FDM JanFeb 09 by Eastern Trade Media

Visit www.fdmasia.com for the latest news and information

January/February 2009

Panel Sizing

Accuracy

Assured

Edgebanding Value-Add Innovations

Market Outlook 2009 A Forecast Of things to come

Laminate Presses Making A Deep Impact

design by adjaye, material by nature. american hardwood. alder ash aspen basswood beech birch cherry cottonwood elm gum hackberry hickory & pecan hard maple soft maple red oak white oak sassafras tulipwood walnut willow

“sclera” pavilion in american tulipwood by david adjaye for the london design festival.

america’s hardwood forests just keep on growing, find out about our exciting range of sustainable species by visiting ahec-seasia.org ENQUIRY NO. 007

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Hettich Singapore (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd

18, Boon Lay Way, Tradehub 21 Unit No #03-140/141· Singapore 609966 Phone +65 6462 6771 · Fax +65 6462 6775 · email: info@hettich.com.sg . Website: www.hettich.com.sg

Hettich Singapore (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd Hettich (S.E.A.) Pte HettichSingapore Singapore (S.E.A.) PteLtdLtd Malaysia Representative Office 18, Boon Lay Way, Tradehub 21 Unit No #03-140/141· Singapore 609966

18,18, Boon LayLay Way, Tradehub 2121 Unit NoMid #03-140/141· 609966 Boon Way, Tradehub Unit No #03-140/141· Singapore 609966 B-3-5, Block B Third Floor, Northpoint Valley, No. 1Singapore Medan Syed Putra. Utara . Kuala Lumpur . Malaysia 59200

Phone +65 6462 6771 · Fax +65 6462 6775 · email: info@hettich.com.sg . Website: www.hettich.com.sg . Website: www.hettich.com Phone +65 6771 · Fax 6462 ·0752 email: info@hettich.com.sg www.hettich.com.sg Phone 6462 6771 · Fax 6462 6775 · email: info@hettich.com.sgWebsite: www.hettich.com.sg www.hettich.com Phone +6+65 036462 2287 0750/1 · +65 Fax+65 +6 03 6775 2287

www.hettich.com www.hettich.com www.hettich.com

Malaysia Representative Office Malaysia Representative Malaysia RepresentativeOffice OfficeMid Valley, No. 1 Medan Syed Putra Utara . Kuala Lumpur . Malaysia 59200 Indonesia Office B-3-5, BlockRepresentative B Third Floor, Northpoint . .

. Kuala . Malaysia B-3-5, Block B Third Floor, Northpoint Mid No.No. 1 Medan Syed Putra Lumpur 59200 B-3-5, Block BFloor Third Floor, Northpoint Mid Valley, 1 Medan Syed Putra UtaraKuala LumpurMalaysia 59200 .Utara Wisma Slipi Room 316, Jl. 03 Jend. S.Valley, Parman Phone +6 033rd 2287 0750/1 · Fax +6 2287 0752 Kav. 12, Jakarta Barat Indonesia 11480 Phone +6 03 2287 0750/1 · Fax +6 03 2287 0752 Phone +6 03 2287 0750/1 · Fax +6 03 2287 0752 Phone +62 21 5366 1947/49 · Fax +62 21 5366 1950

Indonesia Representative Office Indonesia Representative Office Indonesia Representative Office Vietnam Representative Office Wisma Slipi 3rd Floor Room 316, Jl. Jend. S. Parman Kav. 12, Jakarta Barat . Indonesia 11480

. Indonesia . Indonesia . Vietnam Wisma Slipi 3rd Floor Room 316, Jl. Jl. Jend. Parman Kav. 12,12, 11480 Wisma Slipi 3rd Floor Room 316, Jend. S. Parman Kav. Jakarta Barat 11480 S17-1, Hung Vuong 2, Tan Phong Ward, PhuS.My Hung, District 7,Jakarta Ho Chi Barat Minh City Phone +62 21 5366 1947/49 · Fax +62 21 5366 1950 Phone +62 21 5366 1947/49 · Fax 21 5366 1950 Phone +62 21 5366 1947/49 · Fax +62 21 5366 1950 +84 8 410 3628 · Fax +84 8+62 410 3629

Vietnam Representative Office Vietnam VietnamRepresentative RepresentativeOffice Office S17-1, Hung Vuong 2, Tan Phong Ward, Phu My Hung, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City . Vietnam

ENQUIRY NO. 023

CONTENTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 • VOL. 21 NO. 1

Market Outlook 2009 PAGE

SPECIAL

Industry leaders share their views and insights on the state of the woodworking industry, as well as thoughts on where the market is heading.

EDITORIAL FEATURE

FOCUS 18

Laminate Presses: Deep Impact

Laminate presses offer a quick and efﬁcient way to produce durable boards for a variety of purpose and function. By Frederick D Müeller

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

Enhancing Edgebanding Furniture manufacturers today beneﬁt from a wide-ranging scope of options to add value to their products. By Markus Kostenbader, throughfeed technology product manager, Homag

and authenticity of information appearing in the magazine, the Publisher accepts no liability for damages caused by misinterpretation of information, expressed or implied, within the pages of the magazine. All correspondence regarding editorial, editorial contributions or editorial content should be directed to the Editor. The magazine is available on subscription in Singapore at S$126.00 (GST applicable) per annum by surface mail. Subscription by airmail to readers in the Asia Paciﬁc costs S$160 per annum; Europe and the Americas S$230 per annum. For further details refer to the subscription card found within the pages of each issue. For more subscription information, please fax to: (65) 6379 2806 or email: carolinerayney@epl.com.sg

TECHNOLOGY 24

Boring & Drilling: The Important Bits

Drilling and boring wood is often considered an easy task, but only with the right tools. By Augustine Quek

Boring & Drilling: The Stiffer The Better

Poor hole quality can be improved using hinge boring bits incorporated with highperformance tungsten carbide. By Max Theobald, technical manager, Leitz Tooling Asia

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

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The Chinese Academy of Forestry

MICA (P) NO. 025/01/2009 • PPS 1204/7/2009 • ISSN 0219-2284

Success with thin-board production plants Thin MDF with a thickness ranging from 1.5 – 4.5 mm opens up completely new application areas. Siempelkamp has developed a special thin MDF board production plant and introduced it with great success. 9 plants were sold during the last 2 years; 4 plants have started operating successfully.

ContiRoll® – the original made by Siempelkamp • Cost effective – speeds of up to 2000 mm/s (6.6 ft/s) • Precise – thickness tolerance of 0.1 mm • Safe – special steel belt protection

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ENQUIRY NO. 001

www.siempelkamp.com

CONTENTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 • VOL. 21 NO. 1

Please refer to advertising index on page

b Subscription Page

6 8 78 80

Panel Sizing: The Whole Nine Yards

In looking at the big picture of panel sizing solutions, one has to assess the entire process ﬂow, from feeding to cutting to packing. By Frederick D Müeller

MARKET REPORT 36

for enquiry numbers.

REGULARS

PANELS 28

Market Outlook: South-East Asian Furniture Sector 2009

There is a growing need for Asean furniture manufacturers to realign their manufacturing activities, in terms of product mix and production volume. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam

EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS 46

Hans-Joachim Bender, MD, Bürkle explains how he leverages on his China-based manufacturing operation for global business expansion. By Michael Tham

SFIC 4th Design Conversation

Designing Sustainably

Hardwoods & Softwoods Softwood – Incense Cedar Hardwood – Aspen

Building On Strengths

MATERIALS & SURFACES

Hardwoods & Softwoods: The Emergence Of Alder

Once thought of as a weed tree, the red alder’s inherent beauty and manufacturing strengths has seen its commercial value increase in recent times. By Weyerhaeuser

World Furniture Outlook 2009

This year’s global outlook in furniture production sees a tilt towards a growing presence by emerging economies. By CSIL, Centre for Industrial Studies

Editorial Industry News Calendar Of Events Advertisers Index

Industry experts impart their thoughts and ideas on sustaining business with design.

Luke Hughes shares his passion on ‘designing sustainably’, and combating deforestation. By Vergel Villasoto

Melamine Appeal

In terms of looks and functionality, melamine papers just keep getting better. By Vergel Villasoto

Laminate Flooring: Design Reigns Supreme!

Laminate ﬂooring producers set the trends for 2009. By Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring

EXHIBITION PREVIEWS 70

Woodmac China

MIFF

ZOW Shenzhen

China Kitchen Furniture & Appliance Fair

IFFS/Asean Furniture Exhibition

Interzum Guangzhou

Delhiwood

Domotex Asia

More proﬁt with high-tech machines from HOMAG Group • Economic solutions for individual furniture • Performance for every requirement

There is no difference if you want to produce different work pieces, single pieces or large batch sizes. HOMAG Group is offering for every requirement a perfect system solution which consists of machine, software and control system.

ENQUIRY NO. 006

HOMAG Asia (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd 12A, Jalan PJU 3/45 Sunway Damansara Technology Park 47810 Petaling Jaya Selangor Darul Ehsan MALAYSIA

HOMAG Asia (Thailand) Co Ltd 1st Floor, Media Gallery Bldg 43/4 Trok Nokkchet Leab Maenam Chaophraya Rd Chongnonsee, Yannawa Bangkok 10120 THAILAND

Tel: +60 3 7880 5180 Fax: +60 3 7880 5480 info@homag-my.com

Tel: +66 2 681 8693 Fax: +66 2 681 8694 info@homag-th.com

HOMAG Asia Pte Ltd (Taiwan) 1F, No.19, Lane 206 Wunhua 7th Rd., Guieshan Township Taoyuan County 333 TAIWAN (R.O.C.) Tel: +886 3 397 4570 Fax: +886 3 397 8339 info@homag-tw.com

HOMAG Asia Pte. Ltd. No. 68 Sungei Kadut Loop Nutzcentre #04-00 729504 SINGAPORE Tel: +65 63698183 Fax: +65 63698313 info@homag-asia.com www.homag-asia.com

I BARGSTEDT I BRANDT I BÜTFERING I FRIZ I HOLZMA I HOMAG I LIGMATECH I TORWEGGE I WEEKE I WEINMANN I SCHULER I

Editorial Published by:

EASTERN TRADE MEDIA PTE LTD

ight now, predictions for 2009 from economists and analysts range from outright pessimism on a lingering recession to optimism that a recovery will ensue anytime between the third and fourth quarters –after various government-initiated stimulus measures take hold. Admittedly, it can be challenging to remain optimistic. But, happily, there is always someone to offer us that glimmer of hope. Already, we can take small comfort in the fact that that there have been 32 cycles of expansions and contractions since the mid-1800s and each time, the economy turned around and – found its way back to the pink of health. Graham Geldeard, the Asia Pacific MD of Titus+Lama+Huwil adds: “Asian furniture manufacturers will feel an effect, but this will not be as dramatic as in the West. In times of economic uncertainty, Asia has usually benefited.” Those who emerged victorious after weathering the economic crises triggered by the Oil Crisis of the 70s, the Asian Financial Melt Down in ‘97 and even the SARS outbreak in 2003, say that taking action to survive an economic crisis establishes the sense that we are proactive and doing what must be done to survive and be ready to thrive when the economic downturn, turns up. Already APP Timber has started new programmes and introduced new products and are also looking at additional sourcing in less conventional areas such as Russia. Gero Bauer, the MD of Michael Weinig Asia is a firm advocate of innovation and his company will be offering “new, beneficial products for our customers.” Titus+Lama+Huwil will continue to invest in China, even as the company is also adapting its business to suit the other Asian markets. While projections of a global recession are there, the woodworking tradesmen may find comfort in the industry’s resilience to weather the crisis. They’ve been there and more importantly, they’ve survived. As we move forward to meet the opportunities and challenges of a new year, we also recognise that when times get tough, the tough go back-to-basics. From sustainable manufacturing techniques to innovative product offerings, what’s likely to succeed in 2009 will be those that appeal to the sensible manufacturer looking for a rational benefit. And as we celebrate the passing of one year and the beginning of another, symbolising renewal as well as change, we will certainly remember the unprecedented highs and lows that marked 2008, a year that provided us with no shortage of memories. As we move forward, let us use these memories as a guide on our journey to achieve our collective goals. Happy New Year.

Prepare for

Tomorrow

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managing director

Kenneth Tan

kentan@epl.com.sg managing editor

Eileen Chan

eileenchan@epl.com.sg writer

Vergel Villasoto

vergel@epl.com.sg senior editorial assistant

Irene Tow

irenetow@epl.com.sg editorial assistant

Eunice Tay

eunicetay@epl.com.sg senior art director/studio manager

Lawrence Lee

lawrencelee@epl.com.sg graphic designer

Winnie Lee

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Canice Gan

canicegan@epl.com.sg business manager (china)

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neweastern_sh@hotmail.com circulation manager

Caroline Rayney

carolinerayney@epl.com.sg contributors Frederick D Mueller Markus Kostenbader Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam Max Theobald Augustine Quek Michael Tham Stefano Turriani industry consultants

Michael Ginnings

Consultant, Ginnings Far East Associates

Ong Kim Chuan

Managing Director Haleywood Director

Winston Chiu

President Technik Associates Inc

Francis LL Lam MBA (UCLA) Arpa (Shanghai)

EASTERN HOLDINGS LTD EXECUTIVE BOARD chairman

Stephen Tay

group executive director

Kenneth Tan

ﬁnancial controller

Robbin Lim

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Eileen Chan

6 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Head Office & Mailing Address: Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd 1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building #04-02, Singapore 169206 Tel: (65) 6379-2888 • Fax: (65) 6379-2805 Representative Office - Shanghai, China Office: Shanghai New Eastern Media Co. Ltd 15D Block B, Victoria Plaza, No. 1068, Xikang Road, Shanghai, P.R, China 200060 Tel: 86 21 6311 3676 • Fax: 86 21 6311 2960

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Industry News

SFIC Offers S$1 Million Assistance Scheme Singapore: Up to S$1 million (US$ 666,000) will be handed out by

All members who joined SFIC before November 15,

Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) under the Members

2008 are eligible for the scheme. Over 260 members stand

Assistance Scheme (MAS), a ﬁnancial package to help its members

to beneﬁt from the MAS and the quantum of subsidies will

weather the current economic uncertainties. The scheme will

range from S$4,000 to S$500. Close to a quarter of all eligible

help lower business costs, strengthen business capabilities and

SFIC members will stand to receive the maximum subsidy

explore new business opportunities to ensure sustainability,

of S$4,000 each, with over 60 percent receiving between

and facilitate their market diversiﬁcation efforts.

S$3,000 to S$1,000 in assistance. The funding is valid for use

Member furniture companies can tap on the MAS to

from Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2009.

offset participation costs in SFIC activities, IE Singapore, and

The MAS also provides speciﬁc ﬁnancial assistance to

SPRING Singapore industry development programmes. The

SFIC members participating in the International Furniture

allocated quantum for each member will be based on two

Fair Singapore 2009/26th ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS

main considerations: the type of membership (full/associate

2009). The past two schemes offered a total of S$2.3 million

membership) and the length of their membership with SFIC.

in assistance and beneﬁted 229 SFIC members in total.

Indonesia To Limit Rattan Exports

Sabah Focuses On Value-Added Products

Jakarta, Indonesia: The Industry Ministry

added activities in the 689 sawmills

of Indonesia seeks to decrease rattan

operating in the region.

exports to help ensure supply for the

Changing the focus of production

local furniture industry. The ministry

to value-adding activities would enable

requested to the Trade Ministry to revise

Angela Sevin, San Francisco, US

Sabah to make a greater contribution

a 2005 regulation on rattan exports.

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: The State

to the national economy in the form of

Under the regulation, the government

of Sabah is increasingly focusing on

export revenue and employment.

allows a maximum 25,000 tons of raw

value-added wood products to develop

Sabah accounts for 16 percent of

rattan and 16,000 tons of processed

the national economy. Malaysian State

Malaysia’s total exports, with the main

rattan to be exported annually. The

Minister for resource development and

wood exports from the state being

revision is expected to boost rattan

IT Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai encouraged

plywood, sawnwood and timber.

export value. Industry Minister Fahmi

workers to enter the commodities

Malaysia’s wood products exports

Idris said that export licenses will later

and plantation sectors. He noted that

netted RM22.76 billion (US$6.34 billion)

be given only to companies based in

many workers would be needed to

in 2007, with furniture and plywood

raw-rattan producing regions.

assist with the production of value-

being the main exports.

Biesse Opens Bangalore Plant Bangalore, India: Biesse

producing edgebanding

planning for the plant’s con-

machines in the domestic and

has opened its 5,800 sq

machines, CNC machining

struction in 2007.

Asian markets.

m manufacturing plant in

centres and beam saw

Roberto Selci, CEO, said the

The company chose to

Nelamangala, Bangalore, India.

machines. The company

company’s strategy for the next

manufacture in India due to

The US$5.7 million plant is part

is planning to produce 50

three years includes a spreading

the availability of local, highly

of the company’s 2008-2010

machines in 2008, 180 in 2009

to other strategic markets to

skilled operators and engineers.

industrial plan to supply to Asian

and 280 machines in 2010.

support and consolidate growth.

Another reason was the presence

Wholly owned by Biesse

Riccardo Quattrini, sales and

of suppliers of critical components

SpA, the Indian arm Biesse

marketing director, mentioned

and the possibility of procuring

According to the production

Manufacturing was incorporated

the aim is to produce in India and

raw materials and parts locally

plan, the company will be

in February 2006, and began

sell its range of woodworking

for production.

markets and be geographically closer to customers’ needs.

8 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

Danzer Acquires Reholz Baar, Switzerland: Danzer, a producer of hardwood veneers,

its expertise in the ﬁeld of innovative wooden surfaces.

has acquired Germany-based Reholz. The company will be

“Our constant product developments in veneered wooden

integrated into the Danzer Group under its current management.

surfaces, combined with our new wooden surface Vinterio

Through the acquisition, the group will be able to offer

and the patented 3D processing technology open up a

its customers veneers in the 3D versions for moulded parts

variety of new application and design possibilities for us,”

and coatings. At the same time, the group is expanding

said Hans-Joachim Danzer, Group CEO.

‘Lightweight’ Workshop Hosted By IMA, Thermopal

ENGINEERING

www.moldow.com

94 Pandan Loop, Singapore 128305 Tel: +65 6777 5383 | Fax: +65 6774 1022 lignar@paciﬁc.net.sg | www.lignar.com SINGAPORE 新加坡

Made In DENMARK 丹麦制造

中国上海上海市浦东玉兰路16号盛第大厦303室邮编201204 Tel: +86-21-51908631 Mobile: +86-136-36376900

高负荷过滤器 MHL Modular Filter

高效率鼓风机 High Efﬁciency Industrial Fans

中央集

HIG高节 Du H 省

a panel producer based in Leutkirch, Germany, hosted 130 participants in utilisation and processing possibilities of honeycomb boards in IMA’s head ofﬁce Besides the essential theoretical Rehau (edgebanding materials), Hettich (dowels, hinges), Jowat (glue) and Leitz (tools) presented various practical exercises on the advantages of honeycomb construction

尘系统

E ting ENollec

a presentation on alternatives for the

information of the workshop, companies

Silo Discharge System

源 SAV 能 RGYSystem ING

Lübbecke, Germany: IMA and Thermopal,

in Lübbecke, Germany.

料仓排出系统

旋风塔，料仓 Cyclone & Silo

Lignar Engineering is a leading manufacturer and exporter of Dust Extraction Equipment for wood-based industries, with customers spread across Southeast Asia and China. Our products include Portable Dust Collectors, Modular Bag Filters, Transﬂows, Fans, Cyclones and Silo Discharge Systems.

中央收集管道系统,过滤器

Modular Transﬂow & Filter System

and processing capabilities. “For many handcraft and industry experts the workshop opened various perspectives for the daily work”, said Walter Engeser, lightweight expert, Thermopal. Application

Spark Detection System

possibilities can be seen in almost all branches, automotive, aerospace and train with other kinds of materials and contributes with its signiﬁcant weight reduction to energy and emission savings.

ENQUIRY NO. 003

construction. The material can be combined Ducting & Fittings

Delhiwood 2009, Booth No: H14B6 | Interzum Guangzhou | Woodmac China, Booth No: 2X19 www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Industry News

New-Look MDF

High Wycombe, UK: LaserCoat, a project by TRADA and sister company FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association), has been developed as a cost-effective system for applying wood grain patterns to MDF. The project was co-funded by the Collaborative Research and Development programme as sponsored by the UK government arm Technology Strategy Board, following an open

Russia Postpones Moscow, Russia: Russia will not increase export duties on timber until next year, according to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. This was stated after the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s negotiations with Finland. Russia had planned to raise tariffs from 25 to 80 percent by Jan 1, 2009. PM Putin also pointed out that it would still maintain its plan ENQUIRY NO. 918

to produce more value-added wood products at home. Russia supplies almost 80 percent of the lumber for Finnish timber imports.

10 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

With LaserCoat competition. The now patented process was developed in conjunction with

Eumabois Welcomes Russia’s Drevmash

international laser specialists Warwick

Nitra, Slovakia: Drevmash, the Russian association

Manufacturing and industry partners

of woodworking machinery manufacturers,

Sonneborn & Rieck, Norbord, Exel

has been introduced as the 13th member of

Industrial, Granwax and Howarth (Timber)

Eumabois during the continental association’s

Windows & Doors.

2008 general assembly.

TRADA’s Peter Kaczmar said that

Vladimir Gorbenko is the Russian association’s

the project exploits the directional and

general director, while Alexander Vasilev is

focusing abilities of lasers and the

president. Although the companies currently

thermosetting properties of stoving powders. A layer of dry powder is

represented are only 11, there are an estimated 300 over companies involved in the Russian woodworking machinery industry.

‘sprayed’ onto the surface of the substrate

In his opening speech to the Assembly, president Franz-Josef Buetfering warmly

and selectively consolidated, known as

thanked former president Gianni Ghizzoni for his continued collaboration. Mr Buetfering

‘sintering’, into the required design using

said: “We are also very happy to have launched ‘Made in Europe’. We have now

a high-speed scanning laser.

reached the point where we can introduce ourselves to the world as a European

It can be used effectively for the

industry, while still maintaining the identity of each individual country.”

sintering of complex designs such as logos and client names, offering huge potential for bespoke joinery work, he added. “Equally, it can be used to etch patterns directly into low-grade substrates and can then be painted using a conventional opaque coating, allowing the etched design to grin through. This can be used to mask exposed ﬁnger joints.”

