FDM May/June 2009

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May/June 2009

Waste Not, Want Not

Recycled Wood Waste Redefines Industry

Ahec: True Grit

Preparing Companies For The Coming Upturn

Cross Laminated TIMBER An Introduction For Specifiers

V UCURING

Decorative Veneers

The Comeback Kid

Energy Saving Surface Drying

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HA (Thailand) Co Ltd THAILAND Tel: +66 2 681 8693 info@homag-th.com

More than just cutting: Triple Mix The new HOLZMA Triple Mix standard permits, for the first time ever, an objective comparison of the performance of panel-sizing saws.

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| BAGRGSTEDT | BRANDT | BÜTFERING | FRITZ | HOLZMA | HOMAG | LIGMATECH | TORWEGGE | WEEKE | WEINMANN | SCHULER | ENQUIRY NO. 061

CUT TO SIZE TECHNOLOGY

Contents May/June 2009 • VOL. 21 NO. 4

FOCUS

page Grass: All For One & One For All

24

Furniture makers benefit as Mepla-Alfit, Hetal and Grass come under one united fittings brand.

Technology

28 Boosting The Process

Recent additions in nested-based manufacturing include improved algorithms, flexible CADCAM file import capabilities, product lifecycle modules and better machining communications. By Augustine Quek

32 Cross Laminated Timber

This introduction for specifiers offers an overview of the applications and benefits of using cross-laminated timber as well as design issues.

Contributed by Trada

PANELS

36 Wood Meets Glass Fibre: Light But Strong

Focus

20 CARB: Setting The Standards

California has passed a strict airquality measure that has significant ramifications for the woodworking industry on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean – and beyond.

By Jason Wang, GM, Franklin Guangzhou Adhesives

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

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

26 Surface Drying: Energy Saving UV Curing

UV-drying processes consume 45 percent less energy than their conventional counterparts. By Frederick D Muëller

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

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

A composite material that combines wood veneer with fibreglass offers product variation and utilisation for furniture manufacturers. By Dr Hamdan Husain, Forest Research Institute Malaysia

38 Waste Not, Want Not

Functional products produced from recycled wood waste have the potential to redefine the wood working industry. By Augustine Quek

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

Incorporating:

etm

Eastern

Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd

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

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

Printer: Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd

2 FDM Asia

Associate of

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

May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

The Chinese Academy of Forestry

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

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Contents May/June 2009 • VOL. 21 NO. 4

Executive Insights

41 True Grit

AHEC aims to prepare companies in South-east Asia to reposition

themselves for the coming upturn says John Chan, its SEAsia & Greater China regional director.

Please refer to advertising index on page

72

p

72

p

for enquiry numbers.

b Subscription Page

Regulars 6 Editorial 8 Industry News 71 Calendar Of Events 72 Advertisers Index Cover credit: DV SYSTEMS

58 The US Economy & Its

Timber Industry

There is a huge way to go before the

44 Materials & Surfaces

44 Decorative Veneers: Comeback Kid

Wood veneers have seen a resurgent presence amidst the growing environmental awareness. By Malte Herrmann, head of marketing, Danzer Group

US consumer engine of growth really gets up any steam. By Michael Buckley, consultant, World Hardwoods

60 China’s Timber Production Plan For 2009

Timber output expected to hit 100 million cubic metres in 2009

46 Beautifully Varnished - Using Renewable

Fraunhoefer researchers have come up with a varnish that's hard wearing, scratch-resistant and best of all, environmentally-friendly.

64

Hardwoods & Softwoods 48 Drying Of Treated Timber

What are the common situations when treated timber will need drying?

Contributed by Maryline Foucher, Cathild Industrie

50 The High Temperature Drying Way

Conventional steam-heated systems take a back seat as high temperature drying

process emerges for high throughput of kiln-dried lumber. By Choo Kheng Ten and Sik Huei Shing, Forest Research Institute Malaysia

52 Hardwoods & Softwoods

Hardwood – Yellow Meranti, Apple Softwood – Radiata Pine

54 South-East Asia: Sustainable Forest Management & Certification Practices

The disparity in national practices calls for negotiations to ensure that a common standard is agreed upon. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam

MaRKET/COUNTRY REPORT

57 Malaysia’s National Timber Industry Policy:

Blueprint For Growth

4 FDM Asia

May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Exhibitions

63 AHEC: 14th South-east Asia & Greater China Convention 64 Interzum Guangzhou 66 Domotex Asia /

ChinaFloor 2009 68 ZOW Shenzhen 70 China Furniture & Woodworks 2009

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Editorial Published by:

DOWN for the COUNT

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

managing director

Kenneth Tan

kentan@epl.com.sg

managing editor

Eileen Chan

eileenchan@epl.com.sg

t’s a no-holds barred fight to the bitter end with heavyweight contenders – the EU and

journalist

the US in one corner, and illegal loggers, in the other.

While the European Union has been on the illegal logging bandwagon for some time now; this time it’s a lot different – they come armed with power punches, supplied courtesy of the European Parliament.

