dominant Species Globally, oak is the dominant species for real wood flooring as it has been for

many years. It is estimated to represent about two thirds of the US market, with red oak preferred. According to FEP in Europe: “The usage of wood species in 2008 as shown on the graph indicates that oak is advancing further to reach 57.6 per cent of the total, tropical wood species are regressing but only slightly compared to last year to 14.7 per cent; ash is losing ground and falling to seven per cent, whereas beech remains stable at 6.5 per cent.”

Teak is highly important, especially in Asian markets. Flooring which allows the

Turnstone Singapore

Anecdotal evidence suggests that in most markets, they are less concerned with sustainability of flooring material than they are of their other purchases. However, in the public construction sector, such as sports halls and leisure facilities, most architects, designers and many specifiers are environmentally concerned on behalf of their clients.

Hard maple floor in the new sports complex of the Tanglin Club in Singapore

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55

Wood & Sustainability Use Of Wood Species Species - Usage rate in 2008 (%) 57,6%

60% 50% 40% 30% 20%

14,7%

10%

0,5%

6,5%

2,1%

1,0% 0,8%

7,0%

4,4%

0,6%

3,4%

0,2% 1,3%

0%

k

Oa

k

d

Re

Oa

ch

e Be

Ch

use of narrow widths and short pieces, enables greater log yield for plantation teak, which is an environmentally sound use of any hardwood. The same can be said for beech, a species constantly seeking applications for its lower grades and smaller pieces.

The reference by FEP to tropical species encompasses a huge number of species ranging from the popular merbau, now under resource pressure, to lesser known South American species found inconsistently in natural forests.

What stands out clearly from the FEP data is the fact that excluding tropical species in 2008, oak (red and white), ash and beech accounted for 84 percent of the non-tropical species consumed in Europe.

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tn es

h rc

Bi

le

M

ap

h As

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a Ac

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n Pi

It has also seen potential disruption from significant changes in China after government intervention there as well as cost increases in oak supplies.

Flooring is linked mainly to residential new-build and public projects, with renovation an additional but important sector. The first two have been seriously damaged by the global recession. What is also worrying is that in these two sectors

c Eu

r he

C

ry

l

ca

i op Tr

er

h Ot

new projects are down in 2009/10, and so their flooring demand is likely to ease at the later fit-out stage when it comes. In renovation, demand is reported strong, but nowhere enough to sustain the manufacturing capacity as currently installed.

After visiting the recent Domotex flooring show in Germany, Rupert Oliver of Forest Industries Intelligence in UK, said: “Overall the impression

Having looked at the issue of sustainable material, the question of market sustainability for the flooring industry is also worth analysing. This is a market that has seen many changes in technology, huge investment in plant, major efforts in marketing and sustained growth in Europe and the USA production, at least until the global downturn.

56 FDM Asia  MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Red oak flooring in Shanghai residence

AHEC

Market Sustainability

Wood & Sustainability

Turnstone Singapore

However, in the longer term there is no reason to believe that wood flooring demand will do anything other than increase.

was of an intensely competitive flooring industry, struggling with much reduced consumption and excess capacity at the low and medium end of the market, but with continuing optimism at the higher and more specialist end of the market.”

Visiting from Hong Kong, John Chan,

AHEC director for China confirmed the importance of oak and walnut, and flagged up the emergence of bamboo as flooring material.

So in the near term, prospects do not seem to be that good for 2010/11. However, in the longer term there is no reason to believe that wood flooring demand will do

anything other than increase. What species will be in fashion is anyone’s guess, but there is little doubt that oak will be up there; simply by virtue of its sustainability as a raw material. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 2801

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of North American hardwoods has just been expanded

that all of our mixed loads meet our high standards

to include our imported species, offering even more

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57

ENQUIRY NO. 123

complete your

COST)

Exhibition Review

Domotex Hannover2010

D

omotex Hannover 2010 ended with a substantial rise in attendance.

Over the four days (January 16 - 19, 2010) of the show, some 40,000 professionals turned out to admire the products offered by 1,395 companies from over 70 different nations.