Timber Export Tariff processing industry. Finland is one of the world’s largest paper and wood product manufacturers and buys most of its raw materials from Russia. Finnish PM Matti Vanhanen said this gives the country time to prepare its plans. “It is very important for Finland that higher duties are postponed. We will have more time to work out solutions for our producers and consider investment in the wood-processing industry in Russia.”

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An increase in export tariffs threatens the existence of the Finnish wood

�� Singapur 569084,2 Ang Mo Kio Street 64 #05-03A, Tel.: +65 6363 3384, Fax: +65 6363 3378, markchang@wintersteiger.com.sg ��

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Industry News

CARB Formaldehyde Statute In Effect In 2009

MDF & PB Complete Line Specialist (more than 122 projects)

supply, sell, and use composite

(California Air Resources Board)

wood products to California

composite wood ATCM (Air

will have to adhere to state

Toxic Control Measures) on

regulations. Composite wood

formaldehyde emission limits

products that do not meet

took effect beginning of this

standards may not be used in

year, January 1, 2009.

the production of finished goods,

During Phase 1 of the ATCM,

such as furniture and cabinets.

manufactured HWPW-VC, PB,

To comply with the

MDF, and thin MDF products for

regulation, manufacturers will

the California market will have

need in-house product testing

to meet emission standards as

accompanied with third-party

stipulated by the Board.

certification. The certifier will need

The regulation will be

to verify accuracy of emission

implemented in a two-

procedures and facilities used by

phase process. Phase 2

the manufacturer. The regulation

will be requiring composite

allows for current stocks of

wood products to emit less

non-compliant composite-wood

formaldehyde.

inventories to be sold for a period

All businesses that produce,

of time in California.

AHEC Prepares For Delhiwood

2-5mm

MDF Mende Line

Washington, DC, USA: AHEC will take part in the inaugural

9-20mm

MDF/HDF Complete Line

Delhiwood show at Pragati Maidan Exhibition Centre, New

25-50mm MDF/HDF(Steam Injection) 9-22mm

PB/OSB Line

The Continuous-press line will come out soon www.shanghaibaihe.com

Shanghai Jiecheng Baihe Woodworking Machinery Co., Ltd

ENQUIRY NO. 906

Sacramento, USA: CARB’s

ADD: #3271, waiqingsong Rd, Qingpu district, Shanghai,China Tel: 86 21 59740552 Fax: 86 21 59742923 P.C: 201709 http://www.shanghaibaihe.com Email: jiecheng@shanghaibaihe.com

12 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Delhi, India on Feb 14 – 17, 2009. The trade association aims to take advantage of this forum to service demand for American hardwoods in the Indian market. American hardwoods are becoming well-established in India’s rapidly developing market for imported hardwoods. According to the latest data, US$3.3 million worth of hardwood logs, lumber and veneer were shipped from the US to India during the ﬁrst eight months of 2008. This marks an increase of 83.3 percent on the same period in 2007, when imports only reached US$1.8 million. Of the total value imported for 2008, hardwood logs accounted for US$1.3 million, hardwood lumber for US$0.96 million and hardwood veneer, US$1.1 million. While demand for US hardwood logs still remains higher than for lumber, the increase in imports of US hardwood lumber this year is noteworthy. From January to August 2008, hardwood lumber shipments from the US to India grew from just US$281,000 in 2007 to US$959,000 last year, marking a rise of 241.3 percent.

Industry News APPOINTMENTS & NOTICES

(L-R) Mr Andrew Ng, Mr Neo Sia Meng, Mr Jerry Tan and Mr Kenny Koh

SFIC’s New Executive Committee Singapore Furniture Industries

(executive director, Four Star

Council (SFIC) announced the

Industries), Jerry Tan (MD,

new Executive Committee for

Jaco), Kenny Koh (MD, Star

2008/2010. Andrew Ng, MD,

Furniture Industries), VPs; Tony

Kiat Lee Industries, has been

Pang (GM, V-Mark Woodcraft),

re-elected as president for

Honorary Secretary; Steven

a second term. During his

Chew (COO, Sitra Holdings),

two years at the helm, Mr Ng

Honorary Treasurer; Ernie Koh

oversaw the launch of several

(executive director, Richin

SFIC initiatives.

Furniture Décor), Assistant

The members of the SFIC

Honorary Secretary and Alison

Executive Committee 2008/2010

Kwok (MD, Cathay Decoration

are as follows: Andrew Ng,

and Construction), Assistant

President; Neo Sia Meng

Honorary Treasurer.

Wolfgang Kranz Resigns From Koelnmesse Wolfgang Kranz has resigned from his position as executive VP of Koelnmesse. The reason cited was due to Mr Kranz and Gerald Böse, CEO, having differing views regarding the company’s future strategic orientation. Wolfgang Kranz has left the company after almost 23 years. He has been a member of the executive board since 2001. Mr Böse will take over Mr Kranz’s responsibilities on the executive board.

Dynea Restructures Group Management Finland-based Dynea, which provides adhesive solutions worldwide, has strengthened its Group management and restructured its European organisation. The following appointments have been made in Dynea: • Ilpo Koivisto, executive VP and CFO • Nina Kopola, executive VP and president, Dynea Europe • Per Haga, executive VP and president, Dynea Asia-Paciﬁc ENQUIRY NO. 009

• Sigve Sporstøl, executive VP, global market applications All will report to president and CEO Roger Carlstedt. Mr Per Haga (right), responsible for the Asia-Paciﬁc region, was formerly senior VP for wood and specialty adhesives. www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Industry News CHINA FOCUS

SGS Becomes First CARB 3rd Party Certiﬁer In China Hong Kong: The SGS laboratory in Hong Kong has earned Third-

auditing and in-house testing validation for manufacturers that

Party Certiﬁer (TPC) status from the California Air Resources

have properly calibrated and approved testing chambers. The

Board (CARB). The company can certify that composite wood

deadline for Phase I of the new CARB caps on formaldehyde

products ensure compliance with formaldehyde emission

emissions in medium-density ﬁbreboard (MDF), particleboard,

standards set forth in California State Airborne Toxic Control

and two kinds of plywood is January 1, 2009.

Measure (ATCM).

The CARB regulation, called the Airborne Toxic Control

The company is the ﬁrst testing organisation to achieve

Measure to Reduce Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite

TPC designation in China, offering local service for the

Wood Products (ATCM), was adopted in 2008 to limit public

country’s 900 panel manufacturers and helping all members

exposure to formaldehyde because of its carcinogenic properties.

of the distribution chain including retailers conform to CARB

Composite wood panels were targeted because they comprise the

regulations. They anticipate TPC approval for its Guangzhou

largest block of controllable formaldehyde-emitting products.

laboratory within the next month.

CARB’s limits in composite wood products apply to

CARB approval of the labs in China eliminates the time

manufacturers, fabricators, importers, distributors and retailers

and expense of sending materials from Chinese factories to the

who produce, supply, use or sell products made from these

US for formaldehyde emission testing. The company operates

materials – including furniture, consumer shelving, DIY products,

both large and small testing chambers to perform the two

ﬂooring, panelling, moulding and picture frames – in California.

testing methodologies recognised by CARB, accommodate

All parties in the distribution chain are equally liable and can

panels of all sizes, and provide rapid turnaround.

be ﬁned for non-compliance. Other states are now considering

As an approved TPC, they will also be able to provide

Bürkle Opens Shanghai Plant

formaldehyde controls similar to California’s.

Chinese Demand For Canadian Wood Soars Vancouver, Canada: Chinese buyers

have declined by 25 percent this year.

have been purchasing more wood

This allows Canadian producers, who

from British Columbia loggers and

have an excess of raw materials due to

sawmills, due to the forecoming tax

the slow demand in North American

increase on Russian logs.

lumber markets, to boost sales. The

Canadian-based Tolko Industries

latest ﬁgures from Statistics Canada

have seen sales pick up in October

show shipments of softwood lumber

Shanghai, China: Bürkle inaugurated its

2008. Chinese buyers are looking to

to China more than doubled in the ﬁrst

Shanghai plant on November 18, 2008. More

replace Russian timber supply that will

eight months of the year.

than 100 guests participated in the event.

become too expensive to buy in January

Tolko cuts lumber in 16-foot lengths,

The plant, which will produce machines

2010. They doubled their September

but has begun making the four-metre

and components for the electronic and

purchases from the privately-held

– or 13-foot – lengths preferred in China.

woodworking industry, will be spearheaded

western lumber maker.

Some mills are switching over to metric

More than 60 percent of the logs

lengths for days at a time, and others

The company moved to its location in

imported by Chinese sawmills come

are even manufacturing metric sizes

Shanghai within four weeks, as the previous

from Russia. The Russian government

alongside standard two-by-fours.

production hall with almost 2,000 sq m of

wanted to develop its domestic wood

ﬂoor space has become too small. “Due

manufacturing industry, and have

to the increasing turnover of our Chinese

added a 25 percent export tax on

subsidiary, a move has become more than

logs earlier this year, increasing to

inevitable – we have bursted at the seams,”

80 percent in January 2010.

said MD Hans-Joachim Bender.

14 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

In China, imports of Russian logs

J. Nyberg, Denmark

by Dr Gang Wan, Shanghai business manager.

Industry News CHINA FOCUS

Taiwan, China Launch Direct Cargo Links

Eight Dieffenbacher Plants For China In 2009

Keelung, Taiwan: China and Taiwan started direct air and shipping services, formally ending a nearly six-decade ban on regular links between the rivals last December 15, 2008. Flourishing economic ties over the past two decades have bound the two sides together despite the tensions. Annual bilateral trade now totals about US$100 billion, says a report from Xinhua News Agency. Commemorating the event, a Taiwanese Trans Asia Airways

Zhu Hongyao (left), director, Shengda Grroup; Jiang Changzheng, president, Shengda Group; Georg Rahm, area sales manager signing the contract for the THDF plant Shengda line 2

jetliner took off from Taipei’s Sungshan airport to China’s ﬁnancial capital of Shanghai. At the same time a China Eastern

Eppingen, Germany: Surge of

The market for MDF and

Airlines plane in Shanghai departed for Taipei.

new orders from China for HDF/

THDF board panels in China has

In addition, Taiwanese ships from the ports of Kaohsiung,

THDF plants over recent years

grown steadily during the last

Taichung and Keelung set sail for Chinese harbours, and a

and the growing demand for

few years due to the country’s

Chinese vessel left Tianjin harbour en route for Taiwan. Under

continuous production systems

rapid increase in furniture and

a pact signed in November 2008, the mainland will open 63

has resulted in a substantial

components exports as well as

ports and Taiwan will open 11 harbours for direct cross-strait

build-up of installation activity

a stable growth of domestic

shipping. Weekly ﬂights between the sides will total 108,

for Dieffenbacher.

demand for these products.

supplemented by 60 monthly cargo ﬂights.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

ENQUIRY NO. 896

IMA Asia Paciﬁc Pte. Ltd. 2 Kallang Pudding Road #05-16 Mactech Industrial Building Singapore 349307 Phone +65 674965-88 Fax +65 674965-77 info@ima-sg.com | www.ima.de

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS TERAGREN: BAMBOO FLOORING

Enito, a Singapore-based ﬂooring company, introduces its decking concept, consisting of its decking clip and deck oil for ﬂooring longevity. The decking clip is completely hidden, provides automatic spacing, and eliminates nails and screws. Consequently, there will be no screw heads present that may crack the boards. Pre-drilling and countersinking is not necessary, and it allows replacement of damaged boards. The clip also allows for constant joint space in between boards without any spacers. The company’s palm wood decking is also grooved for the decking clip. The clip is shaped in a way that allows it to hold both sides of the decking, and is made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, characterised by fast cycling and good impact strength.

The Synergy strand bamboo flooring from US-based Teragren is manufactured under a patented process that fuses bamboo fibres with an environmentally safe adhesive. Under extreme pressure, the process forms homogenous, high-density blocks that are subsequently sliced and milled into flooring planks. Due to this, Synergy is 150 percent harder than red oak and is manufactured according to US and European environmental standards. It is suitable for use in high-traffic areas in both residential and commercial settings. The flooring is available in four distinctive blends of bamboo strands — wheat (natural), chestnut (caramelised), java (light and dark caramelised strands) and brindle, a blend of natural and caramelised strands.

Enquiry No: 1001

Enquiry No: 1002

ENITO: DECKING CLIP

BIESSE: SQUARING-EDGEBANDING SOLUTION The Flexa SB is a squaringedgebanding unit from Biesse. In a production cell with the singlesided edgebander Stream B1, the Flexa SB can attain a speed of 60 m/min. The system can adapt itself in fractions of a second to various sizes of panels being fed sequentially. The first part of the system can be configured with heavy-duty units eg: double hogger plus antisplit milling and superfinishing milling units. Accurate sizing and squaring is possible as well as correcting any kind of material and geometry imperfections like the ‘banana effect’, overhanging veneer, and others. The cell configuration of the Flexa SB, together with the single-sided edgebander Stream B1, can be managed

by two operators. The system is also configurable with flexible drilling or inserting machines. The layout can be U-shaped or a straight line according to factory flow. System output is between 800 – 1,200 parts per shift, while allowing for different sizes and edging. A reporting software tool, Supervisor, is included, and it records all events occurring

during production. The collected data is then available on any PC connected through the internet. A web browser can be used to observe and analyse data and production status of any item. Different utilisation possibilities can be achieved using a generated items list. The list for different utilisation scenarios can be prepared through the Supervisor interface or can be imported through the network as a ﬁle. The two main modalities are batchid and single-id. In batch-id, the parts are grouped in mini-batches. Every mini-batch is a small stack and has a barcode (on the top panel or the label holder). In single-id, every part has its own barcode. The operator feeds the line without any restrictions by simply scanning every barcode. Enquiry No: 1003

16 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS ALPI: HPL VENEERS

FRANKLIN: FORMALDEHYDE-FREE GLUE

Italy-based Alpi presents its Alpikord Range 1 highpressure laminated (HPL) veneers. The project used multilaminar wood technology, and shows its potential both in the reproduction of natural wood and in the development of veneers. Among the four themes chosen for 2009, two of them draw inspiration from oak: bog oak derives from an oak which grows in humid environments, thus absorbing substances that produce a remarkable and unique dark colouring. Rovere Titanium, meanwhile, is tinted in a particular shade of grey reminiscent of titanium. The reproduction of ziricote, a wood from Central America characterised by aesthetic impact, and bleached walnut, embody natural beauty.

The Multibond 4000 FF from Franklin (Columbus, Ohio, US) is a formaldehyde-free, water-resistant, one-part x-PVAc adhesive for lamination. The adhesive can be used for wood assembly and cabinet manufacturing, hot and cold presses, laminating engineered wood flooring, interior plywood, cabinet panels and flush doors. The adhesive meets industry standards such as ANSI HPVA EF 2002 Type II Water Resistance specification and the European DIN EN 204 D3 standard. It also passes formaldehyde rules such as CARB formaldehyde-emission standard, Japanese Four Star, the European EO formaldehydeemission standards and the LEED low-emitting materials requirement. The product is part of a line of adhesives formulated to meet a variety of applications within the furniture, millwork and engineered lamination industries.

Enquiry No: 1004

Enquiry No: 1005

ITTO: FOREST CERTIFICATION REPORT

NIDAPLAST: SANDWICH PANELS

A handbook on developing forest certification by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) reviews and assesses progress in the comparability and equivalence of forest certification systems. In particular, the promotion of tropical timber certification is highlighted. The proliferation of both certification systems and market and regulatory requirements in the public and private sectors stresses the timeliness of this study. Aims of the study included the collecting and analysing of information on forest certification and chain of custody certification; identifying and recognising appropriateness of each system; reviewing various mechanisms and initiatives; reviewing current and emerging market requirements and preferences.

The nidaplast8 sandwich panels from Nidaplast (based in France) combine honeycomb panels with traditional materials such as wood or marble. It can also be combined with heavier materials like ﬁbre-reinforced concrete, steel, and others. The panels use less material (a sandwich panel with a 7 mm-thick marble layer can replace a standard 20 mmthick sheet of marble), and therefore lighter. They are also stiffer and provide thermal and acoustic insulation, greater impact and fatigue resistance without having to add more material. Their surface coating can be laminated or adhesivebonded on most material types for use in building and construction, transport, boatbuilding, industrial equipment and other applications.

Enquiry No: 1006

Enquiry No: 1007

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Focus

Laminate Presses:

DEEP Dieffenbacher

Used for the lamination of materials including lumber, a quick and efﬁcient way to purposes and functions. By

18 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Basic Presses The most basic of laminate presses uses hydraulic cylinders to apply pressure to the press platens. The platens are then heated either by steam, hot oil, or electric elements. A further press development involves the use of a vacuum chamber around the platens. The vacuum serves to remove the oxygen and other volatiles prior to and during the press cycle. An electric laminating press is more expensive as the oil and steam heated platens require a separate boiler system

Dieffenbacher

he appetite for laminated materials has grown over the last decade as new manufacturing technologies increase the durability and versatility of laminated panels and, innovations in design capabilities. As consumers realise the benefits of lamination, their demand for this versatile material increased. More often than not, laminating presses are used for the production of flat panels. But the advent of membrane presses, the application of a laminate to a non-flat product eg: a door with pre-routed grooves on the surface, can now be laminated with either a special veneer or vinyl, using a rubber type platen that is either oil or air filled and heated. In most cases, the manufacturing of a flat top laminates involves the use of manually operated hydraulic presses with stacked heating and cooling platens. The panel to be pressed would be inserted between the platens and, by heating one opening of the press while cooling the other, fast lamination results are achieved. Most presses come as either fully automatic through feed versions, or manual styled and are available in various sizes, the most common being 4x8 ft or 5x10 ft. While some presses are more suited for a particular purpose than another, they all work in much the same way.

Automation is preferred for critical processes in laminating.

to store the water or oil hot. In the manufacture of particleboards, for instance these presses can at times stretch some 200 – 500 ft long and come complete with a fully automated loading and unloading systems. Another, an autoclave uses gas pressure

and heat to bond the layers together and offer the advantage of applying more even pressure on the bond package.

Hot Or Cold Both the hydraulic and the vacuum assisted types of presses can be heated via a variety of methods. In the hot method, the presses offer a heated platen to bond the inner layers of the different materials together. The heat enables the glue between the materials to cure faster. Using one panel at a time, the press time can range from three to ﬁve minutes and requires a four to six hours setting time before the board is ready for use. Hot oil is generally the favoured method of heating as it offers better heat distribution than electrically heated presses – this despite the fact that it usually takes a longer time to reach the desired temperature. The consistent bonding results being the prized outcome. Steam is rarely used in today’s processes. Electrically heated press have one main advantage over the hot oil version – its maintenance is usually less complicated. The electrically heated press does not require a separate boiler, pumps or piping that the hot oil press needs. Through feed presses are mainly hot presses and are for high production such as in the manufacture of particle board

Focus

IMPACT polymers onto the surface of other metal and paper, laminate presses offer produce durable boards for a variety of Frederick D Müeller

Dieffenbacher

HMI (Human-Machine Interface) eases the operator’s workload.

or the production of full panels that are laminated with either veneer, high pressure laminates or sometimes paper or vinyl. Cold presses works on maximum pressure for a shorter period of time – on a highest amount of material. Generally, an operator is able to press 10 to 20 pieces of material at a time for a period of approximately 20 mins. After leaving it to set for six to eight hours, the material is ready for use.

Moving On Presses generally come with numerous daylights or openings. Hence, a multiple daylight press with six daylight presses, come with six openings (of about three to four inches) and seven platens. This will in effect enable the machine to press six panels at a given time. Cold presses have very large daylights

(30” to 60” is not uncommon). In most of these presses, due to the sizes, the cylinders are opened or closed via air or hydraulics. Multiple panels can be pressed at the same time and given the low glue curing speed (a couple of hours), companies with large production facilities will have a number of these presses placed side by side. After the initial pressing, the laminates are then transferred to the cooling press to ﬁnish the cooling process under pressure. For a greater throughput, water is sent through the platens of the transfer cooling press to cool the laminates to room temperature.

Purpose Built Bonding As to which laminate press to use depends on the type of material as well as the dimensions of the multiplayer that is being bonded. It is also important to know the type of substrate and overlay material used in the manufacturing process. There are also new glues and resins available in the market that speed up the curing process. However, when gluing veneer, the best possible bond is still achieved with a hot press. Millions of board feet of plywood are produced this way every day. For bonding epoxy based laminates or multilayer boards; a vacuum-assisted

press version is generally suited. Resins used in the core layers of formica or high pressure laminates (HPL) are irreversible as they form cross linked chemical bonds. This results in a stable, non-reactive material whose characteristics are totally different from those of the constituent parts.

