Edgebanding The Road Ahead
Precision Thin-Cutting: Why Slim Is Beautiful
Future Of Wood-Based Panel Surfacing
Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986
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Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986
Contents JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 • VOL. 23 NO. 1
SPECIAL FEATURE
18 MARKET OUTLOOK 2011
With the dawn of a new year, key industry players share with FDM Asia on their plans and expectations for 2011.
Focus
22 Why Slim Is Beautiful
Thin-cutting can save millions for your company. By Christian Klingsberger, Wintersteiger
24
The Asian Wood Products Sector: Evaluating India’s Status Amidst the global financial crisis, much has been written about the prospects of Asia becoming the engine of global economic growth. A closer look at the growth potential of the Asian powerhouses, India and China, suggests that these projections may indeed be true. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam, FIWSc
page
18
SURFACES & FLOORING 34
Applying The Finishing Touch
It is very easy to achieve the direct high-gloss application without sanding and brushing interventions due to the normal formulation of the high gloss lacquers. By Alessandro Vespignani, Cefla Finishing Equipment (Suzhou)
34 Technology 28
Advances in technology have enabled manufacturers to develop sanding tools that are lightweight and that can get the job done faster. By Augustine Quek
24
PANELS 30
30 2 FDM Asia
OSB VS Plywood
The oriented strand board (OSB) has played an increasingly important role as a structural panel for all kinds of construction applications. Some design and construction professionals have come to swear by oriented strand board. Others, however, prefer plywood. So which product is better? By Marilyn Lemoine, APA – The Engineered Wood Association.
30 JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
38
Sanding Solutions: Smoothing It Out
FURNITURE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY 38
The Road Ahead
The trends for plastic edgebanding can be summarised into three main groups. By Christopher Bollow, Doellken (Surteco Group)
WOODS & SUSTAINABILITY 40 The State Of Wood Sustainability
Across the world sustainability is key to a globally functioning ecotropolis. Sustainable living has three approaches, that being, social, environmental, and economic. By Mark Johnston
ENQUIRY NO. 197
New partnership between Siempelkamp and HAPCO: short-cycle presses with German expertise manufactured in China
www.siempelkamp.com
Contents JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 • VOL. 23 NO. 1
Regulars
FEATURES
42 Chip and Dust Extraction: Clear Solutions
Efficient chips and dust extracting systems erected in wood working factories can yield to cleaner environment and higher production outputs due to lower rates in health and occupational hazards with operators. By Shiv Kumar Shet, Biesse Manufacturing, India
46 Case-Study: Climate Friendly Alternatives
Low emission, low temperature dryers play a decisive role in the efficient industrial production of high-quality wood pellets. By Heinz Nepomuck, technical sales department of GKD - Gebr Kufferath AG
50 Woods & Sustainability: Hardwood & Softwood Species Eco-friendly wood is all the rage these days. Consumers are also increasing their awareness about the global implications of deforestation and climate change, and their associated interconnectivity. By Augustine Quek
42 54 Future Of Wood-Based Panel Surfacing The future direction of panel surfacing is looking on the up. By Dr George Goroyias, Tomi Hartikainen, Ania Krolak & Lauma Kazuša, Poyry Management Consulting
58 Malaysian Timber: A Question Of Sustainability
With greater awareness on the effects of forestry activities on the environment and global warming, consumers are now more demanding and concerned on the source and origin of the timber that they are buying. By Tjut Rostina
50 Established in 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
06 08 69 70 72a 72b
Editorial Industry News Product Highlights Calendar Of Events Enquiry Form Subscription Form
72 Page
Events & Exhibitions Exhibition Review: 60 Global Woodmart 2010 61 LaserTec In-House Exhibition Exhibition Preview: 62 Woodmac China 2011 64 Malaysia International Furniture Fair 2011 65 Domotex Asia/Chinafloor 66 Interzum 2011 68 Interzum Guangzhou
66
58 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 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.
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We are an expert supplier of MDF, PB and OSB production lines, with a good performance of 140 complete lines in China and export markets, due to our innovative technology and high accuracy of manufacturing ability.
Product in good demand: Size 4’ X 16’ and 18 layer multi-opening production line with 150,000 cubic meter capacity per year (samply factory can visit) Size 4’ X 8’ and 30 layer multi-opening production line with 120,000 cubic meter capacity per year (samply factory can visit) 100,000-200,000 cubic meter capacity per year continuous pressproduction line (200,000 capacity samply factory trail run in this year)
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Road Ahead
new year has come upon us, and amidst making resolutions learnt from lessons in 2010, the industry looks set to welcome another year of further development, expansion plans and innovations. In this issue, FDM Asia spoke to some key industry players to find out what are the developments in the industry to look out for, and also their plans for the year. (Page 18) “The general trend will be towards a greater market in South East Asia and export of lumber should increase in all Asia in 2011. The development of the domestic Chinese market will have a great impact on trends, wood species and prices,” said Jean-François Guilbert, MD of FrenchTimber. Among those with a positive outlook for the year is Canada’s forest products industry. The industry has announced a return to profitability and a growing demand for its lumber, pulp and specialised papers produced from well-managed forests. It has increased its exports to China in the last five years, from US$109 million in 2005 to US$385 million in 2009. According to Avrim Lazar, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, the growing personal income will cause a surge in demand for scarce natural resources and a clear economic edge for Canada. The lumber market in North America is set for take-off due to housing needs in the - Jean-François Guilbert US and demand in China. Prices are expected MD, FrenchTimber to touch the US$500/Mbf level in the next two to three years, as compared to the average annual price of US$180/Mbf (for Western spruce-pinefir 2x4 dimension) in 2009 at the bottom of the market cycle. Improvements in the US housing market can be seen from the low point of 554,000 units in 2009 to almost 600,000 units in 2010, an increase of eight percent. A return to normal US housing levels of 1.6 million units could take six to eight years to achieve, but the direction is definitely going upwards with increases each year. With such positive insights into the market, the hope for an even better year looks to be a vision that can be realised.
“The general trend will be towards a greater market in South East Asia and export of lumber should increase in all Asia in 2011.”
Tjut Rostina
6 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Kenneth Tan
kentan@epl.com.sg
editor
Tjut Rostina
tjutrostina@epl.com.sg
contributing editors
Joson Ng Michael Tham
editorial assistant
Lena Chin
lenachin@epl.com.sg
senior graphic designer
Agness Ng
agnessng@epl.com.sg
contributing graphic designers
Janet Koh Jeffrey Pimentel Libby Goh Peh Loon Chin Zhang Yue
advertising sales manager
Sim Eric
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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
Alessandro Vespignani Ania Krolak Augustine Quek Christopher Bollow Christian Klingsberger Dr George Goroyias Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam Heinz Nepomuck Lauma Kazuša Marilyn Lemoine Mark Johnston Shiv Kumar Shet Tomi Hartikainen
Executive Board chairman
Stephen Tay
group executive director
Kenneth Tan
financial controller
Robbin Lim
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I N D U S T R Y
Industry News
News
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
Singapore: Doellken, a division of Surteco, has been awarded the Greenguard
Dieffenbacher’s OSB Line In Asia Enters Production
Certification For Children And Schools, by the Greenguard Environmental
Hubei, China: Dieffenbacher has
Institute. The company’s PVC, ABS and 3D products have been independently
completed its first Oriented Strand
tested to meet chemical emission standards.
Board (OSB) line in Asia, with the first
Doellken Receives Greenguard Certification
The program includes specialised requirements that address the sensitivity
board produced on October 8, 2010.
of infants and children in daycares, schools and other sensitive environments.
This is 16 months after the signing
These requirements include additional limits on chemicals such as phthalates
of the contract with Hubei Baoyuan
and toxins that could impact child development.
Group. Located close to Jingmen City, in Hubei Province, the average production volume of the 2.4 m wide
Biomass Supply From EU Can Be Significantly Increased
and 30 m long CPS press will be 220,000 cubic metres per year. The core of the press is a three-head OSB spreading system that ensures accuracy of spreading and minimum
Joensuu, Finland: The supply of woody biomass from the forests in the
board tolerances. The scope of supply
European Union can be increased significantly beyond the current level of
includes the main equipment package
resource use. However, this requires fast and intensive political decisions
for OSB processing, as well as wood
and a comprehensive strategy at the EU level.
loading, strand manufacture, wet
The theoretical biomass potential from the European forests in 2010 is nearly 1.3 billion cubic metres including bark. Approximately half of the potential is made up of stemwood and the rest consists of logging residues, stumps and woody biomass from early thinnings in young forests.
strand storage, drum dryer, dry strand storage, screening and gluing. Also supplied were the press outfeed, board finishing systems, and the
The potential is, however, reduced to about 750 million metres due to
system of electrical automation and
various environmental, technical and social constraints. The constraints affect
monitoring. The OSB line is located
especially residues, stumps and biomass from early thinnings. Reduction
directly adjacent to the existing Medium
of biomass harvesting on poor sites in order to avoid nutrient loss is an
Density Fibreboard (MDF) line. Both
example of an environmental constraint.
lines are connected by a shared wood
Soil bearing capacity may limit harvesting on soft soils and is an
store, which increases productivity.
example of a technical constraint. Furthermore, the varying availability of
The German corporation has an
biomass due to different forest ownership structure can be considered as
installed base of 58 lines, which
a social constraint. Nevertheless, a full impact assessment of intensified
produce 60 percent of the total global
harvesting was not conducted.
production, amounting to 28 million
The future potential of woody biomass was estimated for three
cubic metres per annum.
mobilisation scenarios. The scenarios differ with respect to, eg: the political
Demand is set to rise further in
environment and the attitude of society towards use of wood. If there will be
response to the dynamic growth
a strong focus on the use of wood for producing energy and for other uses,
in Asian economies, and China
the potential can increase even to 898 million cubic metres in 2030.
in particular.
8 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Industry News
WR-Fife, Bhutan
US & Canada Increase Lumber Exports To China low-cost beetle-killed timber in British Columbia. Sawmills in the interior of the province have increased their production levels lately, ending up almost 20 percent higher in the 3Q/10 as compared to the same quarter in 2009. Much of the additional volume has been low-grade lumber targeted for the construction market in China. An Beijing, China: China has come to the
The two countries have chosen
estimated 16 percent of the BC lumber
rescue for many sawmills and timberland
different paths over the past few years.
production in 2010 was exported
owners in the US and Canada in the past
In Canada, while sawmills historically
to China.
year. The value of softwood logs and
shipped over 90 percent of their exports
While Canada has drastically increased
lumber shipped from North America to
to US markets, this changed as demand
lumber shipments to China in recent
China is estimated to be over US$1.6
for lumber fell when the housing bubble
years, the US has instead expanded logs
billion in 2010, which is up dramatically
burst in 2008. In the 3Q/2010, less than
exports to Chinese sawmills and plywood
from just a few years ago. In 2008, total
70 percent of exported lumber was
manufacturers. In 2007, the US exported
exports were valued at US$350 million,
destined for the US market.
less than 100,000 cubic metres; in 2010
while they were only US$125 million five years ago.
On the other hand, lumber shipments to China have gone up seven-fold in the
an estimated 2.4 million cubic metres was exported.
past three years and are expected to reach
The US is now the third largest
Industry Growth
almost four million cubic metres in 2010.
softwood log supplier to China, after
The increased demand for both wood
This makes Canada the largest softwood
Russia and New Zealand. The strong
raw-materials and processed forest
lumber supplier to China, having surpassed
export market has caused sawlog prices
products in China has, to a large degree,
Russia in 4Q/2010.
in the US Northwest to go up more than in
benefitted the forest industry in British
Another factor that has had an impact
any other region of North America
Columbia and the states of Washington
on the higher Canadian lumber exports
the past year, according to the Wood
and Oregon in the US.
to China is the abundant supply of
Resource Quarterly.
China Foma To Develop Forestry Industry Media16, The Netherlands
Beijing, China: China Foma has been nominated as the leading party to organise the compilation of the ‘Chinese Forestry Equipment Development Plan’. It will be working with other academic institutes such as the China Forest Machinery Research Institute, Haerbin Forestry Research Institute, Beijing Forestry University and Nanjing Forestry University. The compilation team’s first meeting was held at the China Foma head office. Compilation work has officially started. The meeting first determined the starting point of Chinese machinery development. This was after considering the Chinese forestry machinery industry’s current situation and global development trends. Secondly, it is based on the innovation and integration of production, learning and research, where enterprises play an important role during the transfer of scientific and technological
knowledge. Third, modern forestry industry development needs to be supported by advanced forestry equipment. This plan sets the direction for Chinese forestry development for the next 10 – 20 years.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
9
Industry News
Dieffenbacher Supplies MDF Factory In Turkey Istanbul, Turkey: Kastamonu Entegre has selected Dieffenbacher as the main supplier for the former’s Medium Density Fibreboard
pre-press, which transports the mat into the continuous press. The continuous press ensures minimal deviation in thickness tolerances with low sanding tolerances.
(MDF) factory. The factory is located in the city of Adana in the eastern
The raw board handling system is equipped with measurement
part of Turkey and the ground breaking ceremony took place
devices. It cools the raw boards and forms master board
on October 2, 2010.
stacks up to four metres in height. The subsequent storage
The press forms the core of the MDF factory. With a width of 2.65 metres with a length of 55.5 metres the Continuous Press System (CPS) has an annual capacity of 460,000 cubic metres. The Dieffenbacher scope of supply includes the dryer and air grading system. It expects to install the mechanical EVOjet blending system at a later stage. Currently, the PROjet blending system achieves 5 – 10 percent glue savings compared to traditional blow-line blending. The forming station is designed with a scalping system that allows forming accuracy. The forming line includes a heavy duty
area is equipped with two independent shuttles at the first-in/ first-out bases. The conveying, grading and stacking system of the sanding line completes the mechanical scope of supply inside the production building. The facility is powered by a 75 MW thermal energy plant. The electrics and process control of the plant as well as the site services are an integral part of the agreement. Production is scheduled to commence at the beginning of the second quarter of 2012.
Milan, Italy: The third quarter of 2010 showed a slowdown in recovery, after two quarters of sustained growth. The periodical survey by Acimall Studies Office, based on a statistic sample that represents the Italian industry of woodworking machinery and tools, showed a 32.1 percent increase in the same period last year. Foreign orders increased by 25.9 percent, while expansion on the domestic market amounted to 39.1 percent. Prices recorded 0.6 percent increase, while the period of ensured production was 1.8 months at the end of Q3 2010. In terms of quantity, 30 percent of the interviewed companies indicated a positive production trend. About 39 percent indicated a stable trend and 31 percent saw decreasing production volumes. Employment is considered stationary by 78 percent of those interviewed, and falling by 22 percent. Available stocks are stationary according to 52 percent, decreasing according to 31 percent and growing, according to 17 percent. The forecast survey outlines possible short-term industry trends, With the predominant outlook showing a stabilisation of order levels in the final quarter of the year. Foreign orders will grow according to 26 percent of the sample, while 65 percent expect it to stay at the same level. The remaining nine percent predict a drop of orders from abroad. The Italian market is expected to experience a decreasing trend according to 17 percent of the interviewees. It is expected to remain stable according to 61 percent. About 22 percent expect an expansion.
10 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Robert Linder, US
Italian Woodworking Sees Slower Recovery
Industry News
Media16, The Netherlands
Log Market Sustained By China & India Demand
Central Africa: The market situation remains unchanged for
on price levels. In addition, as the winter season is slowing
West and Central African logs as winter arrives earlier in Europe,
down business in Europe, there is little incentive for West and
hampering construction activity, according to ITTO. Adverse
Central African producers to increase production.
weather conditions are expected to impact on the economic difficulties and prospects for the timber based industries in
Sarawak Plywood Manufacturers Seek Certification
these countries remain dull.
Sarawak plywood mills are increasingly pursuing international
situation in UK. Portugal and Spain continue to face financial
Nevertheless, China and India continue active buying of West
certification in order to expand their share in the international
and Central African logs. Overall, log traders and exporters have
plywood markets. The Sarawak Timber Industry Development
had a relatively good year; with a steady market and prices due
Corporation (STIDC) reported that out of 42 plywood mills
to the Gabon log export ban and the log export relaxation by
operating in the state, 24 have already been certified under the
Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville.
Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS), 15 under the California Air Resources Board of the California Environmental Protection
Market Growth
Agency, and 12 under European Union standards.
Sawnwood prices, especially for premier species, have made
In the first half of 2010, Sarawak exported 1.46 million cubic
gains through the year, and have remained stable in the past
metres of plywood worth RM2 billion, compared to 1.7 million
month. Currently, sawnwood producers are worried that any
cubic metres valued at RM1.45 billion (US$0.47 billion) in the
overproduction could affect prices. According to analysts,
same period of 2009.
producers in the region have to accelerate efforts in achieving
In the first half of 2010, plywood exports from Sarawak
full certification for their products. This is in order to keep market
to Japan amounted to 663,710 cubic metres, valued at
shares in Europe and to benefit from the recent greater interest
RM939 million. The Republic of Korea was the second
in premier red species of sawnwood from the US market.
largest export destination for Sarawak plywood with 283,493
Markets for veneer have reportedly improved, but the trade
cubic metres worth RM316 million, followed by the Middle
in other value-added products has yet to show any sign of full
East countries with exports totalling 174,887 cubic metres
recovery to pre-recession volumes and diversification. West
worth RM224.4 million.
and Central African manufacturers are slowly re-activating
Other major export destinations for Sarawak plywood
processing facilities, but as the current market is still dull, any
include Taiwan, US, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam
increase in production is expected to have an adverse impact
and the EU.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  JAN/FEB 2011
11
Industry News
Eumabois Supports Russian Wood Industry St Petersburg, Russia: During the Forestry Forum in St Petersburg, Franz-Josef Bütfering, president, Eumabois, met with Ilja Klebanov, representative of the president of North Western District Russia, as well as representatives of the Russian forestry. During the forum, Mr Bütfering pointed out the problems of the European Woodworking Machine Manufacturers in Russia; especially pertaining to the release of financing and investments by the Russian banks. In response, Mr Klebanov promised an examination of the facts and the support of the government in the interests of the Russian Forestry. Both agreed that large wood resources in Russia should
Left to right: Alexander Polukeev, assistant to the plenipotentiary representative of the president, northwestern federal district, Russian federation. Iliya Klebanov, plenipotentiary representative of the president, north-western federal district, Russian federation. Serguei Trofimov, president, Restec. Franz-Josef Buetfering, president, Eumabois.
be consumed locally. This is to build more saw and panel plants, as well as to further develop the secondary industry
Trofimov, MD, Forestry Forum, also discussed founding of
such as furniture, floors, building construction. Serguey
an international forestry association.