Therese Tan

theresetan@epl.com.sg

editorial assistant

Eunice Tay

eunicetay@epl.com.sg

senior art director/studio manager

On April 22, the European Parliament voted in favour of stricter rules on timber sold

Lawrence Lee

lawrencelee@epl.com.sg

within the bloc's markets, including the introduction of sanctions against offenders. It

graphic designer

wants to make all traders and producers, responsible for clearly indicating the source of

their products and the supplier of the timber through a traceability system.

Winnie Lee

winnielee@epl.com.sg

advertising sales manager

The move effectively criminalises illegal timber trading, obliging EU member states

Canice Gan

canicegan@epl.com.sg

to impose financial penalties on those found in breach of the law. Amendments to the

business manager (china)

proposal include penalties "at least five times the value of the timber products obtained by

Ding Yongmei

neweastern_sh@hotmail.com

committing a serious infringement". The relevant authorities are tasked to take "corrective

senior circulation executive

measures", such as "the immediate cessation of commercial activities" and "the seizure of

timber and timber products."

The tough stance by the heavyweight contenders reflects the extent of the problem.

The World Wildlife Foundation estimates that almost a fifth of timber coming into the EU market, came via the back door (ie: illegal sources). The EU’s fight now goes before a June meeting of EU ministers in Luxembourg, where it will be hammered out further.

As for the US, they were in the ring since last year – slugging it out with an extended Lacey Act to prosecute anyone caught red-handed with illegal timber.

The fight is made more significant because of its far-reaching implications. It is closely watched here in Asia as both the EU and the US are significant consumers of timber

contributors

Jason Wang

Michael Buckley

Augustine Quek

Hamdan Husain

Malte Herrmann

Choo Kheng Ten

Sik Huei Shing

Maryline Foucher

Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam

Frederick D Muëller industry consultants

products, and, illegal logging is often associated with tropical wood.

Malaysia is definitely not sitting in the sidelines of this fight either – it’s going for the distance as the EU is the country’s third most important timber destination (with annual timber export worth some RM2.8 billion), they are in the final phase of concluding a bilateral voluntary partnership agreement (VPA) with the EU, to promote trade in legally

Brenda Tan

brendatan@epl.com.sg

Michael Ginnings

Consultant, Ginnings Far East Associates

Ong Kim Chuan

Managing Director Haleywood Director

Winston Chiu

President Technik Associates Inc

Francis LL Lam

MBA (UCLA) Arpa (Shanghai)

produced and harvested timber.

Neither is Indonesia sitting in the sidelines. The country’s timber exports to the EU

EASTERN holdings LTD

reached US$1.2 billion last year and its exporters have begun to certify their products through surveyor companies.

Executive Board chairman

The final round of this fight will start in June in Luxembourg where the EU Agriculture

Stephen Tay

Council will meet and slug out amendments to the proposal. When adopted, new measures

group executive director

should come into force in 2010/2011 – and hopefully, signal the long awaited knockout

financial controller

blow to the illegal timber trade.

Kenneth Tan Robbin Lim

etm

Eastern

Trade Media Pte Ltd an Eastern Holdings Ltd company

Eileen Chan

6 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

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

HOW TO FOOL AN EXPERT.

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Industry News

Robert Bürkle Goes Into Photovoltaics Freudenstadt, Germany: Specialists

(representing 27 percent of turnover) in its

Some €34 million came from its electronic

for press and laminating lines, Robert

new photovoltaic sector and envisages that

industry while the rest came from its

Bürkle, raised its turnover from €108

it would attain half of the turnover in the

service sector. Last year, the company

million (US$140 million) to €115 million

photovoltaic industry by the end of 2010.

invested some €5.5 million in new

last year. The machine builder managed

In the wood-based panel industry,

machines and buildings at their sites

to achieve a sales volume of €31 million

Bürkle realised €50 million last year.

in Freudenstadt, Rietberg-Mastholte, Germany and Shanghai, China to extend the expertise in pressing and laminating.

Due to the currently tense economic situation, its MD, Hans Joachim Bender predicts a decrease in turnover of more than 30 percent in 2009. The company forecasts an economic pick-up in the wood sector by the end of 2010 at the earliest.

According to its press release, the management hopes to survive 2009 without any borrowings as the equity of the company has been increased seven times during the last decade.

At the end of last year, the company sold 13 multi-opening laminators and 13 single-opening laminators. “Two further Ypsators have been ordered and will be supplied by this summer,” says Hans-Joachim Bender, its MD.

Homag Wants A Return To Positive Operating Result Stuttgart, Germany: The Homag

adds that the company is

year progresses. Potential

Group aims to return a positive

well prepared even for a

acquisition opportunities will

operating result for the year

significant downswing. “We

also continue to be appraised.

2009 as a whole, despite the

have already reduced the

For the fiscal year 2008,

anticipated substantial drop

number of contract workers

sales revenue increased to

in sales revenue.

by more than 310 and during

€856 million (US$1,112 million)

the

2009 more than 320 temporary

(€837 million in 07), raising the

management board Dr Joachim

employment contracts will

market share from 24 to 26

Brenk anticipates a significant

also come to an end,” says

drop in sales revenue and

Mr Hermann. These measures

earnings in the first half of

and others combined will

winners. “Being market

07), while the order backlog as

2009, but trade events like

enable the group to reduce

leader and a strong group

of December 31, 2008 came

Ligna will provide new stimulus

its personnel capacity by

with worldwide operations

to €164 million (€255 million)

and generate new orders in

more than 25 percent in 2009.

affords us a clear edge over

including the figures for Benz

Dr Brenk stressed that

smaller competitors.” On

GmbH Werkzeugsysteme, in

Speaking at a press briefing

the Homag Group wants

the order intake front, effort

which the Company acquired

on the annual results of the

to emerge from the current

will be made to increase

a majority holding as of

group, CFO Andreas Hermann

market crisis as one of the

its market share as the

January 1, 2009.