Under Pressure In high abuse environments, HPL is the laminate of choice: in home and ofﬁce furniture, including partitions, panelling and kitchen tops. Beyond this, the industry has different types of laminates suited for interiors and exteriors, backs and bottoms, and vertical and horizontal panels. HPL involves the use of a contact cement or PVA (white glue) using a pinch roller. It can handle some 25 - 30 sheets per project, an hour to lay-up, and another hour to dry. The laminates themselves consist of layers of various kraft and printed decorative papers impregnated with synthetic resins. When fused under heat and high pressure, the parts consolidate forming a single high density sheet. Low Pressure Laminates (LPL) on the other hand, is the laminate of choice especially when budget considerations are factored in. LPL is best suited for low-impact, vertical applications such as cabinet boxes, shelving and furniture side ENQUIRY NO. 1106 panels. FDM

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Focus

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS BUERKLE: THERMOFORMING SOLUTION The Buerkle Multifoiler BTF press can be used to apply a variety of thermoplastic foils, including PVC, on shaped surfaces, MDF and ﬁne core boards. For lamination of veneer the press systems are equipped with a membrane. The membraneless design saves wear and tear on expensive membranes, saves energy and minimises downtime, says the company. It also allows for accurate foil lamination with relatively low process costs. The multifoiler can be delivered with either a manual table shuttle, or a recirculating table to adapt to a wide range of production needs. Models are available to handle sizes up to 1250x3150 mm, and foil widths of 1300 to 1450 mm. Enquiry No: 1108

DIEFFENBACHER: SHORT-CYCLE LAMINATING LINES The Dieffenbacher short-cycle press systems can be used for laminating substrates such as particleboard, fibreboard and plywood. Various materials can be used for low-pressure laminating for eg: decorative paper impregnated with melamine resin, primer foil, finished foil, paper impregnated with phenolic resin, and real wood veneer. The line offers a systematic, modular setup, useroriented design, flexibility and extendibility with a multi-option range, planning and engineering services as required, 24hour technical service, and on-line diagnostics. It has a capacity of up to 180 cycles per hour in a 3-board operation. Enquiry No: 1109

HYMMEN: SHORT CYCLE PRESSES

ENQUIRY NO. 022

The CyclePress KTP from Hymmen allows for the production of melamine-faced boards (MFC), which can be used for laminate ﬂooring and furniture parts. The short-cycle press fulﬁlls special requirements such as fast changing of decors and structures. The unit can operate in fully automatic or semiautomatic modes depending on the production volume. Its hydraulic-operated single daylight heating platen press is designed to complete 180 cycles/hour. Various board sizes and adjustment of the pressing time cycle can be processed due to choice of turned off or pressure reduced cylinder rows. Synchronous embossing can be done as well due to precise paper positioning onto the board. Enquiry No: 1111

20 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

ENQUIRY NO. 005

Focus

ENHANCING Furniture manufacturers today products. By Markus Kostenbader,

Innovations such as constant glue temperature over the entire height of the workpiece edge have become standard. This feature provides the furniture manufacturer with a constant standard of gluing quality over the entire height of the workpiece.

Longer Machine Life

he economic viability of a plant or machinery is demonstrated not by the extent of the investment, but by the inﬂuence of the investment on unit costs in production. All those factors which inﬂuence piece costs such as edge cutting waste, extraction output, energy costs, space requirement, maintenance cycles, and machine output have to be taken into consideration. Only when a company succeeds in gaining market acceptance for its

22 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

unit costs and the quality of the products it manufactures (by implementing a smart investment policy) will it be able to generate long-term proﬁt and survive in the marketplace. The furniture market is under increasing price pressure from the consumer. Against this backdrop, only those furniture manufacturers which either place particular emphasis on production costs or specialise in so-called specialist or niche products will be capable of surviving in the mediumand long-term.

The results of companies reducing production costs for customers is the culmination of experience also gathered in the ﬁeld of ﬂooring manufacture, which places stringent demands on the precision and wearing characteristics of the transport chain working at extremely high production speeds. The precise part guidance and minimal wearing properties of the transport chain are exemplary in terms of their quality and their contribution towards reducing production costs by extending the life of the machine for the furniture manufacturer. The scope for reducing unit costs by cutting back on energy outlay is illustrated by the use of I-tools. I-tools can reduce the extraction speed and therefore the required extraction output by around 50 percent. If in a particular factory, a high proportion of the extraction output is required by edgebanding machines, and if all the edgebanding machines are equipped with I-tools, the energy requirement of the extraction unit can be substantially reduced. Relative to the annual energy costs incurred, this represents a considerable

Focus

EDGEBANDING beneﬁt from a wide-ranging scope of options to add value to their throughfeed technology product manager, Homag

Only when a company succeeds in gaining market acceptance for its unit costs and the quality of the products it manufactures will it be able to generate long-term proﬁt and survive in the marketplace. reduction in terms of unit costs in production. When investing in new machines, this also means that the required fan performance of the extraction system can be correspondingly reduced, so cutting down on the overall connected load required for operation. I-tools also improve chip disposal at the workpiece, resulting in improved processing quality.

Cost Savings Retroﬁtting units on existing machines to increase output or converting existing

machines to use new technologies, even after many years of production deployment, is a policy practised in some cases to postpone the need for new investment by some years. This factor also exerts an inﬂuence on unit costs in production. Another unit cost factor is the expense incurred in the purchase of edging materials. The leading and trailing edge overhang at the workpiece is cut off and disposed of as waste. Reducing the amount of edge waste is becoming an increasingly

important factor as material costs continue to rise. There are two aspects to this issue. Firstly, the edge overhang at the workpiece must be reduced in order to minimise the amount of waste. This is done by precisely positioned banding of the edge with tolerances of up to +/- 1mm at the leading and trailing edge of the workpiece. Secondly, the minimum edge length, which can be processed when working with short workpieces, must be reduced. When banding edges on workpieces 120mm in length with the shortest customary edge length of 200mm, an edge waste piece of 80mm is produced. Furniture manufacturers today beneﬁt from a wide-ranging scope of options to add value to their products, for instance by using aluminium edges. Another is by banding of edges onto honeycomb panels and also using acrylic edges, which require no mechanical ﬁnishing processes, in a single pass. All in all, there is a comprehensive range of features on offer designed not only to reduce unit costs but to ensure more economical machine deployment. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1101

Homag: Edgebanding Machine ensures a consistent glue temperature at the workpiece irrespective of workpiece height. The stationary snipping stop ensures careful snipping of sensitive edges. A version is also available with automatic in-feed fence, pressure The extended KAL 310 range from

of scraper blades to different proﬁles

EVA to PU is also possible by simply

zone, trimming unit or scraping

Homag features automatic proﬁle

is also possible.

exchanging the complete application

device adjustment in line with

unit without the need for tools.

different proﬁles. Horizontal outward

resetting. It has an automatic tool

The jointing unit has a tool

changer for resetting between

diameter of 125mm, and cleanly

The heated glue application roller

movement of the ﬁnish processing

different proﬁles at the proﬁle

cuts on the top and bottom surface

is capable of gluing workpiece edges

unit or programme-controlled height

trimming unit. Automatic adjustment

of the panel. Glue changeover from

between 8 – 60mm in thickness. It also

adjustment are also offered. ENQUIRY NO. 1102

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Technology Boring & Drilling:

TheIMPORTANT

Drilling and boring wood is often considered an easy task, but only with the right tools. By Augustine Quek

BITS

L. Sundström, Lund, Sweden

n drilling through wood, the critical issue is assuring clean entry and exit holes as wood chips can get stuck in the hole while being drilled. Drill bits can tear out woodchips near the top and bottom of the hole and this not very desirable for ﬁne woodworking applications. The easiest method to minimise chipping on exit is to use a piece of wood as backing behind the workpiece, and the same technique is sometimes used to keep the entry hole neat. Many types of specialised drill bits for boring clean holes in wood have been developed, including brad point bits, Forstner bits and hole saws. Brad point bits look much like a twist drill, except for a grounded and nearly ﬂat tip, with an extended point in the

24 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Brad point drill bits are optimal for drilling neat holes with clean edges and relatively ﬂat bottoms.

centre – the brad point – and a pair of cutting spurs. The bit’s extended point makes lining up on a mark easy. The spurs minimise splintering, making a cleaner cut, while the bottom of a hole drilled with a brad point bit is nearly flat. A true Forstner bit, which bores precise, flat-bottomed holes in wood, has only a small centre point. The outer rim guides the bit instead of the centre point, enabling it to cut holes with nearly flat bottoms and smooth, true sides. Holesaws and circle cutters remove the waste wood material in one chunk instead of taking out the inside of a hole as chips. Holesaws use fixed-size cutters. The cup-shaped blade fits onto a mandrel equipped with a twist drill in the centre. The drill bit acts as a pilot

Technology

Variety In Bits Tool manufacturers have brought out new bits that reduce the tendency for the bit to wander. Split points, pilot points, and different point angles are just several of the tactics used to make premium drills. In addition to the modified tip, many of the new premium bits feature changes to the flute and body aimed at reducing friction and wear and also increasing cutting ease. Such bits require less power to drill a hole, allowing more holes to be drilled per unit of energy. Compared to other twist drills, the pilot-point type exits more cleanly as well. Auger bits were used before power drilling became common. Augers are still sold with traditional tapered square shank end for use with a brace. Both tapered and straight-shank augers bore smooth holes. They are suitable for deep-hole boring due to their length: a 1/4" auger is nearly twice as long as a 1/4" twist drill. Most augers also self-feed with a screw tip. Woodshed Tools, a firm based in Georgia, US that provides woodworking shapers and bits, offers wood boring auger bits and auger drill bits that are centrelessground, featuring a course screw point that provides for fast wood boring in all types of wood. The wood drill auger bits are one flute, with single spur, single cutter and feature a removable hex shank for when a round shank is preferred. Wood boring auger bits work well when used to drill hardwoods and softwoods. These high speed steel (HSS) wood boring auger bits also feature a broad outside guide surface, producing a precise and straight bore. All the wood boring auger bits carried are suitable for either 3/8" or 1/2" chucks and are available from 1/4" boring size to 1-1/2" boring.

Coating Matters Different materials have also been incorporated. Titanium-coated bits, for example, feature titanium-nitride or -nitrate coating. Manufacturers claim that the hard, slick ﬁnish cuts better and lasts longer. Carbide-tipped and polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tools are also common. Illinois, US-based Onsrud Cutter, which specialises in router bits, has two lines of drill bits that resist wear. One is the MaxLife compression line of carbide bits that are designed to cut melamine products, achieve a good surface ﬁnish at high feed rates while resisting the abrasive melamine resins. The other line of PCD tools features an HSS body with PCD mortise tip and cutting edges. Lastly, specialty bits, for special purpose holes, have also entered the market. Screw pilot bits, for example, are inexpensive

bits that drill the pilot and shank holes for a screw and form a countersink for the head. There are also bits of this type that counterbore for a plug. For attaching hinges and other hardware, a Vix bit can be used. This accurate bit is used for precise drilling of cabinet holes and door butts. A sleeve on this bit ﬁts into the countersunk screw hole on the hardware item, automatically centering the bit. The bit then extends from the sleeve to drill the screw pilot hole. Drilling and boring wood is often considered an easy task, but only with the right tools, which has often been taken for granted. The various bits presented here represent a few of the wood drilling tools that has been continuously improved, while new ones are yet to be invented. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1201

ENQUIRY NO. 010

for the tool. The circle cutter adjusts to any diameter within its range, and also employs a twist drill for a pilot, but cuts with a single blade.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Technology Boring & Drilling:

THESTIFFERTHEBETTER Poor hole quality can be improved using hinge boring bits incorporated with highperformance tungsten carbide. By Max Theobald, technical manager, Leitz Tooling Asia

Improving Hole Quality Proper housekeeping, sharpening, storage and handling of drill bits will ensure that the tools will perform at their best. After all, the basic rule for cutting tools also applies to drill bits: only sharp, clean tools with proper cutting geometry can work properly.

26 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Through feed and CNC-point-todrill bits with tool bodies made of steel. point boring machines are purpose-built By eliminating the bending characteristic equipment, usually pneumatically operated of traditional drill bits, scrap and lost parts with rather poorly controlled feeding from oversized holes, irregular boring systems. These machines and the drill bits in use are the productivity constraint when demanding for a good hole quality. The development of solid tungsten carbide dowel and through-hole drills represented a major improvement for the most common boring operations, drilling of through holes and dowel holes. Hole quality is improved with added rigidity and stability to the hinge boring bit Wear resistant types of tungsten carbide (HW) give longer tool life thereby reducing 18000 Material: chip board (coated.) non-productive set-up 16000 RPM: 6.000 min-1 times. Tungsten carbideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Feed rate: 1,5 m/min 14000 modulus of elasticity is 12000 three times higher than 10000 that of steel, and this 8000 fact translates into three 6000 times higher stiffness of 4000 the solid HW. 2000 This means that solid 0 solid HW Standard HW drill bits do not bend Number of holes boredthrough by a solid HW hinge boring bit as easily as traditional number of holes

esides panel sizing and edge banding drilling holes is one of the three essential machining operations when producing panel furniture. The development of CNC machining processes have made it clear how unproductive boring is compared to other machining processes. Poor hole quality is a common issue, which distinguishes top quality products from low-grade furniture. There are numerous suppliers of drill bits in the market with drill bit qualities ranging from lowest to highest levels. Using quality drill bits ensures reliable operations, continually high quality, minimised reject rates, long tool life, low machine down times and ultimately low production cost.

is almost tripled compared to a standard design boring bit

Technology and surface damages caused by bent drill bits are drastically reduced.

Hinge Boring Should one not try to implement the same technology with the hinge boring bits? Conventional hinge borers can

On the other hand, not having to braze the small centering point, the spurs and rakers onto a steel tool body allows for a radical re-thinking of hinge boring bits and their design. The result is a family of hinge boring bits with a revolutionary new design totally

1 = centering point 2 = spurs 3 = rakers

Proper housekeeping, sharpening, storage and handling of drill bits will ensure that the tools will perform at their best.

only achieve moderate tool run time and feed speed. They require frequent tool changes and multiple ‘chip-clearing strokes’ are often necessary for deep holes, both of which are productivitylimiting handicaps. The geometry of the blank is much more complex with hinge boring bits than with through hole or dowel drill bits. First a procedure to manufacture the required HW blanks without twisting, warping or ﬂaws in the sintering process has to be considered.

committed to hole quality and productivity. By eliminating the need for brazing HW-tips, high performance tungsten carbide can be used to increase the tool run time and to reduce the machine downtime. The basic shape is reminiscent of an aircraft propeller; its function is similar in that it clears the chips considerably better than a classical hinge boring bit. Additionally, the smaller work piece contact area reduces the surface friction and power requirement. This reduces the

Leitz: Quick-Change Drill Adaptor The quick-change drill

makes tool change fast

which replaces the original

adaptors from Leitz are ideal

and simple.

length adjustment screw of

for quick and individual

The system consists

the drill bits used. With the

adjustment of the boring

of only two parts, the

quick-change chucks drill bits

pattern. The drills are

quick-change unit, which

can be changed manually

clamped in the chuck by

is mounted on the drilling

in seconds, reducing non-

a special length setting

spindle and a specially-

productive downtime.

screw. The clamping system

designed clamping screw,

ENQUIRY NO. 1204

risk of damage to the edge of the hole and simpliﬁes the sharpening process.

Productivity Climb The higher-grade tungsten carbide improves the rigidity and stability of the hinge boring bit, again improving the hole quality. The smaller feed forces benefit productivity particularly with pneumatic drilling aggregates. The cutting geometry and the spurs in particular are designed to optimise the quality and productivity in all the common work piece materials. High feed speeds of up to 3.5 m/min at 6,000 min-1 (RPM) and 5 m/min at 9,000 min-1 are possible; holes can be drilled to within 3mm of the panel thickness (eg: 16mm-deep hole in 19mm-thick panel). The new hinge boring bits can also be easily modified to suit specific profile requirements. When being sharpened the projections of the centre point and spurs are reduced compared to the main cutting edge, which means a slight reduction in productivity. The 2.5mm re-sharpening area means these boring bits can be sharpened six times, making them highly economical. The solid tungsten carbide hinge boring bits are available in diameters of 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35mm and overall lengths of 57 and 70mm in the right hand and left hand ENQUIRY NO. 1203 rotation. FDM

Drill Bit Quick Change Chucks: Components Simple manual mounting of drill bit into chuck

Quick change chuck

Special clamping screw

Drill bit with 10 mm shank and straight clamping surface

Clamping screw mounted into the drill bit tool shank

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Panels Panel Sizing:

The Whole Nine Yards The quality of beam saws is critical in panel sizing. But in looking at the big picture of panel sizing solutions, one has to assess the entire process ﬂow, from feeding to cutting to packing. By Frederick D Müeller

anel sizing machines are arguably one of the technological growth drivers and more important aspects in the woodworking production. The panel saw must be able to keep up with the fast-paced production environment of today's woodworking industry, according to Larry Tolbert, Richard T Byrnes (US-based distributor of woodworking machineries). In all aspects of the production chain, from feeding to cutting and ﬁnally packing, there is always something for manufacturers to optimise. Since the turn of this century, industry experts have always preached that automation is king. Fully automatic sizing has been made possible with a CNC interface incorporated in the panel sizing unit. Multitasking controls and true PC technology are some developments that have proven themselves most beneﬁcial to panel saw operators, says Giordano

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Checchi (former president of Giben America, now with US-based Ecomach, provider of substrate manufacturing systems).

Better Cut Changes to sizing patterns, from simple single axis cross cuts to multi-turn and angular cuts, can be achieved. For instance, the Holzma HPP 380P panel saw allows for a laser add-on showing exactly where the blade will cut. This helps to assist in angular and specialty cutting. Graphics based, easy-to-use controls with built-in diagnostic tools to analyse and track problems are now considered standard add-ons. In addition, remote troubleshooting (preferably with remote service assistance) can be utilised via modem to keep downtime to a minimum. In today’s panel sizing systems, electronic controls, such as using the optimisation software, can be downloaded to the terminal. This provides an interface

with plant management systems for convenient updating and access to plant design and maintenance data. Options can be tweaked to achieve the best yield, least wastage, and improved cutting efﬁciency for a given component requirement. The cost-effective patterns, being downloaded electronically to the terminal, eliminate setup time and potential for error.

Decisions, Decisions With the uncertainties in current economic conditions and ever-increasing storage costs, furniture wholesalers and retailers are demanding orders of smaller volume. Furthermore, newer furniture designs have called for more complicated components. Andreas Schwarz, VP, Schelling America, says many of his company's customers are going lean. “The thing that we see typically is that customers are

Panels producing more, but smaller, batch sizes. People are ﬁnding that they have a lot of work, but not 5,000 at a time anymore, just lots of smaller batch sizes.” Furniture manufacturers are responding in turn and are opting for machines that can facilitate quick changes between small batches of different sizes. At the same time, they are seeking for panel sizing solutions which will not have as big a drop-off in productivity and wastage compared to high-volume repetitive cutting. In choosing a panel sizing equipment, the manufacturer must consider the infeed systems, the saw, and the stacking stations. For saws, there are options that range from a single axis saw with partly manual handling through gantry and cross cut saws to fully automated angular systems. Other choices include sophisticated high-capacity panel production systems like the single rip cut saw with two cross cut saws and the integrated strip production machine lines. While cutting speed is always of the essence, other factors such as gaining a higher yield and less wastage have to be considered.

Beam Saw Advantages Electronically controlled, pressure beam equipped panel saws offer a wide variety of advantages, according to Chris Fox, PR, Stiles Machinery. In the basic conﬁguration of the machine, the pressure beam allowing the beam saws to be electronically controlled. Cutting is then more accurate as compared to older models. The positioning fence on this saw has clamps that link the sheet to it. This ensures precise positioning, tight tolerance component accuracy, and squareness. Secondly, with the pressure beam, this form of cutting equipment can cut a sheet or many sheets at once with a clean, attractive edge quality throughout the stack. Thirdly,

because the pressure beam rigidly clamps the sheets prior to cutting, the cutting quality is vastly improved as compare to the panel being physically moved past the cutting blade. Fourthly, with the ability to stack cut, both turnaround time and direct labour are minimised. Lastly, because the saw

scratches and automates counting of different book heights. Different design conﬁgurations can allow for receiving and delivering of protection boards and stack changes efﬁciently. Nip-roll feeders, on the other hand, are appropriate for fast, continuous feeding of panels. In tandem with a lifting

In choosing a panel sizing equipment, the manufacturer must consider the in-feed systems, the saw, and the stacking stations.

itself does all the work piece positioning and the stack is being clamped by the pressure beam while being cut, this type of cutting equipment is one of the safest methods for sizing panels.

Feeding Systems When the manufacturer has to cut panels with different conﬁgurations, the feeding system has to be suitable for the panels that are to be cut, if not it then becomes the bottleneck in the operations. Vacuum, nip-roll, and push feeders are the options for feeding systems. When it comes to delicate panels that are thin and wavy or those that must simply be processed scratch-free, feeding with vacuum is the ideal method. It prevents

device and push-feeder, thin panels can be fed one at a time or as books. The intermediate buffering devices for rest stacks allow uninterrupted feeding when changing stacks. Push-feeders, with height measuring devices directly at the stack can be conﬁgured either as external or internal feeding options. The latter are mounted at the positioning feeder, while the former are mounted on a separate push-off frame.

Stacking Systems Manufacturers have a few choices for de-stacking systems, from manual systems, semi-automatic to fully automatic de-stacking systems. The manual destacking systems are equipped with an air table and connected lifting tables for simple forming

Complex cutting patterns can be made with today’s panel sizing systems.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Panels

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS GRIGGIO: PANEL SAW The CA 400 Digit 1 panel saw with tilting blade from Griggio can memorise up to 100 working programs. Its rip fence has an electronic positioner and a digital read-out of the blade tilt, and compensates for the fence positioning of the blade tilt. The panel saw also features a fence pneumatic locking device, and has a rip fence sliding on hardened and ground bar with couplings and re-circulating ball screws. Lifting and tilting movements of the blade can be accomplished through handwheels.

Enquiry No: 1302

MARTIN: SLIDING TABLE SAWS The T74 Automatic from Martin supports up to ﬁve networked axes, reducing tool-changing and set-up times. It also offers a 10.4 in touch screen control. The machine features a maximum cutting height of 170 mm, with a saw blade diameter of 500 mm. Recommended accessories include an electrically adjustable 3-axis scoring saw unit, a mitre cut system control, and controlled cross cut fence with four axes. The machine also allows for a pneumatic lowering of rip fence below table level. The automatic sawing unit has a laser beam for cutting-line indication. Its Prolock quick-change system makes for changing saws seamless.

Enquiry No: 1303

SCM: PANEL SIZING MACHINE The latest version of SCM’s Flexima (under the Gabbiani brand) panel sizing centre is based around the modular Flexcut system. The system consists of mobile units with grippers which can be excluded individually, making it possible to handle complex cutting patterns in short cycle times. The unit can be fitted with up to four Flexcut units to match individual user’s requirements and the complexity of the cutting patterns being processed. Each Flexcut unit can operate separately from the main pusher. A full-configuration machine can process up to five strips of different sizes at the same time thus enabling a radical reduction in cycle times.

