Lacquering & Coatings: Beyond Finishing
The Secret Behind OSB Strength
Laminate Flooring: Cutting Waste
Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986
OCTOBER 2010
A View To
Laminated Veneer Lumber
Production
Can’t decide which hardwood to use?
Make an informed choice with our new species guide to sustainable American hardwoods DOWNLOAD OR ORDER YOUR FREE COPY ONLINE TODAY www.americanhardwood.org ENQUIRY NO. 176
50 years HOMAG
© www.MARTINI-werbeagentur.de 07/2010
Securing success through partnership and strategy
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• immediate production readiness • simple operation • no separate settings for glue quantities and temperature • achieve consistent production quality
Highest Processing Quality laserTec processed all free edges and an invisible transition (invisible joint) can be achieved during production. • reduces the scrap rate • optimum series-production The new diode laser is hugely cost-effective, particularly in comparison to other laser systems. Put yourself well ahead of your competitors in terms of quality.
ENQUIRY NO. 179
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Success with a system
Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia established Since 1986
Contents OctOber 2010 • VOL. 22 NO. 7
FOCUS 18
Across the board: the Secret behind the OSb Strength
Huntsman provides FDM Asia’s readers a view to the processes involved in OSb production, specifically the ‘application’ that gives the OSb the tough edge. by Iain Stanton, Huntsman
MARKET REPORT 21
US cabinet Demand to reach US$15.2B In 2014
the expected recovery of the residential market will account for a majority share in overall US cabinet demand growth. by the Freedonia Group
TECHNOLOGY 22
boring & Drilling Machines: Speed, Agility Defined
page
18
31
31
Given the plethora of adhesives available today, it would be prudent for wood product manufacturers to weigh their pros and cons in specific bonding applications. by Jason Wang, Franklin Guangzhou Adhesives, Franklin International
With a new breed of cNc drilling and assembling machinery being introduced by today’s manufacturers, human intervention may become obsolete in the near future. by Shiv Kumar Shet, biesse Manufacturing
26
Drilling Systems that Address Production Philosophies
IMA Klessmann gives an inside look at the features and the rationale for the technology and design of today’s drilling systems. by burkhard Sydow, managing director, IMA AG Asia Pacific
34
SURFACES & FLOORING 34
Laminated Veneer Lumber: Deconstructed
LVL represents a design alternative for structural lumber users. Depending on the process and species used in manufacture, a wide range of performance characteristics and product costs are possible. by Dr Jegatheswaran ratnasingam, FIWSc
2 FDM AsiA
OctOber 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Lacquering & Coatings: Beyond Finishing, A Shield Of Protection
As options diversify for liquid coatings and lacquering materials, various considerations such as colour retention, faster curing process, and wear resistance come into play. by Augustine Quek
PANELS 28
… And In The Wood, bind them: Adhesive technologies
38
DESIGN & DÉCOR 38
Laminate Flooring: Cutting Waste
Smaller production batch sizes and shrinking profit margins encourage producers to increase their savings via waste reduction. by rolf Höhn, Homag
ENQUIRY NO. 110
Contents OctOber 2010 • VOL. 22 NO. 7
WOODS & SUSTAINABILITY 40
54
Kiln Drying: the energy essentials
Saws Although there are checks and balances in cutting processes, seasoning cracks may still go unnoticed. HOMAG shares the rationale and technology behind a machine optimised to ‘work around’ cracks. by Alexander Sinz, HOMAG engineering
rising energy costs, coupled with increasing concern on sustainability and efficiency considerations, come into play for one of the most energyintensive activities in wood product manufacturing. by Dr Jegatheswaran ratnasingam, FIWSc
FEATURES 44
IMA Asia President Burkhard Sydow: On the cutting edge
56
57 American Hardwoods And The New EU Law the european commission’s proposed ‘illegal logging legislation’ has been approved by its parliament and, while sending a clear message that the trade in illegal wood is no longer acceptable, it should in fact be realistic for the wood industry to implement. by Mike Snow, American Hardwood export council (AHec)
A New ‘Green’ Show So long as it’s labelled green, it must be OK. that was a message that came through loud and clear at Singapore’s newest show, beX. by Michael buckley
the IMA Asia Pacific chief distils the lessons learned and the blueprint for the future of IMA and the industry at large. by Jerome Lim
48
Cracks In Friezes: In the crosshairs of Optimised
Reducing The Carbon Footprint Of Floor Systems A life cycle assessment of two alternative floor systems –wood and concrete slab-on-grade – confirms that wood is considerably less fossil fuel dependent and contributes far less to global warming than concrete. by APA
Regulars 06 08 68 70 72a 72b
Editorial Industry News Product Highlights Calendar Of Events Enquiry Form Subscription Form
72 Page
advertisers’ enquiry numbers.
Events & Exhibitions 62
exhibition review: interzum moscow/
64
Exhibition Review: Furniture
66
Exhibition Review: IWF Atlanta 2010
67
Exhibition Preview: HOMAG In-House
Interkomplekt Manufacturing & Supply china 2010
Show
60
Beacons Of Innovation And excellence the SFIA 2010 is shining a light on how the Singapore furniture sector and its players have risen to today’s challenges. by Karen Zafaralla
52
52
The Lacey Act Revisited
A key strength of the law is that it does not dictate mechanisms and procedures by which legality may be demonstrated or impose unnecessary new controls on suppliers in regions where the existing legal framework can be shown to be effective. by APP timber
Established in 1986, FDM asia, formerly Asia Pacific Forest/Timber Industries, is a business magazine on sawmilling, woodworking, woodbased panels and furniture manufacturing. The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all editorial or advertising material and assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited artwork or manuscripts. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the magazine, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the prior written consent, not unreasonably withheld, of the publisher. Reprints of articles appearing in previous issues of the magazine are available on request, subject to a minimum quantity. The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the Publisher and while every attempt will be made to ensure the accuracy
and authenticity of information appearing in the magazine, the Publisher accepts no liability for damages caused by misinterpretation of information, expressed or implied, within the pages of the magazine. All correspondence regarding editorial, editorial contributions or editorial content should be directed to the Editor. The magazine is available on subscription in Singapore at S$126.00 (GST applicable) per annum by surface mail. Subscription by airmail to readers in Asia Pacific costs S$160 per annum; Europe and the Americas, S$230 per annum. For further details, refer to the subscription card found within the pages of each issue. For more subscription information, please fax to: (65) 6379 2806 or email: brendatan@epl.com.sg.
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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MICA (P) NO. 209/11/2009 • PPS 1204/06/2011 (020107) • ISSN 0219-2284
Prod-IQ – the smarter way to tell the future ®
Our retrofit software Prod-IQ®.quality from the ContiRoll® ecoline family reduces the operating costs of your plant. Thanks to (95% reliable) online quality predictions and instant process adjustment, safety buffers – for instance, glue – can be drastically reduced.
ENQUIRY NO. 182
www.siempelkamp.com
Editorial
The ‘Work’ Behind Woodworking
Published by:
Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd (a fully owned subsidiary of Eastern Holdings Ltd) Registration No: 199908196C
managing director
❝A
Kenneth Tan
kentan@epl.com.sg
editor
s in any market, the wood-based manufacturing industry is rife with competition. But as IMA’s Burkhard Sydow shares in a chat with FDM Asia in this issue, “good competition boosts the business, moves us to developments and pushes everyone.” Competition, indeed, may very well be the impetus behind the “work” in the word woodworking. In this issue of FDM Asia, we take a look at how seemingly established and entrenched processes are continually evolving and redefining themselves — not for survival’s sake alone, but to remain relevant as well. The issue tackles the following: Current technologies around boring and drilling take a spotlight, with Biesse and IMA sharing insights on how these processes address constant demands on efficiency, speed and cost savings. OSBs may have carved a reputation for itself with consumers — but not without the resin that guarantees its strength and durability. This application, working deep within wood strands, “comes to the surface” in the article by Huntsman who delves deep into the science behind resins. The practice of kiln drying is analysed for stopgaps in energy efficiencies, while HOMAG talks about a development in laminate flooring production to underscore this process’ nimbleness.… to name a few. Technology, materials and methods differentiate competitors. But engaging the market is also a metric of performance – even confidence. As we wrap up the last quarter of 2010, we put our ears close to the ground, keep our eyes on 2011, and engage the market now. We at FDM Asia remain keen on being the medium for learning new technologies. And as learning is a two-way street, we also want to learn from you, our readers. Your feedback helps us serve up information that you want. So do read on and keep the comments coming. We are listening.
Entrenched production methods are continually evolving and redefining themselves, not for survival’s sake alone, but to remain relevant and responsive.
Karen Zafaralla
karenzafaralla@epl.com.sg
staff writer
Jerome Lim
jeromelim@epl.com.sg
editorial assistant
Kimiko Chaing
kimikochaing@epl.com.sg
senior art director/studio manager
Lawrence Lee
lawrencelee@epl.com.sg
art director
Phyllis Ng
phyllisng@epl.com.sg
contributing graphic designer
Ahmad Halik Libby Goh
advertising sales manager
Sim Eric
simeric@epl.com.sg
business manager (China)
Ding Yongmei
neweastern_sh@yahoo.cn
assistant business manager (China)
Yumi Gui
neweastern_sh@yahoo.cn
senior circulation executive
Brenda Tan
brendatan@epl.com.sg
contributors
Alexander Sinz APP Timber APA The Engineered Wood Association Augustine Quek Burkhard Sydow Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam Freedonia Group Iain Stanton Jason Wang Karin Dullweber Michael Buckley Mike Snow Rolf Höhn Shiv Kumar Shet
Executive Board chairman
Stephen Tay
group executive director
Kenneth Tan
financial controller
Robbin Lim
etm
Eastern
Trade Media Pte Ltd an Eastern Holdings Ltd company
Karen Zafaralla Editor
6 FDM Asia October 2010 www.fdmasia.com
Head Office & Mailing Address: Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd 1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building #04-02, Singapore 169206 Tel: (65) 6379 2888 Fax: (65) 6379 2805 Representative Office Shanghai, China Office: Shanghai New Eastern Media Co. Ltd 15D Block B, Victoria Plaza, No. 1068, Xikang Road, Shanghai, P.R, China 200060 Tel: (86 21) 6276 8394 Fax: (86 21) 6276 4170
ENQUIRY NO. 016
I N D U S T R Y
Industry News
News
OCTOBER 2010
Hardwood Exports Bounce Back In Mid-2010 — AHEC government, the first half of the year saw increases in global exports of logs (40%),
Engineered Wood Panels Exempted From FSA
sawn lumber (60%) and hardwood veneer (15%).
United States: Legislation to establish
Singapore: Exports of US hardwoods bounced back strongly in the period January to June compared to the same period last year. According to data released by the US
Trade analysts say that much of the increase is the result of relatively low availability
national standards for composite wood
at the turn of the year due to production cutbacks and the need of many importers,
product formaldehyde emissions passed
distributors and their international customers to replenish stocks that have been
in the both US House and Senate and
running at low levels. Furthermore, with prices rising in early-2010, some buyers made
was signed into law by President Obama
speculative purchases.
earlier this summer.
Another indication of an improved financial environment is the increased value of
The bill, identified as the Formaldehyde
exports. The total value of sawn lumber from January to June 2010 increased to US$659
Standards for Composite Wood Products
million from US$411 million in the same period last year. The total value for hardwood
Act (Formaldehyde Standards Act, or
logs, lumber, veneer, plywood, flooring, mouldings and sidings was US$2,578 million
FSA), directs the Environmental Protection
for the first half, or an overall increase of 47%.
Agency (EPA) to establish by January 1,
The region that showed the strongest growth was Asia, with sawn lumber shipments
2013 new emission regulations under the
value up by 121% in East Asia (including China) and 96% in Southeast Asia. Shipments
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
of sawn lumber to Europe (EU) were up by 26%. The value of log shipments to South
The regulations become effective 180
Asia (including India) was up by 30%, with sawn lumber also up by 56% compared to
days after promulgation. The legislation,
last year. The Middle East registered increased shipment values of sawn lumber at 36%
which encompasses particleboard, MDF
and veneer at 54%. In Australia, where the American Hardwood Export Council has
and hardwood plywood made or sold in
been much more active recently, sawn lumber shipments were up 39% in value.
the US, as well as products made from
The leading market for US sawn hardwood lumber — the key product for the US
them, nationalises standards adopted in
hardwood industry — is China who at US$181 million is now ahead of Canada (US$136
2008 by the California Air Resources Board
million), traditionally the leading destination for USA exporters. Vietnam (US$51 million)
(CARB). The federal bill was supported by a
is up 129%, placing third and ahead of Italy and Mexico, both of which also bounced
broad coalition of industry, environmental,
back. Indonesia and Malaysia increased shipments of sawn lumber by 87% and 126%,
health and labor organizations, including
respectively; but Thailand was slightly down following a troubled start to the year for
the Composite Panel Association and
its economy.
The Sierra Club. Neither CARB nor the new federal
shipments. Red oak is close behind, up 75% or 17.5% market share by value. Tulipwood
legislation reference structural engineered
(yellow poplar) sawn lumber accounted for
wood products (eg: plywood, OSB),
a further 14.5%, bringing the total market
which are therefore effectively exempted
share value for these three species to 52%.
from the provisions of both sets of
Maple, ash, walnut and western red alder
regulations. These products are excluded
were the next most popular in world markets.
from the bill because engineered wood
Cherry shipments were way off their recent
products manufactured to US Product
peak level of 2007 but hickory, one of the
Standards PS1 and PS2 have such low
hardest of US hardwoods, was up by 87%
formaldehyde emission levels.
AHEC
Sawn American white oak lumber was up 30% globally, accounting for 20% of US
8 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
compared to last year.
Industry News
Survey Shows 70% Growth For Woodworking Machinery Assago, Italy: The woodworking industry
to push the industry up to acceptable
it was decreasing while the remaining 13
continues its swing back to growth levels
levels again.
percent said it was growing.
in the second quarter of the year amidst
Prices recorded a slight increase (plus
 The forecast survey outlines possible
prevailing optimism on global economic
0.4 percent) from April to June this year.
trends in the next few months. After the
recovery.
At the end of June, the period of ensured
positive rebound of orders, a period
production was 2.2 months.
of stability is expected to consolidate
A periodical survey by Acimall, the Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tools
Looking at turnover, there was a
Manufacturers Association, reports a
massive increase over the first quarter
69.8 percent growth in the woodworking
(plus 70.5 percent).
the results obtained in the first half of the year. Furthermore, 30 percent of the sample
machinery industry from the same period
Of the companies interviewed in
believes foreign orders will grow, while 48
the previous year, including a 63.6 percent
the survey, 44 percent indicated that
percent expects them to stay the same.
increase in orders from abroad in Italy.
production trend was positive, 52 percent
The remaining 22 percent predict a drop
The Italian market displayed an even
reported it was stable, and 30 percent
(with a plus eight balance). The Italian
stronger growth at 83.3 percent.
complained it was decreasing. Employment
market is expected to have a constant
The strong rally in the Italian market
is considered stationary by 83 percent of
trend according to 61 percent of those
results from a situation where domestic
the sample, falling by the 8 percent and
interviewed, while 22 percent it will shrink
sales had dropped to very low values,
increasing by the remaining 9 percent.
further while the remaining 17 percent
although there are hopes that the next
Sixty-five percent said available stocks
(with a minus five balance) thinks it
quarters may bring additional expansion
are stationary, while 22 percent noted that
will expand.
Appreciation Of Ringgit Upsets Furniture Export Forecast Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Due to the appreciation of the Malaysian Ringgit against the US dollar and the euro, exports of Malaysian timber products
Steinemann Appoints Gpi Group As Distributor In Australia
are expected fall below the earlier forecast level of MYR9 billion for the current year. A more realistic forecast is now RM8 billion, says the Malaysian
St. Gallen, Switzerland: Steinemann
Furniture Entrepreneurs Association in an International Tropical Timber
Technology AG has appointed the GPI
Organisation report.
Group of Companies as the new distributor
The appreciation of the Malaysian Ringgit has increased sharply since
for its abrasives products in Australia.
the beginning of the year. Currently, the average exchange rate is around
Starting on July 1, 2010, the privately owned,
MYR3.15/US$ compared to MYR3.40/US$ in January 2010. Similarly, the
uniquely diversified group of Australian
Ringgit to Euro exchange rate is now around RM4.05/euro compared to
companies GPI Group of Companies
RM4.80/euro in the beginning of the year.
will represent the complete abrasives
The Malaysian Ringgit has also strengthened against the Chinese yuan,
assortment of Steinemann, making it
from RM0.50/yuan in January 2010 to MYR 0.46 currently. However, Malaysian
available through its network of branches
furniture exports to China have continued to grow, posting a 26 percent
in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide
increase in the first half of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.
and Perth. For more than 30 years, coated
Meanwhile, the overall exports of Malaysian furniture expanded 11 percent to MYR3.95 billion in the first half of 2010, compared to MYR3.54 billion in
abrasives have formed an important part of the product assortment of GPI.
the same period last year.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  OCTOBER 2010
9
Industry News
Hanoi, Vietnam: A workshop was held in Hanoi on August 23 to help Vietnamese timber suppliers keep updated on revisions of the Lacey Act, according to the Voice of Vietnam.
Voice of Vietnam
Vietnamese Gov’t, WWF and USAID Hold Lacey Act Workshop
The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Agriculture
Vietnam, EU Embark On Forest Product Dialogue Hanoi, Vietnam: Vietnam and the European Union are to hold the first round of formal negotiations on a bilateral Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance
and Rural Development and the WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network
and Trade (FLEGT) in Hanoi by late November,
(GFTN) with support from the US Agency for International Development
according to the Voice of Vietnam.
(USAID).
At the first VPA preparatory meeting on August 16,
“Supplementary articles of the Lacey Act, dated May 2008, provide
both sides expressed hopes that the negotiations will
challenges and also opportunities for Vietnam to improve its management of
conclude with the signing of a voluntary partnership
forest, timber import and processing,” Ha Cong Tuan, the Vietnam Directorate
agreement by the end of 2012.
of Forestry Deputy General Director said in his opening speech.
The agreement is expected to create conditions
Combating timber trafficking was also a highlight of the forum, which
for Vietnam’s timber producers to improve their
brought together representatives from Government, the forestry sector and
position in the EU market and increase their ability
suppliers of forest products.
to adapt to EU market requirements with respect
Tuan affirmed that Vietnam has cooperated with many countries around
to the legality of timber. The agreement aims to
the world and made governmental-level commitments to intensify its forest
establish control and licensing procedures in timber
management to prevent illegal logging.
producing and processing countries to ensure that
Vietnam is among the world’s top five in terms of increased forest coverage and top 10 in terms of furniture exports forecast to amount to US$3 billion this year. The US is currently Vietnam’s largest furniture trader.
only timber products derived from legally harvested timber enter the EU. The FLEGT will be enacted in January 2012.
Philippine Furniture Exporters Seek Continued Gov’t Support Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines: Furniture
show participations abroad, for bringing
makers in the Philippines have called on
in internationally known designers and
The latter firms also got subsidies from
the government to continue supporting
marketing consultants in the country and
their governments when they promote
the exporters to achieve steady revenue
finance second-level designers training in
their products abroad, she added.
growth in marketing their products abroad,
the countryside.
according to the Philippine Information Agency. Rashmi Tolentino-Singh, VP for industry relations of the Chamber of Furniture
big pavilion.