"With exhibitor numbers holding steady and a 12 percent growth in visitor attendance, we have improved on last year's results in spite of the tough economic climate. Domotex has given the industry some real momentum and charted the way ahead for the coming year. The industry is starting 2010 on a confident note," remarked Stephan KĂźhne, member of the Deutsche Messe

58 FDM Asia  MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

managing board and responsible for Domotex. "The success of Domotex 2010 provides an indication of an improving economic climate and demonstrates that our measures to fine-tune this flagship fair to the needs of the market have been right on the mark. This translates into even more tangible benefits for our exhibitors and their clientele."

On behalf of the German Home Textiles Industry Association, director Martin Auerbach commented: "In view of the prevailing economic conditions, last year the home textiles sector put a major emphasis on innovation. Domotex has provided us with an ideal showcase in which to present these products."

Ali Ipektchi, chairman of the European Carpet Importers Association (EUCA), added: "The mood at this year's Domotex has been much more upbeat. Over the last two or three years many large firms were preoccupied with reducing their inventory levels. But now the big customers seem ready to order again. We are very pleased with the run of the show."

Trends For 2010/2011 Besides coming to Hannover to get an overview of what the market has to offer, the approximately 40,000 Domotex visitors also indicated that picking up on the latest innovations and trends and placing orders were at the top of their list.

Exhibition Review This internationally trendsetting role played by Domotex was underscored by survey findings. The focus of the interior decoration products at Domotex Hannover 2010 has been on sustainability, styling and status, commented professor Axel Venn, the colour and trend scout. Carpets often serve as the centerpiece of modern living, bringing special coziness to the coffee table or inviting you to stretch out, relax and interact with others in front of the fireplace.

Professor Venn also identified some clear trends for other types of flooring on display, for example, an increasing preference for parquet made of domestic wood displaying a highly visible grain.

This is indicative of a rising interest in natural authenticity, he explained.

Talks And Solid Orders Exhibitors praised the high quality of their business talks due to a higher-thanever percentage of decision-making trade professionals in attendance. In a survey among visitors, as many as 89 percent stated playing an ‘advisory’ or ‘decisive’ role in their companies' purchasing decisions.

As the flagship trade fair for the industry, Domotex is also a vital marketing vehicle. "At Domotex we can get the kind

of product exposure in just four days that would otherwise take four months of business trips to find out. And thanks to the instant feedback, we know after just two days whether a particular innovation is likely to be successful," explained Emmanuel Lioen, marketing manager for the Beaulieu International Group, in Wielsbeke, Belgium.

Of the total of 22,600 visitors from abroad, over 60 percent came from European countries. Attendance was up from all continents, thus underscoring the show's status as the one event that pays top dividends for exhibitors and visitors alike by covering all the latest trends and attracting a truly international audience.

The majority of visitors at this year's show were once again retail and wholesale specialists. Visitors from the skilled trades were also found to be on the rise.

Marked Increase In Demand Visitors once again showed a strong interest in handmade and machine-woven rugs and carpets as well as in textile and resilient floor coverings. Also very pleasing was a 30 percent rise in the sections of the show devoted to parquet and laminated flooring as well as installation, cleaning

and application technologies.

These trends were also broadly reflected in exhibitor remarks. "Domotex 2010 is a vital part of our communication mix. We had very high customer traffic at our stand this year. There was a huge amount of interest in our product innovations. The show has helped us get off to a good start in 2010," said Ivo Schintz, GM of Tarkett Holding GmbH, based in Frankenthal, Germany.

Upcoming Events Deutsche Messe now also stages its international Domotex events in some of the world's fastest-growing economic regions, opening a window to some highly attractive markets for carpet and floor covering manufacturers.

The 12th – Asia's largest international flooring tradeshow – will take place again in Shanghai from March 23 to 25, 2010 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. runs from May 10 to 12 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The next Domotex Hannover runs from January 15 to 18, 2011. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1401

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59

Exhibition Review

Cologne 2010:

Singapore Mozaic

IMM

makes an impression at

A group of companies led by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council brings in substantial orders for the island state.

L

ed by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), Singapore Mozaic ambassadors and other local companies, returned with excellent sales results from imm Cologne 2010 which ran from January 19 to 24. The 16 Singapore participants clearly impressed and secured S$14.6 million (US$10.4 million) in on-spot orders, with S$15.4 million worth of sales under negotiation.