Enquiry No: 1304

of cut-to-size part stacks. The solid and adjustable depth-stops allow for convenient operations. The fully automatic fork de-stacking system, for large panels and large batch sizes, are suitable for those in standard formats. The drive of the fork can be positioned so that simple stacks can also be built fully-automatically. Precise guides at the lifting tables and aligners ensure high stacking accuracy. Another option, the fully automatic stacking installation, comes with a tray carriage. The design of the carriage allows travelling to predeﬁned positions, and to variable depths for each stacking position as well. This allows books to be de-stacked with the layer ﬁlled with the next stacking pattern. The bottom and top protection boards in this system can be fed automatically. Germany-based Anthon, which produces solutions for the entire panel sizing process, offers one more alternative in their robot de-stacking system.

Packing Solutions In the plant, logistics is being paid more attention to as part of optimising panel sizing and the production processes in general. While not strictly in the realm of panel sizing, manufacturers have to consider control systems for order administration, production planning, stock control, shipping, and comprehensive strapping lines with automatic packing machines and label printers. Automatic separation stations are used for fast separating and categorising of strips lying side by side and of books within a stack. Stack turning stations in front of the strapping station increase the capacity of the de-stacking station. Instead of turning individual books in the saw, complete stacks are turned. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1301

30 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

R. Linder, Springﬁeld, USA

Weinig

imm cologne 2008

Market Outlook

Questions Michael Hermens MD APP Timber

GIVEN THE EXPECTED ECONOMIC DOWNTURN FOR 2009 AND POSSIBLY 2010, HOW MUCH WILL THIS AFFECT THE WOODWORKING INDUSTRY?

WHAT DO YOU PREDICT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT TRENDS IN THE WOODWORKING INDUSTRY FOR THE COMING YEAR?

The current economic crisis and the instabilities of material costs, fast rising operational costs and other ﬁxed costs makes survival difﬁcult. Many companies (mostly larger ones) have been concentrating on producing low-end product range, which segment is very badly affected. Only those companies concentrating on quality (probably less export volumes) and direct marketing rather then via buying houses will survive. APP Timber expects that it will take a minimum of two years before a decent turnaround can be seen.

Sad to say but the only trend we currently detect and likely to prevail in 2009 is ‘to survive’. Cost saving, production cuts, etc will dominate the industry.

J.Van Bedijk, UK

imm cologne 2008

2009

Industry leaders share their views and insights on the state of the woodworking industry, as well as thoughts on where the market is heading.

IN TERMS OF GROWTH AND EXPANSION, WHAT ARE YOUR COMPANY’S PLANS FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, ESPECIALLY IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC MARKET?

ASIDE FROM THE EXPECTED ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, WHAT OTHER FACTOR WILL LIKELY NEGATIVELY AFFECT YOUR COMPANY’S STRATEGIES?

WHAT WILL BE THE MAIN DRIVERS OF GROWTH IN YOUR SEGMENT OF THE BUSINESS IN 2009?

‘Improve and innovate’ will be the key to our survival. We have started new programmes such as domestic sales, increasing warehousing facilities as well as introducing new products such as treated softwoods. We are also looking at additional sourcing in less conventional areas such as Russia.

Not too sure what you mean by this since ‘a crisis’ normally embraces all negative aspects in our business. As mentioned before our industry (and for that matter any other industry) requires stability so as long as there is no stability, the industry will not recover fast.

We have a very diversiﬁed product range and this allows us to pick up additional businesses. Our package of sawn timber and veneers is a strong point for our customers. APP Timber sources worldwide and has supplying partners from as far as New Zealand, Finland, Africa, and South America. Having our own sourcing operations in Europe and West Africa allows us to source directly from sawmills rather than through third parties who may have little commitment towards sawn timber quality.

nswers

Questions WEINIG GROUP

Gero Bauer MD Michael Weinig Asia

Graham Geldeard MD, Asia Paciﬁc Titus+Lama+Huwil

GIVEN THE EXPECTED ECONOMIC DOWNTURN FOR 2009 AND POSSIBLY 2010, HOW MUCH WILL THIS AFFECT THE WOODWORKING INDUSTRY?

WHAT DO YOU PREDICT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT TRENDS IN THE WOODWORKING INDUSTRY FOR THE COMING YEAR?

One must differentiate between those manufacturers who use this time to prepare for the upswing that will surely come, and those companies, mostly with problems in their marketing and product portfolio, who want to wait, ride it out and hope that all problems ‘go away’. The marketers with a vision for the future take advantage of focusing on re-energising their factories on the technology side starting from power plant, rough mill technology all the way to the shipping department. On the marketing side these visionaries are going to develop their own distribution channels like sales outlets in China and across SEA. Contrary, the guys in ‘waiting mode’ may ﬁnd themselves out of the loop, because changing customer preferences toward design, materials and buying behaviour may be too difﬁcult to handle as well as to compete with their next-door neighbours who enjoys huge cost advantages due to investments made during 2008 and 2009.

Technology: The big push will come from energy- and resource-efﬁcient machinery in terms of saving electricity, air consumption, dust extraction, etc. A huge step forward will bring the ‘optimising’ products for the width and length optimisation of boards in conjunction with using scanner and material handling technology. Another revolutionary trend will be machines starting to communicate among each other.

Clearly, there will be a downturn in the furniture industry; the key question is the size of such a downturn. The reduction in the number of housing starts in most developed countries, the shrinking retail sector for furniture and the general debilitating effects of ‘recession’ on the consumer will all contribute to a downturn. Asian furniture manufacturers will feel an effect but this will not be as dramatic as in the West. In times of economic uncertainty, Asia has usually beneﬁted.

In the sectors that Titus+ are involved in we see a continuance in the development of lightweight panels both from the panel manufacturers and the machine manufacturers. Hollow core or honeycomb board, as it is otherwise referred as, offers deﬁnite advantages both to the retailer and consumer. Better design options, lighter weight, which translates into lower transport costs and ease of consumer handling.

Wooden Products: Flooring will still see a continued high demand, whereas solid wooden furniture will have to cope with the trend of an increasing percentage of panels and other engineered materials hidden inside, due to the raw material situation of various lumber species. Other products that could take off are constructural I-beams, cement ﬁbreboard products, and wooden housing.

Market Outlook 2009 IN TERMS OF GROWTH AND EXPANSION, WHAT ARE YOUR COMPANY’S PLANS FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, ESPECIALLY IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC MARKET?

ASIDE FROM THE EXPECTED ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, WHAT OTHER FACTOR WILL LIKELY NEGATIVELY AFFECT YOUR COMPANY’S STRATEGIES?

WHAT WILL BE THE MAIN DRIVERS OF GROWTH IN YOUR SEGMENT OF THE BUSINESS IN 2009?

With regard to the distribution channel, the Weinig Group with its HQ in Singapore and the agency network in place, is pretty well set-up across the region to assist all customers. We will continue to place a high importance on the issue of training customers, agents and technicians as the Weinig Group will continuously roll out new, exciting, cutting-edge products for our customers. As a leader in quality service, we will continue to invest into our service department as well as to direct energy, resources and manpower to the markets of Vietnam, Indonesia and India.

First and foremost, the deteriorating situation on the availability of raw material for our customers will be the striking factor everybody has to deal with. Secondly, the increasing costs for electricity and accompanying materials will force customers to further consider upgrading these sectors to become more independent from outside suppliers. Another big hurdle is the information factor (meaning customers that want to diversify into new products and markets, but simply don’t have the market intelligence and networks to take this step). Often, basic questions like “Who is my customer?” and “How shall I do this?” will be too big of a mountain to climb for many in the woodworking industry.

The largest impact will come from intelligent, optimising rip saws, optimising cross-cut saws, finger-joint technology as well as turn-key solutions. The Weinig Group as the one-stop shop for all issues around solid lumber give our customers the cutting edge for the future (in terms of controlling costs in their production, flexibility to changing demands and transparency in the various processes about yield, qualities, volumes and time). In addition, the continued launch of new, beneficial products for our customers as well as a never-ending effort within the various Group companies for innovation, innovation and innovation. You will find out at Ligna!

Two things: New products and new markets. Titus+ recent acquisition the Huwil company puts us ﬁrmly into the kitchen manufacturing industry sector, an area that was largely not available to us previously. The demand for innovation and higher value hardware in kitchens, such as ‘soft close’ options and electronically operated door opening mechanisms are providing us with continual growth opportunities in this sector.

In business, one always has to expect the unexpected. For example, who could have possibly predicted the massive rise in raw materials particularly metals, that occurred 18 months ago (up 400 percent in some cases). This phenomenon now seems to have corrected itself but now we have interesting developments in foreign exchange rates. Being an MNC, these ﬂuctuations can upset the best business plans and more relevantly, they are very much out of our control!

The main drivers will be markets and products. We still see that China has excellent growth prospects in 2009. We will continue to invest there in order to be better placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will surely arise. We are also adapting our business to suit our other Asian markets – to be better positioned against our competitors. With regard to products, there will be a number of innovative new product developments and introductions from Titus+ in the coming months which we trust will stimulate the market in a very positive way!

MARKET MARK MAR MA M RKETT REPORT RKET RKE Market Outlook:

South-East Asian FURNITURE SECTOR

2009

There is a growing need for South-East Asian furniture manufacturers to realign their manufacturing activities, in terms of product mix and production volume. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia

he furniture-manufacturing sector in South-East Asia is continuously being transformed due to the global market forces. With a network of suppliers of almost 350,000 and a workforce of 1.5 million people, the South-

East Asian furniture sector has emerged as an important socioeconomic sector to many of the countries in the region. According to the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG), the total production output of furniture in the region topped US$28 billion in 2007, with an average export/production ratio of 75 percent. The export-dependent furniture-manufacturing nations in South-East Asia, particularly Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines continue to embark on different competitive strategies to ensure the continued survival of respective furniture-manufacturing industries. The success of the South-East Asian region as a global furniture-manufacturing hub has often been associated with its low cost comparative advantages, such as raw materials supply and labour force.

Growing Pains

M. Ralev, Soﬁa, Bulgaria

The total production output of furniture in the SouthEast Asian region topped US$28 billion in 2007, with an average export/production ratio of 75 percent.

36 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

However, this argument is no longer true as almost all the nations in the region, with the exception of Indonesia, are in resource deﬁcit, and have become a net importer of raw materials to cater the needs of their rapidly expanding furniture-manufacturing industry. Further, foreign contract workers are also becoming a prominent feature of the furniture-manufacturing industries, especially in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, which supposedly provides a greater cost advantage as opposed to using local workforce. On this account, the comparative advantages enjoyed by these nations have been lost, and the growth of the furniture sector in this region is fueled by other factors. Among the important growth-inducing factors has been government intervention through ﬁscal and policy instruments. This has encouraged rapid expansion of the production capacity and manufacturing infrastructure.

MARKET REPORT Market diversiﬁcation, joint ventures and greater valueadd of products are also fueling the growth in the sector. In fact, the manufacture of furniture component in the region has been steadily on the increase, as many of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region are paying greater attention to the manufacture of furniture components, while allowing the large enterprises to foray into the global trade activities.

Further Analysis

Success Factors The success of furniture-manufacturing nations such as Italy, Denmark and Taiwan, is due to their recognition of the fact that furniture is fashion, and therefore its manufacturing enterprises are flexible, both in terms of design and volume. Previous research has shown that small and medium furniture-manufacturing outfits with flexible manufacturing systems are the most successful models in the traditional furniture-manufacturing nations. The use of machining centres with shorter cycle-time and production downtime, such as CNC machines are highly recommended, as these machines provides for ample flexibility in terms of design variation. In fact, the workforce in such furniture factories is usually less than 25, but these workers are highly skillful. Such mean and lean manufacturing outfits, ensures high productivity and also allow the creation of innovative products

Sources: IFRG and CSO (2007/08). Outlook forecast based on regional economic data.

In 2007, the furniture components and fittings sector within the South-East Asian furniture industry was estimated to be US$1.75 billion in value, with an annual growth projected at about 5 percent. However, these projections may not hold, as the regional furniture-manufacturing sector begins to slowdown amid the current global economic slowdown. In order to evaluate the competitive strategies of the South-East Asian furniture sector in Country Current State Outlook for 2009 accordance with Porter’s 5-Forces Theory, a Malaysia Highly dependent on rubberwood and Contraction in industrial growth is study was conducted by the IFRG in 2007/08 contract manufacturing activities. Design inevitable. Increased foreclosures in collaboration with the respective national creativity and innovativeness is growing but expected, especially among lowrather slowly. end producers. furniture trade associations in the region. A Indonesia Highly dependent on tropical wood Contraction is expected, but may structured questionnaire was used to gauge the resources and plantation teak. Inclusion of be cushion by the increased strategies employed among 5,000 manufacturers labour-intensive activities, such as carving export of ‘greater value for and craft is on the increase. money’ products, possibly through in the region. increased non-verifiable means. Table 2 provides a summary of the main The Philippines The leader in product creativity within Contraction is inevitable, but findings of the study and suggest that furniture the region. Showing greater ability for high end products may remain in mix-materials construction, high quality demand. manufacturers in the South-East Asian region finishes, etc. Constrained by limited supply of resources. are highly vulnerable to any global economic slowdown, as their predominantly contract Vietnam Fastest growing furniture-manufacturing Significant slowdown expected, as nation in the region, driven primarily by low-end market demand plunges. manufacturing activities are dependent on orders foreign investments. Large production Foreclosures are inevitable. capacity but highly dependent on imported from the traditional furniture markets. resources. The study also enunciates the fact that the Thailand Becoming an exporter of components and raw Slowdown is inevitable as demand furniture-manufacturing activities in the region materials to other nations, such as Malaysia for components and raw materials and China. Inability to translate arts and craft will be dampened. Foreclosures continue to be plagued by lack of indigenous capability in the country into the furniture are inevitable. designs, creativity and innovativeness, which sector has made the country compete on price points rather than innovativeness. hampers the efforts by the industry to move up Table 1: State of Affairs of the South-East Asian Furniture Sector the value chain. Further, the excess production capacity induced by the low entry barrier into the sector has created a high supply elasticity, which Threat Factor Current Status Ranking of Importance in turn creates unrealistic ‘price point’ pressures Substitutes Wooden furniture will remain dominant, while other types 4 that has an adverse effect on the competitiveness continue to expand but slowly. of the industry as a whole. New Entrants New emerging nations, such as China and Vietnam are 2 In this context, the furniture-manufacturing growing in importance. sector in the South-East Asian region must take Buyers/ Lack of market is the most important constraint. Customers 1 Customers are king, especially in the global furniture scene. concerted efforts to formulate and embark on strategies that will bring about a transformation Suppliers Suppliers of raw materials and components continue to gain 3 importance, in order to ensure competitiveness. of the industry in order to cope with challenges Table 2: A Summary of the 5-Forces Competitiveness of the Furniture Sector in the global furniture sector.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

MARKET REPORT According to the IFRG report, the outsourcing network prevailing in the South-East Asian region is geared towards economies of scale for lowering production cost, rather than inculcating product diversity in short lead-time. On this account, there is a growing need for furniture manufacturers in the South-East Asian region to realign their manufacturing activities, in order to create greater room for manufacturing ﬂexibility – both in terms of product mix and production volume, which will ensure the viability of their business even during a time of economic downturn.

Silver Lining

R. Lackey, Palo Alto, US

Home Centre warehouse in UAE ready to ship out knockdown furniture, most of them manufactured from Malaysia.

that is perceived to be of higher value – living up to the fact that furniture is fashion and reﬂects the current lifestyle.

Nobody has a ‘crystal ball’ that could accurately predict the future of the furniture sector of the South-East Asian region, but on the basis of existing economic data and studies conducted by the IFRG and other organisations, there is increasing evidence that the downturn in the furniture industry is inevitable. Even if a global recession is avoided, the financial uncertainty, which started in the US, has spread across the Atlantic into the Eurozone and is making its way into Asia. With financial uncertainty and inflationary pressures, housing start-ups and consumer spending is definitely curtailed, which will lead to a reduction in furniture purchases. The export-dependent furniture nations of South-East Asia must brace themselves for tough times, and use this opportunity to realign and restructure their industry to emerge as an industry that is not solely dependent on contract manufacturing, but is also capable of producing innovative, fashion-sensitive furniture to cater for a wider market segment in the global furniture marketplace. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1401

Changing Mindsets On the contrary, the same cannot be said of the furnituremanufacturing industry in the South-East Asian region. It is no secret that the export trade is predominated by large manufacturers. They have the financial strength to secure large orders from buyers, which is then passed on to the network of suppliers or vendors, who in turn supply the various components at the lowest possible price. Unfortunately, such practices reflect the notion that furniture is still not regarded as ‘fashion’ which must be a highly flexible merchandise to suit the varying tastes of customers worldwide. Although the industrial infrastructure is already in place in South-East Asia, its effectiveness remains questionable as the need for outsourcing is driven by low pricing, rather than product diversification.

38 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Traditional FurnitureExporting Nations

South-East Asian Furniture Exporters

Predominated by SMEs, who are actively engaged in export trade.

Predominated by SMEs, but export trade controlled by several large mills.

Investment

High

Higher investment often in large mills and vice-versa.

Inventory

High

Higher inventory in large mills and vice-versa.

Financial Strength

High

Industrial Infrastructure

Product Diversity

High

Low

Supply Lead Time

Short

Long to Medium

Competitive Rating

The extended supply chain creates ﬂexibility in product diversity, production leadtime and cost

Table 3: Comparison of Furniture Manufacturers

Although the supply chain is extended, it is not as extensive and is focused on reducing cost.

��

14-17 February 2009, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

ENQUIRY NO. 942

MARKET REPORT

This year’s global outlook in furniture production sees a tilt towards a growing presence by emerging economies. By CSIL Centre for Industrial Studies

orld production of furniture is worth about US$350 billion. This estimate is based on CSIL processing of data from ofﬁcial sources, both national and international, that cover the 60 most important countries. The seven major industrial economies (which are, in order of furniture production, the US, Italy, Germany, Japan, Canada, the UK and France) together produce 47 percent in value of the world total. The furniture production of all developed countries combined covers 61 percent of the world total (Fig 1). Furniture production in emerging countries currently amounts to 39 percent of the world total in value. Figure 1: World furniture production Developed Countries (61%) Vietnam 1%

Other emerging countries 13%

United States 19%

Italy 8% Germany 7%

Brazil 2%

Japan 3% Canada 3%

Poland 3%

China 20%

Emerging Countries (39%)

Other developed countries 15%

United Kingdom 3% France 3% Source: CSIL processing

40 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

J.Van

Bedij

k, UK

There are three countries (China, Poland and Vietnam) where production is increasing rapidly thanks to recent investments in new plants especially designed and built for exports. World furniture trade basically involves 60 countries, which are the subject of the report ‘World Furniture Outlook 2009’ and of the World Furniture Indicators. The leading importers are the US, Germany, the UK, France and Canada. The major exporters are China, Italy, Germany, Poland and Canada (Fig 2). In the 1998-2007 period there was a very large increase in the imports of the United States (from US$10.3 billion to US$26 billion) and of the United Kingdom (from US$2.6 billion to US$8.3 billion), and smaller increases in France, Germany and Canada. The recession in the US caused a substantial decrease in furniture imports (from US$26

imm cologne 2008

World Furniture Outlook 2009

ENQUIRY NO. 016

MARKET REPORT

US$ Billions

Figure 2: Five Major Furniture Importing Countries. Imports, 1998 - 2008

28 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

1998

1999

2000

United States

2001

2002

2003

Germany

2004

2005

2006

United Kingdom

2007

2008 (preliminary)

France

Canada

Source: CSIL processing of United Nations, Eurostat and national data

US$ Billions

Figure 3: Five Major Furniture Exporting Countries. Exports, 1998 - 2008

28 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

1998

1999

China

2000

2001

2002

2003

Italy

2004

2005

2006

Germany

2007

2008 (preliminary)

Poland

Canada

Source: CSIL processing of United Nations, Eurostat and national data

billion to about US$24 billion in 2008). A further decrease is expected for 2009 (Fig 3). The most important structural phenomenon of the past decade was the increased degree of openness of the furniture markets (measured as the ratio between imports and consumption, which for the entire world rose from 21.6 percent in 1998 to 30.5 percent in 2007). Growth is now levelling off and no further increases are expected in 2009, as all major furniture importing countries will be in recession. As shown in Fig 4, growth of the imports/consumption ratio has been rapid until 2004 and is now levelling off.

Figure 4: The Opening of the World Furniture Markets, 1998 -2007, Imports/consumption ratio 35% 30% 25% 20% 15%

21.6% 22.5%

26.4% 24.3% 24.8%

30.2% 30.5% 28.3% 29.7% 30.0%

10% 5% 0%

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004 2005

2006

2007

Source: CSIL from industry and ofďŹ cial data

Table 1: Evolution of World GDP Annual percentage change in real terms

World Economy In 2008 And 2009 This report assumes that the international scenario in 2008 and 2009 will be as shown in Table 1.