Lower Wood Fibre Costs In Canada Ottawa, Canada: For most of the past 20 years, pulpmills
In Q3, wood chip prices in Western Canada increased again
in Western Canada have had lower wood fiber costs than
due to their formulaic tie to market pulp prices. However, they
pulpmills in the Eastern provinces. One year ago, pulp
did not go up as dramatically on a quarter-by-quarter basis
manufacturers in British Columbia paid almost C$60/odmt
as they did from Q1 to Q2 earlier in 2010. The latest uptick
(US$60/odmt) less for softwood chips than did pulp mills
resulted in prices at levels not seen since 2001. Pulp mills in
in Ontario and Quebec. Five years ago, the difference was
the region currently have some of the highest chip prices
almost C$100/odmt, according to the North American
in North America. With Northern bleached softwood kraft
Wood Fiber Review.
(NBSK) pulp prices now beginning their descent; softwood chip prices will follow downward in the coming quarters. Despite a price decline in Eastern Canada and an increase
Because wood costs account for almost 50 percent of the
of almost 40 percent in one year in the West, pulp mills in
production costs for Canadian pulp mills, companies in
British Columbia continue to have lower wood fiber costs
Eastern Canada have been at a competitive disadvantage
than mills in the eastern provinces of the country.
to many other mills. This is not only in other regions of Canada, but throughout North America. Pulp mills in Ontario and Quebec have consistently had some of the highest wood fiber costs in North America. However, prices have fallen; softwood chip prices have declined ten percent over the past 12 months and they were 25 percent lower in the Q4/2010 than five years ago. Prices are currently the lowest they have been in this region in over ten years. In US dollar terms, wood costs in Eastern Canada are now lower than that of most countries in Europe, as reported in the Wood Resource Quarterly.
12 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Dora Pete, Hungary
Cost Comparison
Industry News
Esmie Lamprecht, South Africa
UNECE Launches Joint Wood Energy Enquiry Geneva, Switzerland: The UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section is launching the Joint Wood Energy Enquiry for the UNECE region for the reference year 2009. Wood energy statistics are often scattered among different entities and concealed within statistics on energy from renewables and waste.
Usage Comparison The Enquiry aims to shed light on the real role of wood energy within the region by promoting cross-sectoral communication and cooperation between the energy and forestry sectors in the member states. The Enquiry offers a framework for
half of all renewable energy consumption. Between 2005 and
assessing wood energy flows in member states.
2007, wood energy use in responding countries grew annually
It provides specific information on the origin (fresh fibres,
by 3.5 percent.
co-product and wood waste) and the amount of wood energy
Private households are the biggest users of wood energy –
that is used by different clients (households, commercial power
a situation that is expected to continue. In addition, the use of
and heat generation, forest-based industries and services). This
wood for commercial power and heat generation has developed
knowledge allows decision makers to enhance socio-economic
strongly, showing annual growth of more than 18 percent
welfare by reducing conflicts between energy and material
between 2005 and 2007. There has also been a marked change
use at an early stage.
in the types of fuel used by private households, particularly in
The third of its kind, the enquiry is a reference source of
EU/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, with
information on wood energy, drawing responses from an
‘traditional’ fuels, such as round and split logs losing market
increasing number of countries. National correspondents acting
share to ‘modern’ wood fuel such as wood chips, wood pellets
as focal points are coordinating a complete response for their
and briquettes. The enquiry has been developed in close collaboration with
countries by January 2011. Past enquiries conducted for the reference years 2005 and
the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International
2007 confirmed the position of wood as the principal source
Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Commission (EC). It is fully
of renewable energy in the UNECE region, accounting for over
compatible with international energy and forestry statistics.
Homag Changes Business Name Schopfloch,
Germany:
Weinig Reorganises Business Divisions Tauberbischofsheim, Germany: Weinig is reorganising its business divisions. This is in response to rapidly increasing product diversity and changing conditions in the
Homag
market for wood processing machines. Five product divisions will be created in the
Holzbearbeitungssysteme AG has changed
operations sector: profiling, windows, pre-cutting, end profiling and used machines.
its legal form and is trading under the
Each individual product area is structured around the process. Organisational tasks
name Homag Holzbearbeitungssysteme
will be assigned to corporate staff functions.
GmbH. This change signals greater concentration on its core business as
The sales and service companies of the organisation around the world will remain in place in order to maintain the latter’s traditional close links with customers.
a producing company. The group’s
The product divisions will be the central element of the organisation and will be
emphasis will shift towards its key role
largely independent, with the on-going development of the product range as their main
of group management.
objective. Wolfgang Pöschl, chairman of the board, pinpoints the decisive advantages
With this structure, the company
of the restructuring process: “These new structures will put us in a better position
considers itself better placed to face
to focus on our core competences, giving added dynamism to our activities in the
future tasks and challenges.
market. We expect a massive impetus from the new structures specifically in our core business of profiling” says Mr Pöschl.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
13
Industry News
European Sawmills See Weaker Profits Kateřina Štěpánková, Czech Republic
Seattle, US: Over the past year, the sawmilling sector in Europe has shifted from high production levels and the highest lumber prices in four years. It is moving towards weakening lumber demand and reduced prices for many lumber grades during this fall.
Varying Performance European lumber production fell by six percent to 93 million cubic metres in 2009, which was the lowest level in eight years. The biggest declines in volume came from Austria, Finland and Sweden, while lumber production in Germany and Romania bucked the general trend and increased last year. Although last year was a low point for the sawmilling industry, the lumber markets improved in the second half
The high operating rates at many sawmills in Europe in
of the year and into the spring and early summer this year,
the past year have resulted in the increased costs of logs
reported Wood Resource Quarterly.
throughout the continent. Softwood sawlog prices have gone
Total exports by the four largest lumber-producing countries in Europe, Sweden, Germany, Austria and Finland, have been slightly higher in the first eight months of 2010 as compared to the same period in the previous year.
up between 15 – 40 percent in the major lumber-producing countries since early 2009. With the probability of reduced lumber demand in Europe during the winter season, lumber prices may continue to
Exports from Sweden declined by seven percent while
weaken. This development is problematic because sawlog
the other three countries increased shipments substantially.
prices have reached their highest levels in almost two years,
The Finnish sawmilling industry in particular, has had a
which will squeeze the profitability for many sawmills.
much better year in 2010 than in 2009. During the first nine
Consequently, it is likely that many sawmills will reduce
months of 2010, lumber production was up 27 percent
operating rates in the coming months, and as a result,
from the same period last year, with most of the additional
sawlog prices can be expected to decline during the first
production being exported.
quarter of 2011.
Universal Forest Products To Distribute Accoya Wood In US Washington, US: Universal Forest Products Western
of customers. We are delighted to be working with Titan
Division (UFP-WD) will distribute Accoya wood from
Wood in distributing this revolutionary product.”
Titan in the US.
With initial product certification and introduction
Accoya is a modified wood produced only from
now complete in the US, UFP-WD will provide market
certified sustainable sources, using an environmentally
penetration in existing and new application segments,
responsible process. It offers durability, dimensional
as well as increased recognition of the brand.
stability, and reliability.
Paul Clegg, CEO of Titan Wood, added: “North
UFP-WD will be central to Accoya wood sales in the US.
America is a key market in the wood products industry.
Dick Frazier, president noted: “We are constantly seeking
The commitment from a distributor like UFP-WD
innovative new products such as Accoya wood for our
provides further validation of the quality and potential
portfolio in order to meet the needs of our broad range
of our product.”
14 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Industry News
US Lumber Prices To Spike Beyond 2015 Lysanne Ooteman, Netherlands
Washington, US: The North American lumber market is poised to take-off due to recovering US housing starts, improving repair and remodelling activity, and surging demand in China. While the timing is probably the only question, increased price volatility is already a reality where prices are expected to touch the US$500/ Mbf level in the next two to three years – this compares to the average annual price of US$180/Mbf (for Western spruce-pinefir 2x4 dimension) in 2009 at the bottom of the market cycle.
Upward Trend After enduring some of the worst market conditions in 75 years between 2008 and 2009, the lumber industry has already seen improvements in the US housing market from the low point of 554,000 units in 2009 to almost 600,000 units in 2010 (+8
domestic producers as price levels have already moved higher
percent). A return to normal US housing levels of 1.6 million
in late 2010. This should boil over starting in 2013 when prices
units could take 6-8 years to achieve, but the direction will be
are forecast to break out, creating price spikes later in 2013 and
‘up’ all the way with gains expected to accelerate in each year
especially in 2014 when cyclical highs are forecast,” explained
of the forecast.
Gerry Van Leeuwen, VP. “W-SPF lumber prices should spike to
“Total North American lumber demand bottomed in 2009 at
as high as US$500/Mbf in 2014 – and earlier if housing starts
40.6 billion bf and is forecast to rebound steadily to 61.0 billion bf
increase faster than forecast – creating huge gains for lumber
in 2015 – a 50 percent increase from 2009,” said Russell Taylor,
producers and distributors.”
president of Wood Markets. “However, this is still well below the
A key driver to improved lumber prices is not only improving
peak of 76 billion bf in 2005, so there is a lot more upside after
US housing starts, but also the rapidly rising demand in China for
2015 before the market finally stabilises. It appears that the next
both logs and lumber. Although US housing starts will increase
five years will be quite a ride for lumber.”
by only eight percent in 2010, it is important to note that lumber
With an improving (but conservative) housing market forecast
prices (W-SPF 2” x 4” #2 & Better) have increased by 40 percent
and US economic outlook, Wood Markets 2011 forecasts a return
in 2010 to average of US$255/Mbf as compared to the average
to more volatile lumber market conditions that will create more
price achieved in 2009. Much of the gains are attributed to the
price spikes starting as early as 2012. But this will really show
huge demand in China that has allowed west coast mills to benefit
up in 2013 and 2014. “The prospects look very interesting for
despite slow demand in the US market.
AHEC Hosts Design Seminar In China Hainan, China: The development of tourism and conference
with US Walnut and Hard Maple and is now located in Hong
businesses in Hainan Province, China inspired AHEC with an
Kong International Airport.
idea of organising its first design seminar in Sanya in 2009.
Following the talk of Mr Chan, another Hong Kong
This idea was finally realised on December 27, 2010 in
interior designer Patrick Leung, shared with the audience
Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa with the seminar theme of Hotel
on his design of Tianjin Eagle Land International Resort
and Residential Design, moderated by Professor Lai Zeng
Hotel. US Walnut has been applied on hotel’s walls and
Xiang from the School of Urban Design and Architecture
ceilings, projecting a comfortable and natural atmosphere
of Shanghai Tongji University.
for hotel guests.
Specialising in residential, bar, restaurant and hospitality
The seminar was attended by 70 interior designers coming
projects, interior designer, Kinney Chan from Hong Kong shared
from Sanya and Haikou. John Chan, AHEC Southeast Asia
his project ‘The Travelers’ Lounge’ under his presentation
& Greater China (SEA & GRCH) regional director, said that
topic of ‘Living with Fun’ during the seminar. Completed
these interior designers were interested in US hardwood
in February 2010, “The Travelers’ Lounge” was decorated
interior design.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
15
Industry News
Canadian Forest Industry Prepares For Opportunities In 2011 Ontario, Canada: Canada’s forest products industry is entering the
Forest Agreement. We’re adopting sophisticated technology in
International Year of Forests. This is with a return to profitability
sawmilling and migrating to a bio refinery model on the pulp and
and a growing demand for its lumber, pulp and specialised papers
paper side. The industry has also been innovating to extract more
produced from well-managed forests. The United Nations General
value from every tree such as energy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Assembly declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to
and as such is becoming a player in the bio-economy.”
raise awareness of sustainable forest management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. “Our industry’s environmental leadership is known worldwide,”
Over the past five years the industry has more than tripled its wood exports to China – going from US$109 million in 2005 to US$385 million in 2009.
says Avrim Lazar, president and CEO of the Forest Products
“The planet is becoming crowded and more affluent. Between
Association of Canada. “In 2010 we signed the Canadian Boreal
now and 2030 the world’s population will grow by 1.3 billion, about
Lysanne Ooteman, Netherlands
the size of the current population of China,” says Mr Lazar. “Over that same period global GDP will double and personal income in the developing world is expected to triple. That translates into a huge upsurge in demand for increasingly scarce natural resources and a clear economic edge for Canada.” “Demand will strain supply not just for energy and minerals but also for land available for farming. The UN predicts a 50 percent shortfall of arable land in the next twenty years. This will be an obvious advantage for our agriculture sector but also for our forestry sector since it works sustainably in natural forests instead of relying on the huge tree farms found in other countries. Canada’s forest products industry is preparing itself for this opportunity.”
Appointments & Notices
APP Timber Appoints Representative In India
Jowat Appoints Global Partner Manager Jowat’s international business relations with distributing
APP Timber has announced its first local operation
partners reflect the strategy of focusing on the global markets.
in New Delhi, India, and has employed Shaba Ansari
The position of Global Partner Management is filled by Ulrich
as sales and marketing representative. Mr Ansari has
Schmidt. Together with his team, he will be responsible for all
been active in the local timber industry and has in-
relations with international distribution partners.
depth knowledge about imported raw materials. The
Mr Schmidt joined the company in 1996, and was the
company is committed to growing its business across
international sales director. With a substantial background in
India with various scheduled operations in Mumbai,
technical service and bonding technology, he has many years
Kandla and Chennai in 2011.
of experience in international sales.
The focus will be on a range of products such as
Mr Schmidt reports directly to Klaus Kullmann, marketing
American hardwood and softwood logs, teak logs,
and sales director on the board of the company. Mr Kullmann
European hardwood logs, both hardwood and softwood
said: “We are an enterprise with international activities, and
sawn timer and veneers. In future, products such as
we value intercultural competence. Ulrich Schmidt is the best
softwood glulam, flooring and various mouldings will
choice for a balance of technical competence and knowledge
also be introduced.
of global markets.“
16 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
ENQUIRY NO. 195
Market Out What are your company’s plans for South East Asia & Greater China in 2011? Given the regional demand for a full range of US hardwood products, AHEC will maintain its market promotional programs to provide service to the hardwood trade-importers, specifiers and users with promotional assistance, technical information and information on sources of supply. The association has also developed comprehensive PR programmes both in Greater China and Southeast Asia.
John Chan
What are the emerging trends in your segment of the industry? There is an increase in the sophistication
Regional Director American Hardwood Export Council – South East Asia & Greater China
What are your company’s plans for Asia Pacific in 2011? In 2011, thanks to its general growth, Asia Pacific economies and markets will continue to be a major player in the wood business. Even if China remains an important market and has a huge impact on imports and price, French Timber will continue expanding its business toward other developing markets such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and India. What are the emerging trends in your segment of the industry? Most of the traditional wood suppliers will face an increasing challenge in 2011 as the global availability for logs will be the main concern for sawmills and the wood industry. For timber, we forecast price increase in 2011 as logs supply is still impacted by the Russian tax issue and forest owners
are in a waiting position. Market shares will be driven by exchange rates between euro and dollar, and suppliers will see important shifts within the year. Oak will still be a best seller and beech will gain popularity thanks to its availability and reasonable price. What is your view or strategy on the rising concerns for sustainability? Sustainability has been part of FrenchTimber strategy and communication since the beginning. The French wood industry, thanks to its knowledge and knowhow in that specific field for the last 200 years, has always considered that sustainability is a key point to enable better marketing, sales and market shares, especially when targeting markets where concrete, steel and plastic are competitors.
look 2011 Asia on their industry players share with FDM With the dawn of a new year, key
of users and specifiers, architects, interior designers and product designers to consider US hardwood fashionable, stylish and trendy. So, in the past, there were only one or two species which dominated these markets. However during 2011, we expect designers and users trying to become more innovative and creative with their own design trends by taking advantage of US hardwood’s full range of species for furniture design and manufacturing. What is your view or strategy on the rising concerns for sustainability? The association will certainly pay high attention to the increasing voice on sustainability issues from the
design and manufacturing industry. AHEC has constantly provided trade and specifiers audiences data that confirms US hardwoods as one of the world’s most environmentally friendly materials, partly because American hardwood is a recyclable material, and is also a renewable resource which is naturally regenerated making minimal impact on wildlife and habitats.
plans and expectations for 2011.
have generated excellent results in GRCH and SEA. The domestic demand of US hardwood products for interior design in the secondary tier cities and markets is the market force to drive US hardwood industry to expand exports. ENQUIRY NO. 1001
What are the market developments that will drive the industry forward? AHEC will promote US hardwood in the emerging cities and developing regions to create domestic demand in additional to the coastal and developed cities. These promotional activities
The French forest and wood industry is PEFC certified and exporters can supply certified products to the industry. What are the market developments that will drive the industry forward? The latest agreement between Russia and Europe concerning the reduction of the Russian tax will have a positive effect for the European wood industry. With regards to Asia, the main development will depend on the exchange rate. That will affect all markets and segments, and will make the difference between log export and added value product export. However, the general trend will be toward a greater market in South East Asia and export of lumber should increase in all Asia in 2011. The development of the domestic Chinese market will have a great impact on trends, wood species and prices. ENQUIRY NO. 1002
is Guilbert o ç n a r F n a e J MD r FrenchTimbe
Market Out
flexible production where we see growing demand for companies to buy a working group of machines.