“We did not look pitiful there but
“While we work with our own designers,
we could have a better presentation,
we have to work also with designers of
we could build a better image, we could
other countries for us to know what they
brand ourselves more effectively if the
are really buying,” she reasoned.
government and the private sector work hand in hand,” she stressed.
Industries of the Philippines, made this call
She said that the sector needs to
despite the 37.7 percent rise in merchandise
partner with the government, particularly
And as the sector’s growth remains
exports during the first half of 2010.
the Department of Agriculture, the
erratic, Singh said this is an opportunity
“Yes, it (growth) has improved but it
Department of Labor and Employment
for industry players to intensify product
is not spread out. If you have a hundred
and the Department of Trade and Industry
and material development especially for
exporters, is it the hundred that brought
playing the major role.
wood furniture.
up the export figure or is it just three of
Singh particularly cited the country’s
“We also need to look at other
them who made that difference?” she
participation in the Frankfurt fair in Germany
nontraditional markets. We have been
asked.
where local firms were distributed in
saying this for the past seven years. I
With this, Singh said industry players
different locations, while companies from
think now, we are really driven to it,”
need continued assistance for their trade
China and Thailand were grouped in one
she said.
10 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Industry News
Double-Digit Growth For Saudi Arabia Furniture By 2013 Noida, India: The furniture industry in Saudi Arabia is projected to
Indian Furniture Industry Expects Growth
show a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8 percent — one
New Delhi, India: India’s furniture industry output
of the highest globally — from 2010 to 2013, according to a report by
value is estimated at US$8 billion for fiscal 2009-10,
market research firm RNCOS.
with products being sold worldwide, the International
Titled ‘Saudi Arabia Furniture Market Analysis,’ the report cites
Tropical Timber Association Organization (ITTO)
increasing population, surging income levels, emergence of western
reported.
style furniture products, along with a construction boom as the main
As in many other timber processing sectors in
reasons for the strong growth in the country’s furniture industry.
India, the share of small- and medium-sized companies
The industry almost bucked the post-recessionary negative impacts
in the furniture sector is high, accounting for around
and sustained positive year-on-year growth in 2009.
85% of the total output, while the balance comprises
Fast economic developments have substantially raised per
large and organised manufacturers and exporters.
capita income of Saudi residents, thereby increasing the available
As a result of the growing housing and tourism
disposable income. Disposable income per person is expected to
sectors and rising per capita incomes, furniture
surpass US$7,000 by 2013, raising consumer spending on lifestyle and
sector output is expected to grow by 15% per year
household products including furniture and interior design contracting
for the next five years.
(IDC) and fit-outs.
The furniture sector sources a significant share
The report has revealed that the fast economic developments
of raw materials from local agro forestry plantations.
have raised income levels of the population. Per capita income of
Plantation species include sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo),
Saudi residents has substantially grown over the past few years and,
babul/kikar (Acacia arabica), mango (Mangifera indica)
consequently, the disposable income has amplified.
and neem (Melia azadirachta) which are mostly used
However, the Saudi Arabian furniture industry is witnessing a
to produce antique style furniture.
huge demand-supply gap due to an underdeveloped wood products
Large-scale plantation areas managed by industries
industry. Domestic manufacturers are facing shortage of furniture raw
and farmers have been promoted by the government
material and parts, making huge imports inevitable.
to increase wood supply. The present sustainable
However, it is expected that dependence on imports will be reduced
harvest from agro-forestry plantations is around
in the future as various international furniture giants establish their roots
half a million cubic meters per year. As a result
in the Kingdom and raw material supply gets government focus.
of improved wood availability, over 150 sawmills
On the IDC and fit-out front, the residential sector will experience
have been reopened, generating business and
the highest spending among the prominent segments. The sector will
employment in the sawmilling sector. In addition,
register around US$2.6 billion worth of IDC and fit-out spending by
some 58 new industrial licenses for medium- and
2013 on account of various factors.
large-scale wood working units are pending for Kandla region.
Hardwood Council Offers Climate Change Info Pittsburgh, USA: The Hardwood Council has published
• Trees absorb carbon dioxide; separate the carbon and
a reference document entitled ‘Carbon Dioxide, Climate
oxygen atoms; use some of the carbon to grow roots,
Change and U.S. Hardwoods’ to address concerns about the
trunk, branches and leaves; then stores or sequesters the
environment and environmentally friendly building products
unused carbon for the life of the tree or the products made
The new resource discusses the role forests play in reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and addresses how building products made from hardwoods demonstrate the least negative environmental impact. Examples of available information include: • Trees are carbon neutral and the work that they do reduces
thereof. • It takes less energy to make products from wood than other materials. • Every part of a log is used as lumber or a wood by-product and finished hardwood products are re-useable, recyclable and biodegradable.
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010
11
Industry News
APP Timber Wins GREEN New Product Award Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: In the recently concluded Archidex 2010 held in Kuala Lumpur in July, APP Timber was conferred the ‘GREEN New Product Award’ for its product, the APP Timber Teak. Timber Teak is produced from recycled Burmese teak strips. In conjunction with the ‘Green Hall’ highlight for this year, ARCHIDEX 2010 introduced the 1st Green New Product Award for products that meet site management and energy efficiency metrics, to name a few. “APP Timber encourages landowners, loggers, foresters and others to promote and support well-managed forests and environmentally sound forestry practices. We are committed to long-term forest management to ensure productive, healthy forests for future generations,” says Michael Hermens, managing director of APP Timber. Running for the fifth consecutive year, the ‘New Product Award’ was conceptualised to showcase newly launched products in the market that are accomplished through design, innovation and technology for the built environment to meet lifestyle standards of today and beyond. This year, 58 products from participating exhibitors were nominated and judged based on the design, innovation and material and technology criterion. ARCHIDEX 2010 is jointly organised by Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia / Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and C.I.S NETWORK SDN.
US Furniture Order Growth Continues, Says Smith Leonard High Point, USA: New orders in June 2010
first half of 2009, when orders for the
increased 9 percent over orders in June 2009,
first half of 2009 were 20 percent below
He cites the slow economy, stock
according to a recent survey of residential
the first half of 2008. This would mean
market woes, and continued talks about
furniture manufacturers and distributors
that orders for the first half of 2010 were
a double-dip as the main factors holding
in the US by Smith Leonard.
12.5 percent below the first half of 2008.
back consumers from spending on ‘nonnecessary’ items.
continue to come.”
As published in their ‘Furniture Insights’
Approximately 64 percent of the participants
newsletter, this compares to a 16 percent
reported increased orders for the first
“On the other hand, we are still selling
decline when comparing June 2009 to
half, with several others down only one
furniture with some improved results in
June 2008. Approximately 69 percent of
to two percent.
spite of all the bad news,” said Mr Smith.
the participants reported an increase in
“The June results continued to show
“That’s not all bad. We just need the
orders for the month compared to June a
improvement compared to 2009 results,”
economy to show some strength, but most
year ago, up slightly from May’s results.
concludes managing partner Ken Smith.
seem to feel that might be awhile. In the
Year-to-date, new orders in the US
“While we still have a ways to go to get
meantime, stay lean and hold on until the
remained at 10 percent higher than the
back to 2008 numbers, at least the increases
overall situation gets better.”
12 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Industry News
Siempelkamp Wins Vietnamese, Belarus Contracts Krefeld, Germary: In June, VRG/Dongwha, a joint venture of rubber manufacturer Vietnamese Rubber Group (VRG) and MDF manufacturer Korean Dong Wha Company, awarded Siempelkamp to supply the equipment for its MDF and HDF production plant in Minh Hung, Vietnam. The US$120-million plant will be equipped with an 8’ x 47 m ContiRoll® press which
Timber, Log Markets Shaky As Housing Starts Remain Slow — RISI
will make the plant the largest MDF plant in Asia. Siempelkamp will also be responsible for the engineering of the plant and a significant portion of the front-end equipment. The
Massachusetts, USA: New home
scope of supply includes a drum chipper, chip storage, screens, conveyors, and silos,
starts fell further than predicted
as well as a fiber dryer and a fibre sifter that is custom-designed for fibers produced
with the expiration of the first time
from rubber tree. Siempelkamp will also supply the complete glue blending system.
home-buyer credit scheme in June.
The MDF/HDF plant, slated to come onstream in 2012, is designed for a daily capacity
With August registering the lowest
of 1,200 m³ of boards that will be used for the domestic and export markets.
seasonally adjusted housing start
In a related development, Belorussian company VMG Industries Ltd. signed a
numbers in more than a decade, many
contract with Siempelkamp for a complete particleboard plant to be built in Mogilev,
lumber and panel buyers have reduced
Belarus.
inventories and some producers forced
Siepelkamp will supply a 7’ x 15.5 m ContiRoll press, while its Belgium subsidiary
to close shop. Inventory reduction
Sicoplan will head the planning and engineering. Also in scope in the contract is the
made its way upstream to timber
equipment for front-end processes such as machinery for chipping, particle production,
companies in July.
screening, sifting and glue blending, with Siempelkamp’s Italian subsidiary CMC Texpan.
According to RISI’s Log Lines, log
Siempelkamp Handling Systeme GmbH (SHS) responsible for the cooling and stacking
prices for Douglas fir #2 fell nearly 8%
line, as well as sanding line.
in June and July. Preliminary reports
The new equipment VMG is targeted to produce 2,100 x 2,800 mm particleboards with
indicate that trend will continue,
a thickness ranging from 8 to 40 mm, and operate at a yearly capacity of approximately
with prices dropping another 5-8%
150,000 to 165,000 m³ of particleboard for the furniture industry. The exclusive customer
in August.
of the boards will be the Swedish furniture retailer IKEA. This particleboard plant is the first of its kind Siempelkamp has designed according to a specific economic investment concept that is customised to small capacities.
In response to the low prices, timber companies have not been actively bidding at state timber sales. However, the lone stabilising factor in Western timber and log markets is export demand. Export volume remains strong, with one company reporting that it is shipping to China “at capacity.” Exports to Korea are expected to increase as well. Asian importers are happy to capitalise on low domestic demand and falling prices. Even with the Chinese government implementing
Siempelkamp_Vietnam signing
policies to control economic expansion
(From left) Min Kyung Sob, VRG General Director; Jongsu Kim, DongWha Vice President; Erwin Scholz, Siempelkamp, and Lim Moon Seop, Director
and reduce inflation, Asian demand is expected to stay ahead of port capacity. Nevertheless, considering the improbability of a quick rebound in domestic housing markets, timber prices will likely remain on a downward trajectory.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010
13
Industry News
First ‘Non-Timber’ Chairman Unveils TRADA Vision
HOMAG Group Breaks Through €100 Million Schopfloch Germany: HOMAG Group AG of Schopfloch, Germany, continues to extend its world market leadership. During the first half of 2010, the Group already succeeded in breaking through the €100 million revenue barrier with its
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom: Michael
project business on the back of orders of Pelipal, Rauch, Nobilia, Hali (Austria),
Cook FREng MA (Cantab), PhD, CEng,
Kitchens (Brazil), Mingzhu (China), JF Industries (China), Jela (Serbia) or Schmidt
FIStructE FCIOB was unanimously appointed
Cuisine (France).
as Chairman of TRADA at the association’s
Swedwood, an Ikea
annual general meeting on 7 September. He
supplier, also recently
is the first non-timber industry member to
contracted on HOMAG
take the chair in TRADA’s 76-year history.
for two units of edge
His first task as Chairman was the unveiling
processing lines for its
of TRADA’s Vision for the future. He said, ‘Our
production plant in Russia,
goal is for timber to be the natural first choice
as well as an angular plant
material for construction and for TRADA to
and a laminating plant for
be at the centre of this development.’ The
series furniture manufacture
Vision document states:
in three-shift operation.
• We will provide a focal point for the timber
Homag Group plant for serial furniture production
industry and a respected, authoritative voice for timber in the public arena. • We will influence policy, legislation, regulation and standards to enhance the appropriate and safe use of timber. • We will help develop timber’s position as
… and Raises Sales Revenue Forecast For 2010
the preeminent material for sustainable
Schopfloch, Germany: After a positive first half of 2010, the Homag Group
construction.
has increased its sales revenue forecast to €650 million (US$832 million) by
A graduate of Cambridge, Dr Cook has worked with Ted Happold and Frei Otto at Arup
the end of the year from an initial €600 million projection made at the start of the year.
on lightweight shell and membrane structures,
The woodworking machinery manufacturing giant has experienced an
undertaking research and development of
encouraging first six months, with sales revenue climbing to just under 50 percent
air-supported structures. He joined Buro
to €181 million. The SDAX share index-listed company also saw a significant
Happold in 1982, progressing to Partner
rise in orders for its own machines and modifications to €134 million, as well
in 1995 and is now responsible for the
as a corresponding increase in its order backlog to €200 million.
development of Building Engineering within Buro Happold worldwide. He also chairs the Education Panel of
“The second quarter confirmed that we have recovered quickly and sustainably from the massive setback caused by the economic crisis and have returned to the course for success,” said Homag CEO Rolf Knoll.
the Institution of Structural Engineers, and is an Adjunct Professor of Creative Design at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College. He is also an external examiner at the Architectural Association, London. In a related development, two TRADA directors stepped down from the Board, namely John Perry who was appointed Chairman in 2003 and Mark Silverman who joined the Board in 2003. Homag Group plant for highly flexible batch size 1 production.
14 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Industry News
India To Launch Forestry Satellite In 2013
XYLEXPO 2010 Figures Certified By ISF
New Delhi, India: A satellite for monitoring the country’s forest
FieraMilano-Rho, Italy: On July 20, the Istituto di Certificazione
cover will be launched in 2013, the Rajya Sabha reports. “A forestry satellite will be launched in 2013 so that we
Dati Statistici Fieristici (Institute for the Certification of Trade
can monitor the forest cover of the country on day to day
Fair Statistical Data), or ISF, certified Xylexpo 2010 to be ISO
basis,” Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh
25639:2008 compliant.
informed the Rajya Sabha. “A family of forestry satellites
Xylexpo is the biennial exhibition of woodworking
will be launched, which will make real time monitoring
technology held at FieraMilano-Rho, Italy.
possible,” he said.
The certification includes all released figures on visitors,
Replying to supplementary questions, the minister
number of conferences and meetings, press attendance,
informed the House that the country has gained over three
exhibition surface, and visitors’ countries of origin, from the
million hectares of forest in the last 10 years. “India is one of
trade fair held last May.
the few countries where green cover is increasing. In Brazil,
“This is another step towards the level of clarity and
three million hectares of forest is cleared every year, but in
transparency that exhibitions must guarantee,” said Ambrogio
India we have gained three million hectares of forest in the
Delachi, president of Acimall, the Confindustria member
last 10 years,” Ramesh said.
association that organises the exhibition. “Today, more than ever, we have to ensure our customers, both exhibitors and visitors, that they are attending an efficient and effective show, that they are investing on measurable events, that they can know all details about an exhibition.” ISF was created in 2005 under the initiative of AEFI (Associazione esposizioni e fiere italiane), CFI (Comitato fiere industria), CFT/Assomostre (Associazione mostre specializzate) and Unioncamere (Unione italiana delle Camere di commercio) to meet the demand of reliability in the publication of the FAO
statistics of Italian and international exhibitions. India forest cover map
The next Xylexpo will be held on 8-12 May 2012 in FieraMilano-Rho, Italy.
Legally Certified Timber Seen A Hard Sell On Price: URS Melbourne, Australia: The latest URS survey that
Endorsement of Forest Certification Scheme. More than
shows more than half (55 percent) of Australian timber
20 timber-legality assurance schemes also operate in
merchants buy certified timber products but only a
the Asia-Pacific region, URS said.
quarter believe certification brings a better price, The Age reported. Certified timber products bought by participants
Despite a small majority buying certified timber, the survey shows only 29 percent said certified timber products gained a price premium in the market.
in the June-quarter URS survey included structural
Big drivers for selling certified timber products
hardwood and softwood, hoop pine, cypress pine,
were state and local governments (50 percent) and
plywood and imported hardwood timbers.
consumer concerns over the sources of tropical timber
The main certification schemes cited were the Forest Stewardship Council and the Australian Forestry Standard, which is recognised by the Program for the
imports (32 percent). About 48 percent said demand for certified timber products had increased over the past two years.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010
15
Industry News
IMM Cologne Trend Book: Interior Trends 2011 Revealed Hamburg, Germany: For the last seven years, the imm cologne
“Interior Trends 2011”
has been convening an international panel of experts to identify
filters out and distils the
the central themes for the interior design of the coming season:
four most important
the Trendboard, with an annually changing lineup that brings
tendencies in design and
together some of the world’s most influential designers, architects,
interior culture: “Emotional
specialist journalists and materials experts.
Austerity”, “Surprising
This year, designers Patricia Urquiola (Milan), Defne Koz
Empathy”, “Re-Balancing”
(Chicago/ Milan/Ankara) and Harald Gründl (EOOS, Vienna) met
and
with textile designer Martin Leuthold (Jakob Schlaepfer, St. Gallen)
Perspectives.”
“Transforming
and editor-in-chief Marco Velardi (apartamento magazine, Milan/
The 72-page Trend
Barcelona). During a two-day workshop organised by the German
Book depicts these trends
Design Council, the panel compares and discusses the impressions
with synopses of the formal
of current tendencies in design and society its members have
and emotional motifs,
collected in the preceding months. Current developments in
lavishly produced photos
design are not the only ones evaluated — the state of mind and
and detailed information
needs found in the relevant consumer groups are taken as the
about the colour values
respective starting point for the formulation of an Interior Trend.
and material collages.
The manifestations of the Interior Trend are then defined in detail
The book is available this
on the basis of material and colour samples.
autumn.
Surprising Empathy
SFIC, Spring Lead Design Mission To Scandinavia Singapore: A 19-member delegation from 13 Singapore companies
beneficial to the participating companies’ growth in the industry,”
and institutions visited Scandinavia for an inaugural one-week
said Mr Andrew Pang, mission co-leader and vice chairman of
design study mission from August 26 to September 4. Organised
design development committee at SFIC
by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and Spring Singapore, the trip covered Denmark, Finland, and Sweden.
Over the last five years, Singapore’s furniture industry has experienced a steadily high growth rate of 10 percent annually,
The delegation visited Aalto University, a design education
and rapidly gained global popularity. In 2008, it achieved total
institute in Helsinki, and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
sales of S$4.9 billion (US$6.6 billion), or 0.92 percent of the world
in Denmark, which is the world’s oldest school of architecture
market share.
and furniture design. Participants were also given the opportunity
“Through missions such as this, we hope to inspire more in the
to meet representatives from some of the world’s top design
industry to develop top-class capabilities that will grow our global
manufacturers and retailers, such as Danish furniture company
market share and build worldwide recognition of Singapore furniture
Fritz Hansen and famed Swedish furniture brand Offecct.
companies as a choice provider of quality design-oriented furniture,”
Other highlights in the lineup include the Copenhagen Design
said Ms Kee Ai Nah, director of lifestyle, Spring Singapore.