2008

2009

World

3.7%

2.2%

Advanced economies

1.4%

-0.3%

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, November 2008

42 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

MARKET REPORT

US$ Billions

Figure 5: World Trade of Furniture 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

annual percentage change 107

111

65 45

20%

18%

16%

16% 12% 8%

10% 4%

4% 0%

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008* 2009**

-4%

0% -2%

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004 2005

2006 2007 2008* 2009**

* Preliminary ** Projected Source: CSIL processing

As a consequence of the opening of the main furniture markets in the last ten years, international trade of furniture has grown faster than furniture production and faster than international trade of manufactures. World trade of furniture is expected to grow by 4 percent in 2008. World trade of furniture would then amount to US$111 billion in 2008 (Fig 5). In 2009 there will be a substantial slowdown of growth for the entire world and a recession in the advanced economies. No growth of world trade of furniture is expected in 2009.

operation and Development) in the ﬁrst half of November. At the time of closing of this report the world economic outlook is exceptionally uncertain and downside risks are extremely serious. This caveat applies both to the macroeconomic projections and to the market forecasts in this report. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1402

Outlook 2009

44 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Jasper Greek Golangco

Furniture demand is expected to decrease or to remain stable in 2009 in all large markets with the exception of China, India and South Korea. The list of countries where furniture demand in 2009 should grow more than 3 percent in real terms is: China, India, Russia, Egypt and Kuwait. Moderate growth is expected in 29 countries and no growth in 11 countries. In 15 countries (US, Germany, UK, Italy, France, Canada, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Ireland, Ukraine, Hungary, Latvia and Estonia) furniture demand is expected to decrease. The cut-off date for data in this report is November 20, 2008. The report ‘World Furniture Outlook 2009’ has been presented during the 26th edition of CSIL annual ‘Forecast Seminar for the Furniture Industry in Italy and Worldwide’ which took place in Milan on November 21, 2008. Forecasts are based on macroeconomic data and projections provided by international organisations (particularly the International Monetary Fund and the Organization for Economic Co-

ENQUIRY NO. 002

Executive Insights

ans-Joachim Bender started his career with a company that produced automatic moulding lines for foundries. In 1993, he joined Bürkle as MD, sales and marketing. Bürkle develops and produces machines, plants and systems for the wood processing as

well as electronics, photovoltaic and plastic card industries. It is headquartered in Freudenstadt, Germany, and has 710 employees worldwide. In Germany there are 450 staff members and the turnover there was about €101 million (US$129 million) in 2007.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR EXPANSION IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS? We are currently producing smaller machines in Shanghai – M88 PVC laminating machines and also veneer press lines. In Hangzhou, we have a joint venture with a local company where we

HOW DO YOU STAY AHEAD OF YOUR COMPETITION IN CHINA? We have to keep developing new products to keep ahead of competition. We also differentiate ourselves from Chinese competition by providing a higher level of service. For example, we are able to remotely troubleshoot our clients’ machines via modem. This technology allows us to ‘look’ directly into the machine and also to make modiﬁcations to its software. It allows us to provide faster response times and also reduces the need to send out a technician to the client’s

Building Hans-Joachim Bender, MD, Bürkle explains how he leverages on his China-based manufacturing operation for global business expansion. By Michael Tham

own a 51 percent stake – producing lacquering and printing lines for the Chinese market. Our production capacity in China is expected to double in the next 2-3 years. We also have plans to manufacture machines for the European market. The Shanghai factory has about 80 employees while the facility in Hangzhou employs about 50. We’ve also just moved our Shanghai operation into larger premises with an assembly area of 4,600 sq m.

premises – which beneﬁts the customer in terms of cost savings.

WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE YOU TARGETED FOR EXPANSION? Well, India is one market where we sell our Shanghai-manufactured machines. I am expecting relatively slow growth of 5-7 percent over the next 2-3 years. This is because its manufacturing industry tends to be more labour intensive, making it less willing to invest in machinery and process automation. We also export our technology to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea and Japan. There are also plans to expand into Vietnam. We

Executive Insights see potential for this market as many of their engineers have been educated in East Germany as far back as 1989, and are familiar with the language. Asia accounts for about 20 percent of our sales turnover. We used to sell more to China in the past but we are facing problems where our technology is being copied by local companies. Eastern Europe accounts for over half of our turnover while another 20 percent comes from US. Our current goal is to increase our revenue in Asia by raising our production volume in China.

remaining 20 percent (solar technology) that had to be developed. We expect this product to take off in the face of high global energy costs. We also believe that our company’s revenue will increase by 15-20 percent in 2009, despite an expected slowdown in woodworking.

DIRECT PRINTING SEEMS TO BE POPULAR IN EUROPE. WILL YOU ALSO BE INTRODUCING IT INTO ASIA? We’re already selling direct printing machines for furniture in Europe and are moving on to printing for ﬂooring.

Germany as well. From there, our plan is move on to furniture and ﬂooring in two to three years.

HOW ABOUT DIGITAL PRINTING? This technology is still relatively new and we’ve sold only one machine at this stage. The challenge really, is in helping potential customers to come up with business ideas that can utilise this production technique. For example: Printing of a company’s logo on ﬂooring. Digital printing is suited for small production batches and is catered for customised production. With digital

on STRENGTHS HOW DO YOU PLAN TO COPE WITH THE SLOWING ECONOMY? About two years ago, we started investing in another product – machines for laminating solar panels – helping us to reduce our dependence on woodworking. It made sense for us to make this move as we already possessed the necessary know-how in electronics as well as technology for laminating wood. By leveraging on our existing knowledge in woodworking and electronics, moving into this area wasn’t so difﬁcult – to put it simply, this ‘new’ technology comprises of 60 percent woodworking technology and 20 percent electronics. It was only the

In China, melamine presses are still the predominant technology and are relatively cheap – so direct printing in this market still hasn’t really caught on at this stage – although we have already supplied one of the first direct printing lines to Malaysia. We are however going to start the ball rolling in China by producing such machines there. If everything goes well according to schedule, the machines should be on display at major Chinese tradeshows by the first quarter of 2009. Our primary target market will be the furniture industry, specifically for the printing of thin backpanels of furniture – which was how we initially started off in

technology, prints can be made in a variety of different colours. The cost of the inks are at the moment still rather high, but this should come down with increased demand in the near future. We’re looking at a timeframe of about another 1.5 years before this technology ‘takes off’. We have 5070 customers who are interested in the machines and they’re currently performing tests and evaluating the level of quality produced. We expect to sell several machines during Ligna ENQUIRY NO. 1801 2009. FDM

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Materials �Surfaces

SFIC 4 Design Conversation th

Industry experts impart their thoughts and ideas on sustaining business with design.

ne talked about deforestation and what architects and designers can do to incorporate ‘sustainability’ in their furniture design. The other discussed how OEMs in Asia can establish a foothold with their own brand from designing to marketing. Nevertheless, both acclaimed keynote speakers dovetailed their presentation to the theme of the 4th SFIC-sponsored Design Conversation, ‘The Art Of Sustaining Business With Design’. The event, which was held last November 14, 2008, held court with an audience numbering about 100 in Temasek Polytechnic’s school of design lecture theatre. Most members of the audience came from the discipline of design. While the majority were polytechnic students, notably present as well were a number of businessmen and

48 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

designers. The two speakers, furniture designer Luke Hughes and ZAAFDesign MD Paola Giordano, discussed distinct means of ‘designing different’. Mr Hughes examined at length on the causes and effects of deforestation from the time of ancient Greece to ongoing civil wars. A striking number he mentioned was that only 0.2 percent of tropical forest depletion can be attributed to export, whereas 94 percent of the cases occur as a result of population pressures and poverty. Mr Hughes also mentioned other ways to design sustainably such as the judicious use of designing with wood that is currently regarded as ‘uncommercial’. He also stressed that designers should take the tree’s shape into consideration, much like how shipbuilders used to make a point of using the bent shapes and interlocking grain.

From OEM To OBM Ms Giordano, on the other hand, talked about her company’s experiences in helping OEMs become OBMs (original brand manufacturers). She mentioned the ﬁve stages of design, production, distribution, brand development, and marketing as the value chain’s strategic choices where the OBM process is involved. Ms Giordano stressed the importance of executing product design in the grander scheme of things: “Product design is not a standalone activity and is part of a strategic process.” She quoted marketing and management guru Philip Kotler: “Strategic design is simply not a question of form.” She then said that strategic design is the interaction between all the corporate functions. Having established her company’s Trend Research programme, Ms Giordano talked about the importance

Materials �Surfaces

About The Companies Luke Hughes And Co

Founded in 1981 in London, UK, the company specialises in furniture design for the prestige areas of public and corporate

of future trend research in foreseeing social evolution, future values, and norms and habits of consumers. She also cited understanding globalisation, cross-cultural elements and considering environmental issues, saying that we need to act locally, but think globally. While it may be easy to copy a successful product and mass-produce them, it is much more difﬁcult to reproduce a communication strategy and an innovative distribution. Ms Giordano said that “branding is the antidote to the phenomena of ‘commoditisation’.” Product development, along with branding, should be coherent in order to successfully launch a product. She also mentioned that brand acquisition may not always work.

Q&A Discussion After Ms Giordano’s talk, Michael Buckley presided over the question and answer discussion. There was a lively exchange as members of the audience asked insightful questions on different topics. One topic that

was discussed extensively was branding. Ms Giordano chipped in that “brand appeal is culturesensitive.” She said: “Branding should be redirected to the new consumers – like in China and India – but it doesn't mean what is going (to be sold) into Europe will be going into China and India.” She also challenged the up-and-coming designers in the audience to understand the need for strategic design service. While Mr Hughes and Ms Giordano discussed the ﬁner points in design, Mr Buckley touched on economic prospects in general for Asia in 2009. He said that Asian countries are driving their economies amongst themselves (intra-trade) more as compared to 20 years ago. He then wrapped up the talk, afterwhich the two speakers and Mr Buckley were presented plaques of appreciation by Neo Sia Meng, SFIC VP and Four Star Industries executive director. FDM

buildings. Luke Hughes has designed and made furniture for more than 50 Oxbridge colleges, 40 parish churches, eight cathedrals, ﬁve Royal Palaces, two synagogues and more than 700 boardrooms for major city corporations.

ENQUIRY NO. 1110

ZAAFDesign

An industrial design consultancy ﬁrm founded in Torino, Italy in 1995, the company specialises in industrial product design, future trend research, and branding and communication. MD Paola Giordano also acts as chief account relationship manager for a number of industrial design projects in China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore.

ENQUIRY NO. 1105

ENQUIRY NO. 1104

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Materials �Surfaces the History Channel’s. With its MD and founder having the same name as the company, Mr Hughes knows the storied past enough to let the audience know at the SFIC-sponsored Design Conversation seminar that deforestation is not a new problem. “The worst cause of deforestation since the beginning of time has been wars – think of the 18th century wars in Europe, World War I, the Korean war, Vietnam and now the kind of mindless deforestation that is going on in the Congo during the civil wars,” he said. Mr Hughes has also shown concern on the general trend of ‘Ikea-sation’ of the world. What obstructs optimal long-term view is the skewed outlook as dictated by the relatively short-term view of people, in economics, politics, and life in general. “With today’s ‘throw-away’ global market, there is a tendency to design for a three-year life expectancy,” he said.

Solutions On Hand

DESIGNING

Sustainably

Luke Hughes has long taken a stand on saving the trees. He shares his passion on ‘designing sustainably’, and combating deforestation. By Vergel Villasoto

uke Hughes And Company has been steadily growing for the past 27 years, thanks in large part to his interest in sustainable design. From a one-man workshop, the company has since expanded to fulﬁlling £4 million (US$6 million) worth of collective orders

50 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

for clients. The company now serves the corporate, institutional, and ecclesiastical markets. His current projects include the library and courtrooms for the new UK Supreme Court. At ﬁrst glance, Luke Hughes And Company’s logo may remind you of

Mr Hughes added: “Even if office developments took 20-year leases rather than 10-year leases, the interior fit-outs would be half as frequent and the wastage, much less.” While this point is valid, it is difficult for society as a whole to reorient itself in looking at things for the longer-term. On the subject of selling timber concessions on short 10-year cycles, he mentioned that “clearfelling is bound to happen, if nobody will take a longer view in terms of sustainable forest management.” He also stressed a valid point on ‘consuming’ more and more certified, sustainable trees: “The more wood is used, the more (forest) owners will be motivated to invest in re-planting. Mature trees are less efficient at absorbing CO2. All trees eventually die and rot, so the best way to use forests as carbon sinks is to harvest the timber and convert it

It’s in our nature

Stack the odds in your favour

Chances are that you have to ﬁght for every bit of market share you can get. And trying to keep your costs down and your margins up. We have a suggestions – talk to us. One of our wood ﬁnishing experts helped a customer to boost its productivity at no extra cost, with a very simple solution. Meanwhile, one of our solutions project teams brought one of our customers in the Far East together with equipment manufacturers, to help it make the switch to our water-based solutions. Our customers turn to us for brilliant solutions, whether it’s a customised lacquer, paint or stain solution that will protect and enhance their products, or getting advice that will help their business grow. Visit www.beckeracroma.com to find out why we are the best solutions partner for your business.

China Hong Kong Phone +852 2521 9012 9012 Fax +852 2521 2521 2518 2518 || Shenzhen Shenzhen Phone Phone +86 +86 755 7552606 2606 2901 2901 Fax Fax +86 +86 755 7552641 2641 5489 5489 ||Qingdao Qingdao Phone Phone +86 +86 532 532 8870 8870 5227 5227Fax Fax+86 +86532 5328870 88702061 2061| |Harbin Harbin Phone Phone +86 5220 Fax:+66 3846 5290 | Vietnam Binh Province Phone+84 +84 8650 28770097 Fax:+84 Philippines Manila Manila +86 451 4518753 8753 0516 0516Fax Fax+86 +86451 4518753 87530515 0515| Thailand | ThailandChonburi BangkokPhone Phone+66 +663846 2 712 7554 Fax +66-2-712 7556 | Vietnam HoDuong Chi Minh City Phone 824 27 Fax +84 8650 82428770098 26 | |Philippines (Distributor) Syntema Manila, Inc. Phone Australia Phone +632 +632 628 628 35 35 75/99 75/99 Fax +632 628 628 35 35 76 | Taiwan Taichung (Distributor) BWF Corporation, Co Ltd Phone +886 4 235 90 235 Fax +886 4 235 85 782 | Australia Perth (Distributor) Twenty Two Two Service Service & & Distribution Distribution Phone Phone +61 +61 8 9206 0220 Fax +61 88 9206 Auckland (Distributor) (Distributor) 9206 0974 0974 || Sydney Sydney address address Phone Phone +61 +61 22 9533 9533 9122 9122 Fax Fax +61 +61 22 9533 9533 9299 | New Zealand Auckland The Laminex Group Phone Phone +64 +64 99 571 571 4444 4444 Fax Fax +64 +64 99571 571 4492 4492

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ENQUIRY NO. 654

Materials �Surfaces SINGAPORE TO HOST WORLD DESIGN CONGRESS

into products, whilst allowing more trees to grow than before.”

Singapore will play host to the 2009 International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) World Design Congress on November 23 – 27, 2009. It will be held at the Suntec International Convention Centre. The programme comprises of two conferences, a design exhibition, Icsid’s general assembly, as well as other social programmes. The congress and the IFI World Congress 2009 are part of the biennial Singapore Design Festival 2009, which promotes design as an engine of the new economy. The festival features well-known international and local creative personalities. Over 100,000 participants are expected to attend the festival with its 100 activities. The event is hosted by DesignSingapore Council, the national agency for promotion and development of Singapore design. ENQUIRY NO. 1121

Asia’s Progress

FURNITURE DESIGN AWARD 2009 The Furniture Design Award, to be held in conjunction with the IFFS/ Asean Furniture Show in Singapore, is organised by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC). Unlike previous editions, the 2009 competition does not restrict participants to any single theme. FDA 2008 saw a 41 percent increase of participants with a total of 530 entries from 12 different countries, mainly from the Asia Pacific region as well as entries from Australia, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. SFIC will provide mentoring sessions for all the finalists in the students category. Industry players will be invited to act as mentors for these finalists, and guide them through the production of their prototypes for the final judging. The results will be announced on March 6, 2009. ENQUIRY NO. 1122

52 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

He commented on where Asia is at in terms of forest management and sustainability: “Here in Asia, it varies enormously from country to country. Malaysia, for one, has made a lot of good progress.” What concerns him is the statistic that 94 percent of tropical forest depletion occurs as a result of poverty, population pressures, and shifting agriculture. The percentage that goes for export is only about 0.2 percent of the whole. “If everybody thinks they’re going to solve the problem with bureaucracy, they will fail. They have to get the economics right in the ﬁrst place,” he said.

Looking Ahead It seems evident that the company looks at things in the long run. “While boardroom furniture such as tables and chairs that we design for MNC’s are used for only 10 years, we often

Luke Hughes (left) being awarded a plaque of appreciation from SFIC VP Neo Sia Meng, at the 4th Design Conversation

While they mainly operate in the UK, he did say that anything is possible with regard to a stronger

The best way to use forest as carbon sinks is to harvest the timber and convert it into products, whilst allowing more trees to grow than before.

– Luke Hughes design furniture with 150 – 200 years of usability. For one project I was asked to design tables that should be built to last for 300 years! It was a major university library (Cambridge), one of the most famous libraries in the world.” “I told the librarian, ‘You want the tables to last 300 years. What about your books?’ He said, ‘I have 76 million items in this library, and it is going to be a very long time before they digitise those.”

company presence in the AsiaPaciﬁc market in the near future. “The boardroom tables that we have designed for Royal Bank of Scotland have found their way to Singapore and Beijing already.” “This is my ﬁrst time in Singapore in 33 years, back when I was still a sailor. There are opportunities here that are very exciting. There are no plans as yet, but I am very much open to opportunities.” FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1103

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Materials �Surfaces

Melamine Belinda Miller, USA

In terms of looks and functionality, melamine papers just keep getting better. By Vergel Villasoto

Aesthetics & Function Melamine paper-based surfaces have continued to beneﬁt from bigger market growth compared to other surface materials. The key to its attractiveness is design and colour creativity, and durability due to their melamine-cured surfaces. Developments in new and sophisticated applications and the increasing attractiveness of laminate ﬂooring have resulted in more residential and commercial spaces utilising

Jennifer Dickert, Dover, NH, USA

t is estimated that by 2011 world floor coverings consumption will be 15.5 billion sq m, according to Catalina Research. The biggest market and growth potential will belong to the Asia-Pacific region, dominating the world market. Up until 2011, there is an expected 5.5 percent compounded annual growth (CAGR) increase in this region. Expected as one of the top trends to watch out for in 2009 includes utilising wood, and wood flooring is blending into a diverse mix of wood tones, according to US-based celebrity design expert Kathy Peterson. She also forecasts hardwood wall coverings (wood, resin, metals) with seamless panels of custom designs becoming focal points of a room. The most common pattern is used for melamine papers is wood reproduction. Besides wood, melamine papers can resemble ceramic tile, terrazzo, terra cotta, natural stone and slate patterns.

melamine papers. The versatile laminate flooring can be installed over vinyl, tiles, or real wood. It can be used in virtually any interior space, and is also applicable in bathrooms and kitchens due to its water resistance. Melamine papers on laminate flooring can be installed on all grade levels and most existing floors. Also, they are stain-resistant, largely fade-resistant, and about 20 times stronger than a kitchen countertop. Compared to most hardwoods, laminates are quite dent-resistant, which makes it suitable in office settings.

Designer Floors Fantasy decors are now being used more commonly and metallic designs are also becoming more fashionable. The design’s impression of depth is particularly vital here, especially with wood effect prints.

Back To Basics: Melamine Paper Melamine paper is a high-

The variety covers high-pressure (HPL) or

of furniture ﬁnishes following fashion trends very

quality specialty paper

low-pressure laminates (LPL), furniture foils, and

closely. Using gravure printing, manufacturers can

bonded to an appropriate

edgebanding papers. Different methodologies

also come up with a wide range of design.

substrate such as panel or

are needed in manufacturing the different kinds

other wood-derived product using synthetic resins.

of melamine papers.

The décor paper is impregnated with synthetic resins such as urea formaldehyde (UF), melamine

The surface quality of the paper is crucial, so that

The colour can be anything from white to

formaldehyde (MF), acrylate and phenolic resins.

decorative designs – such as wood or stone effect

black, or from pale to concentrated hues. The

LPL is the most frequently used application to bond

patterns – can be created.

variety being produced these days is because

the paper to the substrate.

54 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Materials �Surfaces

Appeal

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS BERNDORF: PROCESS BELTS The Nicro 12.1 process belt from Berndorf are appropriate for the

Different kinds of finishes also add variety to melamine papers. A matt finish is designed to replicate oiled wood, whereas a high-gloss finish creates a sophisticated opulent atmosphere that suits dark wood designs. The melamine resins, used in both low-pressure (LPL) and high-pressure laminates (HPL) add a protective, transparent layer to the décor papers. This offers exceptional colour retention, and improved resistance to scratching, water, wear, and chemical attacks.

production of decorative laminates in continuous presses. The belt offers uniform

thickness,

ﬂatness, and stability. The belts can be customised to meet the requirements for speciﬁc applications. It has a tensile strength of 1,150 N/mm2, a welding factor of 0.70. At 200 deg C, its modulus of elasticity is at

Looking Forward

180.000, and has a density of 7.9 kg/dm3. Its maximum permissible

Manufacturers are also constantly trying to better the materials used in terms of function. In studies by Australian National University materials scientists, there is found to be inadequate saturation in décor papers using urea formaldehyde resin. This leaves voids in the core layer, which makes melamine resin flow in (which leaves for less coating). Further research may come up with better absorbing paper in the near future. If mimicking wood is not enough, some manufacturers are even going the extra mile and imitating even the feel of real wood. Manufacturers have added what is called registered emboss, with the plank's surface having realistic graining and textures found in natural flooring products. With direct printing, photographs or artwork can be printed onto a clear overlay. The overlay is then pressed onto the decorative layer of paper of choice. This has resulted in laminates becoming a medium unto itself. With its many benefits, melamine paper looks like it will be a mainstay in ENQUIRY NO. 1501 interior design for a long time. FDM

operating procedure is at 250 deg C.

Enquiry No: 1504

PAGNONI: SHORT CYCLE LAMINATION PRESS Pagnoni’s press line for performing short cycle lamination with melamine papers, dubbed the Selecta line, is available in different sizes. Board sizes can fit different configurations, from 6 by 9 feet to 7 by 14 feet panels. The line, being fully automatic, has a fast and accurate lay-up paper system. It can also be used for phenolimpregnated papers, and has independent thermal regulation of the platens. Core substrates that can be used include particleboards, MDF and hardboards, plywoods, and special panels. Possible final products as can be

Under pressure and at high temperatures, the melamine

processed include laminate

ﬁlms are fused using a short-cycle press. This process

panels for furniture, laminated

takes very little time and the products made are mostly

ﬂooring, partition walls and

for furniture components and laminate ﬂooring.

panels, indoor wall covering

HPL is a robust, heavy-duty product wherein the core

and lining, and ﬂat doors.

papers are impregnated with resin and the melamine paper is pressed onto them to form a surface layer. It can be used by itself as a compact board.

Enquiry No: 1503

ENQUIRY NO. 1502

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

DESIGN Reigns Supreme! Laminate ﬂooring producers set the trends for 2009. By Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring.