Spokesman

of

the second quarter.

8 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Dr Joachim Brenk

percent. Order intake came to €618 million (€747 million in

Industry News

Eumabois ‘Choose The Original’ Campaign Focuses On Quality Milan, Italy: The European Federation of

offer clients goods of an absolute value,”

thousands of actions, choices, thoughts,

Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers

and, is the result of a process that aims

and solutions. A high-quality product is

(Eumabois) promotional campaign to

at achieving a precise standard.

the sum of quality behaviour.”

protect the intellectual property rights

The release notes that achieving quality

of those working in the manufacturing

is intrinsic in the strategies and habits

woodworking technologies and tools,

of companies that know the value of

kicked off with its first topic – on quality.

The first of seven articles under its banner ‘Choose the original – choose success’ highlights one the seven strengths of the woodworking sector’s uniqueness (ie: quality, high technology, know-how, reliability, safety, efficiency and experience).

The press article describes quality as

QUALITY DEVELOPED IN e UROPE Woodworking Technology Made in Europe

technology, that know how much the success of their clients depends on the quality of their project, on the quality of the materials used and on the quality that will be applied in each stage in its manufacture, from the idea to the tool or the finished machine.

In concluding, the article says: “Choosing

fundamental in the continuous search to

the original means choosing success,

produce ever better machinery and tools,

because quality can only come from quality. A superb sofa, a spacious wardrobe,

and that it permeates every stage of the process that leads to a machine or a tool

The press article goes on to say:

a practical kitchen, a sturdy staircase

being manufactured. It adds: “Quality is

“Quality cannot be improvised. Quality

reflect the kind of quality that has made

a strategy, because it means deciding to

aims for perfection, and therefore involves

a long journey.”

eUMABOIS

ENQUIRY NO. 019

European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

9

Industry News

Call To Set Up Timber Terminal In Central Java Jakarta, Indonesia: The Indonesian

terminal to be set up in Central Java as

Rahmat Gobel, vice-chairman of

Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has urged

it is the best-equipped province to do so.

the ICC, noted the facilities would help

the federal government to step up the

The proposed terminal was projected to

reduce production costs and improve

construction of timber storage facilities

be set up in 2008, but has been delayed

the competitiveness of the Indonesian

for several provinces in Indonesia.

for various reasons.

furniture and handicraft industry. He

The country’s Industry Minister,

“It only needs to decide the state

added that timber storage facilities

Fahmi Idris has mooted for the timber

enterprise managing it, and to wait for

for East Java, Central Java, Sulawesi,

approval from the local legislature,” Mr

and Papua would significantly reduce

Fahmi said in a report by the Jakarta

the amount of levies charged as well

Post. He expects the country’s first

as facilitate certification of timber in

timber terminal to be completed by the

storage facilities.

last quarter of this year in the Kendal

The terminal is expected to reduce

regency. The administrators of the regency

existing overheads by up to 15 percent

have set aside a 2.5-ha plot of land

as the timber will be sold directly to

for the project while the Central Java

manufacturers. The timber export value from

provincial administration will cover the

wood-based products in 2008 amounted

construction costs, and the Industry

to US$2.87 billion, a 8.17 percent drop

Ministry will provide the machinery.

from the 2007 figure of US$3.12 billion.

Ta Ann To Spend RM189m For Further Developments

MTC To Explore New Markets

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: Ta Ann

The company engages in the

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Malaysian Timber Council

Holdings, a Malaysian timber giant,

manufacture and sale of timber

(MTC) is exploring new markets for Malaysian wood. The

plans to spend RM125 million

products, the development of

news comes hot on the heels of the country’s first-ever

(US$34.84 million) for its oil palm

plantations and planted forests;

timber policy unveiled in March which aims to more

plantation development, RM34

cultivation of oil palms also

than double exports to over RM53 billion (US$14.5

million for tree planting and RM30

operates as a logging and

billion) by 2020.

million for its plywood division.

plantation contractor and, timber

Speaking after a meeting with a 12-member delegation

Datuk Wong Kuo Hea, Ta Ann’s

concession licensee. Some 47

from Syria, the council’s executive for trade promotion

group MP and CEO envisage that

percent of the company’s profits

and marketing, Fara Ismail, said the MTC was exploring

he will spend in total some RM189

are derived from logging, 45

the countries of Syria, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,

million for 2009. According to a

percent from palm oil and the

Poland and the Indian subcontinent

report in The Star, the company

rest from plywood, sawmill

aims to focus on the Japanese

and others.

The council will use its overseas offices to assist in its marketing efforts. Malaysia’s top four export markets

markets as some 90 percent of

For the nine months ended

are Japan, the US, South Korea and China. Last year,

its products are exported there.