Fair, which is Scandinavia’s first broad-based design fair covering
SFIC has been working closely with Spring Singapore on a series
furniture, textile, lighting and interior architecture, and the Habitare
of initiatives aimed at helping players in the Singapore furniture
Fair, which is Finland’s largest furniture and furnishing fair.
industry improve their competitiveness and strategic advantage
In the spirit of helping members of the local furniture industry
through design.
expand their scope of knowledge on a global scale, the mission
This mission is part of SFIC’s Furniture Design DNA (Develop,
aims to advance the standards and capabilities of our furniture
Nurture and Accelerate) programme, which is supported by Spring
companies and designers.
Singapore. Other key initiatives under the Furniture Design DNA
“Being able to study the Scandinavian furniture industry first-hand is an invaluable opportunity that will no doubt be very
16 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Programme include the Furniture Design Award, Platform, and design forums and workshops.
Industry News
AHEC Announces Major LCA Study For US Hardwoods Singapore: The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) has
or material. Green building initiatives such as BREEAM (UK and
commissioned a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, deemed the
International), LEED (US and International), DGNB (Germany), HQE
largest ever undertaken in the international hardwood sector.
(France), and CASBEE (Japan) are becoming more dependent
LCA consultants PE INTERNATIONAL will undertake the study,
on EPDs to provide credible and comparative information on the
which will conform to the ISO 14000 series of standards relating
environmental performance of materials used in the building
to LCA and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). It will
sector.
also include an assessment of the carbon footprint of American hardwoods as a component.
“This new study will not only supply the data needed for our customers to make an informed choice but it will also be crucial
Michael Snow, AHEC executive director, said the decision to
in identifying environmental ‘hotspots’ — those processes with
invest in this new study is hugely significant for the industry and
significant environmental impacts — where we can implement
vital for its future competitive edge in export markets, in a world
target-led programmes to improve performance,” says Snow.
where green specification is increasingly informed by a science-
The initial consultation and planning with PE INTERNATIONAL
based approach. He says, “This is a massive undertaking in both
and leaders of the American hardwood industry took place in
financial and logistical terms because the study will encompass
Washington DC in mid-September 2010. The project will continue
a wide range of operations and processes. Data collection will
through 2011.
be needed from a variety of sectors, supply chain elements and geographical regions. What we want from this study is comprehensive and independently assessed and verified information about the environmental impacts of the processes used to extract, produce and dispose of American hardwood products.” The study will compile Life Cycle Inventory data for sawn lumber and veneers of the main internationally traded American hardwood species. The information will cover environmental impacts of all processes from point of extraction, to delivery, and Turnstone Singapore
then to the importers’ yard in Europe and in East Asia. A key aim of the study is to enable manufacturers of joinery, flooring and furniture products that rely on American hardwoods to prepare formal EPDs in line with international standards. EPDs are widely recognised as the most effective method of communicating the full environmental profile of any given product
American hardwood raw material being processed. It is this material that will be subject to the LCA Study.
Erratum
Panel Shipments Slip 5% In August
In the August issue
Leesburgh USA: North American shipments of particleboard, MDF and hardboard decline 55 in August 2010 compared to
(Vol. 22, No.6), the caption of the image in the Industry News
August 2009, according to the Composite Panel Association’s
item “Asia’s Largest
most recent Market Barometer.
Fibreboard Plant
Overall shipments totaled 427 MMSF (3/4” basis) in August.
Breaks Ground”
Year-to-date shipments were still ahead of last year by 4% for
should have read: A
composite panel products, the CPA said.
Dongwha Fibreboard
Particleboard shipments were down only 2% to 253 MMSF (3/4” basis) from last month, and down 1% compared to the same month one year ago. MDF shipments were 135 MMSF (3/4” basis), declining 11% from last month and last year. Hardboard fell 5% over last month at 231 MMSF (1/8” basis) and was down 2% compared to August 2009.
plant in Merbok, Kedah) and not Merbok, Sri Lanka. The Editors apologise for the error.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010
17
Focus
Across The Board:
The
Secret Behind
OSB
the
Strength
Huntsman
Over the past few years, Europe and North America have witnessed rapid growth and development in the production of OSB. Huntsman provides FDM Asia’s readers a view to the processes involved in OSB production, specifically the ‘application’ that gives the OSB the tough edge. By Iain Stanton, composite wood panel marketing manager (Europe, Asia), Huntsman
18 FDM Asia october 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
S
trong, hard-wearing, smooth and defect-free. These are the qualities ascribed to the engineered wood strand panel, the oriented strand board (OSB). And because of these very attributes, it has become a superior alternative to plywood. It has developed into the preferred material in a wide range of building projects — from flooring, roofing and timber-frame housing to smaller-scale applications such as 9/14/10packaging, 6:10:23 PM exhibition stand construction and boarding-up open windows on site for temporary security. The OSB’s strength and reliability are largely brought about by the way it is produced.
Manufacturing Process: An Overview Like any manufacturing process, OSB
production involves several stages. First, the raw tree is debarked and shredded into credit card-sized ‘strands’ at the factory by specialised machinery. The strands are then dried out in an industrial-strength dryer to remove excess moisture within the timber. The next stage is the application of the Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI) resin binder that will ultimately hold the panel together and give it strength. Fully coated, the wooden strands are then evenly distributed on to a conveyor belt: first in one direction and then another, to create a ‘mattress’ of three layers. In conjunction with the resin mixture, it is this cross-ply effect that makes the board tough and suitable for use in construction. The final board is produced by pressing the mattress in a heated press to cure the adhesive. The
Huntsman
MDI gluing process in OSB application
result: a sheet of OSB with a consistent finish and no voids.
Choosing The Binder A key component in the production of OSB is the adhesive used to bind the
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AMERICAN LUMBER COMPANY / PHONE: 814.438.7888 / 888.438.7888 / FAX: 814.438.3086 / E-MAIL: INQUIRY@ALUMBER.COM / WWW.ALUMBER.COM www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010
19
ENQUIRY NO. 057
Focus
Huntsman
Focus
Production of full MDI OSB panels on labscale
strands of wood together. The adhesive has a significant role in determining the OSB’s mechanical strength and durability, as well as its moisture resistance and dimensional stability. The resin, applied before the final panel through a carefully controlled mixing process, is designed to partially penetrate into the strands before they are laid out to form the basis of a panel.
Nature of Adhesion The wood surface naturally has several chemical groups called hydroxyl groups (-OH). The MDI resins are terminated with isocyanate groups (-N=C=O), which react with the (-OH) hydroxyls on the wood forming urethane linkages. These linkages help to make the MDI-bonded boards perform better when exposed to moisture. A wide range of adhesives is available for OSB production, with the preference
differing across countries. Traditionally, OSB manufacturers in North America use Phenol Formaldehyde (PF). However, this is no longer commonplace, as more manufacturers are turning to using standard polymeric MDI in the core layer of OSB boards. This shift has been driven mainly by MDI’s cost efficiencies and productivity rates: • Versatility of application: It can used within either the core layers of the panel or the core and face layers • Shorter press times • Lower temperature requirements In Europe, the composite wood panel industry has adopted MDI resins, with some utilising catalysed (or fast-cure) resins.
Constant Innovation When MDI resins were first used in the manufacture of OSB panels, a
About Huntsman: Huntsman has over 25 years of experience in composite wood products,with particular expertise in the manufacture of OSB. It supplied MDI resins for this production since the first use of MDI resins in OSB production back in the mid 1980s. It is the first company to commercialise fast cure MDI resins products in Europe, including the I-BOND® OSB FC 4310 and I-BOND® OSB FC 4312 which were launched in December 1999.
standard MDI grade was used for the core resin. The last 10 years have seen the introduction of faster grades of MDI resins that allow for shorter and shorter press factors. Fast-cure MDI resins typically improve by 15% the press factor, which is the measure an OSB producer uses to determine the speed of the process, compared to standard polymeric resins. In 2010, Huntsman released a fast-cure resins called I-BOND® EFC 4362 which delivers a further 10% improvement over the rates achieved by current fast-cure resins. With fast-cure resins, an OSB producer can make more square meters of boards, which in turn means they can obtain more from the assets and therefore dilute operating costs. It also results in reduced blender maintenance costs, in terms of time needed and frequency of cleaning required, lower formaldehyde emissions and lower drier energy requirements.
No Two Plants Are the Same In choosing the vendor or brand of resins, OSB producers should articulate their needs and why they are considering making the change to MDI. At Huntsman, for example, it has dedicated global technical resources, environmental health and safety support teams and a bespoke service. It also offers trials for new customers within their own production plants so they can effectively ‘try before they buy.’ Customers get to test different MDI formulas with the specific source of wood they use at the products development centre, creating a unique formula that will perform the best for them. This tailored, one-to-one service is designed to offer ongoing service to every customer, as no two plants we encounter are ever the same. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8500
20 FDM Asia october 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Market Report
US Cabinet Demand To Reach US$15.2
In 2014
Billion
The expected recovery of the residential market will account for a majority share in overall US cabinet demand growth. By The Freedonia Group
U
S demand for cabinets is forecast to expand 7.4 percent per year to US$15.2 billion in 2014. Gains will be spurred by a rebound in housing completions from the depressed levels of 2009. Although housing completions will remain below the level reached at their cyclical peak in 2006, the expected recovery will fuel gains in the residential cabinet market through 2014. The residential market will account for over 90 percent of the approximately US$4.5 billion increase in overall total cabinet demand through 2014. The new housing segment will boast the most rapid increases in cabinet demand through 2014. While the new housing market will experience solid growth, the improvement and repair segment will continue to account for the majority of residential demand.
Expected Recovery The expected recovery of residential building construction will support demand gains for all cabinet types through 2014. Kitchen cabinets, which represented 80 percent of cabinet demand in 2009, are expected to lead advances through 2014, rising 7.8 percent per annum. Growth will also be supported by design trends that call for homes with more and largersized cabinets to store food products and kitchen equipment. Demand for bathroom cabinets is forecast to grow 6.9 percent per year
through 2014. Design trends that call for homes with larger cabinets to store personal items and medications will also promote gains. Demand for other cabinets, such as those found in offices, home entertainment centres, laundry and mudrooms, garages, and other areas, is expected to rise 3.8 percent annually through 2014. Advances will be promoted by the increasing use of cabinets in these areas instead of shelving.
Price And Performance Concerns Through 2014, demand for cabinets in the nonresidential building market is anticipated to rise 2.8 percent annually. Concerns over price and performance play a larger role in cabinet selection than over aesthetics in most nonresidential structures. Thus, cabinets are replaced much less frequently. Growth will be led by institutional construction spending and a rebound in office and commercial construction spending. Rising boat and recreational vehicle shipments from a low 2009 base will boost nonconstruction demand. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8502
Concerns over price and performance play a larger role in cabinet selection than over aesthetics in most nonresidential structures. Thus, cabinets are replaced much less frequently.
US Cabinet Demand
Cabinet Demand Kitchen Bathroom Other
2004
2009
2014
2004-2009
2009-2014
13510
10590
15150
-4.8
7.4
11310
8510
12400
-5.5
7.8
1445
1290
1800
-2.2
6.9
755
790
950
0.9
3.8
Ryan Smart, UK
(% Annual Growth)
Item
21
21
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  2010 Asia  August/september October 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Technology
Boring & Drilling Machines:
Speed, Agility Defined Modern-day drilling and boring machines have made production faster. With a new breed of CNC drilling and assembling machinery being introduced by today’s manufacturers, human intervention may become obsolete in the near future. By Shiv Kumar Shet, business development manager, Biesse Manufacturing
I
nstalling a joint in a wood-based product calls for, first and foremost, a perfect tool to execute the plan. A power drill or a cordless, hand-held tool is the instrument that comes to mind. However, for operations that involve the installation of joints in a large number of boards or panels, the equipment best suited is a drill press. With a drill press, one can preset the depth of numerous holes consistently and accurately, even with holes with greater diameters. Drill presses can be bench fitted or floor standing, depending on the requirement of the holes to be drilled on the board or panel. this also depends on the diameter of the hole to be drilled. Woodworking machines and woodworking tools are different. Woodworking tools are simple, cheaper and portable and are used for simple operations and for onsite applications. However, when the need for flexibility is concerned, woodworking tools are more often used while the machines are preset and stationary in position.
An Update on Innovation the improvisation in machinery over the last decade has given a tremendous boost
All photos: biesse
Multi-head drills enable the machine to simultaneously drill the vertical and the horizontal face of the panel at one time, saving time for the manufacturer.
22 FDM AsiA OctOber 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Technology
to manufacturing and speed to execute large-scale orders. these days, a cNc router combined with drilling heads are common. the routers are often fitted with boring heads with almost 45 and more drilling spindles which are controlled by software. this makes the operation precise and trouble-free as far as depth and distances between each hole drilled are concerned. Various machines suitable for small-, medium- and heavy-scale productions plants are available in the market and reputed manufacturers are concentrating hard to improvise options and flexibility on the next-generation machines. to a small-scale manufacturer, a multi-spindle drilling machine with 21 or 27 spindles are available at very competitive prices. Often it is found that it is not hard for a sales person to sell good quality, entry-level drilling machines to a small sector as the prices are mostly on par with competition. the second-level machines in drilling are generally with multi heads such as 3, 4, 5 and so forth, depending on requirements by the user.
Multi-Head Drilling Machines: Speed and Flexibility When we say a multi-head drilling machines, it means that the machine will simultaneously drill the vertical and the horizontal face of the panel at one time, saving time for the manufacturer. It also offers the flexibility to use any part drilled
in the batch to fit any corresponding panel on site. this advantage is absent in a simple drilling machine. Furthermore, the personnel onsite who executes the plan or layout needs to identify the particular matching panel to its corresponding mate to be fixed, thereby causing a great loss of time and unwanted tension for the site engineer. this problem is sorted out by printing labels on a label/sticker printing machine fixed to a beam saw machine which prints the batch quantity, product size, name of the project, and many other information. As such, it is quite easy for the assembler to identify the panel. these labels are stuck on the panels and can be easily removed onsite after identification.
Going Digital Multi-head drilling machines were initially manually moved with the help of the printed scale on the X- and Y-axis. Some machines have a tape stuck and some machines have the dimensions etched
The improvisation in machinery over the last decade has given a tremendous boost to manufacturing and speed to execute large-scale orders.
on the axis. However, these days, this process has been replaced by a LcD or a digital indicator to facilitate faster adjustment times. Once the dimensions and locations are preset on the heads and fixed onto the axis, it can be operated by almost anyone.
The Advantages Of PointTo-Point Machines When it comes to pure drilling and boring operation, nothing can beat the ‘point-topoint’ machines. Its versatility makes it unbeatable with speeds of 1,000 inches per minute to 2,000 inches per minute. these speeds are twice as fast when compared to a cNc router. A point-to-point machine makes a good choice when drilling on flat panels up to 25mm thick. these machines not only are fast but are available with various options such as table setting
www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA OctOber 2010
23
Technology
with vacuum cups, movable supports, multi-axis, multi-stations and automatic tool changing facility.
Innovation Has No Limits companies such as biesse and ScM, and smaller companies such as Vitap in Italy have designed drilling machines with software-based facility that can produce at considerably good speeds. the dimensions of the boards and position of the holes to be drilled are simply fed into the computer on the machine. In some machines, the panels are fed from one side and removed from the other
24 FDM AsiA OctOber 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
A boring centre allows the production of a unique lot as practical and fast as series production.
and, sometimes, they are removed after execution from the same direction where they were fed. However, the expectations of the user are highly demanding and they seem to never satisfy themselves with whatever modern technology has to offer. the latest problem encountered by heavy production factories revolves around the ability of machines to operate on only two faces of the panel — thereby making the process slower.
Somebody once suggested, “What if we can drill on three faces on the panel and simultaneously rout also?� Given this challenge, biesse came up with the model SKIPPer, a machine that has 79 drills at both top and bottom, and a self-clamping system. the boards are drawn to the drilling head on a fast conveyor and align themselves very fast. the two boards can be loaded one over the other and drilled together from both bottom and the top surface. the machine also has an identical drilling head below the worktable.
Technology
Machines can get more complicated by adding a robot to load and unload the finished panels. Dedicated lines in drilling are a common sight in europe where major giants that manufacture cabinets, for instance, have drilling lines. Here, the entire system is automated right after the cutting operation on high-end beam saws, to drilling, dowelling and out for assembly. the machines are capable of inserting the dowels into the holes, making it almost free from human interface. even the assembly of the cabinets is executed with clamping machines. boring, on the other hand, is an operation where larger diameter holes are obtained. Normally, the hinges that are required in cabinetry are executed on a multiple drilling machine that has a steel bit with knives or blades on the diameter and can be obtained to the required diameter. Any hole with a diameter more than 35mm can be referred to as boring operation. cNc routers normally perform these operations with ease and with great accuracy and speed. the advantage of boring on a cNc router is that the program is saved in the memory and can be retrieved anytime. Nesting operations involving designs with boring are most suitably and preferably executed on cNc routers. A simple router bit of diameter 8 or 10 mm is often used when boring operations are performed. the IFrG states that approximately 9-10% of the cost involved in cabinetry and other furniture manufacturing pertains to drilling and boring operations. Manufacturers who deal with a lot of boring and drilling on their products will now have to spend quality time in deciding the right machinery to optimise the production. FDM ENQUiRY NO. 8503
ProduCt highlights Biesse: Skipper 100 The Real-Time Panel Machining Centre With
more
than
500
Skipper
Free From Human Interface
installed units, Skipper 100 has been called ‘innovative’ simultaneously.
and ‘ingenious’ by experts
direction, carry out all
in the field.
the workings in a single
It is outfitted with an
100
passage. It moves the
electronic system that reads
of
The
Skipper
panels (one or two per
the thickness of the panels
different dimensions in
cycle)
two
and automatically adjusts
sequence, without set-up
air flotation tables and
itself to the depth of the
time. Compared to traditional
processes them with fixed
panel. This guarantees
machining centres, there
tools. The two mirror-like
precision when machining
is no need to adjust the
operating units, top and
from above even in the
worktables and there are
bottom, allow for the
presence
no suction cups to locate
machining of holes, grooves
tolerances of panels which,
on the machine.
processes
panels
between
of
natural
and milling of both sides
if not accounted for, can
Two powerful operating
of a single panel, or two
represent ‘errors’ when
units, moveable in the ‘Z’
panels of the same format
machining.
Enquiry No: 8600
SCM: Panel Beam Saw
Designed for small and
movement of 0 to 150 m/
to be changed quickly
medium-sized furniture
min can be done on the
without using keys or
manufacturers, the Sigma
blade carriage feed and
having to unscrew tools.
Impact 107 panel beam saw
return while 0 to 120 m/
The saw blade has a self-
from SCM can machine
min is achievable on the
learning upstroke feature
chipboard, laminates, MDF,
pusher utilising brushless
consisting of a bar, which
wood and wood-based
motors.
automatically reads the
panels in dimensional sizes
The blade changeover
height of the pack and
up to 4,500 mm in length
system with a pneumatic
calibrates the height of
and 4,300mm wide. Axis
selector allows the blade
the saw accordingly.