56 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Creative Decors The wide range of creative decors, which are in ever-increasing demand, are characterised by graphic and photographic motifs. You’ll be won over by the aesthetic expressiveness of abstract wood ﬁnishes, digital network structures, geographical motifs with lines and diamonds, drapes and colour blends in trendy retro colours,

New creative decors from Parador

aminate flooring offers the perfect combination of individuality, versatility and therefore responds to the growing consumer enthusiasm for design-oriented living environments. Never have there been so many extraordinary decor ideas as there are for the new season – in wood, stone and creative decors. They are the result of first-class technical know-how and offer trendoriented designers creative inspiration for new interior fittings concepts – both in residential buildings and in the fastgrowing commercial construction sector. These new design concepts are made possible by modern digital printing and optimised processes in intaglio printing technology.

AGTC

Wood Memory I

warm beige and brown tones and classic black and white. However, you'll also see representational motifs such as stitched canvas, weathered sacks of coffee, colourful gummy bears, playing cards from diamonds to clubs and carpets with an ornamental ﬁnish. Kitsch and cult is a design theme which wakens nostalgic memories, while the latest

Orgo

Monochrome

In Light Tones

Travertine from MeisterWerke

logo look gives floors a modern touch. Wood decors demonstrate character and naturalness. Oak is an amazingly versatile wood, as it comes in light and dark colour variants, with an elegant or rustic look. Now there is even a whitewashed oak that finds its perfect niche in the current black and white theme of the fittings sector. ‘Art design’ neatly sums up this trend in wood decors, which also includes other woods as well as oak. Wood surfaces are subtly altered from their natural appearance in off-white to silver with an aged patina. This is entirely different from walnut and teak, which make a dramatic impact and invite you to look again with their red-brown colouring. Classic beech is also back

Light are in great demand for stone finishes, as they stand for a new functionality in the world of home living and fittings. You’ll also find expressive, dark types in the range, but light white, beige and grey tones are the trendsetters amongst tile decors. In some cases light and dark types of stone are combined to create appealing contrasts. The stone decors are realistic, giving them a very authentic look. The circular groove supports this impression. While the tile format is naturally the dominant trend amongst the stone decors, farmhouse boards and ship’s deck pattern are the in-demand formats for most wood types. Farmhouse boards come in compact, long or narrow versions. The narrow boards in particular have recently achieved a fixed place in the fittings world and their appeal lies in their elegant, clear appearance. Ship’s deck pattern, which were very popular when laminate flooring first appeared on the market and then took a back seat, are making their comeback. A new look enables the expressiveness of classic and rustic woods to come into its own. The two-strip-design is the alternative for a slightly different floor design and works particularly well with light wood types like beech, maple and birch. Herringbone patterns and mosaics like on parquet flooring are chic, yet they remain the exception in laminate flooring. Builders, architects and end consumers must ultimately decide for themselves what they like and don't like – the laminate flooring sector offers them a variety of options for individual living and fittings concepts. Creativity and innovation are the driving forces which make this possible time and again. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1502

��

[ output ]

Benchmark solutions for all your cutting needs ��

Schelling Anlagenbau GmbH �� Schelling Asia (S) Pte. Ltd. ��

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

ENQUIRY NO. 013

on the scene with its new, veneer-like look. Domestic fruitwoods like apple, pear and plum also offer wide scope for an expressive surface feel.

Voice of the Industry

What Many People Do Not Yet Know About Edgebanding Machines By Stefano Turriani, sales and marketing director, Biesse Asia Automatic edgebanding machines have leaped

a minimum distance between one another.

into the market as a necessary instrument

The smaller the allowed distance, the

to achieve quality and productivity, strict

higher the performance of the machine.

requirements for an ever-growing competitive

Now this is perhaps the most substantial

woodworking industry.

issue when looking into the productivity of

They are presently available in a wide

a machine. Here is a practical example:

range and choice, either under the technical

let us consider two machines running the

speciﬁcations point of view or under the

chain for example, machine A at 30 metres

price point of view. The purchase of such

per minute, machine B at 25 metres.

equipment may therefore and paradoxically result into a very difﬁcult choice. Far from the presumption of dictating rules or standards, the purpose of this reﬂection is to address some critical issues which may turn into excruciating surprises after the purchase, if not taken into proper account.

Parameters To Consider Nowadays, it is a trend to talk about machines running high speed and the speed most machinery producers smartly refer to

Now, what many utilisers do not know is that the speed of the chain is hardly a benchmark in establishing the class of the machine

is actually the speed of the feeding chain.

Is machine A more productive? It is too early to say. Looking a bit deeper into the speciﬁcations we ﬁnd out that machine A end trims at 18 metres per minute and machine B also end trims at 18 metres. Do they have the same productivity, despite the theoretical feed speed? Still too early to say. Machine A accepts a center distance between panels of 650mm, machine B can accept a center distance of 350mm. And here comes the interesting part: if (simplifying the matter) we are edgebanding

Now, what many utilisers do not know

vectorially complex operation) carries even

(with no corner rounding operations) the side

is that the speed of the chain is hardly

more limitations. Often, the abovementioned

of a panel which is 650mm long, we will

a benchmark in establishing the class of

machine may ﬁnd itself running down to 14

ﬁnd out that machine A will edgeband at

the machine.

metres per minute when corner rounding is

18 metres per minute ‘parcels’ of 650mm

involved, if such is for example the limitation

panel plus 650mm empty interpanel space

of the speciﬁc mechanical device.

(total 1300mm) at a rate of 13.3 panels

Other parameters will in fact determine the ﬁnal execution speed of the machine, regardless of the potential speed its chain

per minute.

(a very simple device) can run at. The real

Simplifying The Matter

bottlenecks into an edgebanding machine are

Therefore, from the initial impression of a

per minute parcels of 650mm panel plus

in fact the end-trimming unit and the corner

machine that can run at 100 metres, utilisers

350mm empty interpanel space (total

rounding unit, the only dynamic ones into an

will ﬁnd themselves running it at 14 metres

one metre) at a rate of 18 panels per

otherwise relatively simple machine.

Machine B will process at 18 metres

whenever they run corner rounding and 20

minute. Surprise! Machine B, at ﬁrst

It is useless to have a machine with

metres whenever they simply need to trim the

glance slower, at second analysis (end

a chain running at 100 metres if the

edge they apply (99 percent of the cases).

trimmer performance) equals machine

end-trimming unit (due to its mechanical

But edgebanding reserves more surprises:

A in productivity, eventually and actually

construction) can only run at 20 metres;

different classes of machines do operate

produces 36 percent more than machine

in the end the real execution speed of the

with different distances between sequential

A. Now, in terms of investment repayment,

machine will be 20 metres per minute.

panels. In other words, the panels that are

that might and does mean a lot.

Usually, corner rounding (being a

58 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

introduced into the machine must respect

Simply, not many people know.

INTRODUCING

WESTERN HEMLOCK

CUSTOMERS looking for a fresh, cost-effective alternative are specifying Northwest Hardwoods’ Western Hemlock. It’s ﬂat, straight, accepts stain well and is certiﬁed to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) standard. Vietnam /Guangzhou, China: 86.20.3878.1570 Shanghai, China: 86.21.5382.9983 Taiwan: 886.42.350.2005 Shizuoka, Japan: 81.54.284.5720 or visit weyerhaeuser.com/hip

ENQUIRY NO. 905

Hardwoods & Softwoods Species Characteristics

Red Alder:

The Emergence Of

ALDER Once thought of as a weed tree, the red alder’s inherent beauty and manufacturing strengths has seen its commercial value increase in recent times. By Weyerhaeuser

nce looked upon with contempt by foresters and burned in ﬁreplaces by homeowners, Western red alder’s (Alnus rubra) history has caused some to compare it to the fairy tale princess, Cinderella. Several decades ago, red alder was not only ignored, it was treated as a weed species and regularly sprayed with herbicides or cut for ﬁrewood. In the 1970s dynamics occurred that would change red alder’s standing forever. At the same time timber companies were looking to garner more value from every

60 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

tree in the forest, a trend developed for honey-coloured wood in furniture and cabinets, and thus red alder’s commercial value was uncovered. Its inherent beauty and manufacturing strengths caused alder’s popularity to quickly spread overseas, initially to Japan and then to Europe. Sales continued to increase over the next few decades in Asia, Europe as well as in North America. In recent years, from 2003 to 2007, Western red alder exports to AsiaPaciﬁc (logs and lumber) have grown by 25 percent.

Today, red alder is a sought-after, valued hardwood that competes with many other hardwoods in the marketplace. It is used in a wide variety of applications with the high-grade lumber used most often for ﬁne furniture, cabinets and millwork, and the lower-grade lumber for furniture frames, interior components and pallets. Red alder compares favourably to other important ﬁne-grained North American hardwoods including birch (Betula alleghaniensis), cherry (Prunus serotina) and hard maple (Acer saccharum). It accepts stain smoothly and evenly, and can be stained to mimic more expensive woods. Since there is little difference in colour between its heartwood and sapwood, alder lumber has very uniform colour tones and is also a good wood species for clear-coating. Its visual appeal is complemented by excellent working properties including machining, turning, sanding, polishing and gluing. Considering all Western red alder has to offer, it is clear why its popularity grew so quickly once it was discovered by the wood manufacturing industry.

Commercial Potential Ironically, this species that was once discouraged from growing in its natural habitat is now also being grown and nurtured on plantations in the western United States. Some landowners are developing red alder plantations in order to provide future raw materials for the furniture and cabinet industries. Much research has been done to ensure the success of red alder plantations. Important factors include site selection, quality planting stock, adequate site preparation, proper planting time and planting quality. Plantation grown red alder can produce quality sawlogs in a relative short rotation of 25 – 30 years (compared to 60 years or more for other important

Hardwoods & Softwoods

Annual Sales Figures

50 40 30 20 10 0

2003

2004

2005

2006

Source: AHEC

Red alder’s ecological benefits, when grown in conjunction with conifers, are well documented by the US Department of Agriculture and other forestry professionals. Its nitrogen fixing root system helps fertilise conifers and minimise bacterial and fungal attacks, including laminated root rot that attacks Douglas Firs. In addition, red alder is a pioneer species that quickly returns to the land after fire or logging disturbances, thereby protecting the exposed soils and watersheds. It is such a prolific

2007

species in part because a single pound of alder seed can grow 660,000 new trees, and a single tree has been estimated to contain up to 5.4 million seeds. The red alder’s ability to re-seed burned cut or ravaged sites and to naturally fertiliser soil makes it as valuable to the environment as it is commercially to the woodworking industry. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1603

ENQUIRY NO. 019

Environmental Beneﬁts

Table 1: Western Red Alder Exports to Asia-Paciﬁc (Logs And Lumber)

(In US$ Millions)

North American hardwoods). Due to its excellent woodworking properties as well as a relatively short rotation for saw logs, red alder will continue to have increasing commercial potential.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Hardwoods & Softwoods Softwoods

Incense-Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens)

Abyla, Ceuta, Spain

Distribution Incense-cedar is native to the mountains from western Oregon in the higher Paciﬁc Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada, to southern California and extreme western Nevada in the US. It is also found in northern Baja Peninsula, Mexico.

General Wood Characteristics The sapwood of incense-cedar is creamy white, while the heartwood is light brown to light reddish brown. The heartwood has an aromatic, spicy odour, and is highly resistant to decay, even in the wettest of conditions. Working Properties Incense-cedar works well with hand tools and machines well, forming smooth surfaces. It glues and nails well, but blunt nails should be used to avoid splintering the wood. It holds

paint extremely well, has an unusually straight grain, and has high dimensional stability. It also has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, and works well in structures that are kept dry but are subjected to considerable temperature fluctuations. As for its durability, incense-cedar is rated as resistant or very resistant to heartwood decay. Uses Incense-cedar is used principally for lumber and fence posts. Nearly all high grade lumber is used for pencils (#1 species for pencil stock) and venetian blinds. Some is used for chests and toys. Other products are poles and split shingles. It is also used for sheathing under stucco or brick veneer construction, mudsills, rafters, window sashes, greenhouse benches, nursery flats, boardwalks, grave linings, casket shooks, exterior siding, sheathing subflooring, interior panelling, closet lining, pencils, ‘mothproof’ chests, novelties, rails, grape stakes, trellises feed troughs, farm outbuildings, and fuel wood. FDM Information provided by USDA Forest Service

ENQUIRY NO. 1602

QIULIN

Qiulin Machine

ENQUIRY NO. 976

QIULIN MACHINE Website: www.qiulinmc.com.cn http://qiulin.en.alibaba.com Email: qiulinmc@qiulinmc.com.cn

62 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

wood door production line

collage press

short cycle press

speed cover press

MACHINE

cover press

parquet production line

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 SHANGHAI QIULIN Tel: +86-21-69151282 GUANGDONG QIULIN Tel: +86-757-27737650 Contact Person: Ms Yao Wen Mobile: +86 1390 3443900

Fax: +86-354-2411813 Fax: +86-21-69151281 Fax: +86-757-27737670

ales Regional S utors istrib Agents / D d! Wante

Hardwoods & Softwoods Hardwoods

Aspen

Mechanical Properties (2-inch standard)a

(Populus spp)

Compression

Distribution Aspen is composed of 35 species which include cottonwoods and poplars. Species in this group are native to Eurasia, north Africa, Central America and North America. All species look alike microscopically.

Speciﬁc

MOE

MOR

Parallel

Perpendicular

WMLa

Hardness

Shear

gravity

X106 lbf/in2

lbf/in2

in-lbf/in3

lbf

lbf/in2

Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen) b Green

0.36

1.12

5,400

2,500

210

5.7

370

730

Dry

0.39

1.43

9,100

5,300

450

7.7

420

1,080

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) c Green

0.35

0.86

5,100

2,140

180

6.4

300

660

Dry

0.38

1.18

5,400

4,150

370

7.6

350

850

WML=Work to maximum load

Relatively low strength, moderate stiffness and shock resistance.

Reference (98) except for hardness (59).

Reference (98).

General Characteristics The sapwood of aspen is white, blending into the light brown heartwood. The wood of aspen has a uniform texture, is straight grained, light and soft, and has good dimensional stability and low to moderate shrinkage. The bark of the two species can be quite variable in colour and degree of furrowing. The leaves of aspen can vary from nearly round to ovate.

combine the

Working Properties

Uses

Aspen does not split when nailed, machines easily with a slightly fuzzy surface, and turns, bores and sands well. It holds nails poorly to fairly well, but glues, prints, and holds paint well. It is easily pulped by all commercial processes. It is also rated as slightly durable or nonresistant to heartwood decay. In terms of toxicity, its sawdust may cause dermatitis.

Pulp for books, newsprint and ﬁne printing papers. Fibreboard, wafer board, sheathing, decking, decorative applications, boxes, crates, pallets, furniture parts, lumber core, veneer, match sticks, tongue depressors, panelling, and excelsior. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1601 Information provided by USDA Forest Service

our people Expertise, experience and judgement – our export team is at your service

best PEOPLE

bringing the finest North American hardwoods to your

with the best

doorstep. Baillie stocks more North American

RESOURCES

hardwood lumber in Europe,for quick deliv-

and create

ery throughout the world, than anyone else.

LUMBER

Talk to us about how Baillie can deliver quality hardwoods to meet your needs.

ENQUIRY NO. 671

SOLUTIONS

THAT WORK it’s not just a product...it’s a solution.

4002 Legion Drive / Hamburg, NY 14075 / 716-649-2850 / 800-950-2850 / Fax 716-649-2811 / www.baillie.com www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Hardwoods & Softwoods – Timber Supplier Product Showcase

American Lumber Company Challenge Us

Company Proﬁle American Lumber Company was founded in 1953 as a lumber wholesale company based in Cleveland, Ohio. The company quickly grew, added partners, and relocated to Union City, Pennsylvania. Today, American is one of U.S.A.'s largest and most well respected distributors and exporters of American hardwood lumber. American is widely recognized as being one of the earliest exporters of North American hardwoods – tracing its export efforts to the 1960's. Lumber was ﬁrst marketed to England and

Western Europe, and export markets quickly grew to include all the major regions of the world including Southeast Asian, African, and Middle East countries. Further, American Lumber Company was among the ﬁrst to develop export proprietary grades, such as Prime and Comsel, and was among the ﬁrst to brand its lumber using the Green Diamond logo. American Lumber Company continues to export all of the major and most of the lesser known American species, including White Oak, Red Oak, Ash, Maple, Cherry, Birch, Beech,

Our Facilities:

Dry Kilns, Concentration Yards, and Warehouse

Our Services:

Kiln Drying, Custom Grades and Selection, Standard Hardwood Grades (Prime, Comsels, #2 Common). Veneer and Saw Logs for Export

Our Products:

American Hardwoods and Species from Africa and South America

Available Species:

Alder, Ash, Basswood, Beech, Birch, Cherry, Hard Maple, Hickory, Poplar, Red Oak, Soft Maple, Walnut, White Oak

Other Available Species:

African Mahogany, Ipe, Jatoba, Makore, Santos Mahogany, Spanish, Cedar, Sipo, Sapele, Wenge

Basswood, Elm, Walnut, Poplar and Alder. In the past 12 months, American has added South American and African "imported" species to its list of availability. American representatives are based in several locations around the world and travel extensively to more than 70 countries. We pride ourselves on our ability to meet the needs of our customers – wherever they are located. We invite you to Challenge Us, and to allow us to earn the privilege of calling you our customer.

Area of Application Flooring, Furniture, Kitchen and Bath Cabinets, Interior Decoration

ENQUIRY NO. 1906

Contact Information Headquarters:

Address: 707 West 38th St. Erie PA 16508, USA Tel: (1)-814-438-7888 | Fax: (1)-814-438-3086 Email: info@alumber.com | Website: www.alumber.com

64 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Sales contacts:

Jimmy Fang Sales Manager Email: jfang@alumber.com

Eric Lin Salesman, Sales Email: elin@alumber.com

Timber Supplier Product Showcase – Hardwoods & Softwoods

Baillie Lumber Co.

It’s not just a product, it’s a solution

Company Proﬁle Baillie Lumber Company established 1923 is one of America’s most well known manufacturer, distributor and exporter of hardwood products. Baillie is headquartered in Hamburg NY and operates sawmills, concentration yards,

dry kilns and distribution yards in eight

available include Red Oak, White Oak, Cherry,

eastern states. Northern, Appalachian, Central,

Birch, Beech, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Basswood, Walnut, Elm, Poplar, Hickory,

Southern, and Western species are available in the thicknesses, qualities and selections demanded by customers worldwide. Species

Our Facilities:

Sawmill, Log yard, Kiln Drying, Concentration Yards, and Distribution Warehouse

Our Services:

Kiln Drying, Custom Grades and Products, Standard Grades (Prime, Comsels, and #2 Common), Sorted widths

Our Products:

North American, South American, and African Hardwoods Suitable for Furniture, Kitchen and Bath Cabinets, Interior Decorations, Doors, Mouldings, Veneers

Available Species:

White Oak, Red Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Yellow Poplar, Ash, Yellow Birch, Beech, Basswood, Hickory, Elm

Alder and others. Full and mixed container shipments are offered.

Area of Application Furniture, Kitchen And Bath Cabinets, Moulding

ENQUIRY NO. 1905

Contact Information Headquarters:

Address: PO BOX 6 4002 Legion Drive Hamburg NY 14075, USA Tel: (1)-716-649-2850 Fax: (1)-716-649-2811 Email: info@baillie.com Website: www.baillie.com

Sales contacts: Greater China

Matt Bubar Sales Manager Email: mbubar@baillie.com

China

Weixun Yan Sales Email: wyan@baillie.com

South Asia

Phil Fenwick Sales Manager Email: pfenwick@baillie.com

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Hardwoods & Softwoods – Timber Supplier Product Showcase

Company Proﬁle Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world’s largest integrated forest products companies, was incorporated in 1900. It has ofﬁces or operations in 18 countries, with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged

The Weyerhaeuser Hardwoods & Industrial Products division of the business provides a single source for a broad range of wood products to the furniture, cabinet and millwork industries. Offerings include: hardwood and

in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest

softwood lumber, hardwood and softwood plywood and wood components. Among the

products; and real estate construction, development and related activities.

North American species available are alder, hard and soft maple, cherry, red and white oak,

Our Facilities:

Sawmills and concentration yards

Our Services:

Kiln-dried, custom grades, color-sorted, surfaced or rough lumber, 4/4-12/4

Our Products:

Northwest Hardwoods lumber, Abalon Beech lumber, Lyptus® lumber, plywood and veneer

Available Species:

Alder, Hard & Soft maple, Cherry, Red & White Oak, Hickory, Walnut, Ash, Yellow Poplar, Birch, Beech, Eucalyptus, Western Hemlock

hickory, ash, walnut, yellow poplar and a new offering, Western hemlock. This new Northwest Hardwoods brand species is a good quality, cost-effective option. Abalon beech, Lyptus® lumber and Baltic birch are also available. The company sells structural as well as appearance panel products, including iLevel TimberStrand® LSL. Sales ofﬁces are located throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.

Area of Application Furniture, Cabinetry, Millwork, Flooring, Wood Specialities

ENQUIRY NO. 1907

Contact Information Headquarters:

Address: Federal Way, Washington, USA Tel: (1) 253 924 5683 Fax: (1) 253 924 5717 Email: hip@weyerhaeuser.com Website: www.weyerhaeuser.com/hip

66 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Local Ofﬁce in Asia Paciﬁc Regions: • Shanghai, China Tel: (86) 21 5382 9983

• Taiwan Tel: (886) 42 350 2005

• Shizuoka, Japan Tel: (81) 54 284 5720

• Vietnam Tel: (08) 993 4857

• Guangzhou, China Tel: (86) 20 3878 1570

• Okawa, Japan Tel: (81) 95 247 4711

• Korea Tel: (82) 2 753 2363

• Philippines Tel: (63) 917 325 9663

Timber Supplier Product Showcase – Hardwoods & Softwoods

Certiﬁed by NHLA, CIFQ, Q-QEB

Certiﬁed by NHLA & FSC

Johnson International Industries Inc.

Kheops Group Best Selling Species/

Best Selling Species/ Product

American Basswood (Tilia americana L.)