Chris Osbourne MD Homag Asia
What are your company’s plans for Asia Pacific in 2011? Service will continue to be the focus in all regions as we continue with our policy of dealing directly with customers and sales. We have opened a new office in Malaysia, and also established better presence in Vietnam. Going forward, it is our plan to put more resources into Vietnam where we see potential due to the change from solid wood to panel furniture. Recently, there has been a growing domestic demand in all South East Asian countries for furniture and construction projects, so customers are not only looking to export. This has helped keep the demand for machinery quite constant for the last 18 months. To meet this demand with excellent products and affordable pricing, we are expanding the
production and machine range from the China factory, and in the coming years, we can foresee a production facility in India. Although the market was excellent for most of 2010, going into 2011 we are cautiously optimistic about the market growth. What are the emerging trends in your segment of the industry? People who want to employ technology to help with increasing labour difficulty, Vietnam industrials sites where there is no accommodation for workers at sites, or in Malaysia and Thailand, where there is competition for workers; companies are considering employing machines and technology rather than labour. They are looking to automate more of their production, scheduling, connecting machines with production software, and
What are the market developments that will drive the industry forward? Technology, connection between machinery and production, as well as software automated packaging systems. The mass production market is increasingly aware that even though they are making inexpensive furniture, they have to do it with fantastic quality, because they cannot afford to make mistakes due to low margins. Likewise, at the other end of the market, we have the high-end manufacturers, who want to follow the latest designs and materials. Regardless of which end of the market, it is about the quality and repeatability, and flexible production to meet buyers’ demands. 2011 will be an interesting year, hopefully with a pick up in the US economy benefiting the SEA market. More interest in ‘Batch 1’ production solutions, and connecting the office – factory. In Homag Asia, it will be continuing to be recognised as the leading provider of latest technology, machinery and most important service and after sales. ENQUIRY NO. 1003
look 2011 What are your company’s plans for Asia Pacific in 2011? Our focus in 2011 will be to further enhance our commitment to both the region and the wood panel industry. Innovation for us is ongoing and there is a lot of potential within the market which we hope to help our customers take advantage of. What we can tell you at this time, is that our local technical service team is expanding and we are putting our first local development resource and equipment in place so that we can work even closer with our customers in the region, with everything close to hand on the ground. What are the emerging trends in your segment of the industry? Innovation never stops and it is just as well because customers, existing and potential, are always looking for the next advancement when it comes to resin technology, so will undoubtedly continue to drive the industry. For us, this will mean a continued focus on developing faster resins that allow producers to maximise their plant capacity. In addition, environmental awareness will be a key trend continuing to influence our sector and the market as a whole in 2011. Specifically, we will see increased awareness levels of the importance of indoor air quality, as industry standards such as CARB II further influence the choices of both the producer and consumer of wood based panels. We hope that through our efforts to inform and educate the market, we will witness the continuation of the trend we have seen in 2010; where producers
first trial and then switch to MDI based resins permanently after seeing what advantages they offer. What is your view or strategy on the rising concerns for sustainability? Huntsman firmly believes that wood based panels have a positive contribution to make in terms of addressing the challenges of sustainability. We believe that wood based panels are part of the solution to the challenge the world faces today in terms of carbon emissions, since wood has been proven to be an excellent form of carbon capture. By extending the life of the tree by using it in a wood based panel, you are locking away the captured carbon for many years to come, which can only be a good thing. We are an active supporter of industry initiatives to promote the use of wood panels, particularly as a construction material, because wood is an excellent form of carbon capture. When it comes to our MDI resins, we are always challenging our processes and procedures to ensure our manufacturing and deliveries are as sustainable as possible. For instance, we have focused on delivery and logistics elements, achieving CO2 reductions as the direct result of careful planning, implementation and management of environmentally conscious distribution and logistics strategies. An example of this is our MDI production facility in Rozenberg, Netherlands, where the company became the first chemical company to be awarded the ‘Lean and Green’ award from Sustainable Logistics Innovation Connekt.
Ross Mowatt anager for arketing M Regional M ucts Wood Prod Composite Huntsman
What are the market developments that will drive the industry forward? There is no doubt in my mind that innovation is key to progression and within our specific field, faster and more efficient resins will certainly drive the market on because they enable producers to increase their plant outputs and therefore increase their margins. Another development that will have a critical role to play is that of cost effective improved release systems, because end users are demanding a higher standard of panel appearance, as they desire a more natural looking wood colour. ENQUIRY NO. 1004
Focus
Slim Beautiful
Why is
Thin-cutting can save millions for your company. By Christian Klingsberger, head of sales (Woodtech), Wintersteiger
Precision Thin-Cutting Different people define the concept ‘thin’ differently. The resulting precision should assure that the sawn surface can be used to glue directly after sawing, without intermediate steps such as sanding or moulding (which unfortunately are the norm in the wood industry). Precision in this case means a range of + 0.15 mm. It is not enough to saw thin to save
22 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Esmie Lamprecht, Johannesburg, South Africa
T
he cost of wood – whether tropical or from re-forested sources – has become increasingly expensive over the last years, and it does not look like this trend will change in the long-term. Legal tropical wood has become harder to find; and nobody likes to transport expensive sawdust. Using less wood allows forest product companies to increase their margins by rationalising their raw materials, and as such, reducing their costs. Such cost-saving measures are easily implemented, and are very easy to quantify. The motto should be: save your expensive wood, and improve your margins!
wood in the sawing process, if there is no precision involved. In practice, the loss of the wood is the sum of the kerf of the sawblade itself and how much wood must be removed after sawing to get an even surface. The second item is what most managers do not calculate. The second process (calibration) is usually done either by moulding or sanding. Typical numbers seen recently in the industry illustrate this: a typical band saw has teeth with a ‘thin’ kerf of 1.65 mm. However, the lack of accuracy in this bandsaw results in having to sand away another 1.2 mm to get an even surface.
The final loss of wood is not only the 1.65 mm from the kerf, but 1.65 + 1.2 mm = 2.85 mm. The same principle is applicable to circular saws. The analysis of a large sawmill producing re-manufactured products in Latin America illustrates the point: even though it only uses ‘cheap’ re-forested logs, it can potentially save US$1.1 million per year, alone by changing the band saw technology. Therefore, the best piece of advice is to sharpen your pencil and make sure that the sawing technology your company is using really is the one that is most economical for you.
Focus for tools/sanding belts, and also less space needed in the factory. It allows production to be leaner and cheaper.
Sherry Thai, San Francisco, US
Band Saw Technology
Advantages Of Sawing Thin & Precisely Apart from the obvious advantage of saving money by using less wood to produce the same amount of end product, saving wood during the sawing process also has other advantages with concrete economic effects: • Less wood used means less logistics to move wood from the forest to the factory; this is especially important these days when moving wood around Latin America is becoming more and more complicated due to tougher controls. • Less wood used means needing a smaller cash flow for logs stocked in the yard. This has an obvious positive effect where tropical wood is concerned, as logs or boards must be stocked half a year in advance for use during the rainy season – in this case, less logs have to be stocked in the yard, and thus less cash must be invested in wood. • Less sawdust generated means less sawdust which has to be gotten rid off. • Another direct benefit of working with accuracy from the start is that there is one processing stage
less involved, such as sanding/ moulding, and thus less men to pay for this extra stage, less costs
Not only frame saws can achieve high precision with thin-cutting. In the past, band saws have always been very fast, but rather imprecise. The future has arrived: it is now possible to have saw kerfs of 1.1 mm, an accuracy of + 0.15 mm (same as frame saws), and speeds of up to 60 m/min, with widths of 310 up and 620 mm. This combination of width, precision and flexibility makes it interesting for door and furniture manufacturers, shuttering boards, and of course, flooring producers. Saving money in your sawing operations as described above is one of the most transparent steps you can take to improve your margins: it is very easy to calculate the potential savings, and just as easy to implement. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1101
Case Study Triangulo Flooring produces flooring in South America. It owns their own FSC-certified forests, and produces all kinds of wood flooring, pre-finished solid and engineered; almost their entire flooring production is exported to USA and Europe. At the factory start-up in 2003, originally twin circular saws were used to split their tropical wood S4S blocks into lamellas (these are the decorative top layers of engineered flooring, often 2.0 – 4.0 mm thick). In 2006 the first two Wintersteiger EcoPlus frame saws were
bought, to avoid having to sand away the ‘step’ on the lamella’s surface. Since then, four more EcoPlus have been acquired, and as production manager Marcelo Granemann put it himself: “Each machine we invested in has paid itself back in about six months, alone with the wood savings we have made.” The company is also sawing with kerfs of 0.9 mm, which is especially interesting when sawing very thin lamellas of 2.0 mm, since they can get out a few more lamellas from each S4S block, even when compared to the 1.1 mm saws.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
23
Focus
The Asian Wood Products Sector:
Evaluating
India’s Status
Christopher Augapfel, Shanghai, China
Amidst the global financial crisis, much has been written about the prospects of Asia becoming the engine of global economic growth. A closer look at the growth potential of the Asian powerhouses, India and China, suggests that these projections may indeed be true. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam, FIWSc
24 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
A
sia has emerged as the region with the strongest economic growth, and its appetite for imported raw materials and finished goods keeps many of the traditional economies afloat. In this context, the wood products sector is no exception, as traditional wood products producers in North America and Europe have become highly dependent on the Asian markets to keep their market share intact. Asia, which has the largest forest plantation in the world, is also poised to become sufficient in raw materials in the future. Against the total forested land area of four billion hectares in the world, Asia accounts for almost 740 million
hectares, or about 20 percent of the global forested area. Nevertheless, it remains as one of the least forested area with only about 0.2 hectares of forest per person. With almost two-thirds of the world’s population, Asia will continue to play a dominant role in the global wood products trade. According to the Food And Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the region consumes about 280 million cubic m of logs, 100 million cubic m of sawn-timber, 120 million cubic m of wood-based panels, 200 million tonnes of pulp and paper and about 59 million cubic m of processed wood in the form of valueadded secondary products, such as furniture and joinery. It must also be recognised that Asia has the fastest growing middle-income segment of the population in the world,
Lumber truck in Anren, Hunan, China.
the lack of innovative and value-adding capabilities, which markedly reduces its competitive advantage. Whether these findings are conclusive is a matter of debate, the future of the Asian wood products sector will undoubtedly rely on its ability to move up further in the value chain.
Declining Comparative Advantages The traditional strength of Asian nations has been an abundant supply of low cost factor inputs, particularly labour and wood raw materials. However, with the rapid rate of industrialisation, many Asian nations offer a variety of job options to the local population. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the workforce in the wood products sector is migratory and highly mobile. In a study by the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG), 2009, while such workforce characteristics offer the necessary cost advantage to the manufacturers, it limits the ability to add value. On the other hand, the supply of wood resources from the natural forests has dwindled to about 70 million cubic m per annum, while supply from plantation
ENQUIRY NO. 204
and so, the demand for wood products is expected to surge in years to come. In order to ensure resource sufficiency, Asia continues to invest heavily in the establishment of forest plantations in order to meet its increasing demand for wood resources. As of 2009, the total forest plantation area in Asia stood at some 135 million hectares, predominated by fast-growing wood species. The fact that wood is also the most important source of energy in the form of fuel-wood in many parts of Asia clearly reflects the importance of the wood resources in the region. Further, Asia also has the largest processing capacity for almost all secondary wood products in the world, with the exception of saw logs, sawn timber, pulp and paper. Against this background, it is no surprise that Asia predominates the wood products trade in the world, and China is widely regarded as the global factory for wood products. Despite its dominance, Asia also suffers from low productivity within the wood products sector, which hampers its ability to put resources to the best possible use. According to the study by the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG) in 2009, Asia is reported to enjoy comparative advantages in terms of raw materials and labour, while suffering from
Joshua Shinavier
Focus
Focus forest has increased to almost 40 million cubic m per annum. Nevertheless, Asia has a shortfall by almost 400 million cubic m for all industrial uses, which makes it highly dependent on imported raw materials from North America, Russia, South America, Africa and Europe. Such a trend explains the steady reduction in comparative advantages in the wood products sector among many of the Asian nations.
Slow Growth In Competitive Advantages
Trebz, Wisconsin, US
The competitive wood products sector in China and Vietnam has awed many throughout the world. China, as expected, has emerged as the factory of the world for many of the secondary products. These include products such as furniture, woodbased panels and flooring, although much of this production is based on established themes, or contract manufacturing, with little innovative inputs. Vietnam’s furniture manufacturing sector has recorded annual increases in the range of 20 percent on the average, every year since 2005. The country has emerged as the largest exporter of furniture within the South East Asian region.
26 FDM Asia  JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
However, value-addition is often not realised, making the strongly advocated industrial shift from contract manufacturing (OEM) to design manufacturing (ODM) a far-fetched reality. Although the Research And Development (R&D) spending within the wood products sector in the Asian region has been steadily growing over the years, there is an apparent gap between industry segments. This makes it difficult to transfer technology as well as to encourage technological progress. As a result, wood products manufacturers in the Asian region are trapped in a low-economy model, which has become a hindrance to their future development. Nevertheless, Asia exhibits one of the most rapid technological developments in the use of non-traditional fibre resources for value-added products, especially for panel products. The growing importance of China as a leading supplier of woodworking machinery is ample testimony to its strength in this sector, although it may have some way to go before catching up with the traditional woodworking technology powerhouses such as Germany and Italy.
Growth Drivers Despite the increasing competitive pressures, Asia continues to show a huge appetite for wood products. China, India, Japan and South Korea are the predominant markets for wood products in the region, especially wood for the construction sector. Furthermore, China’s huge processing capacity for almost all types of wood products has enabled it to export its surplus production to the rest of the world, despite the growing domestic demand. Changes in building codes, policy instruments that provide the necessary incentives for wood use, growing class of middle-income population and the increasing environmental awareness, are the primary factors that continue to push the demand for wood products in Asia. Although Asia suffers from a net deficit in wood resources, it has the largest area under forest plantation in the world and going by current estimates, it may be envisaged that Asia should be able to make use of its plantation forests in a sustainable manner by 2050, to cope with its rising demand for wood. On the other hand, the energy demand from less developed parts of Asia may continue to restrict the amount of wood stock available for industrial use, as in many parts of rural Asia, wood predominates as the main source of energy. If Asia continues to exploit the non-traditional fibre resources, such as biogases, oil palm, kenaf and jute for its energy needs, the region will completely transform its wood supply balance, and at the same time allow further development of its wood products sector to ensure a higher value for its wood resources. In fact, developments in the use of non-traditional fibres are rapidly growing in Asia, particularly in India and China.
Increasingly, these fibre resources are used in the manufacture of paper products and panels, which to a large extent has offset the pressure on traditional wood resources.
India As An Emerging Market
McKay Savage, Ontario, Canada
With a land area of 330 million hectares, India is one of the largest countries in the world. Its population stood at some 1.1 billion in 2009, while its gross domestic product (GDP) per capita on the basis of purchasing power parity stood at US$3000 in 2009.
India is one of the largest countries in the world with a population of 1.1 billion.
The country has a total forested area of about 68 million hectares or about 20 percent of its total land area. According to the Food And Agriculture Organisation, the annual demand for wood in India is in excess of 350 million cubic m per annum, with 75 percent of this total being used as fuel-wood. As the growth in demand is increasing at a rate of seven percent per annum, India is increasingly becoming dependent on important wood products. The annual demand for wood products is estimated to be at about 50 million cubic m for saw logs, 15 million cubic m for plywood, two million cubic m for veneer, 20 million cubic m for particleboard and 10 million cubic m for medium density fibreboard.
On the other hand, the demand for secondary wood products such as furniture, flooring and builders-joinery and carpentry is expected to increase to almost US$850 million per annum by 2015. In terms of production capacity, India is somewhat limited. Although significant progress has been made to increase production capacity of wood products in recent years, the existing production capacity fulfils about 40 percent of its domestic demand for primary products, while meeting about 30 percent of its demand for secondary value-added wood products, especially furniture. Inevitably, India continues to import wood materials from Africa, North America, Russia and South East Asia. Nevertheless, India has developed a relatively large pulp and paper industry, using nontraditional fibres to produce quality paper products and packaging materials. In 2009, its production capacity for pulp and paper products was estimated to stand at some 200 million tonnes. Although it has inherent strength in the woodworking industries, its lack of large scale processing capacity limits its ability to move up the value-chain. In 2009, almost 37,000 enterprises were involved in the wood processing industry, with only 6.5 percent classified as large enterprises. The available workforce estimated at 350,000 in 2009, was relatively unskilled for the wood products industry, and therefore, affected its overall industrial productivity. Despite its strong and well-established wood science and technology education, it has not been able to transfer much of the knowledge and know-how to the predominantly small wood
Joost J. Bakker IJmuiden, the Netherlands
Focus
enterprises located in rural areas all over the country. In order to realise the development of a skilled workforce, the Association Of Italian Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMALL), in collaboration with the Indian Institute Of Wood Science, has established a woodworkingtraining centre in Bangalore, aimed at training and transferring the necessary technologies to the industry at large. Such efforts will definitely reshape the wood products industry in the country in the long term.