Enquiry No: 8601 www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA OctOber 2010
25
Technology
Drilling Systems
That Address Production Philosophies Precision, speed and efficiency in drilling holes for drawers and doors have become the mantra in drilling and inserting engineering solutions. IMA Klessmann gives an inside look at the features and the rationale for the technology and design of today’s drilling systems. By Burkhard Sydow, Managing Director, IMA AG Asia Pacific.
T
he installation of doors and drawers may be the final step in the production chain of a furniture assembly line. But this does not make it any less important. This is especially true for ready-toassemble (RTA) and component furniture manufacturing. The performance of drilling systems is critical in ensuring that production schedules are met, specifications fulfilled, and efficiency guaranteed. For instance, the practice of inserting hinges using tools has become obsolete. This is no longer done by the engineer nor the end-user. The current practice is hingeholes, full dog pilot and pilot holes for the slide rails, as well as handle and bumber holes, are already drilled into the furniture component or workpiece.
26 FDM Asia October 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
These expectations and demands have driven the design of new technologies for drilling and boring systems.
New Orientation In Throughfeed Operation Traditionally, workpieces are fed into boring machines in a crosswise direction. IMA Klessman introduces another option with the IMAGIC Flex boring system wherein workpieces enter the machine lengthwise. This means workpieces are 'facing up,' with the resulting dust from hole drilling falling in the natural direction of gravity — downward. A dust extraction mechanism is mounted below the drilling gear to catch dust. This small shift, brought about at the request of a customer during the Ligna show in 2007, means cost savings in
IMAGIC Flex L: Up to 22 workpieces per minute in lengthwise processing
dust extraction and power consumption. Furthermore, it resulted in added efficiency — dust will not enter the drilled holes and as such, hinges are more easiliy assembled.
Performance Multipled In furniture manufacturing, quantity is a metric of performance. Today’s engineering know-how has introduced a drilling technology design that allows the processing of two workpieces at a time. For example, the IMAGIC Flex’s rollertract allows the placement of two workpieces measuring from 900mm to 3,000mm in length. These are transported in the processing station via belts, and aligned by an independent, lengthwise
Technology fence. These are processed singly by four processing beams, each with two drilling units working underneath the panels. Each drilling The technology of unit consists these drilling units follows of a separate Z-axis and the drilling units used for servo-drilling the crosswise throughfeed motors for dust-free drilling machines. The holes within drilling positions are the shortest possible executed via X- and Y-axis processing drives. With doors, drilling time.
IMA
The performance of drilling systems is critical in ensuring that production schedules are met, specifications fulfilled, and efficiency guaranteed.
dimensions range from 3 to as much as 40mm. To address this range, each drilling unit consists of a separate Z-axis to execute different drilling speeds for individual drilling diameters. Furthermore IMA uses a new technology of servodrilling-motors. These motors have higher torque with extented rotation speeds. This means cutting and rotation speeds are optimised depending on material and tool requirements.
Distinctive Features Some holes require gaps and cutouts in fences and support rails. A distinctive feature of the IMAGIC Flex is the
inclusion of cutouts and gaps. Its software calculates the servo driven length alignment position within the programming system, thereby guiding the transport belts to work arround these special designs. Drilling gears are equipped with 12 hinge hole-boring blocks and two sets of 27-spindle boring blocks with left and right rotation. Furthermore, quickchange chucks allow the fast changing of drill bits.
positions are also factored for increased performance. Fast transport speeds, shortest drilling times, double feeding, processing of up to 22 workpieces per minute — all these developments enable drilling technologies to contribute significantly to production quantity and quality, as well as flexibility. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8504
User-Friendly Programming As further testament that woodworking machineries are highly computerized, boring specifications are inputted via a user-guided operating system. A case in point is IMAGIC Flex’s comprehensive variable programming, with its distinctive collission control mechanism which eliminates errors inadvertently introduced Drilling from during programming. underneath Drilling and path and panel optimisation as well as support result in precise and identifying the nearest clean holes at aggregate in drill bit every position.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  October 2010
27
Panels
Laminated Veneer Lumber:
Deconstructed Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) represents a design alternative for structural lumber users. Depending on the process and species used in manufacture, a wide range of performance characteristics and product costs are possible. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam, FIWSc
A Spin-Off Gaining Prominence The near solid wood-like product known as LVL was introduced in the late 1980’s in the United States of America. Since then, LVL has made inroads into market segments previously held by solid wood and glue-laminated timber.
28 FDM Asia  October 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
LVL, manufactured from thin peeled wood veneers, is glued with a durable adhesive with the grain running parallel to the main axis of the member.
KLski
A
lthough the most important use of wood has been for fuel, wood for construction remains the most important use of the material in terms of value. Wooden construction has come a long way since the beginning of human civilization, and wood products have been transformed into more reliable and consistent products to meet the demands of the marketplace. Solid wood, glue-laminated beams (glulam), plywood, and more recently laminated veneer lumber (LVL) are extensively used in the construction sector throughout the world. Against the backdrop of an worldwide reducing supply of high quality, large dimensioned logs that are used to feed the sawmills and plywood manufacturing mills throughout the world, these industries have been forced to diversify their product range to cope with the different wood resource supply.
LVL is a structural product manufactured from thin peeled wood veneers, glued with a durable adhesive with the grain running parallel to the main axis of the member. Since the LVL panels produced are of large dimensions, it can be easily cut into structural members that have high strength and stiffness, qualities which in turn extend its structural applications as beams, rafters and columns in an array of constructions. LVL is slowly gaining prominence in the Asian wood products industry, as the plywood sector is faced with increasing uncertainty in future peeler log supply. According to the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG), LVL
manufacturing provides traditional plywood manufacturers a lifeline to diversify into an allied product range, rather than risk the sustainability of the business. In 2009, it was estimated that about 15% of the plywood production capacity in the Southeast Asian region has been channelled into the production of LVL, and this trend is envisaged to continue in years to come as available wood resources appear to be more akin to LVL production rather than the traditional plywood production.
Manufacturing Technology Essentially, LVL has a similar make-up as plywood, but the notable difference is the alignment of the grains in each
Graded veneer sheets are transported on a layup conveyor
veneer which is parallel to each other. The thickness of the individual veneer is often in the range of 3.0 mm to 5.0 mm, which reflects the general dimensions used even in the plywood industry. However, when high shear strengths are required, a few laminations in the LVL are often laid up at right angles. Such LVLs are known as cross-banded LVLs. The manufacturing technology for LVL is almost similar to that of plywood manufacturing, with some process modifications in the veneer lay-up and pressing processes, due to the much larger dimensions of the product. The continuous nature of the manufacturing process explains the possibility of producing products of various lengths. LVL is usually manufactured as sheets, generally 1.2m wide and with a maximum thickness of approximately 70mm. The LVL sheets can be of any length due to the continuous manufacturing process, but lengths of 7.0m are common as it fits the general mode of transportation.
Advantages Of LVL As an alternative material, LVL offers a number of advantages over other wood-based materials: • LVL can be manufactured from a wide array of low-quality, small-dimensioned logs, which enables the best possible use of the wood resource. • LVL allows the wood resources to be
Raute LVL
Raute LVL
Panels
Automatic veneer layup ensures efficient line operation
In 2009, an estimated 15% of the plywood production capacity in the Southeast Asian region has been channelled into the production of LVL. optimised by grading and selecting the veneer quality to enable the production of products of different specifications. • LVL as a structural material can have relatively uniform properties because the randomised layers of thin veneers are pre-graded for stiffness (coefficient of variation for modulus of elasticity is less than 5%). • LVL has relatively high strength because of its low variability and randomised wood properties in thin layers, which renders it to have superior ‘economic characteristics’ compared to solid wood when used in constructions. • LVL can be cut and machined with normal woodworking tools used in the processing of solid wood materials. Generally, LVL is used to complement the use of sawn timber in building constructions. In reality, however, LVL becomes attractive when sawn timber is not strong enough to do the job, or long lengths are needed for the particular application.
Niche Applications LVL is often intended to provide a structural function only, as the surface finish of the product is of low architectural quality with rough glue lines often visible. However, LVL can be used wherever sawn timber is used. It can be fine sanded and painted to give a similar finish to solid painted wood materials. Because of its long continuous lengths and high structural reliability, LVL has found niches in the following applications: • High-strength applications such as the flanges in timber I-beams and ply-webbed box beams. The major advantages of I- and box-shaped sections are their straightness, uniform depth, dimensional stability, comparative lightness and the ability to cut holes in the web of the beam through which services can be installed. In timber engineering applications, such precision and reliability are of paramount importance, if the wooden construction is to last its service period.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA October 2010
29
• Structural LVL can also used as structural beams such as floor joists and bearers, wall grits, lintel beams and roof framing beams. Structural LVL has many advantages when used as a framing member, including high structural reliability and strength, dimensional stability with little tendency to warp, bow or twist. Such properties are crucial especially in sports complexes, which carry loads of varying degrees in short intervals. • LVL can also be used in formwork because of its uniform stiffness and reliable strength properties. This is becoming an important market for LVL amidst the increasing prices of solid wood resources that were previously used in such applications. Although LVL is manufactured using a fully weatherproof glue, it is not recommended for structures that are permanently exposed to weather. However, when external exposure is required, the LVL must be well treated with the necessary preservative treatments.
The Future The plywood sector has become more vulnerable than the other sub-sectors due to the uncertainty in the supply of wood resources. In this context, LVL appears to have become the saviour for many of these plywood manufacturers, as it
Raute LVL
Panels
Pre-pressing two billets simultaneously
allows them to diversify into an allied product that offers greater future. The ability to engineer LVL products with desirable properties makes it an excellent substitute for solid wood, plywood and glue-laminated materials used previously in the construction sector. Because LVL combines both the properties of solid wood and plywood, it presents itself as a unique product that is a technically more reliable and consistent product compared to its substitutes. Further, with its larger
dimensions, LVL has a commanding lead in many applications that previously discarded wood-based materials due to its limited sizes. In terms of cost, the product is also more economical, as proven by the recent foray of LVL into the furniture raw materials marketplace. Given all these, the future of LVL is bright and promising as it is accepted not only for structural applications, but also in nonstructural applications such as furniture and other wooden products. FDM
Hot pressed billets ready for cross-cutting
30 FDM Asia October 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Raute LVL
Raute LVL
ENQUIRY NO. 8505
Hot pressing line in function
Panels
‌ And In The Wood, Bind Them
Adhesive
Technologies Given the plethora of adhesives available today, it would be prudent for wood product manufacturers to weigh their pros and cons in specific bonding applications. By Jason Wang, plant manager, Franklin Guangzhou Adhesives, Franklin International
H
eads, ePI. tails, PVA. Wood product manufacturers would not toss a coin when it comes to deciding which type of glue to use. the decision can significantly affect cost and productivity — it therefore warrants careful research into the distinctive characteristics of each of the two adhesive technologies. two adhesive technologies, polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and emulsion polymer isocyanate (ePI), are the more common adhesive technologies used in the manufacture of wood products, including plywood and laminated or veneered goods. this article provides an overview of their respective strengths and drawbacks.
Louisville
PVA: A Bond Stronger Than The Wood Itself PVA technology, developed in Germany more than 60 years ago, is the most popular type of adhesive for wood applications in the world. Preferred by many
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OctOber 2010
31
wood products manufacturers for its ease of use, PVAs are usually packaged as convenient, one-part systems that do not require mixing. they are easy to clean up and – because of their non-abrasive formulation – easy on equipment, thereby resulting in minimal maintenance and downtime. PVAs typically have a cost advantage over ePI adhesives. Although ePI’s cost per unit weight may be lower, less PVA is needed to achieve a sufficiently strong bond. In addition, PVA glue has a longer pot life, resulting in less waste of product and higher savings on the plant floor. At the same time, PVA glues can shorten the production cycle, given its quicker bond strength and shorter cure cycle. Quick cure time does not compromise the finished product’s quality: when properly applied, the powerful PVA adhesive creates a bond stronger than the wood itself. Furthermore, PVAs can be formulated to a wide range of specific properties, such as higher water- and heat-resistance or superior performance on a specific type of press. In plywood and lamination products manufacturing, the cArbcompliant PVA adhesives from Franklin Adhesives & Polymers are an example demonstrating the versatility of PVA technology. For instance, its Multibond 2015 offers longer open time for hot or cold press veneering of hardwood plywood and has radio frequency capabilities. It also is formulated with bleed-through resistance. On the other hand, its sister product in the Plywood Line, Multibond MX-90, is designed specifically for hot pressing applications. Another new product in the line, Multibond 2580, is a two-part adhesive that performs on difficult substrates, such as hickory and maple. Meanwhile, the Advantage 435, known for its superior water resistance, is the only product in this line of cArb-compliant adhesives that meets ANSI/HPVA type 1 water resistance, while the rest meet type 2 Water resistance. It is ideal for use on borated cores. to further illustrate the versatility of PVA adhesive technology, Franklin Adhesives & Polymers’ new Plywood Line also introduces the company’s first-ever bio-modified adhesives, using soy technology developed during research funded by a grant from the United Soybean board in the US. One of these adhesives, Multibond MX-100, is developed specifically for engineered hardwood plywood and is the only adhesive in the Plywood Line developed for operations that use a prepress. A second bio-modified adhesive, Multibond MX-200, is developed for direct-feed hot-press operations. the cost efficiency and ease of use inherent in PVA adhesives have driven many manufacturers, including Franklin Adhesives & Polymers, to focus on developing diverse products based on this technology. At the same time, it recognises that ePI technology has its place in wood products plants in Asia and elsewhere.
32 FDM ASIA OctOber 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
When properly applied, the PVA adhesive creates a bond stronger than the wood itself.
Alovesdc
Panels
The Power of EPI Adhesives Developed approximately 30 years ago in Japan, ePI can be considered a ‘combination technology.’ It cross links a standard water-based emulsion with isocyanates to form a urethane bond. because they are chemical bonds, urethane bonds are generally very strong. the water-based component of ePI technology looks, feels and acts like a standard PVA emulsion and is fully water-soluble. the cross linker, a polymer isocyanate (catalyst or hardener), is a very low-viscosity brown liquid. ePI technology offers a few distinct advantages over PVA adhesives. ePI adhesives are formaldehyde-free and, in some cases, offer a higher water resistance than PVAs. Franklin Adhesives & Polymers recommends them for applications where these performance properties are required. For example, ePI adhesives would be ideal in the manufacture of exterior end-use products that demand a high level of exterior grade water resistance to meet rigorous performance standards, such as the JAS boiling water test; in edge-and-face gluing of high
moisture content lumber in cold presses; in situations where the production process does not allow for conditioning times before processing of greater than 24 hours; or in cold press applications that require a fast setting and exterior grade water resistant bond. It is noted however that many consider ePI adhesives to be more difficult to handle than their PVA counterparts. Wood products manufacturers will want to be aware of this technology’s idiosyncrasies. First, ePI products come as a two-part system. they require mixing, entailing additional production time. they also tend to foam unless under constant motion and can overflow pans. ePIs can be more abrasive to cutting and molding tools than their PVA counterparts and can increase cost of equipment maintenance and performance. equipment operators also must be mindful of agitation levels as insufficient agitation of adhesive can result in poor bonding. In addition, fillers in ePI resin and crystallization of hardener can cause issues with dispensing machinery, resulting in downtime. Further, the isocyanate hardener that is mixed into the emulsion requires care in storage and handling and can be sensitive to temperature extremes and moisture. Perhaps a bigger issue is that the isocyanate can be sensitizers in some people, posing a potential safety risk to employees. Once the hardener is added, the countdown begins on the adhesive’s pot life. Short pot life can mean unnecessary waste and more frequent cleanup of a more expensive product. Franklin Adhesive & Polymers has endeavored to overcome some of these characteristics with a cArb-compliant adhesive with a longer mixed pot life and lower-foam generation than other ePI adhesives, performs well on manufacturing lines without a prepress and has high radio frequency conductivity – while offering the strength and water resistance of ePI technology. Wood products manufacturers would do well to weigh the pros and cons of both ePI and PVA technologies when searching for the best adhesive solutions for specific bonding applications. the manufacturer may ask whether a given
ePLF
Panels
application requires the power of ePI technology – or can be handled with an easier-to-use, less-expensive PVA adhesive. In addition, as products within both technologies vary by producer, wood products manufacturers will want to compare individual products to discern which is ideal for their needs. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8506
Product hIghlIght Franklin Adhesives & Polymers Soy In Bio-Modified PVA Adhesive Franklin Adhesives & Polymers has developed two new crosslinking PVA adhesives that use the renewable resource soy to create a bio-based, one-part adhesive for use in the manufacture of hardwood plywood, lamination and veneering. These bio-modified adhesives contain no added formaldehyde and easily meet rigorous CARB Phase 2 limits on formaldehyde emissions. Multibond MX-100 is developed for the manufacture of engineered hardwood plywood. It builds tack with time, thereby making it an excellent adhesive for use on plywood lines with a prepress operation. Multibond MX-200 performs well on manufacturing lines without a prepress, preferably in direct-feed operations. It is an excellent adhesive for immediate hot pressing and offers bleed-through resistance. Both bio-based soy
adhesives
exceed ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2004 Type 2 and ANSI/HPVA EF
Jake Liefer
2009 standards for water resistance.
Enquiry No: 8602
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OctOber 2010
33
Surfaces & Flooring
Lacquering & Coatings:
Beyond Finishing, A Shield Of Protection
As options diversify for liquid coatings and lacquering materials, various considerations such as colour retention, faster curing process, and wear resistance come into play. By Augustine Quek
34 FDM Asia  october 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Biesse
T
here are many types of liquid coatings used in the industry for both surface protection and decoration. Coatings can be water or solvent-based, including a variety of platforms and custom formulations ranging from UV cure technology to high-solids / low-bake and waterborne finishes, all designed to increase applied cost efficiency and help manufacturers to achieve their coatings goals. Both types of coatings are widely used in wood finishing, flooring and fixtures. The use of lacquers and varnishes dates back to prehistoric times. Early varnishes were developed by mixing resin, such as pine sap, with a solvent and applying them with a brush. As early as the Neolithic Age, the Chinese had knowledge on using lacquer to coat eating utensils, ornaments and implements for sacrificial offerings. The use of Recognised for lacquer was wear resistance already widespread and high-gloss finishes, solventsometime between based coatings are the 8th and 3rd extensively used in furniture and cabinet centuries BC, with manufacturing.
Steven Powell
Surfaces & Flooring
lacquer-coated writing implements, musical instruments, eating and drinking utensils, weaponry, furniture, funeral articles and even transportation vehicles.
Most resinous coatings consist of a natural, plant- or insect-derived substance such as amber, dammar, copal, rosin, sandarac, elemi, benzoin, mastic, balsam, shellac, and a multitude of lacquers. These are dissolved in a solvent, called spirit varnish or solvent varnish, which may be alcohol, turpentine, or petroleum-based solvents like mineral spirits or paint thinner. Some resins are soluble in both alcohol and turpentine. Synthetic resins such as phenolic resin may be employed as a secondary component in certain paints and coatings. Solvent-based coating systems are widely recognised for their outstanding chemical and wear resistant properties. This family of coatings is used for high-gloss finishes that have superior abrasion resistance. Their toughness and performance properties are among the reasons they are extensively used in the furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing business. In addition, with solvent-based coatings, there is minimal grain raise and fiber swell. The finish is also easier to touch up and repair if damaged. Chemistry advancements continue to provide increases in performance on all types of coatings.