The contingent also forecasts an additional S$236 million worth of sales in the coming 12 months, a more than 200 per cent increase from 2009.

local furniture companies bound by principles such as agility and transparency in the workplace, forward-looking business practices and vibrancy in furniture design and products.

Flying the Singapore Mozaic flag were Air Division, Eurosa Furniture, Haleywood Industries, Home of Homes Furniture, HTL, Koda, Lorenzo, MLC Marketing, Richin Furniture Décor, Star Furniture, Suncoast Sitra, Univonna and Urban Foundry. Also showing as part of the Singapore Pavilion were Ivena International, Wayco International and Wood Bros Furniture.

Flying The Flag

Showcasing Talent

Singapore Mozaic is a unique B2B furniture industry brand led by SFIC and supported by government agencies, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and SPRING Singapore, It brings together successful

“We are heartened by the excellent outcome of Singapore Mozaic’s second showing at imm cologne 2010. This was a tremendous opportunity for the best of our local key industry players to extend their presence

60 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

in the European market by showcasing their range of fine products and innovative designs in such a high-profile event on the international furniture circuit. Having learnt a lot from last year’s debut experience, the Singapore contingent really upped their game and as a result, achieved an exponential increase in sales figures,” said Andrew Ng, president of SFIC. The participation of Singapore companies in imm cologne 2010 was also supported by IE Singapore. Said Tan Soon Kim, IE Singapore’s Lifestyle Business Group director: “One feature which stood out this year at the fair was Singapore companies’ green furniture showcase. We received positive feedback from European visitors on companies such as Haleywood Industries, Home of Homes Furniture and Koda’s incorporation of environmentally-friendly features into their furniture design.”

“As the world places more emphasis on accountability towards the environment, our furniture companies have proven to be forward-looking in this aspect. IE Singapore will continue to promote green manufacturing practices to our companies and help them think ‘green’, to give them a headstart in positioning for a global green marketplace.”

High Visibility The Singapore Pavilion also received praise from buyers for its striking design

Exhibition Review

Mozaic has really blossomed since our launch in 2008. We can see the building up of brand recognition at all the international furniture trade fairs we’ve participated in and with our ambassadors actively championing the attributes of Singapore furniture, we are confident that our local companies will continue to shine on the global furniture stage.”

The Next Show Singapore Mozaic will next be showcasing

its range of versatile, high quality and attractive furniture at the upcoming International Furniture Fair Singapore 2010/27th ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/ AFS 2010) at the Singapore Expo from March 9 to 12, 2010.

Thereafter, Singapore Mozaic will be flying its flag high at the 49th Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, Italy, from April 14 to 19, 2010 in Hall 20.

ENQUIRY NO. 2703

ENQUIRY NO. 109

thanks to the collective and highly-visible Singapore Mozaic branding that made the pavilion stand out from the other booths in the hall.

The Singapore contingent not only won rave reviews from visitors for their wide array of creations on display, from living to dining room sets, to home office pieces and occasional furniture, but also garnered commendations on the excellent service quality rendered.

Added Mr Ng: “As a brand, Singapore

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61

Exhibition Preview

Shenzhen

March 19 - 22, 2010

T

he global economy is picking up again and China is leading the way. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD) is forecasting that the country will see a growth in GDP of 10.2 percent in 2010. It is in this environment that the Shenzhen Convention & Expo Centre will host its second ZOW supplier fair for the furniture industry and interior design between March 19 and 22, 2010.

Around 100 Chinese and international supplier companies will gather in Shenzhen to showcase their latest innovations in surfaces and fittings, elements and systems, semi-finished products and materials, furniture fabrics and upholstery materials. More than 12 000 trade visitors are expected to attend the fair.

This year, ZOW is once again running in parallel with the Shenzhen International Furniture Exhibition (SIFE), which attracts more than 60000 trade visitors each year to the economic hub on the Pearl River

delta. SIFE is the high-end trade fair among Chinese furniture trade fairs – so ZOW and its high-quality suppliers are certainly in the right place.

The two fairs running at the same time allows trade visitors from the furniture industry and interior design to find out all they need to know about new products and forge contacts, both within the sector and with other industries.

2010 will see SIFE again play host to a number of relevant events, such as the South East Asia Domain, the Designers´ Dome, the China Square, Decostyle and Woodworking Machinery.