Opportunities For The Future The importance of India as a consumer of wood products is poised to increase significantly in years to come. As the middle-income population grow, demand for quality wood products will rise, particularly for furniture and construction related products such as flooring. As India continues to be a potential market for wood products manufacturers throughout the world, intense competition is expected for the market. Although lifestyle conditions and legislations that may restrict foreign retailing of wood products in the Indian market may stifle the environment, the growing appetite of Indian consumers for imported goods appears to be unstoppable. As many have foreseen, India will emerge as another global market for wood products in the near future due to its rising economic strength and increasingly FDM discerning customer base. ENQUIRY NO. 1102
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27
Technology
Sanding Solutions:
Smoothing It Out Advances in technology have enabled manufacturers to develop sanding tools that are lightweight and that can get the job done quicker. By Augustine Quek
A
Matthew Mcarthur, UK
typical modern power sander can be seen in the design of Dynabrade sanders. Its Spirit orbital sander is constructed of lightweight but strong materials. The company claims that this model is popular for all applications including vertical sanding. The model weighs only 1.4lbs, even with a true 12,000 RPM air motor. The floating rotor utilises five blades, producing usable power of 0.25 horsepower. Less air (14 SCFM) is used more efficiently to maintain maximum power. Enhanced ergonomic features include low sound levels, and a muffling system to reduce exhaust sound levels. Another common type of sander – the spindle sander, is most often used for sanding curved cuts or saw marks on finishing woodwork to make them smooth. It is a popular tool for home improvement projects for rounding wood like one finds in furniture legs and stair treads.
Adaptable To Application The Grizzly G9922 is a oscillating spindle sander that comes with a half Horse Power (HP) 4.6 amp TEFC motor. The sander is set over a table of cast iron measuring 14.5 x 14.5 inch that provides it a solid base. The table can be tilted to an angle of 45 degrees for bevel sanding. Oscillating at 64 strokes per minute, this sander can sand contoured edges or irregular shapes.
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Another useful feature is the provision of a built-in two inch dust collection port. Another model on the market from the same manufacturer called the Grizzly G0529, combines the benefits of an oscillating sander and a 12 inch disc sander, thereby offering the functionality of two machines from one power tool.
Another innovation built into table sanders includes air-lift mechanisms. For example, the air table sander from QuickWood has built-in wheels for full mobility around the shop floor. It also has a built-in air pump to blow air up through the small balls counter sunk in the table. The small air balls on the
Technology surface of this air table sander make it easy to move large parts around to be sanded on the stationary spindle. This is based on the same principle as air-hockey where parts flow on a layer of air on the table. There are guide rails on both sides of the spindle, making it easy to guide the work piece by the sanding station, using both hands to move the part. The sander has a built-in inverter to control speed and provides a digital readout of spindle speed. This air table sander is also being used for sanding edges on large doors. In addition, multi-purpose power tools and electric drills may have sander attachments. Surface preparation equipment such as the Easily Manipulated Mechanical Arm (EMMA) feature sanders as an integral component of their system. Built by Temple Allen Industries in Rockville, Maryland, the EMMA is a manually controlled, pneumatically powered, mechanical arm that holds single or multiple sanders, grinders, buffing tools, or blasting nozzles, and that allows sanding (with or without vacuum) to be performed.
Efficient Handling The EMMA uses patented technology designed for workers to operate sanding equipment during the sanding stages of production and maintenance operations. Each EMMA system consists of four basic components: the actuation package, the joystick controls box, the arm, and the end-effector. It requires no programming, no microprocessor, and no electricity but requires a source of pressurised air for operation. The company claims that the EMMA increases productivity by producing a fine, consistent, and even surface finish at rates up to 10 times faster than traditional manual sanding. Modern sanding jobs are now carried out with specialised sanding machines. There are many different types of sanders for different purposes. While all sanding
machines have the principal function of transferring the force required for the abrasion process to the abrasive, sanding machines may differ on its working principles. The sanding motion can be oscillation, rotation, both oscillation and rotation, or circulation. For most jobs, the majority of material is removed by a large belt or drum sanders. The areas where the large sanders cannot reach, such as edges, corners, and stairs, are sanded by an edger. A finishing machine is then used for the final sanding. In addition, the progress, efficiency, and resultant quality are determined by the type of abrasive used, the sanding machine, the sanding machine performance and ergonomics. In addition, the sanding principle and the practical experience of the user also play a role. Sanding is a process that can be performed on wood to remove mill marks, dents, gouges and other flaws which are caused by woodworking machines, or otherwise introduced in handling. Sanders use abrasives to remove surface material. The simplest sander is a hand or block moving sandpaper across a wood or wood finished surface, to smooth it by abrasion. However, electric sanding machines – also called power sanders – can be used to move sandpaper over surfaces in various patterns. Most power sanders have a means to attach the sandpaper and a mechanism to move it rapidly, contained within a housing, and a means to handhold it or fix it to a workbench. Sanding solutions have had a long history of innovation and change, spanning several centuries. Its continual advancement now relies not just on the traditional woodworking industry, but also on the continual support for high-quality wood finishes. With the ever growing demand for quality, sanding solutions are likely to improve over time. FDM
Back To Origins The earliest recorded use of sandpaper was in 13th century China when crushed shells, seeds, and sand were bonded to parchment using natural gum. In addition, the rough skin of the shark was also used as a form of sandpaper. The natives of the Comoros islands also used the rough scales of the Coelacanth fish as sandpaper. In Japan, the rough horsetail plant was boiled and dried before being used as a traditional polishing material that is finer than sandpaper. Sandpaper was originally known as glass paper, as it used particles of glass. Glass frits are better has they have sharp-edged particles that cut well, while sand grains are smoothed down and did not work as well as glass. Glass paper was manufactured by John Oakey's company in London by 1833, which had developed adhesive techniques and processes, enabling mass production. A process for making sandpaper was patented in the US on June 14, 1834 by Isaac Fischer, Jr, of Springfield, Vermont. In 1916, 3M invented a type of sandpaper with a waterproof backing, known as Wetordry. This was a breakthrough, as sanding can now be performed with water, which serves as a lubricant and carries away dust and fine particles that would otherwise clog and hinder the sanding process. Today, sandpaper can be made in many particle sizes from a variety of materials other than glass and sand. Many manufacturers now sell sandpaper made from aluminum oxide, zirconia, and silicon carbide, one of the hardest and sharpest abrasives available. Silicon carbide is fast-cutting and almost as hard as diamond, but brittle enough so that coarse granules break off with wear and maintain sharpness.
ENQUIRY NO. 1201
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29
Panels
VSPlywood
Since its introduction 30 years ago, oriented strand board (OSB) has played an increasingly important role as a structural panel for all kinds of construction applications. Some design and construction professionals have come to swear by oriented strand board. Others, however, prefer plywood. So which product is better? Contributed by Marilyn LeMoine for APA – The Engineered Wood Association
T
he answer, for most routine construction applications, is both. Both products, although different in composition and appearance, are manufactured according to a set of standards that assure similar performance when used in applications for which they are intended, such as sheathing, singlelayer flooring, and exterior siding.
Manufacturing Process Plywood is a panel built up of sheets or veneer bonded under pressure by a moisture resistant adhesive to create a panel with an adhesive bond between plies as strong as, or stronger than the wood. Plywood is constructed of an odd number of layers with grain of adjacent layers perpendicular. Layers consist of a single ply or more laminated with parallel grain direction. Outer layers and all odd-numbered layers generally have the grain direction oriented parallel to the long dimension of the panel. The layers with alternating grain direction equalise strains, reduce splitting and minimise dimensional change and warping of the panel.
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Michael, New Jersey, US
OSB
Panels OSB is manufactured in a crossoriented pattern similar to plywood to create a strong, stiff structural panel. It is composed of thin rectangular-shaped wood strands arranged in layers at right angles to one another, which are laid up into mats that form a panel. The board is bonded with moisture resistant adhesives. Like plywood, the perpendicular layers achieve the strength, stiffness and dimensional stability advantages that result from cross lamination. Most OSB panels are also treated with a sealant on the panel edges to resist moisture penetration during shipment. As an added feature, panels are often textured on one side to provide a slip resistant surface.
Performance Versus Prescriptive Standards In the past, plywood mills worked with a
limited number of species, manufacturing products according to one product standard that contained a set of ‘recipes’ for acceptable ways to make plywood. Properly manufactured plywood, made according to the standard, is qualified to be stamped as meeting that standard. A performance standard, on the other hand, is based on the intended end use of the product and does not prescribe how the product must be manufactured. The performance standards under which OSB and some plywood panels are qualified were developed to assure reliable performance in service, to address a changing wood-fibre supply, and to remove obstacles to innovative manufacturing technology. The overall objective was to assure that a product satisfied the requirements of the application for which it was intended. To do this, the performance criteria in
Show your tool costs the teeth: with Board Pro III
the standard must address the critical attributes of the product that affected its successful performance in actual service. This led to the development of test methods that linked the attribution of the product with field performance and marketplace need.
Advantages Of Performance Standards Wood structural panel performance standards provide several advantages to manufacturers, user and specifiers alike. By expanding the range of panel composition and manufacturing methods, performance standards permit more efficient use of limited wood fibre supplies. Wood species, which do not lend themselves to use under traditional prescriptive standards, are made available for use. Furthermore, by freeing manufacturers from narrow, prescriptive requirements,
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Exclusive from Kanefusa: the T.C.T. panel saw blade Board Pro III. With specially developed tungsten carbide and extremely low-vibration steel plate. In the sizing and finish cutting of raw and laminated board materials, this ensures up to three times the machine uptime in comparison with other saw blades. Machine availability rises and tool costs fall. Kanefusa. Not Japan's leading manufacturer of quality tools for nothing. Now available from highly service-oriented distribution partners in your area.
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ENQUIRY NO. 206
Kanefusa Malaysia Office Phone: +60 3 92 057721 Fax: +60 3 92 057720 E-mail: kanefusamal@myjaring.net
Maja, Maribor, Slovenia
WayTru, Texas, US
Panels
force required to move the panel laterally is recorded. • Linear expansion – Measurements are taken to determine the change in length caused by moisture.
Performance Issues performance standards encourage manufacturers and product innovations, which translate into cost savings and improved performance for consumers. Performance standards establish baseline criteria for qualifying new products and provide a means for their recognition in building codes. Together with descriptive panel trademark shop, performance standards also simplify the specification, identification and use of wood structural panels.
Product Qualification & Performance Testing There are three basic criteria for qualifying wood-based panel products under performance standards – structural adequacy, dimensional stability and glue bond performance. Wood-based products qualifying as exterior siding are also evaluated for surface characteristics, including ability to accept different kinds of finishes. Performance criteria in these categories were established by building code requirements and through tests of panel products with known acceptance in the marketplace. The tests evaluate a panel’s ability to perform to the expected necessary levels for the intended end use. Not all performance tests apply to all panels and their
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applications, but a partial list of typical tests includes: • Racking – Repeated monotonic loads are applied to a panel-andlumber wall assembly. Deflection and ultimate load sustained by the wall are measured. • Uniform load – The panel is fastened to joists and a uniform load is applied (similar to heavy winds or snow), while deflection between joists is measured. • Concentrated static load – Load is applied through a one or three-inchdiameter disc mid-span between joists and near an unsupported edge. Deflection and ultimate load are measured. • Impact resistance – A bag of steel shot weighing 30 (13.6kg) or 60 pounds, depending on span, is dropped on the panel mid-span between joists to determine impact load performance. A concentrated load is then applied. • Direct fastener withdrawal – Nails are driven into the panel and through a hole in a steel block behind the panel. The nail is clamped and the
Where scepticism about OSB exists, it usually involves concern about the product’s performance after exposure to moisture. While thickness swelling caused by exposure to moisture has long been known to be greater in OSB than in plywood, such selling does not affect panel structural performance in the applications for which it is intended. Fastener withdrawal and other structural performance tests for plywood and OSB are conducted under both dry and wet conditions. As panel thickness swelling or other surface smoothness factors can affect the performance of resilient floor coverings, it is recommended that a separate plywood underlayment be installed if resilient flooring is used, regardless of whether the subfloor is OSB or plywood. Questions sometimes arise about long-term deflection characteristics of OSB. All wood products have a tendency to increase deflection over time under a long-term application of maximum load – a characteristic known as creep. In normally prescribed applications, however, creep is not an issue. A snow load on a roof, for example, is typically of too short a duration to cause creep. Even under permanent, full-designload conditions, OSB and other wood products can be used by incorporating appropriate design adjustments. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1301
ENQUIRY NO. 191
Surfaces & Flooring
Applying
Finishing Touch
The
It is very easy to achieve the direct high-gloss application without sanding and brushing interventions due to the normal formulation of the high gloss lacquers. By Alessandro Vespignani, sales manager, Cefla Finishing Equipment (Suzhou)
T
he application of compact pigmented lacquers is getting more and more common in the market with heavy usage of MDF as supporting material, which can be treated by the means of a pantograph. The result is the achievement of aesthetic effects with different forms. At the same time, the material is compact, so it can be easily covered
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with coloured lacquers. Due to its finishing characteristics, the high-gloss lacquer application (92-96 gloss) is always more in demand when the design of new furniture models needs to be valorised.
Easy Spraying Today, it is very easy to achieve the direct high-gloss application without sanding
and brushing interventions due to the normal formulation of the high gloss lacquers. Automatic spraying machines assure the thickness uniformity as well as the concrete product distension. But first of all, the attention must be on other elements. This is so that the finishing result can be considered acceptable depending on the strong or reduced presence of the
Surfaces & Flooring
Surfaces & Flooring
following negative features: • Wet powder and overspray that deposit on the panel • Imperfections due to small craters present in the bottom layer or due to an imperfect solvent flash-off • Sanding by the means of abrasive grains that are not sufficiently fine These faults can be rectified by the development of special protection systems against powder and overspray. In high-gloss finishing process for shaped MDF panels, such as classic kitchen cabinet doors or furniture, the bottom coat is applied in a double application of pigmented waterborne or acid SH lacquers that guarantee sufficient covering that requires perfect final sanding with very fine granulated paper. It is known that the polyurethane lacquers assure an increased in finishing quality concerning the softness by touch or view compared to other lacquers based on different resins. Therefore, the most applied high gloss finishing lacquer is a bi-component clear polyurethane product – it is easy to apply with optimal uniformity and distension results. Compared to an eventual pigmented finishing, it shows increased scratch resistance and reduced curing times.
Finishing Line
ENQUIRY NO. 126
An interesting variant that is getting more and more popular is the use of a clear waterborne high gloss topcoat – the sanding of the bottom coat requires proper attention (if possible with final grain 1000 paper). The product has a good dry residue as it can be cured in reduced times by the means of UV lamps after an appropriate flash-off in combined air and IR. Also in this case, the use of clear lacquers facilitates and assures the final hardening. The finishing line is composed of a loading station followed by a brushing machine for the panel cleaning. These machines are typically equipped with www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
35
Surfaces & Flooring
Finishing quality and the easy application of polyurethane lacquers are able to
compensate the eventual advantages of the application of fast UV products.
Tampico, horse hair brushes, antistatic bar and temporised rotating blowers that serve to clean the panel before the spray application. The automatic spraying machine, which finishes with water curtains is the machine for the application of polyurethane lacquers with positive aesthetic results. The machine is equipped with a skimmer, which assures the continuous separation of the water from the coagulated lacquer residues and with a scrubber for the outlet control of the solid particles into the atmosphere. The machine’s spraying zone comes up with forced ventilation with pressurisation in order to create internal airflows that avoid excessive overspray accumulations. Due to the water curtains, the overspray, which is in any case generated internally, is completely absorbed, while the external powder is controlled and stopped by the cabin that is installed around the machine in order to insulate it from the environment.
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Providing Protection An important element for the powder control is presented by a pressurisation unit. The filtration of the air going into the machines is carried out by cartridges with sub-micron control of the powder particles. The unit can also be equipped with a humidification system. The watersaturated ambiance attracts and reduces the powder by controlling the humidity. That, in turn have positive effects on the product distension. It is clear that the features as described above are studied in order to reach a high quality finishing of the direct high-gloss application. Last, but not least, the curing of the polyurethane topcoat requires long curing times before stacking. Finishing quality and the easy application of polyurethane lacquers are able to compensate the eventual advantages of the application of fast UV products.
The proposed solutions may differ according to the spaces, the required level of automation and the investment costs. It is fundamental to control the ‘offpowder’ process of the polyurethane products, because this is the most difficult phase due to the increased possibility of superficial damaging of the finished panel. This phase can be performed by the classic linear curing oven with laminar ventilation, or better by the means of a hot air storage unit with six levels that is able to assure, in reduced spaces, the flash-off in 15 minutes. The ovens are fed by air coming from the Hyperfilter that provides protection against the powder. The panels that are leaving the flash-off ovens are loaded on trolleys and complete their drying in ventilated chambers, which also protect against powder deposit. FDM
ENQUIRY NO. 1401
ENQUIRY NO. 181
Furniture Design & Technology
The Road Ahead
The trends for plastic edgebanding can be summarised into three main groups. By Christopher Bollow, area sales and marketing manager Asia, Doellken (Surteco Group)
W
hen we talk about trends for plastic edgebandings, three significant areas can be defined: Design, technology and health. I am sure most people would agree that the health aspect is one of the most important areas of all three.