Sept 30, Ta Ann made a net profit

the timber sector contributed RM22.5 billion in export earnings, a 3.1 percent dip from 2007.

Ta Ann is also considering

of RM56.6 million (US$15.73

increasing its global market share

million) compared to the RM84.7

Under the Third Industrial Master Plan that runs from

through its environmentally-friendly,

million achieved in the previous

2006 until 2020, RM1.7 billion in annual investments

eco-plywood eucalyptus products.

corresponding period. Its Tasmania,

can be expected in this RM20 billion

“We are pushing very hard for

Australia subsidiary was named

a year sector.

more market penetration,” he said,

Australia’s Emerging Exporter of

Malaysia is the world’s largest

adding that uncertainty in selling

the Year at the annual Australian

exporter of tropical logs and sawn timber,

prices, which were mainly market-

Export Awards held in December

the second largest supplier of plywood

driven, remains a major challenge.

last year.

and the tenth largest furniture-maker.

10 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

Financing Facility For Pakistan’s Furniture Export Industry Karachi, Pakistan: The Long Term Financing Facility

2009 remained around US$11.5 million as compared to US$9.9

(LTFF) for import of machinery will enable the country’s

million in same period last year.

export-oriented furniture manufacturers to expand further

Pakistani exports to the United Arab Emirates were an indication of the regional trade possibilities that exist. He

and, meet international standards.

Chairman of the All Pakistan Furniture Exporters

added that the sector could reach its export goal of US$750

Association (APFEA), Maqbool Elahi has confirmed

million by 2013 if training facilities and development schemes

that the country’s Ministry of Commerce has approved

were provided.

the use of LTFF for the import of machinery. This, he

Mr Mohammed added that the installation of a federal

added, will enable the sector to overcome its present

timber board, with both private and public sector members

financial difficulties.

is necessary in order to restructure the sheesham wood

According to Pakistan’s Daily Times, Mr Elahi will ask

plantation and ban on illegal exports of raw materials. He

the government to establish a Goods Early Testing and

added: “We are in touch with Italian and German firms in

Material Testing laboratory for its furniture exporters.

connection with the set up of training centres besides setting

He said this would help the local producers meet the

up two Furniture Cities, one each in Karachi and Peshawar.”

certification requirements of international buyers.

Former chairman APFEA, Turhan Baig Mohammed said the export of furniture during July 2008 - February

44625_Novi_IMA:210x150

27.02.2008

16:29 Uhr

Pakistan exports approximately US$16 million to UAE (19 percent), Italy (15.5 percent), Canada (10 percent) and Germany (9 percent).

Seite 1

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www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

11

ENQUIRY NO. 062

Industry News

Japan Finalises Carbon Offset System For Forests Reports indicated that Japan’s Ministry of Forestry has established a forest carbon credit system.

The system, which is based on the J-ver (Japan Verified

target of the efforts under the

Wakayama Prefectural Government

Tokyo, Japan: Japan Lumber

Japanese system. Sustainable forest management activities will be in areas harvested and replanted after 1990. Plantation projects will focus on replanting, and all forests eligible for credits

Emissions Reduction) system

under the credit system need

launched in November 2008,

to have a forest management

will help calculate forest carbon

system compliant with the

dioxide absorption and is the

Forest Law.

first of its kind. The absorption will be calculated and estimated

A forestry resources preservation project at Kumano Kodo in Hongu Town.

in credits, which can then be

In order to generate credits, one of the following three conditions has to be satisfied: a

sold to carbon dioxide emitting companies

projects will hold particular attention in

long-term forest management plan based

already registered in the J-ver system.

the forest absorption system: thinning

on the Forest Law must be in place; an FSC

The Ministry hopes the credits will be

promotion and management; sustainable forest

or SGEC certificate must be granted to

traded in the carbon market and funds

management; and plantation management.

the area; or a forest management system

reinvested in the forestry industry. Three

Areas thinned after 2007 will be the

must be established by local government.

T

he Shenzhen Xinyunxiang Precision Cutters Company is one of the largest manufacturer of woodworking cutting tools in China, it has 3 production branches, one for diamond cutting tools, another two for TCT sawblades, wood working drill bits and milling cutters. ®

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ENQUIRY NO. 065

Add: 2D, Building A, Xingyi Industrial, Fuyong, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China Tel: +86-755-27703707 27703556 Fax: +86-755-27703750 Email: chxueli_lily@yahoo.cn Http://www.xinyunxiang.com

Wanted foreign general agent and Regional Sales Manager!

12 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

US Imposes 10 percent Duty On Imports Of Canadian Lumber Washington DC, USA: The United States

quotas for some lumber exports for the

Customs and Border Protection’s Office

first half of 2007.

Canada and the US signed a sevenyear deal on softwood lumber in 2006 to

of International Trade has advised the

The new tax in the long-running

settle a prolonged fight over allegations

trade community that its officers has

bilateral dispute between the world’s two

Canada improperly subsidises its lumber

imposed a 10 percent duty on imports

biggest trading partners and also comes

producers, which supply about 30 percent

of softwood lumber from Canada as

as the US economic downturn takes a

of the construction lumber used in the

of April 15.

toll from its housing market collapse.