The M Technology Award exhibition showcases a selection of the best international supplier products. It was presented for the first time at ZOW in Verona 2009 and now, it’s going global.

Of the 60 submissions that were received, 20 received awards, with just two receiving a gold award and four a silver one. The M Technology Award in gold

was awarded to Richter Furniertechnik for a new nano-stone surface, which is very light and versatile. The other gold award went to Stork Beschlagtechnik for an easy-to-handle fittings system with a simple design. Both companies are based in Germany.

Organiser Survey is also looking to apply the successful formula of “Creating Close Contacts” in Shenzhen. With its innovative concept, ZOW has made a name for itself the world over and is synonymous with effective trade fair organisation, a pleasant atmosphere and good business.

Open, transparent stands of defined sizes, built with standard modules, invite visitors to come and discover exhibitors’ products and give even smaller companies the opportunity to make an impact.

Forum areas with catering provide an opportunity for exhibitors and visitors to relax and talk on a more informal basis. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 2702

62 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

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Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia

Product highlights Holzma: EnergySaving Saws

Dynea: Low Emission Adhesive

Holzma’s HPL 380 profiLine horizontal beam saw is equipped with the energysaving ecoLine technologies that can bring annual energy savings of up to 20 percent. The saw also has the Domino System. This ensures that the work area is freed up, ready for cutting the next parts – thanks to automatic labelling, parts buffer and versatile destacking carriages.

The HPP 230, the smallest in the company’s range, was developed specifically for customers from the craft sector and appeals to entry-level companies, and those wanting to move up from a vertical saw or a format circular saw.

A feeding solution for the saw will allow a range of common formats to be fed from the rear machine table. The advantage of this is that customers in the lower-price sector will be able to feed panels from the rear both ergonomically and automatically.

The AsWood low emission adhesive systems are made for form bending and solid wood lamination, as well as for flooring and parquet applications. Producers can manufacture products with emission levels equivalent to those found in natural wood, and meet current as well as projected emission requirements globally.

These adhesives for interior wood applications can be used in the same way as traditional amino systems; they provide cure speed and bond strength as well as glued products with high moisture resistance. With emissions at the same low background level as from natural wood, this can be applied to wood-based products used in places, where people are particularly sensitive to indoor air quality.

Enquiry No: 2901

Enquiry No: 2903

Henkel: WaterBased Adhesive MD 3961A is a formaldehydefree single component that complies with the EU 204/205 D3 for single component adhesives and has passed the Japanese JAIA F four-star test for formaldehyde. Its technical details are as follows:

Titus: Dowel Combination TiThe Titus Cam3000 and Quickfit TL2 dowel combination is designed to overcome the problems of inaccurate drilling that sometimes occurs in furniture production.

The Quickfit TL2 has an in-built self-adjustment feature that provides a tolerance of +/-1 mm on face drilling for cam.

Fins on the plastic sleeve of the dowel work as a positive stop and ensure correct insertion preventing additional inaccuracies caused by over-insertion. The Titus Cam3000 has been designed to improve customer assembly experience with a cam profile that enables a smoother closing action.

It always locks at 230° (two o’clock) assuring greater dowel pull-up and reliability of closing.

Enquiry No: 2902

64 FDM Asia MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Solid content %

49

Viscousity (cps), 30 C

8000-12000

Minimum film forming temperature

5OC

60 min cold clamp laminated (Beech)

9.49MPa

60 min Conditioning time (Beech wood laminated specimen)

14.48MPa

Dorus MD 3961A performs very well in damp environments, for example, for products used in kitchens, bathrooms as well as semi-outdoor environments such as windows and doors.

It can also be applied on finger jointing, furniture assembly, solid soft wood laminating, veneers, HPL, or paper overlay to MDF boards, chipboards and honeycomb panels.

Enquiry No: 2904

Jowat: Hot Melt Adhesives The Jowat-Toptherm 237.00 uses Polyolefine Polymers whose advantages include a long open time, thermal stability and low application amounts. These assure flexibility in processing, low maintenance cost and optimum bondline and a good price-performance ratio.

The softening range of approximately 120 deg C is above the value for the EVA hot melt adhesives.