Before going further, here are some facts: • People spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors • Children receive 72 percent of environmental exposure to chemicals indoors • Air pollution levels indoors are typically two to five times higher than those found outside • The largest source of indoor air pollution is chemical emissions from
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building materials and furnishings products • Poor indoor air quality is recognised by the US EPA, the American Lung Association and the WHO (World Health Organization) as ‘one of the greatest modern risks to human health’ What are the consequences for our health? Possible and common effects are: • Asthma and allergies • Headaches • Respiratory disease • Eye, nose and throat irritation • Reproductive/developmental defects • Neurological disease • Cardivasculardisease • Cancer
• Children and other sensitive individuals are at increased risk Looking at the health aspect in today’s plastic edgebandings, the trend is to improve public health and quality of life through edges that reduce chemical exposure and improve indoor air. This increasing demand for healthy, sustainable products and buildings across the world means that consumers, designers and specialist craftsmen in furniture construction and furniture businesses are looking for sector-wide standards for assessing sustainability. One example is the Greenguard certification program. It offers market solutions and resources for healthy products and provides manufacturers with credible means of legitimising and
Furniture Design & Technology
promoting their sustainability initiatives. It is worthwhile to note that thermoplastic edging products and global production processes have successfully complied with the strict requirements of the Greenguard Children & Schools certification program.
Design & Aesthetics Besides health, design is also another important factor in the world of plastic edgebanding; it is the most visible aspect. The reality though shows a very diverse range of images. A growing number of manufacturers see the need for perfectly matching ABS and PVC edges with sharp printing and high UV-resistance that protects the edges from changing colour quickly when exposed to UV rayes. Others are still behind this trend, going for the cheapest in the market. But end-users have become more cautious about the edging. This is one reason why more and more manufacturers take on special designs when open-edge panels need finishing off. It can be a real eye-catcher. Good proof of this is the increasing number of manufacturers adopting special looking edges. Although glass has been in use for thousands of years, it has never lost its fascination. On the contrary, glass is highly fashionable and imparts a unique effect on the furniture. The advantage glass has, as a modern design element is that it accentuates whilst at the same time integrating itself into the design of a room. Real glass unfortunately only radiates value until it is scratched. It is also heavy, expensive, fragile and cold.
The 3D-Premium-Gloss-two in one edgeband is an alternative to real glass. The advantages of glass are retained whilst the drawbacks disappear. Acrylic material makes this possible; the decor is applied to the back of the material to create a depth effect. With the edgeband, two colours, or decors, run in parallel. Plain colours are combined mainly with stainless steel, but also with wood decors. Finally a special high gloss varnish is applied to the 3D-two in one edgeband, eliminating the need for later polishing. But, the edgeband has even more potential for innovative designs. It can, for instance, be used to simulate a wooden board.
New Technologies The third trend area to pay attention to is technology. Two technologies will strongly change this industry. They are, laser technology/fusion-edge and digital printing. While laser technology for edgeband processing has won over many customers in Europe, it is still being introduced to the Asian market. With fushion-edge, gluelines between edgeband and board are now something of the past. Based on the laser jointing process, the fusionedge is the solution for glueline free narrow surface coating – with no hot melt adhesive required. No adjustment is therefore required
on the machine for adhesive application. Adhesive stocks are unnecessary and costs of setting up fall away. Possible through co-extrusion of a two-layer edgeband, a 0.6 to 3 mm thick base layer, in the decor of your choice, and a thin, integrated functional layer consisting of polymers and constituting the edgeband’s adhesive layer is coloured throughout in the same tone as the top layer. The functional layer is applied to the panel using a high performance laser and bonds to the board during processing via an invisible adhesion joint. Compared to conventional gluing, joint tightness and water and moisture resistance are better, thanks to the union of edgeband and board. The main advantages are: • Perfect looks • No gap between edgeband and board • Additional hot melt adhesive no longer required • Increased production safety and productivity Utilising this newly developed technology, it is now possible to also apply photo-realistic themes to edgebands and to print on coloured edgebands using the full colour spectrum. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1501
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Wood & Sustainability
Wood
The State Of
Sustainability
Across the world, sustainability is key to a globally functioning ecotropolis. As a population, what do we need, how do we sustain our standard of living for many years to come, these are important considerations and should be protected against corrosion. Sustainable living has three approaches, that being, social, environmental, and economic. By Mark Johnston
O
ur every activity affects the environment, be it negatively or positively. Selecting the right materials, equipment and design approach for buildings is an important part of every builder or designer's job. Builders and designers are increasingly embracing a ‘Green Buildings’ concept whereby the aim is to develop strategies for energy reuse by reducing non-renewables and lower energy wastage through the manufacture of materials. Wood has always been a versatile and popular building material used for building anything from furniture and toys to whole buildings. The material is the only renewable and sustainable resource for building, and the only building material that uses the sun’s energy to renew itself in a continuous sustainable cycle. Designers are taking advantage by adopting it in their designs for new environmentally friendly buildings. Warm, natural wood uses less energy and produces less air and water pollution than the manufacture of either steel or concrete, which are energy intensive processes.
Buying The Right Wood It is important, however, that consideration is given to buying the right type of wood, as the wrong type can contribute towards the destruction of tropical rainforests, which would be an ecological disaster. Home to around half the world’s species and an equal proportion of the carbon locked up in ecosystems around the world. So, from an environmental perspective, wood can be the best or worst of materials depending on whether harvested sustainably or unsustainably. Harvested sustainably, from sustainably managed forests, it is near perfect: durable, recyclable and requiring minimal energy to produce. As trees grow, they pull in CO2 from the atmosphere, discarding the oxygen and using carbon as the basis of the their growth. Meaning that wood is mostly made of greenhouse gas extracted from the air. To get the right wood, long-lasting is better, but the potential impact on the environment and ecology of the area from obtaining wood from unsustainable sources, is disastrous. The simple
Wood & Sustainability
reason being that when a tree is cut down and not replaced there is a build up of CO2 in the atmosphere.
Effects Of Deforestation Deforestation accounts for as much greenhouse gas as the entire global transport sector. Greenhouse gas is not the only issue, deforestation also threatens biodiversity affecting the animals that live there. Up to 10 percent of the world’s tree species are threatened with extinction.
Importance Of Certification It is important to have a reliable way in which buying environmentally friendly wood is both obvious and easy. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo signifies this. The FSC is a charitable organisation which certifies wood, paper and other tree products that have come from sustainable managed forests. The FSC is not the only certification scheme available, others include the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), Community-supported agriculture (CSA) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). The FSC is considered the most widely recommended by environmental groups and most commonly used on consumer products.
Malaysia. Major initiatives in the region to promote sustainable management of forestry are reduced-impact logging and by the use of certification. With a decline of wood supplying natural forests in the region, and the increase in planted forests for wood production, one wonders why this is so. An explanation is because of the higher costs incurred from management of the natural forest sector. In some countries, there is a ban on logging and it is preferred to set aside natural forests from an environmental perspective. Policies like these, however, are hard to implement and enforce, with illegal logging still likely to occur. About 136 million hectares of planted forests exist in the region, and represents nearly half of the global total. Investments in the region have been seen to increase over the past two decades with as much as one-third of the planted forests under environmental protection, mostly in China and India. The future supply of wood in the region will mean more productive sustainable forestry and to the encouragement of farm forestry. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1601
In The Absence Of Certification In the absence of a certification logo, it is important to consider the type of wood. Woods, such as pine, oak, beech and birth from Europe, are considered to have a lower environmental risk than those of tropical and subtropical climates. Tropical hardwoods such as these are not just reserved for furniture, but also used in snooker cues, salad bowls and musical instruments, to name a few. Reclaimed wood in the form of floorboards and furniture is another green option. The cost can be as high as new wood, but could be considered more attractive. For the environmentally conscious, these are important indicators and considerations when purchasing wood that will help prevent environmental harm and go someway to a healthy and sustainable future.
The International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) reported 14.4 million hectares of sustainably managed forests in the ten countries that hold membership in the region of permanent estate driven natural tropical production forests. The sustainable forests were found mostly in India, Indonesia and
ENQUIRY NO. 211
The State Of Forestry In Asia And The Pacific MALAYSIAN TIMBER INDUSTRY BOARD (Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities)
Level 13-17, Menara PGRM, No. 8, Jalan Pudu Ulu, Cheras, P.O. Box 10887, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: 603-9282 2235 Fax: 603-9285 1477 / 9200 3769 Email: info@mtib.gov.my Website: www.mtib.gov.my
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Features stripping agents also contain harmful residues that are released in the air when used. Inhalation of this dust or consumption of food on which wood dust has settled can be fatal. Asthma, dermatitis, as well as liver and kidney problems are some of the diseases caused by wood dust. Solid particles measuring less than 20 microns are called dust, while particles that are bigger than 20 microns are called chips.
Melvin Schlubman
Regulations
Chip And Dust Extraction:
Clear Solutions Efficient chips and dust extracting systems erected in woodworking factories can yield to cleaner environment and higher production outputs due to lower rates in health and occupational hazards with operators. By Shiv Kumar Shet, business development manager, Biesse Manufacturing - India
W
ood chips and dust come from processing wood. It can be said that woodworking industries have one of the most hazardous work environments — a lot of dust is emitted into the air by the machines and tools used by workers.
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Wood dust can cause serious diseases due to its hazardous contents. Wood dust from hardwood, softwood and wood composites such as MDF and particleboards can cause serious damage to humans. Chemicals such as resins, adhesives, paints, solvents and other
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) is a board that has regulations relating to wood dust emissions, and these rules are amended from time to time. The last time it was amended was in 2002. According to COSHH, the exposure limit for wood dust (WEL) in any workplace is 5mg/ m3 for a single shift (ie: 8 hour TWA or time weighted average). This means the WEL must be controlled below the prescribed limits. As long as the plant has an efficient dust extraction system, it is unlikely that the limit will exceed. Other regulations for the control of wood dust are the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 ISBN 0 10 543774 3 and the Factories Act 1961 ISBN 0 10 850027 6.
Sampling of Available Technologies These days, there are innumerable manufacturers of dust extraction systems. Notable is China, which has the most number of manufacturers whose products are sold on an offthe-shelf basis. Since there are no designed or custom-made systems for dust extraction, they are mostly manufactured in lots and kept in stock. However, huge lines and centralised systems are catered to by bigger companies that have a long history as manufacturers of such systems. They also extend services around design,
capacity, erection and commissioning procedures. Many such manufacturers are located in Europe. Dantherm is one such company that supplies equipment for controlling air/dust in industries, homes, and hospitals, to name a few. It has categorised dust control into three techniques: Fan Zoning, NonIntegrated Energy Management System, and Integrated Energy Management Systems. Customers are advised on the appropriate equipment based on their machinery and output, for instance. However, as the techniques are very elaborate, detailed counseling is required. Overall, the benefits offered by these techniques include: • Reduced emissions from filters • Reduces sound • Efficient dust collection • Ability to recover production data.
Jonny Hunter
Features
Solid particles measuring less than 20 microns are called dust while particles that are bigger than 20 microns are called chips.
• Lesser downtime and increased production rates • Energy savings Another example is Leitz that employs the DFC (Dust flow control). The tools are designed to control the chips using the kinetic energy away from the workpiece and into the extracting system. This
aspect has several advantages: • Improved product quality • Longer tool life • Lesser downtime and maintenance costs. • Energy savings • Higher productivity • Increased profits
Website: www.qiulinmc.com.cn
Specialized in Producing Hydraulic Presses
Main Products:
Wood-Based Plate Hot Press Secondary processing press series Collage hot press series Parquet Production Line Wooden door hot press Furniture pressing machine series Other special pressing machine
ENQUIRY NO. 141
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s h a n G h a i q i u l i n m a c h i n e ry c o . , lt d SHANXI QIulIN Tel: +86-354-2411812 GuANGdoNG QIulIN Tel: +86-757-27737650 SHANGHAI QIulIN Tel: +86-21-69151280 Email: qiulinmc@qiulinmc.com.cn
Fax: +86-354-2411813 Fax: +86-757-27737670 Fax: +86-21-69151280
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Features A Rule Of Thumb Machines such as panel saws, throughfeed edgebanding machines, CNC routers, beam saws, spindle molders and other machines for the solid wood sector need dust and chip collecting systems. The capacities of such systems depend on the size, power and other technical aspects of the machines emitting wood dust. It should be highlighted that the extraction systems does not depend on whether solid wood, particleboards or MDF types are processed. Some manufacturers of wood machinery provide machineries with
have a system to aid in the removal of dust and chips when connected to an extraction system. Routers may also have a conveyor belt under the worktable to transport heavy waste such as boards, blocks and slicing. A rule of thumb for choosing a dust extraction system is this: the amount of energy required to extract dust from a machine should be equal to the energy required by the machine emitting it. Yet, despite having the best dust extracting systems available in modern day wood processing, not all the chips are collected. Leftover dust and chips on the
Jordanhill School
Staff need to be educated on the hazards and risks involved in working around wood dust and chips.
the capacity to absorb the wood dust generated, thereby aiding the buyer in the decision process. For instance, there are throughfeed edgebanding machines that feature individual ports connected to the machine, or flexible pipes connected to a single common port on the top head of the machine. A chip collection box takes care of heavier chips in the forms of coils which are the result of edge trimming in bigger machines. These chips can be removed by hand even while the machinery is in operation. Some CNC routers also
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machine have a negative impact on the added value of the end product. It affects the finish quality and takes its toll on the tools. And more importantly, it can cause machine breakdown and increase downtime.
A Word On Dust Hoods Wood machines should have dust hoods that can divert maximum flow of dust and chips into the connected extraction system. Dust hoods can be made in the workshop itself. They can be designed to have an opening of approximately 10-12
inches opening and can be made out of sheet metal or ABS. The weight may not be more than 2.5 pounds (1.13kg). They need to also have a port of 100mm to connect the extraction system. This is another efficient way to tackle dust and chips emitted from wood machinery. Lately, machinery manufacturers have begun to incorporate dust hoods in machines in order to add another selling point.
Foremost Consideration Dust extraction is often an after-thought when application of the system is required. The truth is, it should be the foremost consideration in any woodworking factory. After all, it is directly related to the health of the worker. Since it is not possible to extract 100 percent of the dust emitted, it must be controlled as much as possible. Regular checks must be performed on the extracting systems to ensure that they are functioning at an optimum. To check the dust in the atmosphere or to check the efficiency of the dust extracting systems, one can simply allow a beam of sunlight near the dust extracting systems. Other simple techniques include installing windscreens, hanging wet screens to absorb the dust, or installing exhaust fans to control the residual unabsorbed dust within the factory. Staff working in small or large wood processing plants need to be educated on the hazards and risks involved in working around wood dust and chips. Protective masks, breathing filters and earplugs all provide protection to the worker. The effects of wood chips saw dust and other emissions on operators and other workers are often considered as a nuisance in the industry. But the industry remains focused on creating the right filter, mask, and dust extracting system that will ensure human safety and machine efficiency. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1701
ENQUIRY NO. 202
Features
Climate Friendly Case Study:
Alternatives
Low emission, low temperature dryers play a decisive role in the efficient industrial production of high-quality wood pellets. By Heinz Nepomuck, technical sales department of GKD - Gebr Kufferath AG
S
ince their introduction in the German market about 10 years ago, the success of wood pellets has been notable. Roughly 720,000 tonnes of pellets were produced during the first half of 2010 in Germany alone. Industry calculations predict that by 2015, about 500,000 pellet heating systems will be installed in private residencies, and in excess of one million by 2020. Additional growth drivers are large power plants with an annual pellet consumption of up to 1.2 million tonnes. More and more coal-fired power plants rely on wood pellets for power generation to reach the legally specified limit values for CO2 emissions. Unlike other fossil fuels, the use of wood pallets is largely CO2-neutral and thus climate friendly.
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From By-Products To Energy The IBV Group founded Belgium IBV in 1999. After one year, with the help of a new sawing line, the cutting capacity for logs had more than doubled from approximately 300,000 solid cubic metres of softwood to 650,000 solid cubic metres. In 2006, the sawmill expanded its product range to include the manufacture of dried and planed lumber products. To cover the energy demand required for an efficient and environmentallyfriendly drying, the company converted the entire production process in Vielsalm to a CO2-neutral supply with power and heat. This was made possible by building its own biomass thermal power plant that converts sawmill by-products into energy and functions on the principle of cogeneration.
The power plant produces 20 MW of power, 30 percent of which is used to cover the entire power requirement of the company. The remaining 70 percent of the green energy are fed into the public power grid. At the same time, the power plant produces 45 MW heat, which is used to dry all of the lumber by-products. The waste heat is used for the supply of the lumber drying kiln as well as for pellet production. Currently, plans to triple the group's performance within the next three years are moving ahead at full speed. The construction of a new site in France will begin shortly. The start-up of a large sawmill for 500,000 m of softwood, a biomass thermal power plant with 52 MW thermal capacity, and a pellet plant with an
Features
annual production volume of 250,000 tonnes is scheduled there for 2013.
Removing Moisture On the 32-hectare site in Vielsalm, Belgium, it sees 85 truckloads of logs and 60 truckloads of biomass arrive daily throughout the year. The delivered logs are sorted according to customer specifications, recorded three-dimensionally via computer and measured. In the sawmill, the logs are cut to order. The by-products produced during this process – sawdust and wood chips – are shredded with a rotor chopper and hammer mills to particles of a size less than 10 mm. The wood chips produced are transported to the corresponding drying plants via an extensive pipe system. Two 205 sq m low-temperature belt dryers are used. Even though the stacked dryers can operate independent of each other, they work in parallel. The chips to be dried are spread onto the endless permeable mesh belt over the entire area via dosing screws. In the process, levelling rolls ensure a uniform filling height of 80 mm. Heat exchangers installed above the belt are supplied with thermal energy from the thermal power plant and heated to 80 deg C. Suction fans installed under the belt use low pressure to draw the warm air through the product layer and the belt. In doing so, the air is saturated with moisture, but also loaded with dust.