United States.

The duty was directed by the United States Trade Representative under Section 301 of the Trade Act on imports of softwood lumber products from the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada. The duty will remain until the US has collected US$54.8 million for the breach of its softwood lumber trade deal. The LCIA, formerly the London Court of International

ENQUIRY NO. 035

Arbitration, ruled Canada miscalculated

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

13

Industry News

FAO Concerned Of Impact Of Economic Crisis Rome, Italy: The State of the World’s Forests 2009 report issued by FAO in Rome comments on the possible long-term impact of the on-going economic crisis on the world’s forests and wood sector.

FAO note that the collapse of the housing sector in western countries has reduced demand for a wide array of wood and wood products, leading to mill closures and unemployment. New investments are slowing as a result, affecting all wood industries.

The demand for environmental services has also changed as a result of reduced ability and willingness to pay for such services. Carbon prices have remained highly volatile. Future climate change arrangements may face challenges as

of agricultural expansion into forests,

building up of natural resource capital (eg:

countries give priority to tackling the

deforestation and reversal of previous

through afforestation and reforestation

economic crisis.

forest gains’.

and increased investments in sustainable

FAO are concerned that this might

But there could also be positive impacts:

forest management), generation of rural

have negative impacts on forest resources

‘reduced wood demand could lessen

employment and active promotion of

through, for example ‘reduced investment

pressure on forests, while conversion

wood in green building practices and

in sustainable forest management and a

of forest for large scale cultivation of

renewable energy.

rise in illegal logging as the decline in the

commercial crops such as oil-palm,

Certainly, this change of path will

formal economic sector opens opportunities

soybeans and rubber could slow as

require fundamental institutional changes,

for expansion of the informal sector.

their prices fall…. The forest sector

but the crisis may bring about greater

Land dependence, which had been

could benefit from the pursuit of a

willingness to accept and implement

easing, could increase, raising the risk

“green path” to development – through

long-overdue reforms’.

Teragren Receives SCS Certification

Blum’s Lift System Wins Red Dot Award

Washington, USA: Teragren,

unfinished 1/8” tradi-

of consumer products.

Hoechst, Austria: Blum’s Aventos

the US manufacturer of

tional bamboo veneer

The Indoor Advantage

Servo-Drive lift system has won the

bamboo flooring, panels

(vertical and flat grains)

programme applies to

‘Red Dot award for top quality design’

and veneer, announced

manufactured using the

any product generally

presented by Design Zentrum Nordrhein

that select bamboo panels

company’s proprietary

used within a school or

Westfalen annually.

and veneer now qualify for

No Added Formaldehyde

office indoor environment.

SCS Indoor Advantage Gold

(NAF) adhesive.

Certification Systems.

indoor

air

The solution brings user convenience to wall and kitchen cabinets.

currently pursuing SCS-

The award-winning product used

qualit y

certification for its entire

Blum’s electric opening system to ensure

SCS offers several

certification from Scientific

The company is

new

certification programmes as

product line, including

that lift systems open and close softly

certification applies to

part of its ongoing efforts

its prefinished bamboo

and silently. A touch on fronts suffices

all unfinished traditional

to encourage improved

flooring products.

to set the lift system in motion. It closes

bamboo panels and

environmental performance

Te r a g r e n ’s

smoothly and conveniently at the press of a designed switch in the cabinet interior.

14 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News China Focus

China’s Furniture Exports Up By 21% Beijing: China’s furniture enterprises

Currently, China furniture production

23 percent of the world’s total and

generated RMB210 billion (US$30.7

makes up 25 percent of the world’s

it has been the major producer and

billion) during January to September

total, its furniture exports account for

exporter of furniture in the world.

in 2008, up 21 percent over the same period in 2007.

According to ITTO’s Tropical Timber Market Report, the total value of furniture exports rose 23 percent to US$19.8 billion. The volume of wooden furniture exports fell 9 percent but the value of the wooden furniture exports rose 6 percent over the same period. The value of furniture imports grew 22 percent to US$945 million.

Local experts predict that the total output value of China’s furniture will exceed RMB600 billion and the value of furniture exports will be US$26.6 billion.

ENQUIRY NO. 066

Richfruits machinery Manufacturing co., Ltd. Add: No.10, Shilong Industrial Road, Shiling Industrial Zone Of Lunjiao, Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China.

Fax: 0086-757-27721919 TEl: 0086-757-27721959 E-MAIL: richfruitschina@163.com Web: www.richfruits.com CONTACT: 0086-13928252573

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

15

Industry News China Focus

Heilongjiang See Growth Russian Connection Beijing: China’s northeast Heilongjiang Province, which

to the emerging markets like the Middle East and S Korea,

borders Russia, has reported a growth in foreign trade to

or, re-designed their products to match new demands.

the tune of US$11.06 billion (increase of 3.1 percent) with its

Weishilihe now manufactures elaborate hand-carved doors for the upscale markets of S Korea and the

northern neighbour in 2008.