The heat resistance of the Jowat-Toptherm 237.00 is also much higher than for the standard EVA edgebanding hot melt adhesives. This product can also be used to assemble kitchen cabinets.

The The Jowatherm-Reacktant 607.20 is a reactive adhesive that is more resistant to moisture and heat and is characterised by high yield. They are also applicable on HPL, polyester and resinated paper edges, on solid wood and veneer edges as well as PVC and ABS.

DTS Systemoberflächen: Laminating Paper Elesgotherm is the name of a new type of surface material, with which DTS Systemoberflächen makes thermoplastic highgloss foils scratch-resistant. Focussing upon 2D formability, Elesgotherm closes the gap between the high expectations placed on visual appearance of a high-gloss surface and the technical characteristics.

The scratch-resistant coating of print base and decor papers is done with its electron beam (ESH) lines to thermoplastic furniture foils. Different types of thermoplastic substrate foils on the basis of, for example, PVC, PP, PET and ABS, are coated with high-gloss acrylate resins, ensuring scratch resistance values of approx. 1.5 to 3 N. Alternatively, all other surface structures previously produced can be applied to thermoplastic substrates. In the field of HPL lamination, ESH technology has made it possible to produce an extremely hard HPL panel.

Enquiry No: 2905

Enquiry No: 2907

Döllken: Digital Printing

Hornschuch: Wood Surfaces Hornschuch’s range of wood surfaces called Skai Avola, Core Ash and Sardegna can combine with appropriate grain effects, colours and textures.

Their designers have sought to offer broad scope for combinations with a variety of solid colours and surface finishes. The strong trend towards a new generation of matt surfaces is already generating demand for finishes that reinforce the effect of solid colours. The surfaces were made to suit the current horizontal format.

Enquiry No: 2906

Döllken uses digital printing technology for its surface designs in the field of thermoplastic edgebanding. Digital print technology is found already in a variety of applications. The technology enables a photo realistic motif to be applied to the edgeband. Furthermore it will be possible to print the entire colour spectrum onto a substrate other than white. Previously, all systems could only print onto a white background. This technology now allows customers to dictate the finish to the final product, whether it is used as a contrast or as a perfect match. Print cylinders for fantasy, stone, wood or other photographic decor effects are no longer necessary.

This technology is predestined for the manufacture of smaller batch sizes. By means of this particular form of technology Döllken can reduce the lead time for colour matches.

Enquiry No: 2908

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARch 2010

65

Calendar of Events 2010 *All details subject to change without notice. Please check with organisers for updates.

MARCH 2 - 6 – MIFF: Malaysian International Furniture Fair Putra World Trade Centre MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia MIFF Sdn Bhd Tel: + 603 9282 2888 Fax: + 603 9286 1551 Email: info@miff.com.my Website: www.miff.com.my

4 - 7 – Manila Now: PIFS 2010 Philippines International Furniture Show SMX Convention Centre Manila, Philippines Global-Link Exhibitions Specialist Tel: + 632 750 8588 Fax: + 632 750 8585 Email: info@globallinkmp.com Website: www.globallinkmp.com

4 - 8 – Indiawood 2010 Bangalore International Exhibition Centre Bangalore, India PDA Trade Fairs Tel: + 91 80 25513081 Fax: + 91 80 25542258 Email: Indiawood@pdatradefairs.com Website: www.indiawood.com

5 - 8 – CebuNext 2010: Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino Salinas Drive.

Cebu, Philippines Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Tel: + 63 32 422 8083 Fax: + 63 32 422 8081 Email: info@cebuexhibition.com Website: www.cebunext.com

66 FDM Asia March 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

9 - 12 – IFFS 2010: International Furniture Fair Singapore/Asean Furniture Show

12 - 15 – Vietnam International Furniture and Home Accessories Fair (VIFA)

Singapore Expo Singapore International Furniture Fair Singapore Tel: + 65 6569 6988 Fax: + 65 6569 9939 Email: enquiry@iffs.com.sg Website: www.iffs.com.sg

Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Handicraft and Wood Industry Association Tel: + 848 5404 2463 39143851 Fax: + 848 5404 2464 Email: info@hawacorp.com.vn Website: www.vifafair.com

10 - 13 – WMF Beijing: International Exhibition on Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Manufacturing Equipment