Description of Species

The sapwood of Basswood is whitish to creamy white and merges gradually into pale brown or reddish heartwood. Basswood is soft and light in weight, and has ﬁne, even texture. It’s easily worked with tools. It does not split easily in nailing but is low in nail-holding ability and resistance to decay. It bonds well with different glues and has

Product Description of Species

Furniture parts, panelling, kitchen cabinets, mouldings, doors, musical instruments, toys, window-blinds and shutters, and wood carving.

Hard maple is heavy, hard, strong, tough, close grained and possesses a uniform texture. It sands to a beautiful tight ﬁnish. Excellent resistance to abrasion, indentation and shock.

good paint-holding ability. The light color of the wood, the freedom from warping, and good gluing qualities make it especially desirable for concealed furniture parts. Main Uses/ Applications

Hard Maple (acer saccharum)

The sapwood is creamy white with a slight reddish brown tinge and the heartwood varies from light to dark reddish brown.

Main Uses/ Applications

Flooring, panelling, furniture, doors, kitchen cabinets, gymnasium floors, table tops, toys, butchers blocks, handrails stairs and mouldings.

ENQUIRY NO. 1901

ENQUIRY NO. 1902

Certiﬁed by: NHLA, applying for FSC

Tioga Hardwoods, Inc.

Missouri-Paciﬁc Lumber Co. Best Selling

American Black Walnut, Juglans Nigra

Best Selling Species/ Product

American Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

Description

The sapwood of black walnut is creamy white,

of Species

while the heartwood is brown. Black walnut

Description of Species

The sapwood of Red Oak is white to light brown and the heartwood is a pinkish reddish brown. The wood is similar in general

Species/ Product

is ordinarily steamed in order to darken the sapwood when sold commercially, and works easily with hand and machine tools. It holds nails and screws well. Walnut has good dimensional stability, and is a temperate hardwood of medium

appearance to white oak, but with a slightly less pronounced ﬁgure due to the smaller rays. The wood is mostly straight-grained, with a coarse texture. Red Oak is the most widely produced species in the U.S.

density. Black walnut stains very well. Because of its exceptional beauty and appearance black walnut is rarely painted. Black walnut is used for furniture, cabinets, doors, ﬂooring and panelling, gun stocks, and architectural millwork. Missouripaciﬁc manufactures to thicknesses of 4/4 (26mm) through 16/4 (102mm). We also offer many customer widths and grades.

ENQUIRY NO. 1903

Main Uses/ Applications

Furniture, ﬂooring, architectural millwork and mouldings, doors, kitchen cabinets, paneling and caskets. ENQUIRY NO. 1904

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Advertorial

One trip, two fairs One trip, trip, two two fairs fairs One

Visit two two trade trade shows shows Visit on only only one one trip trip on

www.interzum.com

interzum

YEARS OF INTERZUM

cologne 13 –16. 05. 2009

Anyone who works with wood must come Anyone who who works works with with wood wood –– – must must come come Anyone to Germany. to Germany. to Germany.

WHO SUPPLIES THE BEST IDEAS ? THE SUPPLIERS AT INTERZUM. 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.

Save time and money ! Register and buy tickets online : www.interzum.com

ENQUIRY NO. 021

Koelnmesse Pte. Ltd. 152 Beach Road, #25-05 Gateway East, Singapore 189721 Tel. +65 65006700, Fax +65 62948403 info@koelnmesse.com.sg

FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com 80x240-LI_INT-FDM_Asia 1

11.12.2008 12:28:40 Uhr

rom forestry management to furniture manufacture: The trade rom forestry management to furniture manufacture: The trade rom forestry forestry management management to to furniture furniture manufacture: manufacture: The The trade trade rom fair venue Germany is the focus of the whole spectrum of the fair venue Germany is the focus of the whole spectrum of the fair venue venue Germany Germany is is the the focus focus of of the the whole whole spectrum spectrum of of the the fair wood and furniture industries world-wide. This is where the prowood and furniture industries world-wide. This is where the prowood and furniture industries world-wide. This is where the prowood and meet. furniture industries world-wide. Thisthe is leading where the professionals interzum in Cologne attracts internafessionals meet. meet. interzum interzum in in Cologne Cologne attracts attracts the the leading leading internainternafessionals meet. interzum in Cologne attracts the leading internafessionals tional companies which supply the furniture manufacturing and tional companies which supply the furniture manufacturing and tional companies companies which which supply supply the the furniture furniture manufacturing manufacturing and and tional interiors. Its status is matched by LIGNA HANNOVER, where the interiors. Its status is matched by LIGNA HANNOVER, where the interiors. Its Its status status is is matched matched by by LIGNA LIGNA HANNOVER, HANNOVER, where where the the interiors. world’s leading manufacturers of wood-working machines showworld’s leading manufacturers of wood-working machines showworld’s leading manufacturers of wood-working machines showworld’s leading manufacturers of wood-working machines showcase their state-of-the-art products. But it is not only the technocase their their state-of-the-art state-of-the-art products. products. But But itit it is is not not only only the the technotechnocase their state-of-the-art products. But is not only the technocase logy which makes these companies stand out – together they logy which makes these companies stand out together they logy which which makes makes these these companies companies stand stand out out –– – together together they they logy produce a turnover of 4.3 billion euros. produce a turnover of 4.3 billion euros. produce aa turnover turnover of of 4.3 4.3 billion billion euros. euros. produce Every two years the world’s most important trade shows for this Every two two years years the the world’s world’s most most important important trade trade shows shows for for this this Every two years the world’s most important trade shows for this Every sector – interzum Cologne and LIGNA HANNOVER – set a benchsector –– – interzum interzum Cologne Cologne and and LIGNA LIGNA HANNOVER HANNOVER –– – set set aa a benchbenchsector interzum Cologne and LIGNA HANNOVER set benchsector mark for new technology, innovations and trends. mark for new technology, innovations and trends. mark for for new new technology, technology, innovations innovations and and trends. trends. mark It’s not surprising that the number of attendees from outside It’s not surprising that the number of attendees from outside It’s not not surprising surprising that that the the number number of of attendees attendees from from outside outside It’s Germany has jumped dramatically. Where else can visitors find Germany has jumped dramatically. Where else can visitors find Germany has jumped dramatically. Where else can visitors find Germany has gathering jumped dramatically. Where from else the can demand visitors find such a large of representatives and such aa a large large gathering gathering of of representatives representatives from from the the demand demand and and such large gathering of representatives from the demand and such supply sides? The two trade shows in Germany have created a supply sides? The two trade shows in Germany have created supply sides? sides? The The two two trade trade shows shows in in Germany Germany have have created created aa a supply unique arena for some of the most innovative companies and inunique arena for some of the most innovative companies and inunique arena arena for for some some of of the the most most innovative innovative companies companies and and ininunique dustry associations in the world. You cannot fail to meet the right dustry associations associations in in the the world. world. You You cannot cannot fail fail to to meet meet the the right right dustry associations in the world. You cannot fail to meet the right dustry people here. So you can be sure of good business! people here. here. So So you you can can be be sure sure of of good good business! business! people here. So you can be sure of good business! people

Events that put you ahead of the rest. Events that that put put you you ahead ahead of of the the rest. rest. Events Germany, known internationally as home to some of the world’s

Germany, known known internationally internationally as as home home to to some some of of the the world’s world’s Germany, known internationally as home to some of the world’s Germany, best trade shows, now offers professionals from the woodworking best trade trade shows, shows, now now offers offers professionals professionals from from the the woodworking woodworking best trade shows, now offers professionals from the woodworking best and furniture industries the opportunity to visit two leading events and furniture industries the opportunity to visit two leading events and furniture furniture industries industries the the opportunity opportunity to to visit visit two two leading leading events events and during one trip: interzum in Cologne and LIGNA in Hannover. during one trip: interzum in Cologne and LIGNA in Hannover. during one one trip: trip: interzum interzum in in Cologne Cologne and and LIGNA LIGNA in in Hannover. Hannover. during Both trade shows are leading events with remarkable reputaBoth trade trade shows shows are are leading leading events events with with aa a remarkable remarkable reputareputaBoth trade shows are leading events with a remarkable reputaBoth tion. interzum in Cologne offers visitors a comprehensive market tion. interzum interzum in in Cologne Cologne offers offers visitors visitors aa a comprehensive comprehensive market market tion. interzum in Cologne offers visitors comprehensive market tion.

interzum Cologne 2009 interzum Cologne Cologne 2009 2009 interzum (13 to 16 May) (13 to to 16 16 May) May) (13 World’s leading event World’s leading event World’s leading event for suppliers of furniture for suppliers suppliers of of furniture furniture for production and interior production and interior production and interior In 2009 interzum Cologne presents the complete range of proIn 2009 2009 interzum interzum Cologne Cologne presents presents the the complete complete range range of of proproIn 2009 interzum Cologne presents the complete range of proIn ducts of suppliers to the furniture and interior industries. The ducts of suppliers to the furniture and interior industries. The ducts of of suppliers suppliers to to the the furniture furniture and and interior interior industries. industries. The The ducts fair covers the following product groups: fair covers the following product groups: fair covers covers the the following following product product groups: groups: fair Fittings, Glass and Lighting: features that optimise furniture Fittings, Glass Glass and and Lighting: Lighting: features features that that optimise optimise furniture furniture Fittings, Glass and Lighting: features that optimise furniture Fittings, and interior elements and interior interior elements elements and interior elements and Surfaces, wood-based, stone-based and natural materials: Surfaces, wood-based, stone-based and natural materials: Surfaces, wood-based, wood-based, stone-based stone-based and and natural natural materials: materials: Surfaces, products for furniture design and interiors products for furniture design and interiors products for for furniture furniture design design and and interiors interiors products Upholstery, Cover Fabrics, Leather, machines and tools for Upholstery, Cover Cover Fabrics, Fabrics, Leather, Leather, machines machines and and tools tools for for Upholstery, Cover Fabrics, Leather, machines and tools for Upholstery, material processing: the world’s unique product presentamaterial processing: processing: the the world’s world’s unique unique product product presentapresentamaterial processing: the world’s unique product presentamaterial tion for Upholstery & Bedding tion for Upholstery Bedding tion for for Upholstery Upholstery && & Bedding Bedding tion A source of momentum, a centre of ideas and a generator of A source of momentum, centre of ideas and generator of source of of momentum, momentum, aa a centre centre of of ideas ideas and and aa a generator generator of of AA source innovation: interzum Cologne is the leading international show innovation: interzum Cologne is the leading international show innovation: interzum Cologne is the leading international show innovation: interzum Cologne is the leading international show for the whole industry. The fair features also very extensive for the the whole whole industry. industry. The The fair fair features features also also aa a very very extensive extensive for the whole industry. The fair features also a very extensive for event programme that includes speeches, seminars, special event programme that includes speeches, seminars, special event programme programme that that includes includes speeches, speeches, seminars, seminars, special special event shows and conferences. shows and conferences. shows and conferences. shows and conferences. FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.interzum.com FOR MORE MORE INFORMATION: INFORMATION: www.interzum.com www.interzum.com FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.interzum.com FOR

Advertorial LIGNA LIGNA HANNOVER HANNOVER 2009 2009 (18 to 22 May) (18 to 22 May) LIGNA HANNOVER 2009 Making more out of Making (18 to 22more May)out of wood – technology wood –more technology Making out of for resource efficiency for resource efficiency wood – technology for resource efficiency LIGNA HANNOVER, the leading international trade show for the

LIGNA HANNOVER, the leading international trade show for the woodworking woodworking and and wood wood processing processing industries, industries, embraces embraces the the LIGNA HANNOVER, the leading international trade show fortrade the entire production chain – from forestry and the entire production chain – from forestry and the timber timber trade woodworking and wood processing industries, embraces and the through through to to industrial industrial mass mass production production of of wood wood products products and entire production chain – fromIn forestry and the timber trade surface treatment technology. short, LIGNA HANNOVER is surface treatment technology. In short, LIGNA HANNOVER is the the through to industrial masswoodworking! production of wood products and interface interface to to every every area area of of woodworking! surface treatment at technology. In short, LIGNA HANNOVER is the Keynote Keynote displays displays at LIGNA LIGNA HANNOVER: HANNOVER: interface to (management every area of woodworking! Forestry and Forestry (management and technology) technology) Keynote displays at LIGNA HANNOVER: Sawmill Sawmill equipment equipment and and technology technology Forestry (management and technology) Solid Solid wood wood working working Sawmill equipment and technology Wood Wood materials materials and and veneer veneer production production Solid wood Holz working Handwerk, und Handwerk, Holz und mehr: mehr: Joinery, Joinery, cabinet-making cabinet-making and and carcarWood materials and veneerwoods, production pentry trades, engineered materials, accessories pentry trades, engineered woods, materials, accessories and and Handwerk, Holz und mehr: Joinery, cabinet-making and carservices services pentry trades, engineered woods, materials, accessories and Furniture Furniture industry industry services special presentations dedicated to practical theNumerous Numerous special presentations dedicated to practical theFurniture industryseminars and conferences, as well as mes, mes, informative informative seminars and conferences, as well as Numerous special B2B presentations and dedicated to practical thematchmaking matchmaking and and B2B meetings meetings and congresses congresses underline underline the the mes, informative seminars and conferences, as well as significance significance of of LIGNA LIGNA HANNOVER HANNOVER as as the the trade’s trade’s international international matchmaking and B2B meetings and congresses underline the summit. summit. significance of LIGNA HANNOVER as the trade’s international FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.ligna.de FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.ligna.de summit. FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.ligna.de overview overview and and highlights highlights all all the the international international trends trends in in materials, materials, function and design, while LIGNA HANNOVER is a unique function and design, while LIGNA HANNOVER is a unique showshowoverview and highlights all the international trends in materials, case case of of all all the the latest latest developments developments in in woodworking woodworking technology. technology. function and major design, whilehave LIGNA HANNOVER is a unique showThese These two two major shows shows have been been scheduled scheduled so so that that one one takes takes case ofshortly all theafter latestthe developments in woodworking technology. place other – almost on each other’s doorstep! place shortly after the other – almost on each other’s doorstep! A A These 1⁄2 two major shows have been scheduled so that one takes mere mere 2 2 1⁄2 hour hour journey journey by by train train separates separates the the two two locations. locations. And And place shortly after the in other – almost on each other’s allowed doorstep! A after after interzum interzum closes closes in Cologne Cologne the the organizers organizers have have allowed one one mere 2 1⁄2 hour journey by train separates the two locations. And day which can be used for travel. This arrangement day which can be used for travel. This arrangement is is ideal ideal for for after interzumabroad closes in Cologne the organizers have allowed one visitors visitors from from abroad who who will will appreciate appreciate the the fact fact that that it it is is cheaper cheaper day which can be used for travel. This arrangement is ideal for to to travel travel at at the the weekend. weekend. visitors from abroad who will appreciate the fact that it is cheaper to travel at the weekend. Our Our offer offer – – how how you you benefit: benefit: We offer a day We offer a day ticket ticket for for interzum interzum Cologne Cologne and and a a day day ticket ticket for for Our offer – howforyou benefit: LIGNA HANNOVER only 15 euros. Alternatively, for only LIGNA HANNOVER for only 15 euros. Alternatively, for only 30 30 eueuWe offer can a day ticket for interzum Cologne and a day ticket for ros, ros, you you can obtain obtain a a day day ticket ticket and and a a catalogue catalogue voucher voucher for for both both LIGNA HANNOVER for only 15 euros. Alternatively, for onlypackage 30 euinterzum Cologne and LIGNA HANNOVER. These ticket interzum Cologne and LIGNA HANNOVER. These ticket package ros, you canbe obtain a dayfrom ticket and a catalogue voucher for both offers offers can can be obtained obtained from any any representative representative of of the the organizers organizers interzum Cologne and LIGNA HANNOVER. These ticket package – Deutsche Messe or Koelnmesse. – Deutsche Messe or Koelnmesse. offers can be obtained from any representative of the organizers – Deutsche Messe1: Package-Offer Package-Offer 1:or Koelnmesse. Package-Offer Package-Offer 2: 2: 15,15,- Euro Euro Package-Offer 1: Pay Pay one one – – get get one one for for free. free. 15,- Euro Pay one – get one for free.

Making more out of wood Technology for resource efficiency

30,30,- Euro Euro Package-Offer 2: Pay Pay less less – – get get more. more. 30,- Euro Pay less – get more.

YOUR CONTACT: YOUR CONTACT:

Koelnmesse Koelnmesse Pte. Pte. Ltd. Ltd.

AG AG – – LIGNA LIGNA Team Team Deutsche – PHONE: +49Messe 511/89AG 32134 PHONE: +49 511/89 32134 LIGNA E-MAIL: Team E-MAIL: PHONE: +49 511/89 32134 julia.mehrhardt@messe.de julia.mehrhardt@messe.de

PHONE: +65 6500 6718 PHONE: +65 6500 6718 Koelnmesse Pte. Ltd. FAX: +65 FAX: +65 6296 6296 2771 2771 PHONE: E-MAIL: +65 6500 6718 E-MAIL: FAX: +65 6296 2771 s.sim@koelnmesse.com.sg

E-MAIL:

julia.mehrhardt@messe.de www.ligna.de www.ligna.de

s.sim@koelnmesse.com.sg

www.ligna.de

s.sim@koelnmesse.com.sg

ENQUIRY NO. 020

Deutsche Messe YOUR CONTACT: Deutsche Messe

Deutsche Messe • Messegelände • 30521 Hannover • Germany Tel. +49 511 89-0 • Fax +49 511 89-32626

www.ligna.de

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Exhibition Preview

Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China February 17 - 20, 2009

oodMac China 2009, a woodworking technology trade event, has recorded a 28 percent growth in area, according to organiser China International Exhibitions (CIE). With its 10th edition from February 17 – 20, 2009, the event, in conjunction with FurniTek China, for hardware and WoodBuild China for lumber and wood accessories will be the largest show in the event’s 10-year history. Occupying a total of 46,000 sq m at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, over 500 companies will participate in the three events. These include national pavilions from Germany, Italy, Spain, and the USA. The event is organised with DMA (organiser of Ligna+) and the China National Forestry Machinery Association. Furniture producers in developing markets of Asia, Middle East and South America are still seeking price advantages

70 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

in saws, cutting machines, molder and accessories, finger-jointing lines, gluing presses and others. SCM from Italy manufactures solid wood and panel processing technology. The company will exhibit their CNC machining center, automatic edge banding machine, CNC center for window manufacture, circular saws and calibrating/sanding machines. Union Brother offers accurate machines that optimise the timber cut process. They will display their latest machines at the show. Chinese companies include NanXing Woodworking Machinery, a company offering automatic edgebanders and banding machines. Nantong Guoquan, specialising in drilling technology, can provide solutions for furniture manufacturers with automatic and semiautomatic drilling machines. FDM offered from buying inexpensive Chinese made technology. International and Chinese manufacturers of the latest ‘Efficiency Technology’ are eager to show their customers how that can save them money. Brendan Jennings, GM of CIE, said that in the current economic climate, Chinese furniture and wood product manufacturers must upgrade to the most efficient technology available to produce more for less and with a higher quality. This has created an increased demand for labour, energy, and materials-saving technology. WoodMac for technology exhibits dominate the show, occupying 80 percent of the total area. Companies at the show will include Michael Weinig, a manufacturer of solid woodworking machinery and the largest single participant of the German Pavilion. With factories in China and Germany, the company can offer solutions

ENQUIRY NO. 1704

IINN AA VVII NN TTAA TTIIOO NN

www.interzum-guangzhou.com www.interzum-guangzhou.com cifm.fairwindow.com cifm.fairwindow.com

interzum interzum guangzhou guangzhou

** Detailed Detailed visions visions for for future future markets markets interzum interzumguangzhou guangzhouisisrecognized recognizedasas Asia’s Asia’smost mostcomprehensive comprehensivewoodworking woodworking machinery machineryand andaccessories accessoriesfair. fair.With With60,000 60,000 sqm sqmofofexhibition exhibitionspace, space,we weare areAsia’s Asia’slargest largest one-stop one-stoptrading tradingplatform platformfor forthe thefurniture furniture production productionindustry. industry.We Weprovide provideyou youwith withaa unique uniqueopportunity opportunitytotosource sourcefor forproducts products and andservices servicesfrom fromover over600 600international international exhibitors. exhibitors.So Sopre-register pre-registeronline onlinetoday! today! Look Lookout outfor forthese thesekey keybrands brandsatatinterzum interzumguangzhou guangzhou2009! 2009!

ENQUIRY NO. 004 For ForEurope EuropeParticipation Participation Koelnmesse KoelnmesseInternational International GmbH GmbH MrMr Ahmet AhmetKaya Kaya T T+49 +49221 221821 8212262 2262 F +49 F +49221 221821 8213671 3671 a.kaya@koelnmesse.de a.kaya@koelnmesse.de

For For APAC/America APAC/AmericaParticipation Participation Koelnmesse KoelnmessePte PteLtd Ltd Ms. Ms. Stephanie StephanieSim Sim T T+65 +656500 65006718 6718 F +65 F +656296 62962771 2771 s.sim@koelnmesse.com.sg s.sim@koelnmesse.com.sg

For For China ChinaParticipation Participation Koelnmesse Koelnmesse Co., Co., Ltd Ltd Ms. Ms. Karen KarenLee Lee T T+86 +8620208755 87552467 2467ext ext1212 F +86 F +8620208755 87552970 2970 k.lee@koelnmesse.cn k.lee@koelnmesse.cn

China ChinaForeign Foreign Trade Trade Guangzhou GuangzhouExhibition Exhibition Corp. Corp. Mr. Mr. Wang, Wang, Mr. Mr. Zhao Zhao T T+86 +8620202608 26080427/8667 0427/86673122 3122 F +86 F +8620208666 86663416/8668 3416/86681629 1629ext ext0101 ciff@fairwindow.com.cn ciff@fairwindow.com.cn

International InternationalTrade TradeFair Fair for forFurniture FurnitureProduction Production 2009 2009年年33月月27-30 27-30日日

中中国国进进出出口口商商品品交交易会易会琶琶洲洲展展馆馆

March March27-30, 27-30,2009 2009

China ChinaImport Importand andExport ExportFair FairPazhou PazhouComplex Complex

同同期期举行举行/ /Held Heldconcurrently concurrentlywith with

CIFF CIFF2009 2009 中国广州国际家具博览会中国广州国际家具博览会

Exhibition Preview ALTENDORF: SLIDING TABLE SAW The updated F 92T sliding table saw from Altendorf cuts different materials, from wood, plastic, or non-ferrous metals. The saw is conﬁgured to be able to run 24/7, has a 3200mm sliding table length, 5.5KW main motor (3 speeds), scoring saw unit, single sided mitre fence. The machine also features a double roller carriage guiding the material. An integrated scorer is present for chip-free cutting of panel materials. A shorter 1800 mm sliding table (cutting length: 1650 mm) can be optionally supplied instead of the standard 3200 mm sliding table. All parts of the machine body are made of metal and are machined using CNC technology. All the adjustment systems are manual (rise/fall and tilt of the saw unit, height of the scoring unit, positioning of fences), making adjusting elements maintenance-free.