UV Coatings
A category of coatings that is cured or dried under ultra-violet (UV) radiation instead of normal conditions are commonly referred to as UV coatings. UV coatings have special ingredients that react
Water-Based Options Water-based coatings are used in industrial, commercial and residential settings and are formulated for both interior and exterior applications. Manufacturers can modify these coatings with different types of resins and cross-linking agents to extend the service life and exterior durability of the coating system. These additives also improve the chemical, corrosion and water resistance properties. One of the advantages of water-based coatings is their lower volatile organic content (VOC), which reduces their impact on indoor air quality. They are also superior to other coating types in their exterior durability and colour retention, which is a function of the acrylic resins used in the formulation. However, these coatings do not perform as well as solvent - borne coatings in chemical and wear resistance.
Solvent-Based Alternatives
ENQUIRY NO. 108
Solvent-based coatings by their very nature have higher VOC, which limits their use primarily to industrial settings that are equipped with specialised air-handling and treatment devices. These coatings can be modified with urethanes, epoxies, nitrocellulose, alkyds and acrylics to impart certain performance qualities.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  october 2010
35
Surfaces & Flooring
Jason
In the era of climate change and environmental sustainability today, wood products will continue to be valued, as well as the coatings and finishings that protect them.
Lacquer and coatings have served to protect and decorate all manner of woodworks since the dawn of humanity.
almost instantaneously with UV radiation, resulting in a significantly faster curing process. UV coatings are extremely tough, durable and long lasting. They are mainly formulated as clear coats and sealers.
environmental sustainability today, wood products will continue to be prized and valued, and so will the coatings and finishings that protect them. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8507
Finishing With Epoxy Various epoxies have been formulated as varnishes or floor finishes whereby two components are mixed directly before application. Often, the two parts are of equal volume and are referred to as ‘Part A’ and ‘Part B.’ True polyurethanes are two-part systems. All two-part epoxies have a ‘pot-life’ or ‘working time’ during which the epoxy can be used. Usually the pot-life is a matter of a few hours but is also highly temperature-dependent. Both water-borne and solvent-based epoxies are used.
Although most coatings can be applied with either a brush or a spray, automated coating systems are implemented for mass production in manufacturing processes. One example is a towline conveyor, which can be used to move large objects such as four-legged furniture items after construction to the coating area. A variety of floor-mounted conveyors can be used to propel the cart through the process, depending on the loading, speed and preferred configuration. Platens can be rotated manually or automatically for close packing, and can also be custom designed based on size, shape and weight of the item being conveyed. The system has been used in furniture glaze coating or spray painting process. Chemistry advancements continue to provide increases in performance on all types of coatings. Lacquer and coatings have served to protect and decorate all manner of woodworks since the dawn of humanity. In the era of climate change and
36 FDM Asia october 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Jason V 2
Automated Coating Systems
ENQUIRY NO. 181
&
DesignDecor
Laminate Flooring:
Cutting Waste Smaller production batch sizes and shrinking profit margins encourage producers to increase their savings via waste reduction. By Rolf Höhn, project manager flooring, Homag
T
he flooring market, particularly for laminate, has undergone a radical transformation over recent years. Production batch sizes are becoming ever smaller and products have become more comparable for consumers. Apart from squeezing profit margins for manufacturers, these changes have also rendered many production facilities uneconomical. To counteract this trend, affected producers are investing enormous energy into seeking out potential savings and implementing them at short notice in their production processes. In Homag, one such development in the field of laminate production plants is a way of reducing material cutting waste right from the division of panels into plank widths. Instead of a conventional dividing process, this technique entails grooving from above and below followed by mechanical breaking, and has allowed the cut plank widths to increase from 192 mm to 198 mm. This translates into real material savings of 3 percent. As a result
38 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
producers with smaller planks – those who have more cuts – can better maximise use of their materials.
Material Saving Concept The material saving concept is based on the following functional principle:
Schematic diagram showing the dividing process. The panel is grooved above and below and the individual planks subsequently broken off (taken from a patent specification from Meister Werke)
A specially developed rip saw with in-line sawing units above and below have also been developed by Homag in partnership with Meister Werke. Two
of these machines have already been working in successful operation for the past two years. The latest generation of this new rip saw design can be fitted with 19 sawing units each above and below for minimal sawing dimensions of 98 mm. Achievement of this minimal plank width has been made possible by generally eliminating the need for gears and separate motors, instead using disc armature motors with a space-saving design. The sawing units are each separately adjusted automatically in the X direction without spindles using a toothed rack system driven by servo
&
DesignDecor motors. Automatic Y direction adjustment of the units is also performed by means of a servo motor.
Plans In Pipeline
Individual dust hoods for the sawing units (left) and overall view of ripsaw from outfeed side (right).
flooring business will benefit from this kind of splitting in the medium to long term due to its huge material savings during the production. Also, given that laminate flooring will certainly continue to evolve and develop as a product, this concept allows the degree of flexibility producers need to accommodate future changes. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8508
ENQUIRY NO. 132
Plans are also in the pipeline to implement automatic adjustment of motors in conjunction with a width increase check using cameras with facility for individual adjustment, and the compactness of the design will make it easier for operating personnel to adapt to the machine. Tool changes and any necessary maintenance work can be performed from the outside, as the design allows the machine to be moved easily out of the production line on machine guides for any work to be performed. Regardless of the current demands on the current market, the laminate
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  OCTOBER 2010
39
Wood & Sustainability
W Kiln Drying:
The
Energy Essentials Rising energy costs, coupled with increasing concern on sustainability and efficiency considerations, come into play for one of the most energy-intensive activities in wood product manufacturing. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam, FIWSc
ood drying is an essential support industry for the wood products manufacturing sector, and is an integral part of the value-adding chain within the industry. Despite its importance, wood drying attracts little R&D attention compared to other sectors of wood product manufacturing. In fact, the general opinion among experts suggests that “wood drying is a stable technology and a sector that does not warrant much attention, as the cost involved is a relatively small proportion of the total product cost.� However, this argument may no longer hold true as the cost of energy has risen significantly since then, while wood product manufacturing is under increasing pressure to explore all avenues for cost reduction. In 2009, the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG), in collaboration with the Faculty of Forestry of Universiti Putra Malaysia, conducted an in-depth
Pedro Aycinena Lehnhoff
In wood drying kilns, the energy requirements account for almost one-third of the total energy demand.
40 FDM Asia October 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Wood & Sustainability study on energy requirements and consumptions in the Southeast Asian wood products manufacturing sector. The report reveals that wood drying is one of the most energy-intensive activities in wood products manufacturing. The total energy consumption in wood drying facilities is huge compared to its net contribution to added value of the final wood product.
As global energy landscape changes and cost continue to escalate, wood drying operation will be under greater scrutiny for its energy efficiency.
Although the cost of drying wood generally consists of four main elements, namely capital investment, raw material cost, energy consumption, and labor, many drying facility operators are under tremendous pressure to reduce their costs further against an ever-increasing global energy cost. Furthermore, growing concern for climate change and global warming means efforts to boost energy efficiency are welcome especially since the wood industry is under close scrutiny in terms of its compliance standards.
Energy Requirements
Nyle
In wood drying processes, energy is used to: • Generate heat • Generate airflow • Operate the control unit and associated switch gear • Operate the forced extraction fans
Drying in a closed kiln chamber allows accurate control over critical drying conditions such as airflow, temperature and humidity.
Klaus
Industry Under Pressure And Scrutiny
Energy comes from electricity, fuel oil, gas, or even sawmill waste residues. The energy source for wood drying purposes depends on the wood species or wood stock being dried, as well as their dimensions, type of drying kiln, and desired moisture content. Given that there are various factors to take into consideration, it is difficult even for an experienced kiln operator to place a specific price on the cost of drying a cubic metre of hardwood in Southeast Asia. Drying one cubic metre of hardwood can average from US$70 to US$120, which means any possible reduction in energy consumption will result in significant savings for producing dry wood material.
Energy-Saving Techniques In the IFRG report, the recommendations for reducing energy consumption during the wood drying process include: energy recovery systems specifically designed for
use on wood drying kilns (eg: systems that recover heat from the moist/hot air vented during the wood drying process); the use of frequency inverters on kiln fans; general kiln maintenance and insulation. The IFRG report also notes that energy wastage at kiln-drying facilities account for almost 17 percent of the total energy demand in wood drying. A number of simple measures can be undertaken to reduce energy wastage from wood drying kilns. Areas that warrant regular and scheduled inspections include: • Door seals: If steam is escaping from any part of the kiln structure (other than the vents, when open), the seals should be replaced or repaired. • Gaskets (seals): These are situated in the in-let and out-let vents. Check these seals when closed, and ensure that the vents close completely. • Door and wall insulations: Warm spots on the external fabric may mean improper insulation.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA October 2010
41
Anwar
Wood & Sustainability
• Main heating system: If the kiln struggles to reach or maintain the desired temperature, the heat supply pipework diameter may be wrong or not sufficiently insulated. The boiler could also be working under capacity. • Main fans: Although many computercontrolled systems could indicate faults in a kiln fan, fans should be checked by a qualified electrician to ensure the fans start up and run correctly. A faulty fan may continue to run due to turbulence from the remaining fans. The IFRG report says that, in many instances, the wood drying facility can be operated at almost four-fifths its energy demand as long as energy losses can be reduced through a scheduled maintenance program.
Insulation Needs In wood drying kilns, the energy requirements to heat up and maintain
42 FDM Asia October 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
the temperature within the drying chamber account for almost one-third of the total energy demand. In fact, in many instances, this energy component is a ‘gray area’ within the kiln-drying operation as it is often the source of unaccounted-for energy losses, significantly affecting the profitability of the process. In this context, the insulation of the drying chamber is of primary concern as it affects the energy efficiency within the drying chamber. The insulation type and specification used in a wood drying kiln is an important criterion of energy demand. The main wall of modern kilns is usually composed of three layers: an inner surface and an outer surface both made of aluminium or stainless steel, and a central core of insulation material. The type, thickness and specification of the core material will regulate the effectiveness of the overall thermal capacity. The insulation core is usually expanded
Drying one cubic metre of hardwood can average from US$70 to US$120.
polystyrene or mineral wool (eg: rock or glass). Apart from regulating the thermal capacity of the wood drying kiln, the insulation also determines the maximum operating temperatures allowed within the drying chamber. Excessive temperature can often lead to a breakdown of the insulation, leading to rapid energy loss. When choosing kiln insulations, the specifications should be met to ensure its ability to withstand operating temperatures.
Movement Of Air Another major consumer of energy in wood drying kilns is the ‘movement of air.’ Most modern wood drying kilns are generally supplied with slightly oversized fans to ensure correct air velocity during the drying process. During a normal kiln operation, higher air velocities are generated in the earlier stages of the
Wood & Sustainability schedule due to the large movement of moisture. This is gradually reduced in the later stages of drying as the moisture content decreases. Most computer-controlled drying operations have a variable fan speed unit built into the programmed schedules. The fan speed unit is generally available as part of the operating system. The variable speed control of the fans enables significant energy savings to be achieved because the airflow velocity is usually reduced as the drying process progresses.
Heat Recovery Systems Wood drying kilns regularly exhaust hot, saturated air to the atmosphere and substitute this with fresh air to continue the drying process. This ‘air changeover’ reduces the temperature
within the kiln until the substituted fresh air is reheated. Heat recovery systems preheat the incoming air using energy from the saturated outgoing air. In simple terms, the hot humid air exiting the kiln via the vents is passed through an aluminum heat exchanger. At the same time, incoming air is passed over the other side of the exchanger, thereby warming it up. Heat is therefore removed from the exiting moist air and is used to warm the incoming fresh air. Since the incoming air is now substantially warmer, less energy is required to heat the incoming air to the temperature required for the drying operation to continue. One of the most recent technologies adopted within the wood drying industry is the application of heat pumps to enable energy savings. Although heat
pump technology is said to be slow, the resulting cost savings are proven, and there appears to be growing interest in the technology in Southeast Asia in recent years. As the global energy landscape changes and costs continue to escalate, the wood drying operation will be under greater scrutiny for its energy efficiency. In many parts of Asia, wood biomass remains one of the most important sources of energy and, as such, the perception that energy is cheap will have to be changed dramatically. In this context, efficiency in wood drying operation will continue to be improved, especially in the globalised wood products market where every cent saved could add a dollar to the bottomline. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8509
Innovation Changing Compact as never before Precision, which leaves everything behind Quality, which is more than convincing Advantage - the next Generation - Now
ENQUIRY NO. 146
Further information on www.ima.de IMA AG Asia Pacific Pte Ltd 2 Kallang Pudding Road #05-16 Mactech Industrial Building Singapore 349307 Tel: 65 6749 6588 Fax: 6749 6577 info@ima-sg.com www.ima-sg.com
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA October 2010
43
Features
IMA Asia President Burkhard Sydow:
On The
Cutting Edge The IMA Asia Pacific chief distils the lessons learned and the blueprint for the future of IMA and the industry at large. By Jerome Lim
Tell us about the role of the IMA Southeast Asia office.
IMA
44 FDM AsiA OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Sydow
This office is in charge of operations in Southeast Asia and China. We have established an office in Changzhou, Shanghai just two years ago but until today we still take care of projects in the bigger China region. So we are covering Japan to New Zealand. That’s a pretty big area, but this office actually developed quite fast in the last 10 years. We are mainly active in the project business — the bigger customers with the industrial type machines with higher demands. The project business requires a lot of manpower, many visits and days of discussion and planning. We are very much involved with our engineering Burkhard Sydow, department in Germany, and work very closely together President, IMA AG Asia Pacific with them.
If more quality and high standard are demanded in the future, certain furniture manufacturers in Asia and China will look into new technology.
Features
Features
What are your major growth drivers in terms of geographical area and products? For our subsidiaries here in China and Southeast Asia, it is definitely China. For IMA Klessman it is still Europe. In terms of products, here in Southeast Asia it is mainly via throughfeed edgebanding. For our head office in Europe, it is automated lines with feeding, stacking, and handling systems. I am referring to automated lines for both variations, namely flexible production or batch size one production on one hand, and mass-sized production on the other. In Europe, especially in Germany, I would say that there are major orders of batch size one production. In China and Asia, it is still mass production.
What are IMA's plans for harnessing growth and expansion? Plans of expansion for the next 12 months will be mainly on the service side. We are coming up with some huge installations in recently sold projects in China, India and Southeast Asia for approximately â‚Ź15 million (US$19.7 million) consisting of several high-speed production lines of 80m cycle speed. We are planning to engage another three engineers in China and Southeast Asia. We will also implement our 24-hour hotline service in Southeast Asia. On the sales side, we will continue to increase manpower in Southeast Asia and in China. Since we are involved in several projects in Southeast Asia together with the engineering department in Germany, we are looking forward to a promising business in the next 12 months.
R&D is the main driver for innovations. Share with us IMA’s thrusts in this area. In most big research developments, we have been the first to develop machines for the honeycomb board system as well as for the laser edgebanding. Just recently we have shown a new CNC edgebanding machine, with laser edgebandings for contours. But on such systems, we work at least two years prior to the launch. Another technology we are working on right now is the plasma edgebanding system, which is another step to
ENQUIRY NO. 115
In Europe, especially in Germany, the major orders are for batch size one production. In China and Asia, it is still mass production.
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45
Features
IMA building
The challenge is keep the lead in terms of technology, to always be a step ahead of competitors, and be successful even after 10 or 20 years.
become more versatile with the resources on power and material (in comparison to laser edgebanding). We have to push ourselves on the whole system, and not only on the machinery side itself such as machine parts for different applications. Costs are also rising in Asia and China. Whether in China, Southeast Asia or Australia, every manufacturer is thinking about reducing labour cost. Therefore, we need to optimise the machine systems where less labour is required. These include production lines with automatic feeding, return, handling and storage systems.
You mentioned plasma edgebanding. This does not seem to be very popular just yet. What do you make of this? It is not very widespread because it is very new and has just been presented. Not only are the machines still developing, the plasma system itself also has to match with materials that are available on the market. The materials will have to be adjusted, especially for the edge, which is not the same edge as the ones done before. The characteristics for laser edgebanding and plasma edgebanding are different. So if this is the development stage we have to go through and it is proven to be a safe and secure process, it will be built in mass production and will be accepted by the market. Compatibility issues between edgebanding manufacturers and new machine systems are a challenge. For example, a customer in Australia uses more than 30 or 40 colours of edges from local suppliers. The market demands such a big variety. In contrast, presently there are only a few colours or sizes available for laser or plasma edgebanding from only a few leading manufacturers. The decision of this customer to change to laser technology will be a very difficult one, despite the fact that all IMA machines can be equipped with a dual system, Laser and EVA or PUR.
46 FDM AsiA OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
We’re not really competing against machine manufacturers from China due to enormous technology gaps in the machine systems. Manufacturing is purely done in Europe.
So edgebanding material manufacturers have to follow and start to offer a vast range of edgebanding colours with competitive prices. Then I think the required steps are done for a broader clientele and purchases increase for this kind of machine. The marketing starts by announcing the new technology to the press and presenting it in trade shows to get initial feedback. Of course, the materials and characteristics of the boards have to fulfil certain standards. Once manufacturers are used to the system and has adapted to it, then we can go into standard production.
How do you respond to cheaper machines? We’re not really competing against machine manufacturers from China due to enormous technology gaps in the machine systems. This counts for all criteria, quality, reliability, sustainability and performance metrics. Manufacturing is purely done in Europe at our IMA head office. That’s where they all roll out. We do not have any other manufacturing facility other than in Germany.
China is on everyone’s line of site. How does it rank in priority and focus? China is absolutely on top of the knot right now in terms of the projects. An estimated 70 to 80 percent of the project for both subsidiaries IMA Asia and IMA China will be realised in China. But there’s also a different market there. In China, we talk about mass production and high demands, whereas for Southeast Asia the machines become smaller and smaller due to an emphasis on individual shops and on-time manufacturing, last but not least due to lower investment budgets.
Features In terms of marketing strategy, it’s rather difficult in China, especially if you come up with a top range of machines, which are usually a fraction higher than our competitors. Still, China is also a price market, and we know this from all the imports and exports we do in China. But our marketing strategy in China is generally our key accounts, our success with several customers in China and to keep our promises on quality and performance of the IMA equipment. So we benefit from installations we have already done in China. Of course, we approach the market in general with various exhibitions such as the Interzum Guangzhou and FMC in Shanghai. These are the exhibitions where we represent ourselves.
What are the major challenges facing the woodworking machinery industry today? From our point of view, the challenge for the industry would be to keep the lead in terms of technology because our key to success in the future is definitely leading technologies — being always a step ahead of our competitors and being successful even in 10 or 20 years. This is what we have to concentrate on, including new technologies that comply with the environment, materials and use. With regards to the challenges facing the Asian region, we have to differentiate between China and Southeast Asia. There are many changes in materials. There was talk about the honeycomb board, which has not really stepped foot into furniture manufacturers yet but is expected to increase in the future. This has not become as much a potential as its manufacturers expected.