12 - 15 – TIFL: Taiwan International Furniture and Lighting Show

China International Exhibition Centre Beijing, China Adsale Exhibition Services Tel: + 852 2516 3382 Fax: + 852 2516 5024 Email: publicity@adsale.com.hk Website: www.woodworkfair.com

10 - 14 – TIFF 2010: Thailand International Furniture Fair Impact Exhibition Center, Munag Thong Thani Nonthaburi, Thailand Department of Export Promotion Royal Thai Government Tel: + 66 2512 0093 Email: tiff@depthai.go.th Website: www.thaitradefair.com

Taipei World Trade Center Taipei, Taiwan Taiwan External Trade Development Council Tel: + 886 2 2725 5200 ext. 2 629 Fax: + 886 2 2722 7324 Email: tifl@taitra.org.tw Website: www.tifl.com.tw

19 - 22 – ZOW Shenzhen Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center Shenzhen, China Survey Marketing + Consulting GmbH and Co. KG Tel: +603 2094 2880 Fax: +603 2094 2881 Email: bfc@zow.com.my Website: www.zow-shenzhen.cn

23 - 25 – Domotex Asia / ChinaFloor 11 - 14 – IFFINA 2010: International Furniture & Craft Fair Indonesia Jakarta International Expo Centre Kemayoran Jakarta, Indonesia.

Dyandra Promosindo Tel: + 62 21 392 6867 ext 117 Email: etty@dyandra.com Website: www.iffina-indonesia.com

Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai, China Deutsche Messe and VNU Exhibitions Asia Tel: + 86 21 6247 7668 Fax: + 86 21 6247 6638 E-mail: dolly.han@vnuexhibitions.com.cn Website: www.domotexasiachinafloor.com

24 - 27 – EXPOBOIS Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre Paris, France Tel: + 33 01 42 93 04 04 Email: j.saczewski@clccom.com Website: www.en.expobois.fr

Calendar of Events 2010 24 - 27 – Holz-Handwerk Exhibition Centre Nuremberg Messezentrum, 90471 Nürnberg, Germany Nürnberg Messe GmbH Tel: + 49 0911 86 06-0 Fax: + 49 0911 86 06 8228 Email: info@nuernbergmesse.de Website: www.holz-handwerk.de

23 - 26 – China (North) International Furniture and Woodworking Machinery Fair (NCIFF) Qingdao International Convention and Exhibition Centre Qingdao, China Jinan Deruijia Exhibition and Shandong Furniture Association Tel: + 0531 82730239 82 Fax: + 0531-82980591 82 Email: daxiaoyuan@126.com Website: www.sdf999.com/nbfz.asp

27 - 30 – interzum guangzhou China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou, China Koelnmesse Tel: + 86 20 8755 2468 Fax: + 86 20 8755 2970 Email: info3@koelnmesse.cn Website: www.interzum-guangzhou.com

April 13 - 15 – WOODSHOW 2010: Dubai wood & wood products show Dubai Airport Expo Dubai, United Arabs Emirates Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions Tel: + 971 4 28 29 299 Fax: + 971 4 28 28 767 Email: info@dubaiwoodshow.com Website: www.dubaiwoodshow.com

May 4 - 8 – Xylexpo: International Exhibition of Machinery, Supplies and Components Milan Exhibition Centre Rho, Italy Cepra Centro promozionale Acimall Tel: + 39 02 89210200 Fax: + 39 02 8259009 Email: info@xylexpo.com Website: www.xylexpo.com

BITEC Bangkok Bangkok, Thailand Reed Tradex Tel: +66 26867299 Fax: +66 26867288 Email: furnitech@reedtradex.co.th Website: www.furnitechwoodtech.com

JULY 22 - 24 – Woodmach Cebu Waterfront Ceby City Hotel and Casino Cebu, Philippines Global-Link MP Events International Inc Tel: +63 27508588 Fax: +63 27508585 Website: www.globallinkmp.com

August 25 - 28 – International Woodworking Fair

18 - 21 – Hanoiwood & Furnitec 2010: Vietnam International Wood & Wood Machinery Show Giang Vo Exhibition and Fairground Hanoi, Vietnam Chan Chao International Co Tel: + 886 2 2659 6000 ext 322 Fax: + 886 2 2659 7000 E-Mail: steven@chanchao.com.tw Website: www.vietnamwoodexpo.com