Enquiry No: 1708

DIEFFENBACHER: CONTINUOUS PRESS SYSTEMS The continuous press systems from Dieffenbacher are equally suitable for particleboard, MDF-, HDF-, OSB-, OSLand LVL-plates. The system can also assure large-volume capacity, consistent end-product quality, and flexibility in different sizes being fed. The machine has a speed range of up to 2,000 mm per second, and offers the option of online production changeover. It has PLC-PC control, as well as proportional valve control. The heating platens allow for long utilisation periods, as well as the protection plates which can be used twice. Among its other features are online control of all pressing parameters, multipots for cross profile controlling, variable in-feed geometry, and flexural bending principle for parallel press gap. Enquiry No: 1709

GRECON: SPARK EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM

KOMO: CNC MACHINING CENTRE

Germany-based GreCon’s spark detection and extinguishment system model BS 7 monitors mechanical and pneumatic conveying routes to silos and filters. Ignition sources are detected and immediately extinguished by a fine water mist spray. Spark sensors are flush-mounted on the walls of the exhaust ducts to detect the infrared radiation emitted by sparks in the transport air stream. Immediately upon spark detection, a water mist spray is released into the duct and the sparks are extinguished. The extinguishing device consists of a special high-speed solenoid valve with one or more spray nozzles. These are flush-mounted to the duct wall about 4 to 6 metres downstream of the sensors, depending on the conveying velocity.

The Creation CRT 408 CNC machine from Komo is conﬁgured with a traveling gantry and stationary table design. It is also comes with an 8-station aggregate compatible tool changer, powered by a bidirectional motor. Dust and chip collection is accomplished through a dust shroud surrounding the main spindle. The shroud is connected to the customer supplied dust/chip extraction system through a 6” (152mm) diameter steel adapter. The main spindle comes with a programmable air blast system for optimum dust collection performance. The machine also features the Milltronics CNC control, with its ‘Trig Help’ function eliminating the need for shop ﬂoor calculations. The CNC control includes a 12” color screen and a memory card reader.

Enquiry No: 1710

Enquiry No: 1711

72 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Exhibition Preview LEITZ: RIPPLE TECHNOLOGY The tooling company from Oberkochen, Germany, Leitz, will present different applications of the ripple technology at the WoodMac China 2009. The quality achieved from combining planing and end grain profiling with the ripple technology have inspired the company to use this technology for profiling applications as well. With adequate tool design and construction principles, performance time can be considerable increased, surface qualities improved and reject rates reduced. The ripple technology offers cost savings, quality and raw material yield for numerous demanding applications such as window, door and flooring production.

The Lignar/JHM-Moldow High Load Filter type MHL is for negative pressure as well as positive pressure operation with automatic and continuous high pressure cleaning of the filter media. This filter design and high pressure cleaning permits considerably higher loads than traditional filters. The filter is equipped with a chain conveyor system, transporting the waste to a rotary valve at the end of the filter. The waste is discharged with no pressure to either a silo, a container or a duct system for transport into silo. The MHL filter is designed to handle large air volumes and heavy dust loading such as waste from production of furniture, MDF-board, chip-board and mineral wool. The filters are designed for air volumes between approximately 20,000 – 200,000 cubic metres per hour, and can run for 24/7 if required.

Enquiry No: 1712

Enquiry No: 1713

LIGNAR/JHM-MOLDOW: HIGH LOAD FILTER

WEYERHAEUSER: WESTERN HEMLOCK

Enquiry No: 1714

Meet us at: Hall E2 | Booth 2AB04

Adjustable right angle head type FLEX ± 100º

ENQUIRY NO. 015

A quality lumber for cabinetry, entry doors, furniture and millwork, Weyerhaeuser’s Northwest Hardwoods brand of Western Hemlock is manufactured to perform more like a hardwood than a softwood. The proprietary drying, conditioning and custom grading processes employed are the same as Weyerhaeuser western hardwood lumber. Produced from a single species, Tsuga heterophylla, it does not combine with other species commonly found in ‘hem-fir’. The species’ physical properties and visual appeal are similar to soft maple and alder, and it is certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standard. It is available in six custom grades that have been designed with particular cutting and appearance attributes, so customers get more of what they need and less waste. Western hemlock is moderately light in weight and moderate in strength. It has moderate hardness, stiffness, shock resistance and good finishing properties.

www.benz-tools.de BENZ GmbH Werkzeugsysteme Fon: +49.7832.704-0 info@benz-tools.de

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Exhibition Preview

Malaysia International Furniture Fair 2009 Putra World Trade Centre MATRADE Exhibition & Convention Centre Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 3 – 7, 2009

The ASEAN region boasts a sizable market of 570 million people, and is home to hundreds of furniture exporters. While the market exports a substantial amount of ﬁnished products, more than 80 percent of the requirements for furniture production composite materials and furnishing in the region rely on imports. For this reason, suppliers are constantly angling to provide the best value-for-money materials for these manufacturers. Against this backdrop, some 500 manufacturers and exporters from around

the region will gather in Malaysia from March 3 – 7, 2009 for the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF). In its 15th year, the show will occupy more than 80,000 sq m of ﬂoor space in two exhibition venues in Kuala Lumpur, namely Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) and MATRADE Exhibition & Convention Centre (MECC). The event is supported by the Malaysian Furniture Industry Council (MFIC), and endorsed by government agencies such as the Malaysian Timber Council and the Malaysian

ZOW Shenzhen

The furniture industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in China. In the ﬁrst half of 2008 alone, exports rose by 28 percent over the previous year and imports increased by 33 percent. With ongoing investments in the real estate industry, China’s domestic market is in a good position. Sales prospects for international and Chinese furniture suppliers that provide for the local market are very positive. China’s ﬁrst ZOW supplier trade fair for the furniture industry and interior design will be held at Shenzhen between March 19 – 22, 2009 at the heart of the country’s southern furniture province of Guangdong.

74 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Timber Industry Board, among others. The exhibition will showcase living and dining sets, kitchen cabinets and ofﬁce, outdoor and garden, and children’s furniture, chairs and public seating. Apart from the usual programme, the event will also hold industry seminars from March 5 – 7, with experts from the furniture and woodworking industry hosting topics on Oil Palm EFB particleboard application, Malaysian tropical hardwood, and managing EU customer requirements. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1702

Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Centre Shenzhen, China March 19 – 22, 2009

ZOW in Shenzhen runs in parallel to the Shenzhen International Furniture Exhibition (SIFE) in the middle of the furniture trade fair season. Every March, SIFE attracts more than 60,000 visitors to the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre. ZOW trade fairs are held wherever national and international furniture suppliers can develop positive sales prospects. With six venues in China, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain and Turkey, this trade fair with its workshop concept has gained a reputation around the globe. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1703

Exhibition Preview

China Kitchen Furniture and Appliance Fair 2009

ith the systematic combination of kitchen cabinet, kitchen appliances and equipment, the concept of the compact kitchen has now become the fashion in home furnishing throughout China. A compact kitchen provides a more pleasant and multifunctional kitchen environment and has become an area of innovation. China Kitchen Furniture and Appliance Fair (CKFA) 2009 brings together the latest designs from leading domestic and international brands to support the prevalent trend of the compact kitchen in China. After its inaugural edition last year, this time CKFA will be held March 18 – 21, 2009 on the same venue as the ﬁrst edition, at China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, China. The annual event will gather the latest in kitchen designs as provided by Chinese and global companies. It

will be held simultaneously with the 23rd China International Furniture Fair (CIFF) Phase 1 (Phase 2 will be held in conjunction with interzum Guangzhou 2009 on March 27 – 30). This allows exhibitors and visitors at CKFA to gain access to suppliers from more sectors of the furniture industry, such as home decoration, woodworking and furniture raw material segments. CKFA will aim to be a product and content-driven sourcing event for the Chinese market yet with international outreach through CIFF’s international visitors predominantly from Asia. CKFA will cover the spectrum of products related to the kitchen including but not limited to: kitchen furniture, kitchen appliances including built-in dish washers, cooking appliances, refrigerators and freezers, ventilation systems, microwaves and laundry appliances, compact kitchens and builtin kitchens for ﬂats and apartments,

China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou, China March 18 – 21, 2009

parts and accessories for kitchen furniture, software and services. The event, jointly organised by the China Foreign Trade Centre and trade fair organiser Koelnmesse, will be occupying Hall 8.1 at Complex A. Last year, the exhibition had 148 exhibitors occupying 10,000 sq m of show ﬂoor space. Visitors numbered 15,511, with 18 percent coming from outside China, such as Brazil, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the USA. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1700

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Exhibition Preview

IFFS 2009 Singapore Expo Singapore March 9 – 12, 2009

Comprising more than 2,000 companies employing in excess of 14,600 people, the Singapore furniture industry is valued at S$3.4 billion (US$2.2 billion) in 2007. In addition, the output by Singapore owned factories is growing at an average of 15 percent per year. With their mix of up-to-date design capabilities, efﬁcient methodologies and versatile production resources, Singapore‘s furniture companies are fast gaining international recognition as trustworthy and customer-oriented business partners, offering a diverse portfolio of furniture solutions for the global market.

Global Yet Local One of the ‘marketplaces’ where local players regularly showcase is the International Furniture Fair Singapore 2009/26th ASEAN Furniture Show. The joint exhibition will be held at the Singapore Expo on March 9 – 12, 2009.

interzum guangzhou 2009 Interzum guangzhou 2009, the woodworking machinery and furniture production trade fair’s sixth edition, will be held at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou from March 27 – 30, 2009. The exhibition will be held in parallel with China International Furniture Fair 2009. The trade fair in 2009 spans across eights halls and occupies 80,000 sq m, a 30 percent increase from 2008’s 60,000 sq m of ﬂoor space. Over 600 exhibitors will showcase an international mix of the latest technology in furniture production and woodworking. Visitors can look forward to meeting exhibitors from Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and

76 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

More than 60,000 furniture products will be on display, and the majority of which come from Asian exhibitors (with over 50 companies from China alone). There will be more than 500 exhibitors from 34 countries, and they are expecting 18,000 visitors from over 100 countries. There will be more than a few segments on design, such as the Furniture Design Award, Platform, and FL!P Challenge. The event will also feature a seminar on ‘green’ issues, as well as the annual Best Stand and Best Exhibit awards. Its business matchmaking service links up buyers and sellers even before the show begins. The previous edition was its largest ever, having 70,000 sq m of gross ﬂoor area where they had 517 exhibitors from 33 countries. The visitors numbered 18,361 from 129 countries. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1705

China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou, China March 27 – 30, 2009

the US. In 2009, Norway will also be represented for the ﬁrst time. The event is expected to attract over 50,000 local and international trade visitors and buyers from sectors such as DIY (Do-it-yourself) and BIY (Build-it-yourself), furniture manufacturing, wholesale and retail, interior design, institutions, and wood and plastic processing/trading. Products to be featured include machines, materials, and components for furniture and woodworking production, upholstery and bedding, and interior works. Aside from the products to be showcased, leading industry practitioners will also share their knowledge and experience in the area of Furniture and Bedding, and Honeycomb Technologies in a series of professional seminars. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1706

Exhibition Preview

Delhiwood 2009 The US$4.4 billion Indian furniture industry has gained prominence as one of the country’s economic growth drivers. At one point three years ago India was the world’s largest importer of furniture products (2004 to mid-2005), but the country is making headway to gaining more of the export market. Delhiwood 2009, one of the country’s main events for the woodworking industry, will be held from February 14 – 17, 2008 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India. The event will occupy halls 14 and 18, featuring over 250 exhibitors. It is expected to attract 10,000 visitors. Floor space will cover a gross area of 16,323 sq m. The event will showcase the latest in wood processing technologies from all over the world, as well as a range of materials and ﬁttings. Delhiwood will create

a hub for exhibitors and woodworking entrepreneurs from India, South-east Asia, and worldwide in the country’s capital city. Products to be featured are accessories for production of sawn timber, veneer, particle board, MDF, OSB, LVL, plywood and panels; kiln drying and related timber technologies; machinery for the furniture industry; wood-based panels and veneered products; manufacturers of upholstered products; machinery and lines for finishing; handling equipment; woodworking tools, hand tools, portable power tools; fittings & accessories, and dust extraction equipment. Expected visitors are furniture, plywood and particle board manufacturers, architects and builders, craftsmen, forestry officials, interior decorators and ENQUIRY NO. 1701 saw millers. FDM

Pragati Maidan New Delhi, India February 14 – 17, 2009

Domotex asia/ChinaFloor 2009 Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China March 24 – 26, 2009

According to statistics by Catalina Research, the world floor coverings consumption in 2006 was equal to 13 billion sq m. It is estimated that by 2011 this figure will be 15.5 billion sq m. The biggest market and growth potential will belong to the Asia-Pacific region which dominates the world market. Until 2011, there is an expected 5.5 percent compounded annual growth (CAGR) increase in this region. In China, demand for flooring will grow 7 percent annually through 2008, driven by healthy gains in building construction activity and by government efforts to increase average per capita living space and privatise home ownership. From

the perspectives of manufacturing, this represents a US$13.3 billion industry. In its bid to stake a bigger piece of the economic pie, the joint exhibitions of Domotex asia and ChinaFloor will hold its 11th edition again in Shanghai, China during March 24 – 26, 2009. The event will occupy 8.5 halls at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) with an expected gross showing space covering 97,750 sq m. It is forecasted that about 1,100 exhibitors from Asia and rest of the world will present their products and promote their brands in front of more than 42,000 professional visitors and buyers from all over the world. International brands from the resilient ﬂooring sector will take up 44 percent of the exhibiting space at Hall E1 of SNIEC. The international hall for the textile ﬂoor coverings sector will be situated at Hall W1. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 1707

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

Calendar of Events 2009 FEBRUARY

Website: www.woodmacchina.net

5-8 – Cebu International Furniture and Furnishing Exhibition

17-20 – WoodBuild China

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

4-6 – AIFF Sydney Exhibition Centre Sydney, Australia Australian Exhibitions & Conferences Tel: 03 9654 7773 Fax: 03 9654 5596 Email: furniture@aec.net.au Website: www.aiff.net.au

4-8 – Stockholm Furniture Fair Stockholm International Fairs & Congress Center Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm International Fairs Tel: +46 8 749 44 44 Fax: +46 8-749 42 24 Email: furniturefair@stofair.se Website: furniture.stofair.se

12-15 – Samulegno Pordenone Fair Pordenone, Italy Tel: +39 0434232111 Fax: +39 0434570415 Website: www.samulegno.it

14-17 – Delhiwood 2009 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India PDA Trade Fairs Tel: +91 80 2554 7434 Fax: +91 80 2554 2258 Email: delhiwood@pdatradefairs.com Website: www.delhi-wood.com

17-20 – WoodMac China Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China China International Exhibitions Tel: +86 21 6209 5209 Fax: +86 21 6209 5210 Email: woodmac@chinaallworld.com Website: www.woodmacchina.net

17-20 – FurniTek China Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China China International Exhibitions Tel: +86 21 6209 5209 Fax: +86 21 6209 5210 Email: woodmac@chinaallworld.com

78 FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China China International Exhibitions Tel: +86 21 6209 5209 Fax: +86 21 6209 5210 Email: woodmac@chinaallworld.com Website: www.woodmacchina.net

19-20 – Carolinas Expo Greensboro Coliseum Complex Greensboro, US TSI Expos Tel: 828.459.9894 Email: tsi@tsiexpos.com Website: www.carolinaswoodexpo.com

MARCH 3-5 – Ecobuild Earls Court London, UK International Business Events Tel: +44 (0) 7816 359 317 Email: ecobuild@expo-systems.co.uk Website: www.ecobuild.co.uk

3-7 – Malaysian International Furniture Fair Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) and MATRADE Exhibition & Convention Centre (MECC) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia MIFF Sdn Bhd Tel: +603-9282 2888 Fax: +603-9286 1551 Website: www.miff.com.my

9-12 – International Furniture Fair Singapore Singapore Expo SFIC Tel: +65 6569 6988 Fax: +65 6569 9939 Email: enquiry@iffs.com.sg Website: www.iffs.com.sg

11-14 – Vietnam International & Home Accessories Fair Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center Vietnam HAWA Tel: (84.8) 4042463 - 9143851 Fax: (84.8) 4042464 Email: info@hawacorp.com.vn Website: www.vifafair.com

11-15 – International Furniture & Craft Fair Indonesia Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran Jakarta, Indonesia PT. Dyandra Promosindo Tel: +62 21 47864028 Fax: +62 21 47864031 Email: asmindo@indo.net.id Website: www.ifﬁna-indonesia.com

16-20 – International Famous Furniture Fair (3F) 4-8 – Export Furniture Exhibition Malaysian Agro Exposition Park, Serdang Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia Furniture Entrepreneur Association Tel: +606-952 4545, +606-951 3112 Fax: +606-951 2033 Email: info@efe.net.my Website: www.efe.net.my

Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center Dongguan, China Dongguan Famous Furniture Association Tel: +86 769 85900111 / 85818208 Fax: +86 769 85585780 Email: fbf@3f.net.cn Website: http://www.3f.net.cn/e

18-21 – China International Furniture Fair Phase 1 China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex

*All details subject to change without notice. Please check with organisers for updates.

Calendar of Events 2009 Guangzhou China Foreign Trade Center Tel: 86-20-2608 0427 Fax: 020-8666 3416-01 / 020-8668 1629-01 Website: http://www.ciff-gz.com/en/

21-23 – China Kitchen Furniture and Appliance Fair China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition Corporation Tel: 86-20-2608 1898 Fax: 020-8666 3416-01 / 020-8668 1629-01 Website: http://ckfa.fairwindow.com/en/

19-22 – ZOW Shenzhen Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre SURVEY Marketing + Consulting Tel: +60-3-2094 2880 Fax: +60-3-2094 2881 Email: bfc@zow.com.my Website: www.zow.cn/en/

24-26 – Domotex Asia/ China Floor Shanghai New International Expo Centre Shanghai, China Hanover-Messe International Tel: +(49)-(511)-8934210 Fax: +(49)-(511)-8931499 Email: info@messe.de Website: www.domotexasiachinaﬂoor.com

27-30 – China International Furniture Fair Phase 2 China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou China Foreign Trade Center Tel: 86-20-2608 0427 Fax: 020-8666 3416-01 / 020-8668 1629-01 Website: http://www.ciff-gz.com/en/

27-30 – China International Furniture Fair (Ofﬁce Furniture) China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou China Foreign Trade Center Tel: 86-20-2608 0427 Fax: 020-8666 3416-01 / 020-8668 1629-01 Website: http://www.ciff-gz.com/en/

27-30 – Interzum Guangzhou China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou Koelnmesse Pte Ltd Tel: +65 6500 6718 Fax: +65 6296 2771 Email: s.sim@koelnmesse.com.sg Website: http://www.interzum-guangzhou.com/

31/3-3/4 – Furnica PIF Fair Grounds Poznan, Poland Pozna� International Fair Tel: +48 61 869 20 00 Fax: +48 61 869 29 56 E-mail: furnica@mpt.pl Website: www.furnica.pl/en

31/3-3/4 – Drema PIF Fair Grounds Poznan, Poland Poznañ International Fair Tel: +48 61 869 20 00 Fax: +48 61 869 29 56 E-mail: furnica@mpt.pl Website: www.drema.pl/en

APRIL 2-5 – Panelexpo 2009 Pragati Maidan New Delhi, India Fair Design India Tel: +91 120 4333789 Fax: +91 120 4333787 Email: panelexpo@fairdesignindia.com Website: www.panelexpo.com

21-23 – Dubai International Wood & Wood Machinery Show Dubai Airport Expo United Arab Emirates Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions Tel: + 971 4 28 29 299 Fax: + 971 4 28 28 767 Email: info@strategic.ae Website: www.dubaiwoodshow.com

24-28 – Furniture Show Damascus Fairground, Syria Arabian Group Tel: +(963) (11) 44 33 444 Fax: +(963) (11) 44 33 666

Kindly indicate the events you are interested in and fax the sheet/s along with your details in the Product Enquiry Page on page 80a to (65) 6379 2806 or enquire online at www.fdmasia.com

Email: arabiangroup@net.sy Website: www.arabiangroup.com/buildex_ furniture

MAY 13-16 – Interzum Cologne, Germany Koelnmesse GmbH Tel: + 49 221 821-3216 Fax:+ 49 221 821-3908 Email: c.bodensteiner@koelnmesse.de Website: www.interzum.com

18-22 – Ligna Hannover, Germany Deutsche Messe Tel: +65 65 62 85 08 Fax: +65 65 62 85 10 Email: info@hf-singapore.com Website: www.ligna.de

JUNE 5-8 – China Furniture & Woodworks 2009 Dalian Star-Sea Convention & Exhibition Center Dalian Northern International Exhibition Co., Ltd Tel: 86-411-82538681 Fax: 86-411-82538616 Email: expo@dl-expo.com Website: http://www.sinoexhibition.com/ Furniture/index_e.asp

JULY 15-18 – AWFS Las Vegas Convention Center AWFS Fair Tel: 323-838-9440 Fax: 323-201-8246 Email: info@awfsfair.org Website: www.awfsfair.org

To be considered for inclusion in the Calendar of Events, send details of event (name, date, venue, organiser contact) to: The Editor FDM Asia. Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd. 1100 Lower Delta Road. EPL Building #04-02. Singapore 169206. Tel: (65) 6379 2888 | Fax: (65) 6379 2805 Email: fdmasia@epl.com.sg

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA JAN/FEB 2009

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