The trade volume represents 19.5 percent of China’s total

Middle East. They are confident of meeting their export

trade value with Russia, said the report by the Heilongjiang

projection of US$8 – US$10 million for this year to the

province commerce department. It noted that the increase

mentioned regions.

came after Russia lowered export prices

Suifenhe, a small city of

on resource-oriented products such

150,000 residents in southeast

as timber. Trade was also improved

Heilongjiang saw its exports and

by the depreciation of the US dollar

imports surpassing the US$5.8

and the Russian rouble.

billion mark (a 25 percent increase)

The department noted that

last year. With some 460 firms

Heilongjiang is just was one of the

engaged in the wood industry,

three provinces in China registered

the city has moved successfully

an export growth in January-February

from the export markets of Europe

this year. Exports increased by 26

to, direct furniture sales to the Russian market.

percent to US$1.3 billion while imports declined by 28 percent to US$390

Japan Focus

One such enterprise, Suifenhe Friendship Wood Industry Group,

million. Total trade for the first two months of this year is up by 7.3 percent or US$1.69 billion.

notched up sales revenue of RMB700 million in 2008.

The local government in Heilongjiang are looking towards

Furniture exports of the company were around RMB60

the expansion of economic ties with Russia, Japan and South

million last year.

Korea. At the same time, the province intends to open up

Chen Xiangzhou, its GM, said the company recently

new markets in the Middle East, Central Asia, Latin America,

invested in two timber processing factories in Russia to

Africa, Oceania and other emerging markets, says a report

ensure raw material supplies. He was quoted as saying that

in China Daily.

he aims to have a profit of over RMB100 million this year.

Heilongjiang is Russia’s largest provincial trading partner

Suifenhe Sanxia Economic and Trade Co is another

with trade reaching the US$11.06 billion in 2008. Many like,

such company that is also working out its new export

Weishilihe, a Heilongjiang-based timber door and window

strategies. More than half of its orders are now from

maker, have moved from the markets of Europe and the US

Russia reports its GM, Guo Shiming.

Schelling Establishes Subsidiary In China Schwarzach, Austria: The

(Changzhou) Trading is able to offer

Austrian specialist of industrial

production experience, advanced

cut-to-size, material handling

technology as well as after-sales

and automation solutions –

service to its customers in China.

Schelling Anlagenbau GmbH – has established a wholly-

Contact details are as follows:

owned Chinese subsidiary in

Schelling (Changzhou) Trading Co Ltd

Changzhou, Jiangsu Province.

16 Keji Avenue, Longhutang Town,

Working in close cooperation

New District, Changzhou, Jiangsu

with their German partners –

213031, China

Wemhoener

Tel: 0519 8576 0858

(Changzhou)

Machinery Manufacturing and

E-mail: info@schelling.cn

IMA (Changzhou) Int’l – Schelling

Web: www.schelling.com

16 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News China Focus

JSWB Home Furnishings Center Opening In Guangzhou Guangzhou, China: Jisheng

with a number of international

Wellborn Furniture Group

brands that are currently not

(JSWB), one of the largest

exhibiting at the Guangzhou Fair,

retail furniture malls operator

the JSWB International Furniture

in China, has signed a contract

Fair is expected to strengthen

with the Poly World Trade

the position of Guangzhou as

Center to establish the JSWB

the main venue for international

Home Furnishings Center in

furniture fairs in southern China.”

Hakon Rydland, the company’s

Guangzhou.

To be located within the

executive vice president, will

Canton Fair venue, the six-storey

oversee the JSWB International

facility will open in September

Furniture Fair in Guangzhou and the JSWB International Furniture

2009 and occupy some 111,480 sq m of retail furniture showroom space.

on a total area of some 200,000 sq m.

JSWB will also be hosting a bi-

The company said in a press

The facility will house brands such

annual JSWB International Furniture

statement: “With a strong focus on well

as Fairmont Designs, Fine Furniture

Fair at the Center, and its adjacent

established Chinese brands that are

Design & Marketing, Natuzzi, Universal,

exhibition hall in March and September

already having their showrooms with

Alexandre International and Simon Li.

(coinciding with the Guangzhou Fair)

JSWB at other locations, combined

Fair in Shanghai.

China To Stimulate Wood Products Trade Beijing, China: Orders to China’s enterprises for wood products exports have been falling, as they struggle to raise revenues during the international financial crisis.

The growth in total value of international trade in wood products grew only 9.6 percent in 2008, a year-on-year decrease of 13 percentage points. To respond to the effects of the international financial crisis and encourage wood products trade, China has taken several measures.

These include increasing the rates of the export rebate tax for 117 wood products items; actively negotiating with governments of importing countries/ regions such as the US, the EU and Japan to improve market access for forest products; and encouraging a quick response to products manufactured by ENQUIRY NO. 010

domestic forestry enterprises, increasing grades and specifications of products, as well as stabilising wood products exports.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

17

Product highlights Siempelkamp: 4’ ContiRoll The 4’-ContiRoll is the smallest in the Siempelkamp ContiRoll family. However, it offers all features of an 8 or 12 feet press, according to the manufacturers.

The 4’ x 33.8 m press produces 4’ x 8’ MDF with a thickness ranging from 4 to 18 mm at a speed of up to 1,300 mm/s.