New technologies are another challenge, such as laser equipment and laser edgebanding, which just got into the market in Europe as well as in Asia. If more quality and high standard are demanded in the future, certain furniture manufacturers in Asia and China will look into this new technology. Technology is definitely the key point for German and European furniture manufacturers.
And in Asia? The challenges in Southeast Asia are definitely the machines for smaller workshops or the developing furniture industries that are importing more and more machines from China. So in terms of entry-level machines, I think it is not only IMA that is facing this problem; all the other competitors in Europe are also facing the same problem. More and more machines are being built in China with enormously low prices. On the other hand, we are lucky that our production itself is based mainly on industrial type machines. We also do entry-level machines as a door-opener for getting into smaller- and medium-sized companies. In fact we have extended our product range with a newly designed complete range of edgebanding and CNC machines made by IMA.
In hindsight, how has IMA fared in the crisis? The impact of the economic crisis on IMA was modest. Actually, it is better than expected. Because of longer lead time for projects (up to 10 months) and a good order backlog, our production was kept busy throughout the critical period. But it has definitely slowed down our manufacturing. We have had to lay off several workers but were able to recover very well in the end. It is definitely going up in the moment, and we foresee a good 12 months.
IMA
How do you see the company and industry a year from now? Looking at our enquiry books and the projects we are working on in the moment, I think we will have quite a busy 12 months. I do not want to over-expect here, but there is still a big demand in China and in Southeast Asia and we do our best to protect our part in it. My hope for the next two years is for the economy to remain stable so that everyone can take part in it. Good competition boosts the business, and like I always say, this moves us to developments and pushes everyone up. FDM
ENQUIRY NO. 8510
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Features
American Hardwoods
New EU Law And The
The European Commission’s proposed ‘illegal logging legislation’ has been approved by its parliament and, while sending a clear message that the trade in illegal wood is no longer acceptable, it should in fact be realistic for the wood industry to implement. By Mike Snow, executive director, American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC)
I
n July, representatives of the European Commission, Council and Parliament agreed the text of legislation designed to remove illegal wood from European trade. An overwhelming vote in support of the text by the European Parliamentary on 7 July means it is a near certainty that the European Council will formally adopt the legislation in September. A minority of environmental radicals, with perhaps limited knowledge of the timber sector, wanted full legality licensing for all wood products regardless of whether they originate from a low-risk source or not. This would have been virtually impossible to implement and
48 FDM Asia october 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
has cost implications that would make it even harder for wood to compete with other building materials, such as steel and concrete, both of which have no such pressure to show that they are legal. But the good news is that ‘due diligence’ and ‘risk assessment’ will now form a key part of any timber legislation and, in fact, the new European law will replicate many of the measures contained in the amendment to the Lacey Act passed in the US in 2008.
A Risk-Based Approach Interestingly, the Hardwood Federation in the US played a key role of leading
by example — by supporting passage of the US Lacey Act Amendment, a law that the EU has now deliberately copied by making European traders liable for prosecution if found in possession of wood sourced contrary to the laws of any country, including those outside the EU. Equally important was AHEC’s concerted lobbying of European institutions and its initiative in commissioning the Seneca Creek study, which demonstrated a risk of less than 1% of any American hardwood being derived from an illegal source. This strongly influenced the EU in favour of a risk-based approach.
Assessment, Enforcement And Sanctions The agreed text now includes a clause acknowledging that no additional measures will be required for those wood products where there is ‘negligible risk’ of illegal logging. In fact, the concept of risk assessment now lies at the very heart of the EU legislation. All operators in the EU that ‘first place’ wood and wood
products on the European market will be required to conduct a due diligence process (recycled products are exempt). This process will involve systematic risk assessment combined with procedures that are ‘adequate and proportionate’ to minimise any risks identified. Risk mitigation may include requiring additional documents or third-party verification. The requirement for mandatory traceability has been much reduced and now simply states that each downstream trader in the EU must know from whom wood products are obtained and to whom sold (so-called ‘one-up-and-onedown’ traceability). This is not expected to involve any extra bureaucracy, since the evidence required need only be an invoice or receipt which, in any case, have to be kept for financial records.
Responsibility for enforcement and sanctions will lie with the individual member states such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. Although the approach may differ between countries, the legislation is likely to work in a similar way to the Lacey Act. If the authorities establish that a particular European operator is dealing in an illegally sourced product, the level of sanction imposed will likely depend on a judgement on the effectiveness and
ENQUIRY NO. 178
Earlier drafts of the legislation would have required all wood suppliers, irrespective of the risk of illegal logging, to provide proof of legality based on full traceability to ‘concession of harvest.’ At one stage, there were even proposals to introduce mandatory third-party ‘sustainability’ certification and labelling of all wood products traded in the EU.
AHEC
Features
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49
Features
level of compliance of that operator’s due diligence system.
In another development within the US hardwood industry, AHEC has commissioned PE International to undertake what is said to be the largest Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study ever conducted by the international hardwood sector to further ensure appropriate and fair recognition of the environmental profile of American hardwoods. This raises the issue of CO2 emissions linked to the transport of American hardwoods from the US to Europe and elsewhere. With sea transport as the predominant mode of transporting wood, CO2 emissions are minimal. According to independent consultants Forest Industries Intelligence Ltd., “Assessment of the carbon footprint of American hardwoods from forest to European distributor indicates that carbon sequestration during forest growth of the tree more than offsets the total carbon emissions resulting from harvesting, processing and transport. In fact, transport is a relatively minor factor in the overall carbon footprint. This is particularly true of ocean transport. For example, recent research by Forest Industries Intelligence for AHEC suggests that even a complete circumnavigation of the world by sea — a journey of more than 40,000 kms — would be readily offset by the carbon sequestered in the wood product.”
AHEC
Most Extensive Life Cycle Assessment Study
But, of course, it is necessary to provide the science-based facts and figures to support the case and this LCA will review the ‘carbon footprint’ of American hardwoods in line with emerging international carbon footprint standards. So, the new EU law will provide European importers both with strong motivation and the necessary
procedures to demand only wood products demonstrably derived from low-risk sources with respect to illegal logging. Through tools such as the AHEC-commissioned Seneca Creek and LCA studies, American hardwoods are already in pole position to satisfy this demand. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8511
University
of
and the Smithsonian
About the author: Mike
globe, and manages
China and Japan. Mr.
the
Snow, the executive
AHEC’s
overseas
Snow holds a Master’s
Wisconsin.
director of the American
offices in Europe,
Degree in International
joining AHEC, he served
spent several years in
Hardwood
Before
Associates,
and
Export
Mexico, Korea, Japan,
Economics from the
as a Consultant on
Seville, Spain, teaching
Council (AHEC) since
Hong Kong and China.
George Washington
international education
economics courses in
1999, oversees the
Previously, he served
University, and a BA
outreach programs
English and Spanish
Council’s promotional
as AHEC’s Program
in
for
for the University of
programs around the
Manager for Europe,
Economics
50 FDM Asia october 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Developmental from
the
National
Geographic Society
Wisconsin.
RIGHT ON
Stock.Xchng
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Features
The
Lacey Act Revisited
A key strength of the law is that it does not dictate mechanisms and procedures by which legality may be demonstrated or impose unnecessary new controls on suppliers in regions where the existing legal framework can be shown to be effective. By APP Timber
52 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
traffickers of plants, including timber or associated wood products. Previously, the Lacey Act only covered plants native to the United States which are listed in one of the three appendices to CITES, or protected by the law of a US state that conserves species threatened with extinction. The amendments to the Lacey Act extend the statute’s reach to encompass products, including timber, that derive from plants illegally harvested in the country of origin and brought into the United States, either directly or through manufactured products, including products manufactured in countries other than the country where the illegal harvesting took place. Prosecution can only be made in the USA.
• The Lacey Act now makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any plant, with some limited exceptions, taken in violation of the laws of a US State, or any foreign law that protects plants. The Lacey Act also makes it unlawful to make or submit any false record, account or label for, or any false identification of any plant. • The definition of the term ‘plant’ includes trees from either natural or planted forest stands. • Beginning on December 15, 2008, the Lacey Act also requires an import declaration for plants and plant products, except for plant-based packaging materials used exclusively to import other products. Importers must file a declaration upon importation that contains the scientific name of the plant, the value of the importation, the quantity of the plant, and the name of the country from which the plant was taken.
Amendments To The Lacey Act In the 2008 Farm Bill (the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008), the Lacey Act was amended for the purpose of combating illegal logging and expanding the Lacey Act’s anti-trafficking protections to a broader set of plants and plant products, such as timber.
Turnstone Singapore
T
he Lacey Act, initially enacted in 1900, is the United States’ oldest national wildlife protection statute and serves as an anti-trafficking statute protecting a broad range of wildlife and wild plants. The Lacey Act makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire or purchase any fish, wildlife or wild plants taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of US state, federal, Native American tribal, or foreign laws or regulations that are related to fish, wildlife, or wild plants, including wood products. A recent amendment to The Lacey Act prohibits, under US law, persons from importing into the United States wood products that have been taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of a foreign law or regulation. A second enforcement provision prohibits the making or submitting of any false record, account, label for, or identification of such products (or wildlife) transported or intended to be transported in interstate or foreign commerce, or imported, exported, transported, sold, purchased, or received from any foreign country. Prior to the recent amendment, the Lacey Act did not apply to all international
The following points and background are designed to provide a concise summary of the amendments as well as background on the Lacey Act:
Features
• The defendant need not be the one who violated the foreign law; the plants or timber, and the products made from the illegal plants or timber, become ‘tainted’ even if someone else commits the foreign law violation. However, the defendant must know, or in the exercise of due care should know, about the underlying violation. • Violations of Lacey Act provisions for timber may be prosecuted through either civil or criminal enforcement actions. Regardless of any prosecution, the tainted plants may be seized and forfeited in the USA.
Penalties For Lacey Act Violations Violations of the Lacey Act provisions may be prosecuted through either civil or criminal enforcement actions. With respect to potential criminal penalties, a two-tiered penalty scheme exists, creating both misdemeanor and felony offenses, distinguished by a defendant’s knowledge of the underlying law. For a Lacey Act
Turnstone Singapore
• Anyone who imports into the United States, or exports out of the United States, illegally harvested plants or products made from illegally harvested plants, including timber, as well as anyone who exports, transports, sells, receives, acquires or purchases such products in the United States, may be prosecuted. In any prosecution under the Lacey Act, the burden of proof of a violation rests on the US government.
Violations of Lacey Act provisions for timber may be prosecuted through either civil or criminal enforcement actions.
violation to be a felony, the defendant must have knowingly imported or exported fish or wildlife or plants in violation of an underlying law or regulation, or knowingly engaged in conduct during the offense that involved the sale or purchase of, the offer for sale or purchase of, or the intent to sell or purchase plants or wildlife with a market value of over US$350 knowing that the fish or wildlife or plants were taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of an underlying law or regulation. A misdemeanor penalty requires that the defendant ‘in the exercise of due care’ should have known the fish or wildlife or plants were taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of an underlying law or regulation.
Civil penalty provisions in most instances require an element of knowledge of the illegal nature of the fish or wildlife or plant in question on the part of the party against whom an enforcement action is brought. However, the Lacey Act’s civil forfeiture provisions are enforced on a strict liability basis. If illegal timber or a product made from illegal timber is brought into the United States, that timber or timber product may be seized whether or not the person from whom it is seized knew of the illegal nature of the product. Nonetheless, the government must still show that a plant, plant product, or wildlife has been imported or received in violation of a State or foreign law or regulation. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8512
Companies now have a strong incentive to assess their suppliers and to determine where there may be a significant risk of illegal activity.
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Features
Cracks In Friezes: In the Crosshairs of
Optimised Saws
Seasoning cracks are a widespread problem known in the timber industry as an unavoidable evil. While there are checks and balances in cutting processes, the defect may still go unnoticed. HOMAG shares the rationale and technology behind a machine optimised to ‘work around’ cracks. By Alexander Sinz, project manager, HOMAG Engineering
Debunking Quick Fixes
HOMAG
This one-size-fits-all cutting process frequently means that trimming takes place at the wrong end — where there are no seasoning cracks at all. Another scenario is that the crack is deeper than calculated. In these cases, it would make sense for the available maximum material allowance to be cut only at the face side where the crack actually exists. As a consequence of the still-present crack, the frieze can no longer be used for products that have a specified fixed length such as plank pattern flooring. At this juncture, considerable added expense has already been incurred, primarily resulting from raw material loss and handling costs. Furthermore, the practice of sawing the top layers for the pattern planks out of the frieze can even bring about a Camera multiplication effect. image However, this evaluation with crack not the most critical detection
54 FDM Asia October 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
HOMAG
D
rying defects are the most common form of degrade in timber. Seasoning cracks are brought about by many factors, and not all are due to human error. In determining and calculating seasoning cracks during the cutting process, one must factor in timber type, seasoning speed, cross-section and dividing length relative to log cross-section. This is why friezes are generally purchased with a defined length allowance, which in turn can vary depending on the product group and origin. These length allowances are then usually sawn off on both sides, centred to a greater or lesser degree, resulting in a situation in which cracks can still exist on one side or the other.
aspect of the process, as under certain circumstances depending on the downstream operation, it is possible for the quality defect to go unnoticed until the final inspection. This means that at this stage, costly value adding processes have already been performed – processes and expenses that at this point are wasted. And worse still: The end user could be the first one to notice the defect, resulting in complaints and dissatisfied customers.
Waste Not HOMAG, reocgnising this problem area, has joined forces with a manufacturer of flooring planks to design an optimised machine capable of eliminating approximately 90% of waste otherwise occurring in this field, depending on the specific application.
Screenshot of image evaluation by the operator
Features
The process optimisation of the face end crack optimising saw HOMAG FPL 620/04/25 concentrates fundamentally on three different sequences: Face end cracks only on the left, only on the right or on both sides. In the instances where a crack occurs only on one side, the maximum available length allowance is cut off. On the other side, only a minimal distance of just around 1 mm is removed. Where cracks occur on both sides, and where there are no detectable cracks, the cutting process is centred and performed on both sides. In every case, the originally intended fixed length, which is entered by means of menu prompting, is fully automatically offset against the variable workpiece lengths and the applicable optimisation sequence. The economic cost benefit differs for each individual plank producer.
Specifications For Consideration This specially designed machine fitted with four units has the following specs: ■ Processing takes place at feed rates ranging from 10-40 m/min ■ With a dog spacing of 1,000 mm, this allows a maximum cycle speed of 40 friezes per minute ■ Board lengths: 500-2,300 mm ■ Boaprd width: 70-300 mm ■ Board thicknesses: 25-60 mm, as well as board with excessive thickness tolerances or so-called spiral grain (ie: twisted planks) ■ The maximum workpiece overhang: 185 mm ■ The maximum cutting dimension depth: 160 mm The optimisation process is automated by means of dynamic NC axes and a suitable image processing system. The waste pieces are guided through a large waste piece hopper onto a waste conveyor running underneath the machine. This machine, which was installed within five months in one case, represents a contribution towards resource saving and improved product efficiency within the timber industry. FDM
Heavy duty helical planer cutter head with disposable knives
Helical planer cutter head with disposable knives
Adjustable planer cutterhead
Planer cutterhead with disposable knives
Safety corrugate cutter head
Single/double surface planer - helical planer cutter head with disposable knives
Welding helical planer cutterhead
All kinds of profile cutters
ENQUIRY NO. 107
HOMAG
Specially developed top pressure beam with precision dogs
Features
ENQUIRY NO. 8513
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA October 2010
55
Features
BEX ‘Green’ Show
: A New
In Singapore
So long as it’s labelled green, it must be OK. That was a message that came through loud and clear at Singapore’s newest show, The Building Exhibition for a Greener Future (BEX). By Michael Buckley, World Hardwoods
I
f ever there was a wake-up call for the timber industry in Southeast Asia, this was it. ‘Green’ concrete, ‘totally green’ bamboo flooring without reference to embodied energy, and every type of recycled material offering a green alternative to wood were on offer in the BEX show held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. Decking made from polypropylene, or ‘organic fibre and post consumer recycled plastic’ intended ‘to save the trees’ was typical of a myriad of products and claims on offer to visitors, who were essentially from
the building and construction industries. Green labels awarded by the Singapore Green Building Council backed most of these claims.
Engineered Alternative To Timber And the language pulled no punches. One engineered alternative to timber suggested in its handout, ‘The constant demand for timber product by consumers encourages the growth of the logging industry, which is the main culprit in deforestation.’ And nobody was there to counter the main
effects of harvesting timber for fuel wood, clearing for agriculture and palm oil plantations, not to mention urban development and roads which, of course, are now the real threats.
Flying The Flag For Timber There were some representatives of the timber industry there to fly the flag and present the unmatchable environmental credentials of wood as the greenest, renewable material. The APA Engineered Wood Association from the US provided an excellent focus for their innovative products on an award-winning stand. A number of solid wood flooring exhibits shone a torch for wood with such sustainable materials as white oak. Pacific Forest, a local Singapore manufacturer, displayed its superb design and quality of architectural joinery. And APA Timber, the Malaysiabased specialist wood importer working throughout Southeast Asia, fielded a team of three timber-trained experts. But the wood industry needs to do better than this in the heart of its own market in the world’s most dynamic region. A timber pavilion for the next show perhaps? FDM
All photos: Turnstone Singapore
ENQUIRY NO. 8014
APA Timber fielded a team of three of its timber-trained experts.
62 FDM AsiA OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Decking made from polypropylene.
Features
Reducing
The Carbon Footprint of Floor Systems A life cycle assessment of two alternative floor systems – one wood, the other concrete slab-on-grade – confirms that wood is considerably less fossil fuel dependent and contributes far less to global warming than concrete. By APA – The Engineered Wood Association
F
ossil fuel use and global warming are widely regarded today as critical environmental issues. the common denominator of both concerns is carbon dioxide (cO2), a ‘greenhouse effect’ gas that is emitted into the atmosphere when fossil fuels such as oil and coal are burned for energy, or when organic materials decay. Once emitted, cO2 traps heat in the atmosphere and in sufficient quantities can contribute to global warming and climate change.