Dust Filtration ENQUIRY NO. 203
The mesh construction makes the dryer belt permeable despite the small mesh openings, but also ensures dust retention. Thanks to its efficient retention rate, no additional external air purification measures are required to be in compliance with the emission limit values in force in Belgium. At the end of the belt, the dust is removed together with www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  JAN/FEB 2011
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Features the chip material. The dry top layer is peeled off and removed. The remaining layer, which contains residual moisture, is transferred via a discharge screw and conveyed to a second distribution screw. It spreads the pre-dried layer again uniformly as the top layer onto the layer cake. The warm drying air that passes through the cake a second time extracts the residual moisture from the top layer and peels off the resulting dry layer again. A fan discharges the moist air to the outside. Depending on available heat quantity and residual moisture level achieved, the dryer adjusts the belt speed automatically. The moisture content of the chips at dryer input is 58 percent, during the process it drops to eight percent at dryer output. The moisture content measured at that point serves as control parameter for the transport speed. During the drying process the chip cake loses half its weight. Any chip residue on the belt is removed by a rotating brush. In addition, the dryer belt is cleaned by a high-pressure water blaster in regular intervals.
tested in the winter months during minus temperatures. Temperature ranges from –10 deg C outside temperature to 80 deg C drying temperatures are not unusual. The endless mesh belts withstand these, as well as high mechanical stress. This also applies to the outer edges of the belts that are subject to particular
Emission Values Below The limit "When using the mesh belts, no additional dust treatment is required,” says Christian Gebele, divisional director of energy at WTT (IBV's energy company), when explaining the advantages of the system. "We are almost 10 times below the limit value of the permissible dust exposure.” In Belgium, a dust load of 20 mg per standard cubic metre is permitted (in Germany even 30 mg/standard cubic metre). The measured value of the belt dryer system at IBV is 2.7 mg per standard cubic metre. In addition, since the dryer is located outside, the belts are subject to extreme weather conditions. The robustness of the mesh construction is especially
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stress. Despite the large weaving width, the dryer belts have complete crossstability. The stretch proof, accurate and abrasion-resistant belts, each 6 m wide and 70 m long, meet the expectations in a sustainable fashion. Bronze wires woven in running direction throughout the mesh prevent electrostatic charging according to the ATEX directive. The retention characteristics of the mesh construction prevent chip particles from pushing through, reduce the cleaning requirement, thus ensuring a trouble free production. For this reason, four of these
dryers and mesh belts are intended for the new facility in France. Initial planning for the start-up of two additional chip dryers has also commenced for Belgium. The objective is to run eight of the low-temperature dryers over the medium term.
Climate-Friendly & High Savings After buffering, the dried chips are ground once more. The resulting particles with a size less than 3 mm are axially injected into the pellet press at high pressure and radially pressed through the matrices. The pellets are certified for the private consumer market as quality pellets according to DIN Plus. However, the majority of the 150,000 tonnes annual production – equalling an output of 20 tonnes or 30 cubic metres per hour – is currently supplied to the Belgium industry for power production. As climate-friendly and economic alternative to fossil fuels, wood pellets are becoming increasingly important. Their use is CO2-neutral, ie: the carbon dioxide (CO2) released during combustion is the same amount as absorbed by the tree over its life. As regionally renewable, permanently available fuel they allow independence from heating oil and natural gas, which are limited fossil resources. Currently (October 2010), the price of wood pellets in Germany is one third less than gas and oil; this fact will continue to accelerate their industrial use as energy source. This trend can be seen throughout Europe. The wood processing industry is preparing for this with increasingly larger and efficient production facilities. Low emission, low temperature dryers play a decisive role in the efficient industrial production of high-quality wood pellets. Mesh dryer belts combine high permeability at small mesh opening with high thermal and mechanical stress. The use of pellets eliminates further treatment to meet limit values for dust exposure. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1702
E H T E C A R S B ’ EM ORLD W ST E N I F INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR SINGAPORE 2011 28th ASEAN Furniture Show
11 rch 20 Halls 2 – 8 a M 2 9 – 1 pore Expo, Singa
m.sg clude: .DecoAsia.co .com.sg in s w o h | www ospitalityAsia ating s .H Co-loc ia 2011 .sg | www s fs.com f i Deco A ty Asia 2011 @ y r i ali enqu Hospit m.sg |
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Participating countries include: Australia • Belarus • Belgium • Brazil • British Virgin Islands • China • Denmark • France • Germany • Hong Kong Iceland • India • Indonesia • Italy • Latvia • Lebanon • Malaysia • Myanmar • The Netherlands • New Zealand The Philippines • Singapore • South Korea • Spain • Switzerland • Taiwan • Thailand • Turkey • United Kingdom United States of America • Vietnam
Hanneke Perik, Overijssel, Netherlands
Features
Woods & Sustainability:
Hardwood & Softwood Species Eco-friendly wood is all the rage these days. Consumers are also increasing their awareness about the global implications of deforestation and climate change, and their associated interconnectivity. By Augustine Quek
F
or any product to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, all elements in its lifecycle must be considered, including the source of the materials, the means by which they are processed, and the effect that they will have on the environment. Wood can be considered one of the most environmentally friendly materials for furniture making and building construction. It is a renewable form of material that can be recycled at the end of its useful life without detriment to the environment. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and in doing so, reduces greenhouse gases and improves air quality. A cubic metre of wood can store about 0.9 tonne of CO2 through photosynthesis. When compared to products like concrete and steel, the manufacture of
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wood products consumes far less energy, emits less greenhouse gases, releases less pollutants into the air and generates far less water pollution. According to the Finnish-based Building Information Foundation RTS, every cubic meter of wood used as a substitute for other building materials reduces CO2 emissions to the atmosphere by an average of 1.1 tonne of CO2. If this is added to the 0.9 tonne stored in wood, each cubic metre of wood saves a total of two tonnes of CO2. Based on these figures, a 10 percent increase in the percentage of wooden houses in Europe would produce sufficient CO2 savings to account for about 25 percent of the reductions prescribed by the Kyoto Protocol. Wood also has other desirable aesthetic characteristics that provide warmth and character and make it a natural choice
in a multitude of design applications. Compared to other materials and decorative products, wood is a natural, sustainable, renewable and recyclable resource.
Source In order for wood to be considered as a sustainable form of material, the source of wood and the manner in which it is harvested is important. In simple terms, good forestry management practices do not degrade the capacity of forests to produce wood, products, and services on a long-term basis. However, controversies over timber harvests throughout the world’s forests have lead to the development of forest certification programmes. These programmes are responsible for promoting and maintaining environmentally friendly forestry practices. This includes standards
Features for ensuring that the wood comes from a forest that has maintained the rights of indigenous people, had its environmental impact carefully studied and respected, and its sustainability and conservation have been adhered to. Currently, there are more than 50 certification programs worldwide. Globally, the two largest umbrella certification programs are the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC). The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), which is endorsed by PEFC, and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), is now the world’s largest single forest certification standard, and according to the United Nations, is the fastest growing when it comes to chain of custody certifications.
A more contentious issue is the view that tropical hardwoods are less sustainable than European and North American timber. This is based on the assumption that tropical rainforest are being clear-cut without replacement. As tropical rainforests are home to around half of the world's species, clear-cutting also result in loss of biodiversity, in addition to releasing the carbon locked up in ecosystems. However, not all European and North American forests are certified, and there are sustainability issues in the noncertified areas too. For example, the fast-growing larch from larch plantations across Europe are certified and sustainably harvested, but Siberian or Canadian larch often comes from ancient forests. Bad and illegal logging practices in Russia have put the Siberian tiger and Far
Eastern Leopard at high risk. Similarly, other kinds of wood from trees native to Europe, such as pine, oak, beech and ash from Romania, Poland, Bulgaria and the Ukraine are often linked with the destruction of ancient forests and illegal logging. Therefore, uncertified European wood does not pose lower environment risks than those from tropical rainforests. There are several alternative wood sources as well as woody material that can be considered sustainable.
Cork There are about 2,200,000 hectares of cork forest worldwide, mainly in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, providing about 340,000 tons annually. Cork is harvested from still living trees, through delicate stripping of
Innovation Changing Compact as never before Precision, which leaves everything behind Quality, which is more than convincing Advantage - the next Generation - Now
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Further information on www.ima.de IMA AG Asia Pacific Pte Ltd 2 Kallang Pudding Road #05-16 Mactech Building Singapore 349307 Tel: +65 6749 6588 Fax: +65 6749 6577 info@ima-sg.com www.ima-sg.com
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John Tann, Sydney, Australia
Features private companies and related government agencies. At present, it comes exclusively from plantations established for latex production. With an expected increase in demand and shortage in supply, the growing of rubber trees for the sole purpose of timber production provide an economic incentive for the countries involved in the rubber industry.
Suppressed Wood
Rubberwood comes from mainly the Pará rubber tree, also called Hevea brasiliensis. The rubber tree exudes a latex sap that is the world's primary source of natural rubber. The trees are harvested for their latex each year, but by the time they are around 30 years old, latex yields decrease to the point that it is not commercially viable to tap the tree any more. The rubber tree would be felled and burned on the spot or chopped up for firewood to make way for a new tree. However, in the light of current
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h, Angus,UK
Rubberwood
environmental awareness and waste reduction, the wood from such old rubber trees is now being used extensively in furniture, flooring, construction and even toys. Given their large size, a single tree can provide a significant amount of timber. The wood is a pale cream to yellowish brown colour and is easy to stain to gain deeper colours. The finish adaptability is rated at 94 percent of that of teak under standard conditions and comparable to beech for workability. Today, the utilisation of rubberwood can be attributed to the combination of research and development by the Forest Research Institute Malaysia and the development of marketing strategies by
Colin Broug
the outer bark by skilled workers using specialised cork axes. The tree is preserved and the bark renews itself for harvesting every 9-12 years. It is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial by nature and naturally fire-retardant. Cork can absorb sound and impact, and provides a consistently warm surface. As it is a good insulator, it can reduce the energy required for heating. Using cork for floor tiles and other building materials also reduces wastage, as it is often the by-product of more lucrative stopper production. The manufacture of the flooring is relatively toxin-free and efficient.
Another two sustainable, but unconventional sources of wood, include suppressed wood and reclaimed wood. Suppressed wood floor planks are produced from the undergrowth of forests that are often comprised of smaller, immature trees. Sustainable forestry practices include the clearing out of this undergrowth, as it is generally recognised that overly dense forests increase fire hazard and leave trees vulnerable to insect infestation and disease. These small, slow-growing trees were once regarded as waste, suitable only for fuel and firewood or even into landfills or wood chips. Flooring that comes from such a source will be labelled as ‘suppressed wood flooring’. Attributes of these trees include close grain, fine texture, and small tight knots. This can provide a raw material for joinery, flooring, and panels. Extending the lifecycle of wood products through recycling also means
less virgin wood is needed. Reclaimed wood products use wood from condemned buildings, old homes, cut and abandoned trees, structures, and a myriad of other sources. The wood is reconditioned and refinished before incorporated into new products. Reclaimed wood is popular mainly because of its many advantages, including the wood's appearance, its contribution to green building, the history of the wood's origins and the wood's physical characteristics such as strength, stability and durability. Reclaimed beams can be sawn into wider planks than the harvested lumber, and many companies purport that their products are more stable than newly cut wood. This is because reclaimed wood has been exposed to changes in humidity for far longer times and therefore more stable, allowing them to be used with radiant heating systems. The main drawback is that reclaimed lumber is typically more expensive than new lumber primarily due to expenses associated with dismantling, sorting, and preparing the wood.
Other Considerations The process of manufacture and delivery of the wood products also impacts the environment. One way to improve sustainability is to reduce waste and improve efficiency in the primary production process. For example, the thickness of the saw kerf, or the width of the path cut by the sawteeth as the saw blade moves through the log, has a significant impact on lumber recovery. Using a thinner sawkerf reduces the amount of sawdust that develops during sawing. For example, in cutting a board that is 1.125 inches thick with a saw kerf of 0.3 inches, the total wood usage per pass is 1.425 inches. Calculating the saw kerf as a percentage of the total wood usage per pass results in 21 percent of the wood
Guenter Kirchweger,Salzburg, Austria
Features
removed as sawdust, or about one-fifth of the log resource. A band saw with a kerf of 0.14 inch would result in an increase in lumber recovery of about 10 percent. A recent study by the US Forest Service, State & Private Forestry (S&PF) used red oak logs lengths of 4-6 feet and diameters between 12 and 20 inches were sawn with a saw kerf band saw (0.062 in saw kerf). Boards sawn were one inch thick and ranged in lengths from 2-6 feet. Lumber recovery or conversion efficiency for the 20 log sample averaged 82 percent, which is 30 percent greater than the typical circular sawmill. In addition to thin kerf sawing, other processes that eliminates waste are improved harvesting methods, which include on-site processing and full tree chipping. The main concern of finished wood products is the hazardous volatile organic content (VOC) emissions used in solvent-
based coatings and finishing. These are usually aliphatic hydrocarbons, ethyl acetate, glycol ethers, limonene etc., which are sensory irritants with other respiratory, allergic, or immune effects. Such harmful emissions can negatively impacts indoor air quality for years after application. Therefore, many types of liquid coatings, mainly water-based, for both surface protection and decoration are now VOC-free. Eco-friendly wood is all the rage these days. Companies from Ikea to Home Depot require their suppliers of tropical wood to be certified by organisations like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which aim to ensure wood is harvested in a sustainable and responsible manner. Consumers are also increasing their awareness about the global implications of deforestation and climate change, and their associated interconnectivity. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1703
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Features
Future Of Wood-Based Panel Surfacing The future direction of panel surfacing is looking on the up. By Dr George Goroyias, Tomi Hartikainen, Ania Krolak & Lauma Kazuša, Poyry Management Consulting.
T
These end-use markets tend to follow the economic development, and so the recovery from the current downturn is vital for the future demand for wood panels and, subsequently, their surfacing. Particleboard and MDF are the two largest wood-based panel types, which are surfaced. After a period of good annual growth of four percent per annum during the period of 2000 and 2007, the global particleboard demand contracted by almost negative three percent between 2007 and 2008 and by further negative nine percent during 2009. The market is expected to recover from the dip, increasing by an average of five percent per annum until 2015 (see figure 1). The main growth will come from Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America, while the North American
he wood panel surfacing market is a part of the consumer products sector, which is responding to the need for sustainability at affordable prices. During the last decade, the global wood-based panel surfacing business environment has faced a number of challenges. Today, mainly as a result of the world’s most severe recession in modern times, the sector is going through a period of restructuring, while trying to either maintain, or regain, profitability.
Global Wood-Based Panel Markets Wood-based panels are used as furniture, flooring and other construction components, and these sectors are the main market drivers for the panel demand.
Figure 1 – Global wood-based panel demand development Million m3
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markets are likely to stagnate or even decline. Western Europe will face further furniture sector off-shoring and the market is expected to remain stable. The MDF/HDF market was in its expansion phase up to 2007 boasting an average annual growth of close to 15 percent and reaching 57 million cubic m in total global volume. Laminate flooring and general new product penetration across furniture and construction sectors are the main drivers for higher growth, when compared to development within the particleboard sector. The market experienced a slight dip of -0.5 percent between 2007 and 2008, but started to grow again already in 2009, and is expected to continue growing by an average annual growth of 10 percent per annum until the end of the forecast period. Asia, South America, Middle East and Eastern Europe will continue to be the growth regions, while more traditional markets in Western Europe and North America are expected to grow modestly, driven mainly by laminate flooring. The plywood market, of which only some 10 percent is surfaced, felt the most severe downturn of the three wood-based panels as the global market dropped from 2007 peak volume of 74 million cubic m by negative eight percent in 2008 and by further negative six percent during 2009. Historically, the market grew by an average of five percent per annum until 2007, and is forecast to continue growing,
Features however with more modest pace of just over two percent annually until the end of the forecast period. Main growth areas will be Asia and Middle East, while moderate growth can be expected in Eastern Europe and stagnation in domestic markets of Western Europe, North America and even in South America.
Global Wood-Based Panel Surfacing Business The global wood-based panel surfacing material demand is likely to grow by three percent per annum from the current 12 billion sq m to 14.7 billion sq m in 2015 (see Figure 2). The traditional markets in Western Europe will experience a slowdown from historic growth levels with an absolute volume growth of 480 million sq m between 2009 and 2015, while
and 2015, driven by China’s demand. Paper foil market have shown a modest average annual increase of two percent, and is expected to recover by an average annual rate of three percent over the forecast period. Veneer substitution will be one of the main growth drivers. Eastern Europe is expected to lead the growth followed by Western Europe and Asia. The laminate market has also grown moderately by two percent per annum and is expected to continue to develop at a similar pace. The future growth is expected in Asian markets, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America. Western Europe and North America are expected to stagnate or even decline. Thermoplastic foil markets have been
Figure 2 – Global surfacing material demand development 6.2 5.1
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Surfacing material South America demand in billion m 2 2009 2015
North America will stagnate. Therefore, the main growth will stem from developing regions of Asia, Eastern Europe, Middle East and South America. LPM is the main wood-based panel surfacing material. Historically, the demand has grown by an average of four percent per annum and is forecast to grow by five percent per annum to 2015. LPM has been a substitute mainly for veneer but also thermoplastic foils, laminates and liquid coatings. Asia is expected to show the highest volume growth between 2009
Industry Structure Integrated wood-based panel producers have a strong foothold in melamine impregnation, laminate flooring, as well as in laminates and, to a lesser extent, veneers. On the other hand, decorative printing, thermoplastic foils and liquid coatings are produced by more specialised companies and the influence of panel players is limited in these value chains. In general, the European landscape is relatively fragmented with decor printers and thermoplastic foil producers showing moderate consolidation (see Figure 3). The industry in the developed economies needs to focus more on rationalising inefficient capacity and consolidating the supply base in order to counterbalance the demand cyclicality. In contrast, North and South America tend to be more consolidated when compared to Europe. The Asian industry is very fragmented and is expected to remain so in the context of a very competitive and complex business environment.