14 - 17 – Vietnam Expo 2010 Vietnam Exhibition & Fair Centre Hanoi, Vietnam Vietnam National Trade Fair & Advertising Co Te: + 84 4382 555 46 Fax: + 84 4393 630 85 Email: info@vinexad.com.vn Website: www.vietnamexpo.com.vn

24 - 27 – Furnitech Woodtech 2010

JUNE 10 - 13 – China International Woodworking Machinery Exhibition Dalian Star-Sea Convention and Exhibition Centre Dalian, China Dalian Northern International Exhibition Tel: +86 411 82538610 Fax: +86 411 82538616

Georgia World Congress Centre Atlanta, United States The International Woodworking Fair Tel: 404-693-8333 Fax: 404-693-8350 Email: iwf@iwfatlanta.com Website: www.iwfatlanta.com

To be considered for inclusion in the Calendar of Events, send details of event (name, date, venue, organiser contact) to: The Editor FDM Asia.

Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd. 1100 Lower Delta Road.

EPL Building #04-02.

Singapore 169206.

Tel: (65) 6379 2888 Fax: (65) 6379 2805 Email: fdmasia@epl.com.sg Kindly indicate the events you are interested in and fax the sheet/s along with your details in the Product Enquiry Page on page 72a to (65) 6379 2806 or enquire online at www.fdmasia.com www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA March 2010

67

Advertising Index ENQ. No

PaGe No.

Advertisers / Agency

091

AMERICAN Hardwood export council

IFC

123

AMERICAN LUMBER CO

57

132 becker acroma thailand ltd

41

096 bino (sh) machinery co ltd

68

126 china international exhibitions ltd (CIE)

45

131

01

diamond wood nanjing manufacturing co ltd

109 extend light machinery co ltd

61

127 GAINTWAY MACHINERY CO LTD

51

128 & 134

HOMAG ASIA PTE LTD

29 & 53

133

IMA AG Asia Pacific pte ltd

FC

130

java incorporated bhd

13

129

jeffer machinery co ltd

11

124 SIEMPELKAMP MASCHINEN- UND ANLAGENBAU GMBh & CO KG

05

108

taihao woodworking machinery co ltd

39

115

wen chih machinery co ltd

43

113

weyerhaeuser marketing OBC

125

wilhelm altendorf gmbh & co kg maschinenbau

016

wuxi kemar stainless steel plate treatment co ltd

Legend:

Head Office

Representative office

Sim Eric Tel: (65) 6379 2888 Fax: (65) 6379 2806 Email: simeric@epl.com.sg

Ding Yong Mei Tel: 86 21 6276 8394 Fax: 86 21 6276 4170 Email: neweastern_sh@hotmail.com

SHANGHAI, CHINA SHANGHAI NEW Eastern Media Co. LTD 15D Block B, Victoria Plaza, No.1068, Xikang Rd, Shanghai, P.R, China 200060

Regional Sales Representatives Taiwan

Robert Yu Tel: 886-4-2325 1784 Fax: 886-4-2325 2967

Japan

Ted Asoshina Tel: 81-3-3263 5065 Fax: 81-3-3234 2064

Korea

Young-Seoh Chinn Tel: 822-481 3411/3 Fax: 822-481 3414

This quick reference guide is provided as an additional service. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or ommission.

www.fdmasia.com

68 FDM Asia  MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

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ENQUIRY NO. 016

CUSTOMERS looking for a fresh, cost-effective alternative are specifying Northwest Hardwoods’ Western Hemlock. It’s flat, straight, accepts stain well and is available in our custom grades.

Our Western Hemlock is certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI), a standard that is also endorsed and recognized by the PEFC. Shanghai, China: 86.21.6249.9898 Vietnam/Guangzhou, China 86.20.3878.1570 Taiwan: 886.42.496.3308 Hong Kong: 852.2865.5922

ENQUIRY NO. 113

E-mail: even.tong@weyerhaeuser.com or visit our website at www.wy.com/hardwoods

, and Northwest Hardwoods are registered trademarks of Weyerhaeuser NR Company. © 2010 Weyerhaeuser NR Company. All rights reserved.

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