Besides its very low thickness tolerance, quick start-up, stable ramp-up curves, the 4’ version uses resources such as wood and glue, on a conservative basis, especially when compared to multi daylight presses.

This makes the small ContiRoll suitable as greenplant investment or, as a replacement of an old multi daylight press.

In addition, the popular Asian board sizes 4’ x 8’ as well as 4’ x 9’ can be produced directly, making the need for a cut-to-size line obsolete, and suited for the markets of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

Installing Siempelkamp’s ContiRoll at Zhejiang Liren Wood Industry in Jiang Shan City, Zhejiang province in southeastern China.

Discharge bunker and former head

Installation of the frames Press infeed area with steel belt

View of the drives

Roller rod carpet inside the press infeed

Enquiry No: 4001

CSIL: Profiles Of 200 Major Furniture Manufacturers World furniture production is worth about US$352 billion and about 30 percent of the total is produced by the 200 major furniture manufacturers listed in CSIL Milano’s report: ‘Profiles of 200 Major Furniture Manufacturers Worldwide.’

This seventh edition, 357-page report contains company profiles of 203 furniture-manufacturing companies and groups, selected according to the volume of their sales. Basic data on the 203 furniture manufacturers are summarised in table format, by country and geographical area (Europe, North America, Asia), by company and by product type (home furniture, kitchen furniture, office furniture).

Company profiles are available for each furniture manufacturer, with information on company background, turnover, type of furniture produced and product breakdown, employees and production facilities, divisions, controlled companies and subsidiaries, brands, exports and outlet markets, distribution network and commercial strategies, investments and company strategies, mergers & acquisitions, joint-ventures.

Enquiry No: 4002

18 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

GreCon: Ultrasonic Measuring System Grecon’s blow detection system UPU, type 3000, is billed the only ultrasonic measuring system with automatic calibration. The ultrasonic transmitters and receivers are adapted to the product to be measured, and the measuring signal is evaluated in high resolution.

Automatic external calibration and the integrated dirt accumulation control see to a measurement that is, to a large extent, independent of surroundings. The calibration adjusts the individual inspection channels and makes possible a reliable blow detection and representation of process-related differences over the entire panel.

A DC long-time graph gives information on the homogeneity of the panels. Further curves represent fluctuations in different process influences, such as moisture, weight per unit area, hardening degree of the glue (press time) and steam pressure.

Enquiry No: 4003

Product highlights Heradesign: Wood Wool Decorative Panels

Austria headquartered manufacturer of wood wool decorative panels, Heradesign, has expanded to cater for the premium, luxury market with its acoustically-superior Executive product line.

The Executive range comprises Heradesign Style and Heradesign Deluxe, offering a choice between real wood veneer and high-quality lamination. The Deluxe range is ecologically sound, with a wood-wool core and real wood veneer.

Heradesign (formerly part of Heraklith AG), is now part of Knauf Insulation GmbH. Its products offer architects and planners a variety of design possibilities for many different applications, from public buildings, offices and nurseries through to major event venues.

Enquiry No: 4004

Modul Systeme: Glue Preparation & Dousing Systems Independent engineering firm, Module Systeme, provides technical services and equipment for the particleboard and fibreboard industry as well as for lamination lines for wood based panels.

The Laufen, Germany based company has launched a line of standard and custom designed glue preparation and dosing systems for plants in the wood based panel industry.

The offered systems are available for single component stations up to multiple, networked stations. These modular glue preparation systems fit into standard shipping containers.

Enquiry No: 4005

Wagner System: Roller-Mini Stop

TRADA: Guide On Cross-Laminated Timber

Their strongest point is their invisibility: placed in the bottom plate or the leg of a furniture, the Roller-Minis by Wagner System of Lahr, Germany, do not disturb the furniture’ s design and gives elegant mobility, all without the optical dominance of visible castors.

Introduced at interzum 2009, the latest version comes with an integrated brake and offer a load capacity of 50 kg each at a 15 mm. Available in two floor-protecting varieties (soft wheels for sensitive floors and with hard wheels for robust floors), they have been awarded with the red dot design award 2009 for their design quality.

The first of three electronic guides for specifiers and designers on cross-laminated timber has been launched by TRADA. The Wood Information Sheet on cross-laminated (CL) timber, reviews how CL is manufactured and machined, its material properties, common structural configurations and general erection principles.

Although CL timber is commonly used in Continental Europe, it is a relatively new product for many parts of the world. Early applications show that CL panel construction can be competitive, even in tall and long-span applications where conventional timber framing was before considered unsuitable or uneconomic.

The new Wood Information Sheet provides an overview of the applications and benefits of using cross-laminated timber, highlighting non-structural aspects of design, airtightness, acoustic performance, cladding, durability/finishes and sustainability.

Enquiry No: 4006

Enquiry No: 4007 www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  May/June 2009

19

Focus CARB:

SETTING THE

STANDARDS

I

n the US, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved an Airborne Toxics Control Measure (ATCM) to reduce formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products that come inside its borders to record low levels.