Value Chain Profitability
Middle East 0.7 1.0
Asia and South America leading the game.
relatively stable, growing by an average annual rate of less than one percent, and a similar future trend is expected. Thermoplastic foils are in a substitution battle with LPM and paper foils in 2D applications whilst in 3D they mainly compete against liquid coatings. Asia is forecast to experience the highest growth. Liquid coatings have increased their relative market share, showing a healthy annual historic growth of five percent. Similar growth is expected after the downturn, with
The value chain creates financial value for its owners and meets its profit requirements. However, the key point of the value chain, the wood-based panel producers, is not well positioned to create and maintain margins. Panel producers’ customers extract more value, which in the long term may have negative implications for the value chain as a whole. It should be noted in the analysed sample of European companies across the wood panel surfacing value chain, that the standard deviation from the average can be wide as there can be significant differences between the companies in the same position in the value chain. More specifically, the variation in operating margins depends on the level of integration, scale, geographical www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
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Features Figure 3 – Surfacing material outlook, Western and Eastern Europe Outlook – Eastern Europe
Outlook – Western Europe
Bubble size represents market size in 2015
Bubble size represents market size in 2015
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0 line
Growth
0 line
Absolute volume growth 2009 – 2015 (million m2)
Leadership
High Absolute volume growth 2009 – 2015 (million m2)
High
Low
0 line
Differentiation High
Penetration rate 2009 - 2015 (surface consumption m2 / panel consumption m3)
(surface consumption m 2 / panel consumption m3)
Figure 4 – Industry consolidation in Europe Fragmented
PB MDF Plywood Melamine Impregnators Laminates Laminate Flooring Paper Foils Decor Printers Veneer Thermoplastics Liquid Coatings presence, market segment focus etc. Regional aspects, asset base and level of integration have a significant impact on profitability range. Western Europe has the highest production unit costs (energy, labour). Developing regions are benefiting from low labour, while North America enjoys low energy as well as wood cost and availability. Based on the European analysis, decor printers appear to have achieved the highest margins over the analysed period. In general, it is evident that valueadding commands higher margins and returns, when compared to the traditional panel producing business.
Moderately
Consolidated
consolidated
Anticipated movement
Figure 5 – Value chain profitability in Europe (2004-2008 avg.) 20
There are three mega trends that will create a more complex world and will
56 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
- ROCE -
EBIT margin, %
18 16 14 12 Decor Printers
10
Paper Foils
8
Laminate flooring
Liquid coatings Laminates
6 Veneer
Impregnation
4 Thermoplastic Foils
2
Mega Trends
have an impact on the wood-based panel surfacing business: • Population growth and urbanisation: Demographic slow down in the developed world creates overcapacity and urgency for a faster pace of industry consolidation. In contrast, a new boom is expected in the major developing economies fuelling demand for panels and surfacing materials. • Shift in economic balance of power: The new demand spots will continue to shift product flows and supply chains will need to be redesigned to reach the new urban centres as distances between raw materials, semi-finished panel surfaces and markets becomes greater. • Environmental degradation: Bioenergy will become a strategic priority. Wood prices are expected to increase and will put traditional wood end-user industries with lower wood paying capability under pressure. The panel sector, and as such surfaces, are exposed to a significant risk unless the sector improves its ability to pass on significant cost increases.
20 % 15 %
Furniture
Panels
10 % 5%
0
0
1
2
3
Capital turnover
4
5
Features Waste management is a strategic goal across the principal developed economies driven by sustainability. Some surfaces are seen to add contamination and complexity at the end of the product life cycle. Products based on renewable raw materials will gain an advantage and innovation will be a competitive differentiator. Slowing demand in the developed world creates a real need for business models to evolve towards the new “mega site” concept where feedstock use is driven by optimising energy balances and product life-cycles.
The Road Ahead
ENQUIRY NO. 198
The wood panel surfacing market is heading in a new direction. The industry sector in the developed world needs to focus on consolidation, capacity rationalisation and performance improvement initiatives. Rationalisation will require not only managing inefficient capacity but also realising value through the transformation of traditional business models towards horizontal integration into other values chains (for example bioenergy and waste management) and product innovation. In contrast, opportunities for greenfield investments exist in the emerging markets, but raw material procurement and the establishment of supply chains will be the main challenge. The raw material, semi-finished and finished product flows will change (more complex, global, longer distances) and will create the need for new supply chain concepts. With an estimated value of €50 billion (US$64 billion), the global wood panel surfacing market appears to capture less value, when compared to €250 billion global furniture market. Panel surfaces are an essential part of the furniture consumer products sector and industry should focus on harnessing more value in the chain especially in large production centres such as Europe and China where the furniture sector accounts for nearly two thirds of the global furniture production value. Ultimately, surfacing material selection is driven by consumer preferences and their purchasing habits. Consumer preferences are translated into actions upstream in the chain through the global retail chains leaders that frequently have a unique footprint of ownership from raw materials to retail. The global wood panel surfacing market is extremely dynamic, diverse and fragmented. The future direction at the low-end furniture sector will continue to be driven by costs and competition, and the high-end will be increasingly shaped by international trends where the consumer preference for sustainable products at an affordable price will become a priority. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1704
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
57
Features
Malaysian Timber:
Sustainability
With greater awareness on the effects of forestry activities on the environment and global warming, consumers are now more demanding and concerned on the source and origin of the timber that they are buying. By Tjut Rostina
S
ustainability seems to be the buzz word in various industries today, and one that is definitely taken seriously by the Malaysian Timber Industry Board. In an exclusive interview with FDM Asia, Dr Jalaluddin Harun, director general of Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB), shares the board’s plans and visions in creating an earth friendly product and successful ‘green’ branding for the country timber.
boost the export value. In this regard, market creation will be enhanced through branding based on quality, design and value creation. In line with the current trend of greater awareness of environment-related issues, MTIB will also strive to establish and promote the ‘green’ image of the industry through responsible practices in forestry, trade and the environment. The marketing of potential/new products such as biocomposite products and non-wood forest products will also be intensified to take advantage of the abundant availability of these materials in the country, and also in anticipation of the declining supply of forest timber in line with Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) practices.
How does MTIB plan to develop and promote the timber industry?
What are some of the issues or challenges faced in developing and promoting the industry?
JH: MTIB’s development and promotional plan for the timber industry is very much guided by the National Timber Industry Policy (NATIP) that was launched in 2009. The main objectives of NATIP are to achieve an export target for the timber industry of RM53 billion (US$17.3 billion) by 2020 through an annual increase in export of 6.4 percent. The policy also aims to restructure the industry in terms of the export value to the ratio of 60:40 for value added against primary processed timber products by the same period. Therefore, any development and promotional plan will revolve around these main objectives. Accordingly, there will be greater emphasis on the development in value added processing that will help to
58 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
JH: Some of the issues or challenges faced in developing and promoting the industry are market access and the competitiveness of Malaysian timber products vis-à-vis products from other producing countries. Increasingly, Malaysian timber products face stiff competition from low-cost producers like China, Vietnam and Indonesia who are able to be more competitive by producing similar quality products at lower costs. This is helped by the process of globalisation and trade liberalisation that has managed to eliminate boundaries between nations and markets, making goods more accessible to a wider section of the world’s population.
Kata Szikora, Bacs, Hungary
Of
A Question
Features While some segment of the markets are being liberalised, there is also pressure applied by some quarters to limit market access for Malaysian timber products. With greater awareness on the effects of forestry activities on the environment and global warming, consumers are now more demanding and concerned on the source and origin of the timber that they are buying. This trend has led to markets demanding all sorts of certification and licensing systems to proof legality and sustainability of products from suppliers. The EU-FLEGT VPA is one of the initiatives taken by the market to address this issue. In this regard, Malaysia has minimal choice but to comply with the market requirement, if they intend to continue selling to the EU market. This trend is also growing elsewhere in the US, Japan and other major markets. Besides that, the perennial issues of raw material supply, shortage of labour and difficulty in getting financing for the industry continue to be a challenge in developing the industry.
What are the emerging trends in your segment of the industry? JH: Some of the emerging trends in the industry are the greater demand for certification of timber products by markets, and the increasing use of composite materials and plantation timbers in timber production. This is a result of the greater demand for legality and sustainability of timber sources and the reducing supply of raw material from the forest as a result of SFM as well as the need for more conservation in the wake of the growing awareness on environmental issues such as global warming and carbon trading.
What are the market developments that will drive the industry forward? JH: There is now more effort to take the industry to a higher level of development. For example, in the furniture sector, there is already an ongoing effort by the industry to shift from being an original equipment manufacturer to original design manufacturer and own brand manufacturer. MTIB and the Malaysian Furniture Promotion Council are collaborating to develop branding for Malaysian furniture that could enhance the marketing of Malaysian furniture overseas. Similarly in other timber sectors, more innovative uses of timber are being researched and applied, such as the use of oil palm trunk for the manufacture of plywood, Industrialised Building Systems in timber construction and also the use of fibre and bio-composites in the timber industry. As you can see, our thrust is on innovation-led development for the industry. As such, the Fibre and Biocomposite Centre (FIDEC) was established to spearhead advancements in this sector. The marketing and promotional aspects are explored to ensure that bio-composite products from new materials are accepted locally and in the international market. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1705
What is your view or strategy on the rising concerns for sustainability?
ENQUIRY NO. 108
JH: The issue of sustainability needs to be addressed by the supplying countries, if they intend to continue selling to the markets that demand it. In this regard, Malaysia has been at the forefront in taking the necessary measures by establishing the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC). MTCC has been quite successful in promoting the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme in many countries, especially in Europe where demand for certification is the highest. Malaysia’s efforts in establishing its commercial forest plantation programme is also contributing to the effort of SFM, and would assist in projecting a green image for Malaysian timber products. Malaysia has also been involved in various other efforts to address this issue, such as the current negotiation with the EU on FLEGT VPA to facilitate market access to the EU. www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  JAN/FEB 2011
59
Exhibition Review
Global Woodmart 2010 October 19 - 20, 2010 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
T
he Malaysian Timber Council’s (MTC) Global Woodmart 2010 (MGW 2010) debuted in the trade fair scene of Southeast Asia on October 19, 2010 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The two-day fair featured 108 exhibitors from Malaysia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, UAE, UK, Uruguay and US. The event aimed at promoting timbers of temperate, boreal and tropical species in one event, for international timber suppliers and buyers to meet and conduct business. The fair was officiated by His Honourable Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Minister Of Plantation Industries And Commodities, Malaysia, on October 19, 2010. Receiving a total of 2,046 visitors, trade buyers came from 50 countries, with representations from Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands,
60 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Singapore, Thailand, and the UAE. Cheah Kam Huan, CEO, MTC, said: “It is the right time for a show like the MGW to be launched in Southeast Asia. Malaysia is an importer of US$640 million worth of timber products from the US, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana and elsewhere in 2009 alone.” Although Malaysia is a major producer of timber, there is potential in pooling together resources to meet the growing demand for timber products in a highly globalised and environmentally conscious market. Sourcing and utilising offshore wood sources complements domestic supplies from plantation and sustainably managed forests. Imported non-tropical wood species also adds diversity and value to Malaysia’s timber products, contributing towards the Malaysian government’s goal of achieving US$17 billion of timber exports by the year 2020 under the National Timber Industry
His Honourable Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Minister Of Plantation Industries And Commodities, Malaysia.
Policy (NATIP) launched in 2009. The event’s other aim is to bring industry members in the Asian region particularly from China, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore - closer to facilitate cooperation on resources. On October 20, 2010, an agreement was signed between Malaysia (represented by Malaysian Timber Industry Board, Malaysian Timber Council and Malaysian Furniture Promotion Council) and Thailand (represented by Thai Parawood Association and Wood Processing Club, Federation of Thai Industries) on establishing a joint committee to look into the development of rubberwood-based industry in both countries. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1801
Exhibition Review
LaserTec
Exhibition
November 29 - December 3, 2010 Singapore
H
omag Holzbearbeitungssysteme GmbH organised a showcase of its LaserTec technology for edge banding machines to customers from November 29 to December 3, 2010. The event took place at the manufacturer’s showroom in Singapore. Focussing on the functionality, Homag Asia gave 22 customers from the South East Asian region the opportunity to a live demonstration of producing furnished samples with ‘invisible joints’.
To increase the customers’ competitive advantages, the company worked together with edge banding suppliers Rehau and Doellken. Both these companies presented the technology and usable edges such as PP, ABS, and PVC (inclusive of 3D-Edgebands: PMMA), before giving a demonstration on the machine. Product specialists and engineers from Germany made themselves available for the in-house show in Singapore to provide the ‘know-how’ of the technology. Technical features such as exchangeable Quick melt and LaserTec function give clients the benefit of switching from mass production to quality furniture production within a short notice, which makes them more flexible on the market. Transportation of the machine to Singapore was arranged by the
headquarters to give consumers the opportunity to see the machine’s operations in their own country under the country specific environmental surroundings. The company plans to assist in more high-tech tours in order to inform customers about the latest technology. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1802
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
61
Exhibition Preview
March 1-4, 2011 • Shanghai, China
W
oodmac China 2011 will be held from March 1 to 4, 2011, at Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China, with an expected exhibition space of 34,500 sq m. The 11th edition of the woodworking technology expo will reflect the increased demand for woodworking technology. Accordingly, international woodworking machinery companies as well as a large number of Chinese woodworking manufacturers, will gather in Shanghai for the show. China International Exhibitions, the show’s organiser, said that demand in China for CNC machinery, labour and
energy-saving technology, as well as systems that reduce raw material wastage has increased in the last 12 months. The event expects approximately 14,000 visitors, most of whom will represent architects, building contractors, forestry management and lumber processors, furniture manufacturers, interior designers, lumber and technology importers and distributors, wood panel manufacturers; and manufacturers of wood products as doors, flooring, staircases and windows. The China National Forestry Machinery Association (CNFMA), whose members include woodworking machinery producers and regional woodworking associations
from North, East and South China, supports the show regionally. Internationally, the event is supported by Eumabois, the European federation of woodworking machinery manufacturers comprised of companies from Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovak Republic, Spain and Switzerland. The event will run concurrently with Furnitek China for furniture hardware and accessories, and Woodbuild China for lumber, veneers, and architectural wood products. The three fairs collectively hosted 13,672 visitors and 406 exhibiting companies in 2009. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1803
62 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Advertorial
Guess What
TheTrees
Will Tell You?
* T is as represent of tree, R is as reporters T: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome come to this news conference. I am the representative of the Trees. As the number of trees is decreasing, its applications are growing, and how to make the work more economical is important. That’s the purpose of this conference. We can have talk and than find a way to solve it. R: Hello Mr. T, I am a reporter from Land TV. It is a pity that the number of trees is decreasing. We always want to do something. But find that it is hard. So would you give us some advice? T: Thanks for your kindness. I received some news a few days ago. A company named China RUIMA Cutting Tolls have made a decision. Every year, they will bring out 1% of their profit for planting trees. I think it’s quite perfect. You can use it as reference. R: Mr. T, I am from woodwork TV. Most trees were used to make woodwork. And the number is still growing quickly. We cannot stop it. So what can we do while working? T: To be made into woodwork is our pleasure. Because it is a type of contribution to the world. But there is a bad phenomenon; the material waste is very serious. So I think you must solve this first. In my mind, a good machine can help you. Such as a machine named 300 round long cutting
NOTICE: As the trees are getting lesser, the representatives of trees will hold a news conference at The International Woodenwork City, Lunjiao, Shunde, China on 12, March2011. machine. You may say: ‘oh, the price of good machine produced in the West is too high, and we cannot bear it’. Why not change your mind? Why not consider a machine made by China? Such as International Woodenwork City. As I know, it has a history of thirty years, and International Woodenwork City has formed only one item: large producing area, large market, big exhibit. It has five industry advantages: firstly, it formed a complete industry chain and mature marketing system; secondly it has an excellent ability to do product research; thirdly it has formed a brand group market; fourth, it has formed initial woodwork machine market; and fifth, a gathering of a large amount of specialised industry workers. I think over here you can afford what you want at reasonable prices. Maybe some years later, it will surpass the western machines. Why not have a try? R: Hello Mr. T, I am from woodwork machine TV. As you had said above, what can we do to make it economical? T: I think machines play a very important roll in saving. For every section, if it is of a good design and is high-tech can do well in saving. Such as cutters for example, a good cutter will help you make great progress. The company named China RUI MA is specialized in it. Such as a frame saw with 0.65mm kerf width. Different wood must use the relevant cutter. So the cutters are specialized. Such as MTAO LAI LANG(MTL)
Acryl saw blade, Solid wood saw blade, Electron saw blade, Aluminium saw blade, Stellite saw blade, TCT saw blade and so on. If you want to know more, you can give them a call. TEL:(86)757-27727217 R: Thanks for your answer. We will make a change. We are sure RUI MA can give us a change. T: To be economical, to help the trees. RUI MA will give you a way!