Policy Realities Whether the causes and scope of global
warming are scientifically settled, as some contend, or still open to debate, as others maintain, one thing is clear – efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption and to mitigate global warming are national and international policy realities that will increasingly affect the selection and use of building materials and design and construction practices. this reality is evidenced by the proliferation of green building standards that set ambitious guidelines for energy use, both in material manufacture and building performance; by international efforts to establish and meet global emission reduction goals, such as
the Kyoto Protocol1; and by national cap and trade legislative proposals. Wood as a material choice can play a highly beneficial role in addressing fossil fuel consumption and global warming concerns. For example: • Wood in forests, particularly in young vigorous forests, absorbs carbon dioxide, making growing forests an efficient carbon sink. • Once harvested and converted to wood products, wood fiber has a carbon sequestering or storage effect. Sustainably managed forests, as opposed to unmanaged decaying
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OctOber 2010
57
Features The fossil energy requirement for the concrete slab was nearly double that of the wood floor. 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% GLOBAL WARMING
TOTAL ENERGY
Concrete Slab
Raised Wood
Figure 1: Cradle-to-Gate Comparison: Global Warming, Total Energy, Fossil Energy
Findings: An Overview
58 FDM ASIA OctOber 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Field Outdoor Spaces
Making The Case For The Environment the case for the environmental merits of wood has been substantially supported and confirmed in recent years by the life cycle assessment (LcA) method, which is now widely recognized as the most scientifically credible and accurate measure of the environmental impacts of various building materials. by quantifying those impacts from ‘cradle to grave’ – extraction, manufacturing, transportation, installation, use, maintenance, and disposal or recycling – LcA provides a common basis for objectively assessing and comparing the environmental credentials of dissimilar building designs and materials. A recent life cycle analysis compared the fossil fuel consumption requirements and greenhouse gas emission levels of two comparable floor systems – one a concrete slab-on-grade floor, the other a raised wood floor. the two floor systems were for a 2,500-square-foot singlestory residential dwelling located in Atlanta, Georgia. the assessment covered both cradle-to-gate manufacturing effects (from extraction of raw materials to product manufacture to completion of the structure) and cradle-to-grave effects (up to and including structure demolition). the cradle-to-grave analysis
FOSSIL ENERGY
encompassed two end-of-life treatment scenarios – landfill, where applicable, and combustion with energy recovery. two secondary data sources (U.S. Life cycle Inventory Database and ecoinvent2) were used to model the production of upstream materials and energy sources prior to their delivery and use by the manufacturers. both databases were uploaded to SimaPro v7.18 – the primary LcA modeling software used for the project. Additional data were drawn from the Athena Institute’s Impact estimator for buildings software (www.athenaSMI.org) and used to complete the analysis.
As shown in Figure 1, the global warming impacts on a cradle-to-gate basis of the wood floor was less than half that of the concrete slab. total energy consumption on a cradle-to-gate basis was comparable for the two floor systems; however, the fossil energy requirement for the concrete slab was nearly double that of the wood floor. this is due in large measure to the utilization of biomass energy in the manufacturing of wood products. the differences in energy consumption and global warming impacts between the two floor systems are even more dramatic on a full cradle-to-grave basis, as shown in Figure 2. For the wood floor system, the life cycle with both possible end-oflife scenarios (landfill and energy recovery through diversion from the waste stream to boiler incineration) yields negative global warming carbon emissions. In the landfill case, the positive results for wood are due
Sherrie Thai
forests, thus provide a net reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. • Compared with other materials, wood requires less energy to extract, process, transport, construct and maintain over time. • Wood is a far better insulator than concrete and steel and can thus reduce energy consumption of buildings during their operational life. • Wood is both recyclable and divertible from the waste stream to be burned in energy recovering boilers. the energy so produced substitutes for fossil fuel energy.
Features 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% -20% -40% -20% -80%
in part to the wide use today of modern landfill technologies for capturing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Wood’s lignin content and the imperfect conditions for anaerobic microbacteria (decay) that exist in landfills also cause the majority of carbon in wood to remain intact. total energy use is also less for the wood than for the concrete floor system under both the landfill and energy recovery scenarios. And fossil fuel energy use is substantially less with the wood system under both end-of-life treatments. the life cycle assessment conclusions in this study that support the comparatively low fossil fuel and global warming impacts of wood have been corroborated by many other LcA studies, including most notably analysis by the consortium for research on renewable Industrial Materials (www. corrim.org). For more information on raised wood floor construction and the benefits of building with raised wood floors, go to www.raisedfloorliving.com. Information is also available on the APA website at www.apawood.org. FDM
TOTAL ENERGY
Raised Wood with Landfill
FOSSIL ENERGY
Raised Wood with Energy Recovery
Fossil fuel use and global warming are regarded as critical environmental issues.
I Yudai
GLOBAL WARMING
Concrete Slab with Landfill
Figure 2: Cradle-to-Grave Comparison: Global Warming, Total Energy, Fossil Energy3
ENQUIRY NO. 8515
1
the Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework convention on climate change (UNFccc) aimed at fighting global warming. UNFccc is an international environmental treaty with the goal of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. 2 the U.S. Life cycle Inventory Database (USLcI) is a public/private partnership developed by the U.S. Department of energy and the National renewable energy Laboratory. ecoinvent is a life cycle inventory database of the Swiss ecoinvent centre (formerly Swiss centre for Life cycle Inventories). 3 the impacts of the two systems in the cradle-to-grave comparison do not account for differences in operational energy use over the life of the structure. www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OctOber 2010
59
Features
SFIA 2010 Winners Announced
Beacons Of Innovation And Excellence The 2010 Singapore Furniture Industry Awards (SFIA), now on its third year, is shining a light on how the Singapore furniture sector and its players have risen to today’s challenges. By Karen Zafaralla
A
s the consumer and financial landscape changes, so does the nature of the challenges. One thing that has remained constant is the need for creativity in solving them. In the furniture design and manufacturing spheres, innovation permeates. But a select few have forged a path of creativity and design that will lead the way in the local industry’s quest for excellence. The SFIA 2010 is about vesting recognition on companies and individuals who have contributed to the realisation of a vision: Singapore as the leading regional hub for furniture and design.
The Reason And Vision “We hope to promote a spirit of continuous improvement and learning across the industry, keeping Singapore on track to being a leading international centre for furniture,” said Andrew Ng, president of the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC). The SFIA, conceived as part of the Furniture Industry Capability Upgrading Programme and organised by the SFIC with the support of the DesignSingapore Council, IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore, underscores SFIC’s continuous push to raise the profile and global standing of local furniture enterprises. Correlated to this mission is the encouragement of improvement through competition. Now on its third year, with more than 50 nominees across categories, the SFIA continues to
see strong competition. This is a testament of the prestige of the awards. Neo Sia Meng, organising chairman of the SFIA 2010, shared, “Many entrants at this year’s awards demonstrated impressive achievements, despite a difficult business climate.” “How companies responded to the difficulties of the economic downturn, and the successes of these strategies were therefore explored as a component of the judging process,” he added.
Judging Process While the same stringent criteria to this year’s judging were applied, the judging process had slight changes. For example, this year, greater emphasis was applied on the interview portion. Shortlisted nominees were given the chance to share first-hand accounts of their experiences in today’s economic environment. One key strength of this year’s selection process is its panel of judges. As Aamer Taher, chief judge of the panel, says, “We come from a variety of backgrounds representing government, industry, marketers and allied creative fields. This enabled us to share different perspectives on the various judging criteria.” Notwithstanding all, the judging process was no ‘walk in the park,’ as one of the judges shared that the panel had a tough time narrowing the field down. The winners therefore represent some of the most accomplished in their category. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8516
SFIA 2010 Winners (from top, L to R):
Christian Jensen, Teak & Mahogany;
Susan Jensen , Teak & Mahogany;
Jeffrey Yong, Eurosa; Iris Lim, Falcon; Ivy Lim, Innoplan; Derrick Seah, Innoplan; Jay Chiu, Grandwork; Cici Chen, Cilicon Faytory; Lui Honfay, Cilicon Faytory; Michael Toh, Air Division; Jake Tan, Admira; Simon Ong, Kingsmen Creatives;
60 FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Kenny Koh, Star Furniture; Toh Teng Sing, Star Furniture; and Xu Hong Jie, Mondi.
The Awardees The SFIA 2010 awards and respective winners are as follows: The Furniture Manufacturer Award • Star Furniture Pte Ltd (Gold) • Eurosa Furniture Co (Pte) Ltd (Silver) • Innoplan Technology Pte Ltd (Bronze)
Star Furniture, founded in 1981, is an integrated furniture manufacturer, retailer and exporter. Supported by manufacturing facilities across Malaysia and China, Star Furniture has an extensive global sales and distribution network covering more than 45 countries. Conferred the Singapore Enterprise 50 Award for four consecutive years, the company has anchored CSR to the heart of its business process. By partnering with Habitat for Humanity to run
Star Furniture
a CSR programme, Star Furniture subscribes to good corporate citizenry by donating furniture to the homes of the needy elderly every month. Indeed, the company’s 29-year heritage of great quality and excellent customer service has made it one of the most outstanding companies in the Singapore furniture scene.
The Furniture Retailer Award
Tan Teng Sing
The Outstanding Individual Award:
• Air Division Pte Ltd (Gold) • Mondi Lifestyle Pte Ltd (Silver) • Teak & Mahogany Pte Ltd (Bronze)
Mr. Toh Teng Sing from Star Furniture
Founded in 1999, Air Division is the award-winning company that remains at the forefront of the designer furniture retail industry. The designs developed by the company have not only won over both local and international consumers, but have also been recognised in international competitions such as the Red Dot Product Design Award in Germany.
Pte Ltd (Gold) Air Division
Despite its strong portfolio of honours and accolades, the company continues to work on the principle of continuous improvement, setting the bar high with a relentless pursuit to bring the company and industry to greater heights.
Toh Teng Sing, better known as Qing, joined Star Furniture Group as a machine operator in 1991. Today, 46-year-old Qing
The New Entrant Award
is a production manager
• Admira Pte Ltd (Gold) • Cilicon Faytory (Silver)
assisting the faculty director in managing over 870 employees and
Admira, a subsidiary of Seng Lee International, started operations
overseeing the production
in March this year. In less than six months, and with 41 employees, it managed to contribute significantly to the
at the company’s factory in Malaysia. Possessing
Admira
customer base and sales profits of its mother company.
a bold step forward, breaking away from conventional
an immense knowledge in
Specialising in laminates for furniture, Admira is a prime
approach when it launched its Freedom catalogue which
the furniture industry, he
example of how a traditional business can re-invent itself
features a new line of products that are bolder and
helps to review all new
and take the company to another stage of growth. It took
edgier in design.
product designs and is the middleman between the
The Interior Builder Award
design and the production
• Kingsmen Creatives Ltd (Gold) • Grandwork Interior Pte Ltd (Silver) • Falcon Incorporation Pte Ltd (Bronze)
teams. He is described as a self-motivated, hardworking, organised and disciplined worker,
Kingsmen, listed on the Singapore Exchange, is a leading
always delivering beyond
communication design and production group offering integrated
Kingsmen Creatives
expectations. One of his
services in retail and corporate interiors. The company, founded
solutions, project management, roll-out management, custom-
recognisable achievements
in 1976 with a total 1,100-strong staff across 17 offices and
fixture manufacturing, and contracting, to name a few. It
is his contribution to
manufacturing facilities in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East,
expanded services recently to include executing thematic and
the development of the
has bagged more than 50 awards locally and internationally.
scenic work for a theme park in the country and hospitality
highly successful Lucano
Providing a total solution to clients, the company offers turnkey
suites for a high-profile race circuit.
collection in 2007. www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010
61
Exhibition Review
moscow
Crocus Expo Exhibition Centre • 12-15 May 2010 • Krasnogorsk, Russia
interzum moscow / Interkomplekt
and Euroexpofurniture 2010 was also our first experience of interzum moscow and we are very happy with the result,” he says. “The interzum team helped us in many ways and contributed to our good result. We were very impressed by the immense interest people had in our products, and we hope that we will be able to strengthen our new contacts when we come to the next interzum moscow in 2012.”
Visitor, Exhibitor Attendance and Breadth
T
he Russian economy is slowly recovering — and the business platform for the furniture and furniture supplier industries in the Russian market is exceedingly popular. These factors contributed greatly to the successful staging of the dual event interzum moscow/Interkomplekt from 12-15 May 2010.
Participants’ Response Participants of interzum moscow/ Interkomplekt 2010 reported a very high visitor turnout and numerous interesting
62 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
discussions. “Our visit in May was the first time that we attended the event in Moscow, and we are very satisfied with it,” reports Luca Canova, export manager at the Italian manufacturer Foster. “Despite initial difficulties with the Russian bureaucracy, our plan of arousing people’s interest in our new product line at the fair was a complete success. It was definitely an effective platform for new products, and I can very much recommend it to others.” Tom Santos, sales manager at Flexitex in Portugal shares this impression: “It
Around 45,000 visitors came to the new exhibition centre in the Russian capital. interzum moscow/Interkomplekt featured a total of 276 exhibitors, of which 105 were from Belarus, China, Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Syria, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine and the USA. A joint stand for German exhibitors was once again set up in the large Pavilion 3 in Hall 15. The stand covered 423 m2 and featured participating 17 companies.
Novel Concepts Organisers of this year’s staging of the biennial event introduced some changes. “In view of the Russian furniture market’s potential, it is very likely that interzum moscow will substantially grow in the
Exhibition Review
partner in MVK International Exhibition Company, one of the largest trade fair companies in Russia.
Bullish On The Russian Economy The Russian government as well as international finance organisations have substantially increased their growth forecasts for this year, which follows a deep recession in 2009. The high raw materials’ prices are causing foreign trade in particular to grow at an ever-increasing rate. The Russian furniture market is also interesting for foreign companies for other reasons. Russia plays a major role, especially for Germany. In 2008, Germany exported furniture and furniture parts worth a total of €228 million to Russia. Following a steep drop last year, exports are now stabilising again. “In view of the Russian furniture market’s potential, it is very likely that interzum moscow will substantially grow in the coming years,” says Zöllig. Indeed, interzum moscow is a promising regional spin-off of the international interzum cologne trade fair, which will be held in Cologne on 25-28 May 2011. FDM
ENQUIRY NO. 177
coming years — and we have to make the preparations for that now,” says project manager Marc Zöllig. This year marked the first time that Euroexpofurniture and the trade fair duo were held together in a single hall complex. Although there was a separate hall for interzum moscow/Interkomplekt, it had direct transitions to the other halls that were occupied by the Euroexpofurniture furniture fair. This made it much easier for the visitors to find their way around. Another new aspect of the show was the new Myakinino metro station. Located directly at the exhibition centre, the station was used by large numbers of visitors every day. The metro trains run very frequently and it takes less than 30 minutes to travel from the exhibition centre to downtown Moscow. As co-organiser of the fair at the Crocus Expo Exhibition Centre in Moscow, Koelnmesse transferred its serviceorientated overall concept from Cologne to the event venue in Russia. Despite the completely different situation compared to the exhibition centre in Cologne, Koelnmesse offered its customers similar exhibition conditions during interzum moscow. Since 2004, Koelnmesse has had an expert and knowledgeable
Exhibition Review
ENQUIRY NO. 8517
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63
Exhibition Review
Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China (FMC 2010) Shanghai International Expo Centre • 7-10 September 2010 • Shanghai, China
T
he 16th Furniture Manufacturing and Supply China (FMC 2010) and FMC Premium 2010, held concurrently with the 16th China International Furniture Expo at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, was concluded on 10 September. During the four-day exhibition, a total 59,131 visitors converged and made ‘Furniture China’ and ‘FMC 2010’ the central event of the furniture industry in Asia and the world.
New Records FMC2010 has set new records in terms of exhibition area and the number of exhibitors. Furniture China 2010 occupied a total area of 400,000 square meters and attracted more than 2,000 exhibitors from 27 countries, including 130 overseas companies. During the exhibition period, domestic and international professional
visitor figures reached a total of 59,131, of which 19,956 are overseas buyers.
Exhibition Area Increase Nearly 13% The total exhibition area of FMC shows an increase of 13%, with the number of FMC exhibitors over 650. Three new outdoor halls, 3K/3L/4F, have been added this year. And, for the first time, the FMC organisers China National Furniture Association, Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co., Ltd. And OIC Int’l Advertising & Exhibition Co., Ltd., created a Free Journal Center in VIP lounge area for exhibitors and the media to display their magazines, periodicals and catalogues. Site statistics show FMC attracted a total of 25,300 professional buyers from 31 provinces and 4,041 overseas buyers.
Site statistics show FMC attracted a total of 25,300 professional buyers from 31 provinces and 4,041 overseas buyers. Majority of the foreign visitors came from Australia, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States.
64 FDM Asia OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Majority of the foreign visitors came from Australia, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States. Many well-known manufacturers gathered in the exhibition. In the woodworking Machinery Exhibition Area, the exhibitors included Homag, Shanghai Chaolun, Biesse, Nanxing, SCM, Huarun, Changrunfa, Gukangli, Taiqiagn Chemicals, as well as Jiang Su Yuhui, French Timber Association, JOWAT AG, Henkel, Hardwood States Export Group (HSEG), Canada Wood, Kingdecor, Robby Hardware Products and Dehua Tubao, to name a few.
On-Site Theme Seminars The organisers invited industry media, domestic and overseas exhibitors and visitors to hold a series of technical seminars to serve as the platform for sharing new industry trends and information. Speakers included professionals from esteemed organizations such as: Shanghai Timber Association, China Wood International, Inc, Homag, Henkel, Dongguan five stone, Shanghai Konsh, Shanghai Gwisdom, Jiaxing Rest Furniture
Exhibition Review
FMC-B2B: Successful Launch The FMC-B2B website separated from the ‘Furniture in China’ in September before the exhibition, is designed to create professional B2B Trade Platform for woodworking machinery and furniture raw materials. The second FMC buyer sourcing event attracted more than 20 companies and 50 suppliers such as BLW LEATHERETTE,
KINGDECOR, Asian Exports Development Ltd, and Dongguan Five Stone.
Onwards to FMC 2011 The 17th Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China 2011 (FMC2011) and the FMC Premium 2011 will be held on 14-17 September 2011. This time, the venue will be moved to the Shanghai World Expo Theme Pavilion. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8518
ENQUIRY NO. 159
& Appliance, French Timber, Hardwood States Export Group, Guangdong Huarun and other enterprises. The theme lectures, ‘Timber Market Situation in China and Development Trend of Softwood’ and ‘Chemical Modification of Wood Acetylation’ held by Shanghai Timber Association, and ‘Gabon–Africa Timber Investment Opportunity’ by China Wood International were well-received by many attendees.
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010
65
Exhibition Review
International Woodworking Fair (IWF) Atlanta 2010 Georgia World Congress Center • Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A • 25-28 August 2010
Exceeding Expectations
T
he woodworking industry is on the upswing and the future is optimistic for the industry. This was evident with the conclusion of the event International Woodworking Fair – Atlanta 2010. Sponsored and owned by the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA), Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA), Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA), the IWF was held on August 25-28, 2010, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Tale Of The Numbers With 11,425 verified buyers walking the tradeshow floor and attending the conference, the event garnered encouraging feedback from attendees and exhibitors was heard throughout the four-day event. A total 20,697 visitors converged and spread across 375.500 net square feet of exhibit space. The show hosted 972 exhibitors, including over 180 first-time exhibitors from all over the world displaying thousands of products for machinery, supplies and services.
66 FDM AsiA OCTOBER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Buyers came from 83 countries and 49 states, all determined to find solutions for their business and manufacturing process. IWF also participated in the Department of Commerce International Buyer Program that resulted in 17 buyer delegations.
Energy And Enthusiasm “Anytime you have a gathering of thousands of industry professionals, good things are going to happen for the industry. The energy and enthusiasm generated at IWF by networking, product demonstrations, and new relationships cannot be replaced by any other B2B medium,” commented Riccardo Azzoni, IWF 2010 chairman and president of Atlantic Machinery Corporation. “Our booth was very busy from the open of the show everyday, until well after the close of the show everyday. We were very pleased and we sold several machines that were completely unexpected,” said Tom Onsrud President of C.R. Onsrud Inc.
“This year, IWF exceeded our expectations in terms of quality and interest of the attendees. We are glad to have been supporting our industry in these tough times,” added Claus Staalner President of WoodEye North America Inc. “Hettich America’s Kitchen Concept 2015 was a huge success for us in our booth. The presentations had a great crowd. Although attendance was down, the show provided a great platform to discuss many of our new products with attendees,” commented Mark Mrozik National Sales Manager of Hettich America L.P. “We know our registration and exhibitors numbers were down compared to our 2008 show. However, the quality of the buying audience was still strong and very interested in meeting with suppliers to discuss projects and product needs. The exhibitors and buyers that participated felt that the show either met or exceeded their expectations,” said Michael Burdis, incoming IWF 2012 chairman and president of James L. Taylor Manufacturing Company. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8520
Exhibition Preview
laserTec –
Werkstuecke
A Quantum Leap For Furniture Manufacturing
HOMAG In-House Show • 29 November-3 December 2010 • Nutzcentre, Singapore
F
or a limited time, from 29 November to 3 December, HOMAG will open its doors for the public to view and experience first-hand the latest HOMAG laserTec edge banding machine in full operation. Over 4,000 visitors to the Innovation Center at the LIGNA had the opportunity to appraise unique benefits of the laserTec process, where the almost invisible join (referred to as the zero join) met with enthusiastic response. Over the past 12 months, more than 30 laserTec systems have already been sold. Users come from every sector of the furniture industry in Germany and abroad, and include almost all market leaders in their respective segments. Trials have shown that the new technology is capable of withstanding the whole range of glue joint testing processes in respect of heat and moisture resistance.
Process Reliability
attached importance to qualified testing and to ensuring process reliability. Alongside extensive test series over the past five years, pilot users have also been gathering practical experience with the new technology over the last 12 months. One positive effect is that due to the use of the diode laser, laserTec is easier in terms of operation than conventional methods using hot melt glue, taking the strain from operating staff and enhancing process reliability. The operating principle of lasers differs, depending on the application. Because the glue layer is only heated over the surface when using CO2 lasers, it is not possible to heat the glue layer through evenly. Diode lasers, by contrast, penetrate the glue layer and use absorbers to heat the glue through evenly. Consequently, sustainable process reliability at low cost can only be guaranteed using diode lasers.
Piece Costs
costs also have a major part to play. The HOMAG development team focused on diode lasers due to their substantially lower energy and space requirement compared to their CO2 equivalent. To generate a beam output of 3 kW, the diode laser requires a connected load of around 15 kW. A CO2 laser requires around 5 times the electrical energy (ie: 75 kW) to generate the same beam output. In addition, gluing using a diode laser allows deactivation in the gaps between workpieces, which is not the case with a CO2 laser. This adds up to considerable savings in energy costs. Another cost benefit of using a diode laser is that, unlike a CO2 laser, it operates without the need for laser gas. See the future of edge banding in laserTec – now. To register your attendance, contact HOMAG Asia at: Vera.Zimmermann@homagasia.com or +65 6369 8183. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 8520
When it comes to calculating piece costs, alongside the purchase price, running
KAL 330 laserTec at the Holz-Handwerk 2010
Innocenter
Holzhandwerk
The controllability factor is key to the capability of any new process technology. During the development phase, HOMAG
Workpieces with laserTec edges
laserTec in the InnovationCenter at the Ligna 2009 www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA OCTOBER 2010
67
Product highlights Dynea: Low-Emission Adhesive The AsWood line of adhesives from Dynea is a lowemission adhesive for producers of parquet and interior panels. In parquet production, the adhesive allows the lowering of the pressing temperature by approximately 20°C without losing any performance characteristics such as bond quality or water resistance when compared to more traditional pressing parameters. Designed for moisture resistance and production of fire-resistant interior panels, AsWood‘s final products comply with SS 02 48 23 (NT FIRE 004) fire standards. Emissions are similar to those of natural, untreated wood. Other uses include form bending, solid wood lamination, flooring/parquet, veneering, and board-on-frame as well as select composite board applications.
Enquiry No: 8603
Firefly: Fire & Emissions Detector Firefly‘s True IR fire detector can be installed in pneumatic ducts and fall chutes and is able to detect dangerous particles from 250°C and up. Consisting of infrared (IR) sensors that work in the IR wavelength range between 1,5 and 3,3 μm, the detector measures the radiated energy of dangerous particles such as sparks (ie: particles with temperatures of 700°C or up) as well as hot, black particles with temperatures below 700°C. Detection of hot, black particles is a factor in preventing a fire, since wood dust can ignite from 260°C when stored in a ‚layer‘ such as a silo. The detector has a self-diagnostic function that, among others, automatically checks internal sensitivities, humidity and temperature in the electronics.
Enquiry No: 8604
Steinemann: Wide Belt Sander
Zapkut: Moving-Column Vertical Panel Saws
The Satos Plus wide belt sander from Steinemann features a ‘quick lock’ automated locking device to minimise belt change times and labour, as well as a ‘self track’ belt tracking control to synchronise belt tensioning. Necessary control functions can be set locally at the machine using the touch-screen panel, while a more comprehensive operation of the main machine control system is carried out in the control room. Features include a contact drum drive, an optional hydro-tech hydrostatic bearing housing with integrated oil lubrication, an optional, integrated thickness gauge for permanent monitoring of thickness tolerances.
Presented during IWF 2010 in Atlanta, the ZM range of vertical panel features a lightweight and rigid frame with a moving column for full vertical panel saw functionality. This design means sheets no longer need to be fed through the machine when rip cutting. Among its other prominent features is the mounting of the saw head on the moving column via a custom-designed turntable mounting plate, which allows the quick removal of the saw head to transform the saw into a traditional hand-held circular saw. It has shockproof power head carriage mountings,movable workpiece supports, easy-to-read scale systems, high-grade solid bearings, DeWalt circular saw and provisions for dust extraction systems. The ZM range can cut timber-based materials as well as other ferrous metals. It is available in models for sheets measuring 4'x8', 5'x10' and 7'x10'.
Enquiry No: 8605
68 FDM AsiA OCTObER 2010 | www.fdmasia.com
Enquiry No: 8606
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS Benz: Reciprocating Knife Cutter
Häfele: Moovit Drawer Runner System
The Reciprocating Knife Cutter has been proven for use in cutting a multitude of materials. The abilities of the aggregate head are possible because of the long stroke of 5mm, making it possible to cut soft, vibrating materials such as foam or rubber. During cutting with the oscillating knife cutter, the spring-loaded floating ring ensures optimum contact of the material with the surface underneath. Similar to a jigsaw, very small radiuses can be cut. The very high reciprocating speed of up to 6.000 strokes per minutes ensures very effective machining with high federate speeds. The unit can be used in the following areas of applications: veneer, felt, carpet, cork, carbon fiber materials, glass fiber materials, carbon- or glass fiber reinforced plastic materials, paper, cardboard, laminates and plastic film, leather, rubber, textiles, composites, foam materials, styrodure, styrofoam, and honeycomb materials made with paper or pluminum. The reciprocating knife cutter requires a machine equipped with a C-axis.
The Moovit drawer runner system with double wall construction for metal drawers and pullouts in kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms features a concealed progressive drawer slide system. The sleek and contemporary design makes the Moovit drawer runner system ideal for many applications such as residential, commercial and medical cabinets, as well as hotel and condominium projects. The basic equipment includes a full extension with self-closing feature and integrated soft-closing action. The system has a load-bearing capacity of 50kg. Its vertical inner drawer wall gives Moovit extensive storage space. With drawers that are easy to assemble and the front panel convenient to adjust or remove without the need for tools, this system features a scratch-resistant texture and powder coating effect in white-metallic, grey-metallic and champagne shade colours. Combined with the matching decorative strip – which is easy to apply – the Moovit drawer runner system is complemented by a comprehensive range of organisational accessories.
Enquiry No: 8607
Enquiry No: 8608
Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia
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Calendar of Events 2010 - 2011 October 3-6 – W10 National Exhibition Centre Birmingham, UK Huddlestone Ltd Tel: +44 01629 530 998 Fax: +44 01629 530 999 Email: info@w10exhibition.com Website: www.w10exhibition.co.uk
6-10 – Ho Chi Minh City Expo 2010 Ho Chi Minh City International Exhibition & Convention Centre Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry & Trade Tel: +84 8 3823 9572 / 3823 9571 Fax: +84 8 3823 4536 Email: trade@hchiminhcity.gov.vn Website: www.hcmcexpo.com.vn
8-11 – Index Furniture 2010 Bandra-Kurla Complex (MMRDA Grounds) Mumbai, India Universal Expositions Ltd Tel: +91 22 2830 2870 Fax: +91 22 8216 140 Email: marketing@ueindia.com Website: www.indexfairs.com
13-15 –Woodworking 2010 Lahti Fair Centre Lahti, Finland Tel. +358-3-525 820 Fax +358-3-525 8225 Email: irina.lehtonen@lahdenmessut.fi Website: http://www.lahdenmessut.fi/eng/ fairs/puuntyosto_woodworking.html
13-16 – 2010 NHLA Annual Convention & Exhibit Showcase The Fairmont Hotel / Hyatt Regency Vancouver, Canada National Hardwood Lumber Association Tel: +1 901 399 7551 Email: l.covington@nhla.com Website: www.nhlaconvention.com
13-16 – ZOW Italy Veronafiere Verona, Italy Survey Marketing & Consulting Tel: +39 0541 783775 Fax: +39 0541 635056 Email: info@zow.it
15-18 – Maison Bois 2010 Angers Parc Expo Saint Sylvain d’Anjou, France Atlanbois / Angers Expo Congress Tel: +33 2 40 73 73 30 Fax: +33 2 40 73 03 01 Website: www.salon-maison-bois.com
16-20 – Wood Processing Machinery 2010 Tüyap Fair Convention & Congress Center Istanbul, Turkey Tuyap Fairs & Exhibitions Organisation, Inc. Tel: +90 (212) 867 11 00 Fax: +90 (212) 886 93 99 Email: sales@tuyap.com.tr Website: www.woodmachineryistanbul.com
19-20 – MTC Global Woodmart 2010 Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysian Timber Council Tel: +603 7803 2276 Fax: + 603 7803 3276 Email: Fairsconnection@gmail.com Website: www.globalwoodmart.my
20-24 – 7th China-ASEAN Expo Nanning International Convention & Exhibition Centre Guangxi, China Tel: +86 10 8812 8036 Fax: +86 10 8811 6532 Email: caexpo@caexpo.orgcaexpo@caexpo.org Website: eng.caexpo.org
November 16-19 – Wooden Construction Krasnoyarsk 2010 Siberia International Exhibition Business Centre Krasnoyarsk City, Russia Restec Exhibition / Krasnoyarsk Fair Exhibition Tel.: +7 812 320 6363 Fax: +7 812 320 8090 Email: main@restec.ru Website: www.restec.ru
17-19 – Japan Home & Building Show 2010 Tokyo International Exhibition Centre Tokyo, Japan Japan Management Association Tel: +81 3 3434 1988 Fax: +81 3 3434 8076 Website: www.jma.or.jp/jhbs/en/
22-26 – ZOW Moscow Expocentr’ Krasnaya Presnya Fairgrounds Moscow, Russia Survey Marketing + Consulting GmbH / Restec Exhibition Tel: +49 (0) 521 965330 Fax: +49 (0) 521 96533 to 99 Email: zow@survey.info Website: www.zow.ru
24-26 – IFFT Interior Lifestyle Living Int’l Furniture Fair Tokyo International Exhibition Centre (Tokyo Big Sight) Tokyo, Japan International Development Association of the Furniture Industry of Japan / Mesago Messe Frankfurt Corp Tel: +81 3 3262 8443 Fax: +81 3 3262 8442 Email: info@ifft-interiorlifestyleliving.com Website: www.ifft-interiorlifestyleliving.com
28-30 – Middle East Manufacturing Exhibition 2010 (MEMEX) To be considered for inclusion in the Calendar of Events, send details of event (name, date, venue, organiser contact) to: The Editor FDM Asia. Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd. 1100 Lower Delta Road. EPL Building #04-02. Singapore 169206. Tel: (65) 6379 2888 • Fax: (65) 6379 2805 Email: fdmasia@epl.com.sg Kindly indicate the events you are interested in and fax the sheet/s along with your details in the Product Enquiry Page to (65) 6379 2806 or enquire online at www.fdmasia.com
Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center United Arab Emirates Tel: +97 1433 6516 1 Fax: + 97 1433 5067 3 Email: memex@iirme.com Website: http://www.memexnews.com
*All details subject to change without notice. Please check with organisers for updates.
December 3-5 – Office Today Colombo BMICH Memorial International Conference Hall Colombo, Sri Lanka Buysell Interactions Tel: + 91 44 2835 3739 Fax: + 91 44 2835 0839 Email: info@buysellint.com
2-6 – MIFF Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: + 603 9282 2888 Fax: +603 9286 1551 Web: http://miff.com.my/2011/
3-6 – Philippine International Furniture Show 2011 4-12 – Bangkok Furniture Festival Impact Exhibition & Convention Centre Nonthaburi, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2314 0855 Fax: +66 (0) 2319 8337 Email: service@unionpan.com Website: www.unionpan.com
SM X Convention Center Pasay City, Philippines Tel: +63 2631 2834 Fax: +63 2637 2743 Web: www.manilanow.ph
9-12 – IFFS 24-27 – Homex & Household Expo 2010 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Hong Kong, China Hong Kong-Asia Exhibition (Holdings) Ltd Tel: +852 2591 9823 Fax: +852 2573 3311 Email: hkexhi@hka.com.hk Website: www.hka.com.hk
2011 Events February
Singapore Expo Singapore Tel: +65 6569 6988 Fax: +65 6569 9939 Email: enquiry@iffs.com.sg Web: http://www.iffs.com.sg/
22-24 – Domotex Asia/ China Floor Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai, China Tel: +86 21 6195 6088 Fax: +86 21 6195 6099 Email: kitty.bai@vnuexhibitions.com.cn Web: http://www.domotexasiachinafloor.com/
17 –20 – DELHIWOOD 2011 Halls 14 & 18 Pragati Maidan New Delhi, India Tel: +91 8025 5474 34 Fax: +91 8025 5422 58 Email: delhiwood@pdatradefairs.com Web: http://www.delhi-wood.com
March 1-4 – WoodMac Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai, China Tel: +852 2876 5119 Fax: +852 2520 0750 Email: gladys@chinaallworld.com Web: http://www.woodmacchina.net/en/index. asp
27-30 –interzum guangzhou / CIFM 2011 China Import and Export fair Complex No. 382 Yue Jiang (Middle) Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China Tel: +86 2087 5524 68 to 12 Fax:+86 2087 5529 70 Email: k.lee@koelnmesse.cn Website: http://www.interzum-guangzhou.com
April
May 9-11 – Moyaf Hikmet Şahin Kültür Parkı Uluslararası Fuar Merkezi Bursa, Turkey Tel: +90 224 713 1626 Fax: +90 224 712 1868 Email: info@modef.com.tr Website: http://www.moyaf.com.tr/site/moyaf_ en/index.php?islem=giris
25-28 – interzum 2011 Lahti Fair Centre Lahti, Finland Tel. + 49 1805 0770 50 Fax + 49 2218 2199 1 Email: interzum@visitor.koelnmesse.de Website: www.interzum.de
30 May-3 June – Ligna Hannover 2011 Hannover, Germany Tel: +49 511 89 32126 Fax: +49 511 89 31263 Website: www.ligna.de/homepage_e
July 7-10 – Interwood Taipei World Trade Center Taipei, Taiwan Tel: +886 22725 5200 Fax: +886 22757 6245 Website: http://www.biztradeshows.com/taitra/
20-23 – AWFS Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, USA Tel: +1 702-322-5700 Website: http://awfsfair.org/?option=com_conte nt&view=article&id=326&Itemid=156
September
5-7 – International Wood and Wood Machinery Show
14-17 – FMC China
Dubai Airport Expo Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +9714 2829299 Fax: +9714 2828767 Email: rana@strategic.ae Website: http://www.strategic.ae
Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai, China Tel: +86 21 64371178 Fax: +86 21 64370982 Website: http://www.bvents.com/event/329714fmc-premium
Advertising Index Enquiry Number
Advertisers / Agency
Page Number
176
American hardwood export council IFC
057
AMERICAN LUMBER CO
19
132
BECKER ACROMA THAILAND LTD
39
178
BINO (SH) MACHINERY CO LTD
177
FULPOW INDUSTRIAL CORP
49 63
179 HOMAG ASIA PTE LTD
1
151 HUNTSMAN (BELGIUM) BVBA
OBC
146 IMA AG ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD
180
JEFFER MACHINERY CO LTD
159
JIANGSU FIVE CONTINENTS MACHINERY CO LTD
181
KOELNMESSE CO, LTD
182
Siempelkamp maschinen – und anlanlagenbau gmbh & co.kg
43 72
65 37
5
108 TAIHAO WOODWORKING MACHINERY CO LTD 110
35
technik associates inc
3
107 TONG FONG CUTTERS CO LTD
55
115 WEN CHIH MACHINERY industrial CO LTD
148
weyerhaeuser marketing
016
wuxi kemar stainless steel plate treatment co ltd
Legend:
45 IBC 7
Advertisers with e-Brochures
This quick reference guide is provided as an additional service. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or ommission.
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ENQUIRY NO. 180
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abundant, appealing
alder. Cabinet makers, furniture designers and woodworkers have come Graded For Yield.®
to appreciate the many desirable properties of alder. It’s a beautiful wood that regenerates naturally and grows quickly. Alder has light,
consistent color and fine grain that accepts all manner of stains. It’s also strong and has uniform density so it machines well, has excellent turning properties, requires less hand work, and securely holds fasteners. Our alder is certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI), a standard that is also endorsed and recognized by the PEFC.
Working With ith reneWable W Wable materials is not only the right
Shanghai, China: 86.21.6249.9898
thing to do, but it offers a
Vietnam/Guangzhou, China 86.20.3878.1570
competitive edge as Well.
Taiwan: 886.42.355.3306 Hong Kong: 852.2865.5922
SM
, and Northwest Hardwoods are registered trademarks of Weyerhaeuser. © 2010 Weyerhaeuser Company. All rights reserved.
ENQUIRY NO. 148
E-mail: alder@weyerhaeuser.com or visit our website at wy.com/alder
No Added Formaldehyde – The Right Choice
I-Bond resins, the family of no added formaldehyde MDI resins from Huntsman, are the natural choice when trying to satisfy emissions standards like CARB I and II, or the Japanese F****. With over 25 years experience of supplying resins to the wood panel industry, Huntsman have developed a range of products designed for the manufacture of Medium Density Fibreboard and Particleboard. I-Bond, no added formaldehyde resins provide a cost effective solution today, whilst meeting the environmental challenges of tomorrow.
www.ibondwood.com
I-BONDÂŽ is a registered trademark of Huntsman Corporation or an affiliate thereof in one or more, but not all, countries.
ENQUIRY NO. 151
To find out more about the many benefits of the I-Bond range of no added formaldehyde resins, please contact us: Huntsman, No. 452 Wen Jing Road, Minhang Development Zone, Shanghai 200245. Email: ibondwood@huntsman.com. Telephone: +86 21 6462 6868