Have received brands with MAO TAI LANG (MTL) values for many years, devoted in the research and production of the frame saw, finger joint cutters and saw blades, user-friendly design idea, strict product quality supervision system and warm service. We try our best to give you only the best service. Extend the MAO TAI LANG (MTL) brand idea connotation. We were already engaged in this profession for many years, and have obtained customer’s faith, to be the tools brand with many users. But we won’t stop going ahead, we will learn hard to offer you better products, and create a more magnificent chapter. Address: International Woodworking City, lunjiao Town, Shunde District, Guangdong, China Tel: (86)757-27727217 , 27727597 ENQUIRY NO. 210
Exhibition Preview
Malaysia International Furniture Fair (MIFF) 2011 March 1-5, 2011 • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
T
he Malaysian International Furniture Fair 2011 (MIFF 2011) will take place from March 1 to 5, 2011, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Occupying two venues, the Putra World Trade Centre and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the event attracted over 500 local and international exhibitors in the show last year. More than 20,000 visitors from 140 countries and regions including ASEAN,
64 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Australasia, Europe, Far East, Middle East, Africa, and North and South America visited the show. The focus of this year’s event shifts to bold furniture designs by exhibitors keen to discover opportunities as the global markets regain momentum. As part of the organisers initiative to promote innovation and emphasise on design, the event started the 'Ideation Award' in 2010 to find up-and-coming
talents within the furniture design industry, while raising awareness of furniture design as a rewarding career option for talented youths to venture into. The second installation is jointly organised by MIFF and Arcradius Consulting, with the theme 'New Urbanism, Innovation And Sustainability', focusing on single urban occupants. For the first time, the top ten designs shortlisted will be prototyped by furniture manufacturers and put on display at the the event. Over the years, the show has supported numerous competitions and activities that assist in enhancing the development of the Malaysian furniture industry, such as the annual ‘Furniture Excellence Award’ and the 'Best Presentation Award'. With the inclusion of 'The Ideation Award', the organisers hope that higher benchmarks will be set in terms of creativity, design and quality. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1805
Exhibition Preview
D
omotex Asia/Chinafloor’s (DACF) expanded 110,000 sq m exhibitor space is on track to exceed last year’s mark of 40,414 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors. The show will take place on March 22 to 24, 2011, at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, Shanghai, China, with specialty venues showcasing flooring technology, design and creativity. Ever since its inception in 1999, the show has experienced growth during its past years of development, noticeably during the global economic crisis in early 2009. The exhibition turned its focus to local manufacturers and supply chains where it maintained a rapid growth for the Asian flooring market. The trade show in 2011, which takes place with the theme ‘Innovation And Respect For Nature’, will be a focus and central location for the Asia Pacific region, where innovative floor design is presented in the context of environmentally friendly product properties, techniques and technologies. One of the show’s new features will be the ‘Innovative Product Display Area’,
which affords exhibitors an additional opportunity to showcase their latest products in a specially designed setting at no extra cost. The main target groups include importers, representatives from wholesale and retail businesses, architects, designers, construction companies/ developers, floor fitters and layers, as well as administrators in public authorities and government with responsibility for public facilities, design and construction. Several factors are creating the demand for exhibitor space, according to Jim Gould, president, Floor Covering Institute (US), and strategic director, 2011 World Flooring Forum. He said: “China’s construction market is exploding at rates never before seen. Billions of square metres of new floor space are boosting its domestic demand for floor covering beyond levels that anyone could have predicted even two years ago.” China’s wood flooring industry is growing steadily at around 10 percent each year. In 2007, the output of wood and laminated flooring was more then
360 million sq m, up by 60 percent from 2003. The industry experts believe that by 2010, the country’s output in wood and laminated flooring will be around 450 – 500 million sq m, and 40 percent of the production will be bound for export.
The Wood Flooring Forum The international Wood Flooring Forum (WFF), which precedes DACF on March 21, 2011, in Shanghai, China, will address issues affecting the world’s wood flooring industry. It is set to be an informative discussion where buyers, executives, associations, government officials and the press will come together to learn about emerging global issues impacting the floor covering industry. The WFF will also introduce the United Nation’s (UN) International Year Of The Forests 2011, a year-long celebration recognising the importance of forests to all timber industries. FDM
ENQUIRY NO. 1806
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
65
Exhibition Preview
Interzum
201 20111
May 25-28, 2011 • Cologne, Germany
T
he world’s trade fair for suppliers of furniture production and interiors will take place in Cologne, Germany, from May 25 to 28, 2011. During the last years, Cologne has increasingly developed into a cross-target group innovation show. In addition to leading companies from the fittings, surfaces, wood materials, upholstery materials and machines sectors, there are also numerous exhibitors from small to mediumsized companies. In this year’s installation, Hall 6 (decorative surfaces, décor papers, wood materials, laminates, mineral materials,
66 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
edging, surface treatments, adhesives, embossing cylinders, sheet panels) will be all about the returning exhibitors. With Süddekor, Technocell, Impress, Lamigraf and the two wood materials companies Egger and FunderMax, this focus will once again become a veritable audience magnet. Hall 4.2 will be dedicated to the topics of lighting and innovative materials. The presentation focus will lie on applications for interiors. Here, as at the previous event, there will be special funding by the German Federal Ministry of Economics aimed at supporting young and innovative companies in Germany to have a stand at the trade fair. For the second time now, the ‘innovation of interior’ project will be providing architects and designers with an exclusive look at the latest material developments and their potential applications. Various focus topics will be presented in an autonomous event zone directly adjacent to the event’s trade fair activities. The event offers the wants and needs for furniture production and interiors: all at a single venue that has been concisely planned for visitors as a result of the assortment focuses. The event expects to welcome trade visitors from more than 130 countries to see and experience global innovations. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1807
www.interzum.com
interzum cologne 25 – 28. 05. 2011
WHO SUPPLIES THE BEST IDEAS ? Save time and money ! Buy tickets and register online at www.interzum.com
Koelnmesse GmbH, Messeplatz 1, 50679 Köln, Germany Phone +49 180 5 077 050, Fax +49 221 821-99 1210 interzum@visitor.koelnmesse.de
THE SUPPLIERS AT INTERZUM.
ENQUIRY NO. 201
The latest ideas from the suppliers for the furniture and interiors industry can only be found at interzum. Here you can discover the concentrated innovative power of the entire sector in only four days. As the sector’s leading global trade fair, interzum is the meeting point for all the key players. This is where sector innovations celebrate their premieres – and where inspirations for the industry are born. It’s a global event you can’t afford to miss. interzum : the future starts here.
Exhibition Preview
Interzum Guangzhou
T
he eighth Interzum Guangzhou/ CIFM, Asia’s furniture manufacturing and woodworking machinery trade fair will once again take place at China Import and Export Fair Complex (Pazhou) in Guangzhou, China from March 27 to 30 March 2011. More than 900 domestic and international brands home and abroad will be seen featuring their latest products and technologies on furniture production at the event. The increase in exhibitor number has spurred organisers Koelnmesse and the China Foreign Trade Centre to open up one additional hall, increasing total exhibition space to 110,000 sq m. Further, visitor number is expected to exceed 40,000.
The event has always been a choice for national/regional pavilion organisers to showcase their members’ brands, and it is also one of the show’s key highlights. The coming event will once again welcome long time group participants from Germany, Italy and US, who will all be leading an even larger contingent than in 2010 to exhibit in the International Hall. Making its debut appearance at the show is the Hardwood States Export Group (HSEG) from the US, who will be bringing with them a group of wood producers from the state of Mississippi. The other highlight of the International Hall is the exhibit section in
Hall 11.2, which has been classified into four distinct display segments, namely: wood products / adhesives; hardware / accessories; materials for upholstery / textile and bedding productions / accessories. The growth in demand of the furniture production and woodworking industry abroad has been attributed to the response of manufacturers in the participation of the event. According to customs statistics, China’s furniture export for the first seven months of 2010 amounted to US$18.54 billion, a growth of 35 percent compared with the same period of 2009. FDM
ENQUIRY NO. 1809
March 2730, 2011 • Guangzhou, China
68 FDM Asia JAN/FEB 2011 | www.fdmasia.com
Product highlights
Alpi: Multilaminar Veneers
Homag: Processing Solution For LVT Tiles
Alpilignum is a multilaminar (reconstituted) wood veneer. It is obtained by gluing, pressing and slicing dyed sheets of ayous and poplar wood from certified and controlled sources. The product maintains the natural touch of traditional wood.
The LVT tile processing solution from Homag can be used for profiling extremely thin and soft products. It prevents ‘smearing’ and melting of the material during profiling. It offers reduced electrostatic charging of chips, thereby ensuring chip extraction. The solution facilitates the transport of extra-thin workpieces through the profiling and packaging system. It is able to create a chamfer at the often highly embossed surface, in order to ensure a good transition.
ENQUIRY NO. P193
Its colours and patterns are ‘designed’ by means of an industrial process and manufactured in predefined standard sizes (from 2,200 x 600 mm to 3,150 x 900 mm). This allows optimisation in the use of each single sheet. ENQUIRY NO. P191
RIGHT ON
TARGET!
Cytec Industries has launched UCECoat 7710, a aliphatic UV-PUD resin for high gloss mirror effects. This material opens possibilities for clear topcoats on wood furniture and plastic substrates. The UV curable resin features high solids content, hardness and scratch resistance. It allows for easy finishing as no sanding is required. ENQUIRY NO. P192
Stock.Xchng
Cytec: High Gloss Coatings
Meeting Your Business Needs! When the numbers have to count, FDM Asia will help you meet your business targets. 1 and ONLY BPA-audited woodworking publication in the Asia Pacific region 25,000 potential buyers and business partners are waiting to see your products & services. Advertorial, eMail Blast, Loose Inserts, Print, Exhibition or eMedia, we customise programmes tailored to suit your business needs and marketing budget For more information, contact: Sim Eric Advertising Sales Manager Tel: (65) 6379 2888 | Fax: (65) 6379 2805 | Email: salesfdm@epl.com.sg
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2011
69
Calendar of Events
2011
January
17-20 – DELHIWOOD 2011
18-23 – IMM Cologne Exhibition Centre Cologne Cologne, Germany Koelnmesse Tel: +49 1805 91 3131 Fax: +49 221 821 99 1180 Email: info@koelnmesse.de Web: www.imm-cologne.com
9-13 – Moyaf
Halls 14 & 18 Pragati Maidan New Delhi, India Tel: +91 8025 5474 34 Fax: +91 8025 5422 58 Email: delhiwood@pdatradefairs.com Web: www.delhi-wood.com
March 1-4 – WoodMac
27-30 – HOFEX Furniture Exhibition Tehran Permanent Fairground Tehran, Iran Iran International Exhibitions Company Tel: +98 (21) 23959 Fax: +98 (21) 22042858 Email: contact@iranfair.com Web: www.iranfair.com
Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai, China Tel: +852 2876 5119 Fax: +852 2520 0750 Email: gladys@chinaallworld.com Web: www.woodmacchina.net
1-5 – MIFF
February 1-5 – Istanbul Furniture Fair Istanbul Expo Centre Istanbul, Turkey EUF International Trade Fairs Tel: +90 212 291 83 10 Fax: +90 212 240 43 81 Email: info@ite-turkey.com Web: www.itf-imob.com
8-12 – Samulegno Woodworking Machinery & Technology Exhibition Pordenone Fiere Pordenone, Italy Pordenone Fiere Tel: +39 0434232111 Fax: +39 0434570415 Email: infofiere@fierapordenone.it Web: www.samulegno.it
Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: + 603 9282 2888 Fax: +603 9286 1551 Web: www.miff.com.my
3-6 – Philippine International Furniture Show 2011 SM X Convention Center Pasay City, Philippines Tel: +63 (2) 750 8588 Fax: +63 (2) 750 8585 Web: www.manilanow.ph
9-12 – IFFS Singapore Expo Singapore Tel: +65 6569 6988 Fax: +65 6569 9939 Email: enquiry@iffs.com.sg Web: www.iffs.com.sg
Hikmet ahin Kültür Parkı Uluslararası Fuar Merkezi Bursa, Turkey Tel: +90 224 713 1626 Fax: +90 224 712 1868 Email: info@modef.com.tr Web: www.moyaf.com.tr
22-24 – Domotex Asia/ China Floor Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai, China Tel: +86 21 6195 6088 Fax: +86 21 6195 6099 Email: kitty.bai@vnuexhibitions.com.cn Web: www.domotexasiachinafloor.com
22-26 – TechnoMebel Inter Expo Center, Sofia, Bulgaria Tel: + 359 2 9655 304 Fax: + 359 2 9655 231 Email: kstoilov@ec.bg Web: www.technomebel.bg
27-30 – interzum Guangzhou/ CIFM 2011 China Import and Export Fair Complex Guangzhou, China Tel: +86 2087 5524 68 to 12 Fax: +86 2087 5529 70 Email: k.lee@koelnmesse.cn Web: www.interzum-guangzhou.com
April 1-2 – The ‘South East Woodworking’ Show Kent County Showground at Detling, near Maidstone, Kent, UK Tel: 00 44 (0)1474 536535 Fax: 00 44 (0)1474 536552 Email: exhibitions@nelton.co.uk Web: www.nelton.co.uk
14-17 – ZOW China Shenzhen International Convention & Exhibition Centre Shenzhen, China Survey Marketing + Consulting Tel: +60 3 2094 2880 Fax: +60 3 2094 2881 Email: bfc@zow.com.my Web: www.zow-shenzhen.cn
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 #02-05 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 to (65) 6379 2806 or enquire online at www.fdmasia.com
5-7 – International Wood and Wood Machinery Show Dubai Airport Expo Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +9714 2829299 Fax: +9714 2828767 Email: info@dubaiwoodshow.com Web: www.dubaiwoodshow.com
*All details subject to change without notice. Please check with organisers for updates.
May
August
25-28 – interzum 2011
25-28 – CAMBOWOOD 2011
Cologne International Expocentre Cologne, Germany Tel: + 49 1805 0770 50 Fax: + 49 2218 2199 1 Email: interzum@visitor.koelnmesse.de Web: www.interzum.de
Diamond Island Convention & Exhibiton Centre, Cambodia Tel: 886-2-2659-6000 Ext. 322 Fax: 886-2-2659-7000 Email: steven@chanchao.com.tw Web: www.asiamachinery.net
30 May-3 June – Ligna Hannover 2011
September
Hannover, Germany Tel: +49 511 89 32126 Fax: +49 511 89 31263 Web: www.ligna.de
June 9-12 – The 16th China International Woodworking Machinery (Dalian) Exhibition Dalian Star-Sea Convention & Exhibition Center, Dailian World Expo Plaza Tel: 86 411 82538681 E-mail: mariahcheng@dbfexhibition.com Web: www.sinoexhibition.com
8-10 – Woodworking Ireland 2011 National Show Centre Cloghran, Co Dublin Tel: 00 44 (0)1474 536535 Fax: 00 44 (0)1474 536552 Email: exhibitions@nelton.co.uk Web: www.nelton.co.uk
13-16 – Internatiional Fair for the Wood, Furniture and Forestry Industries Expotrade Covention Center – Pinhais – Panara –Brazil Tel. +55 41 3027-6707 Fax.+55 41 3029-6486 Email: femade@hanover.com.br Web: www.feirafemade.com.br
July 7-10 – Interwood Taipei World Trade Center Taipei, Taiwan Tel: +886 22725 5200 Fax: +886 22757 6245 Web: www.interwood.com.tw
21-23 – WoodMach Cebu 2011 Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, Lahug City, Philippines Tel: (632)750-8588 Fax: (632) 750-8585 Email: info@globallinkmp.com Web: www.globallinkmp.com
20-23 – AWFS Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, USA Tel: +1 702-322-5700 Web: www.awfsfair.org
14-17 – FMC China Shanghai New Int’l Expo Center Shanghai, China Shanghai CMP Sinoexpo Int’l Exhibition Co Ltd Tel: +86 21 64371178 Fax: +86 21 64370982 Web: www.fmcchina.com.cn
20-23 – LISDEREVMASH' 2011 International Exhibition Centre Ukraine, Kiev Tel/Fax: +38 (044) 456 3804 Web: www.acco.ua
22-25 – ASEANWOOD WOODTECH 2011 Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Trade-Link Management Services Sdn Bhd Tel: +603 7842 9863 Fax: +603 7842 7863 Email: info@tradelink.com.my Web: www.tradelink.com.my
October 6-8 – The Wood Machinery Exhibition Simmonscourt, Rds, Dublin Phone: (00 353 (0) 1 288 8821 Fax: (00 353 (0) 1 288 3127 Email: david@exhibitionsireland.com Web: www.woodmachineryexhibition.com
12-15 – VietnamWood Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Tel: +886-2-26596000 Ext. 322 Fax: +886-2-26597000 Email: service@ccie.com.tw Web: www.linkage-vn.com
25-28 – Woodworking International Specialised Exhibition Manezh, Pobeditiley Ave, 20/2, Minsk, Belarus Tel: +375-17-2269083, 2269858 Fax: +375-17-2269858, 2269936 Email: julia@minskexpo.com Web: www.minskexpo.com
Advertising Index Enquiry Number
Advertisers / Agency
Page Number
199
126 China International Exhibitions Ltd (CIE) – WoodMac China 2011 35
202 Dailian Northern International Exhibition Company
45
205 Dieffenbacher GmbH + Co KG
1
195 Evergreen International Corp – Interwood Taipei 2011
17
204 Fulpow Industrial Corp
25
208 China Foma (Group) Co Ltd FC
193
International Furniture Fair Singapore Ltd
49
209
IMA AG Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
51
180
Jeffer Machinery Co Ltd
72
206
Kanefusa Corporation
31
201
Koelnmesse GmbH
67
181
Koelnmesse Co Ltd
37
211
Malaysian Timber Industry Board
41
197
Siempelkamp Maschinen-und Anlagenbau GmbH & Co KG
3
207
Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co Ltd
OBC
141
Shanghai Qiulin Machinery Co Ltd
108 Taihao Woodworking Machinery Co Ltd
59
210 Taihao Woodworking Machinery Co Ltd
63
110 Technik Associates Inc
7
198 Tong Fong Cutters Co Ltd
57
191 VNU Exhibitions Asia (Domotex Asia/ ChinaFloor)
33
203
Wen Chih Machinery Industrial Co Ltd
47
196
Weyerhaeuser Marketing
IFC
200
Wemhoener (Changzhou) Machinery Manufacturing Co Ltd
IBC
Legend:
BINO (SH) Machinery Co Ltd
5
43
Advertisers with e-Brochures
This quick reference guide is provided as an additional service. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or ommission.
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