The measure has broad impact on the Asian woodworking industry given that it regulates formaldehyde emissions from any composite wood products – hardwood plywood, particleboard, medium density fibreboard (MDF) – as well as all finished goods containing these products that are sold, offered for sale, supplied or manufactured for use in California, the third largest state in the US. In addition, it applies to the entire

20 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Air Resources Board

Patrycja Cieszkowska, Szczecin, Poland

R. Linder, Springfield, USA

California has passed a strict air-quality measure that has significant ramifications for the woodworking industry on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean – and beyond. By Jason Wang, GM, Franklin Guangzhou Adhesives

composite wood products supply chain, from manufacturers to distributors, importers, fabricators and retailers of these products or finished goods constructed of them.

Given the reach of this latest ATCM and the fact that the first phase went into effect at the beginning of year – with an additional stringent standard coming on line in July (for hardwood plywood composite core) – it is critical for composite wood products manufacturers and other links in the wood products supply chain to understand the new formaldehydeemissions regulations.

Forms Of Formaldehyde Knowing a bit about formaldehyde can

help manufacturers understand the need for formaldehyde-emission standards and how to meet them.

Formaldehyde is a colourless, pungentsmelling gas that can be a severe irritant, causing watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, even difficulty in breathing.

It also is a possible carcinogen.

Yet, it’s a daily part of life – just as are automobiles, lumber and common consumer products, such as carpeting.

It is manufactured in large quantities and sold as a liquid for use in literally thousands of common consumer products, from cosmetics to disinfectants to home furnishings. It also is formed in its natural state when hydrocarbons

Focus break down, as when gasoline burns.

Of more significance to the wood products factories, formaldehyde also occurs in nature when plant matter decays. Hence, even untreated wood will contain some formaldehyde.

Manufacturers want to take this phenomenon into account when selecting adhesives for their composite wood products.

Meet The Standards To give the wood products industry time to meet reduced formaldehydeemissions standards, CARB is phasing in increasingly stringent limits. Phase 2 will further tighten already low limits set in Phase 1. Limits and effective dates for both phases are below.

Phase I Emissions Standards

party certifier, approved by the Air Resources Board (ARB). Testing must be performed according to ASTM E1333 (Large Chamber Test Method).

Beyond third-party testing, manufacturers must label their hardwood plywood, particleboard and MDF panels to identify them as meeting either the Phase 1 or Phase 2 emission standards or as being made with no-added-formaldehyde (NAF) or ultra-low-emitting-formaldehyde (ULEF) resins.

As mentioned, CARB regulations affect every link in the composite wood products supply chain. Distributors, importers, fabricators and retailers can purchase and sell only panels and finished goods that comply with applicable formaldehydeemission standards and must take ‘reasonable, prudent precautions’ (such as communicating with their suppliers).

By January 2009: Hardwood Plywood-Veneer Core = 0.08 ppm Particleboard = 0.18 ppm Medium Density Fiberboard = 0.21 ppm

By July 2009: Hardwood Plywood Composite Core = 0.08 ppm

Phase 2 Emissions Standards

By January 2010: Hardwood Plywood-Veneer Core = 0.05 ppm

By January 2011: Particleboard = 0.09 ppm Medium Density Fiberboard = 0.11 ppm

By January 2012: Hardwood Plywood-Composite Core = 0.05 ppm ENQUIRY NO. 036

Manufacturers of composite wood products must demonstrate compliance with the new standards through certification by an independent, third

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

21

Focus to ensure that these products meet CARB limits.

Distributors and importers also need to keep records showing the date of purchase and the supplier of the product(s); and they must document steps taken to ensure that the products are in compliance.

Fabricators also must label finished goods containing CARB-regulated composite wood products to indicate that the merchandise complies with applicable Phase 1 or Phase 2 emission standards.

Finished goods made exclusively from composite wood products manufactured using NAF- or ULEF-based resins must also be labelled.

Add The Right Adhesive

Although the latest CARB ATCM regulates formaldehyde emissions, not adhesives, the choice of adhesive is paramount to meeting emissions limits.

Research conducted during the promulgation of the CARB measure BuildingGreen.com

Franklin: Formaldehyde-Free Adhesives Franklin Adhesives & Polymers, a division of Franklin Int’l, has developed several formaldehyde-free adhesives.

One of these is Multibond 4000 FF, a one-part PVAc adhesive that is both water-resistant and formaldehydefree. Reactite EP-925, a two-component emulsion polymer isocyanate (EPI), has zero formaldehyde and also offers a high degree of heat- and water-resistance.

ENQUIRY NO. 4107

Collins Companies: Pine FreeForm FreeForm is a new FSC-certified particleboard that is produced with no added urea-formaldehyde.

A melamine-formaldehyde binder is used rather than industry-standard urea-formaldehyde.

Initial chamber testing has shown formaldehyde emissions to be in the range of 0.09 to 0.13 parts per million which meets the recently announced Phase I California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards for formaldehyde emissions—but not the Phase II standards. However, the company anticipates that FreeForm will meet Phase II standards within the year, and it hopes to eventually eliminate formaldehyde-based binders altogether. All FreeForm particleboard carries the Forest Stewardship Council label.

While low-formaldehyde particleboard made with phenolic binders is darker than conventional UF-particleboard (due to the reddish colour of phenol-formaldehyde), FreeForm is lighter in colour, because melamine binder is white.

ENQUIRY NO. 4108

clearly showed that polyvinyl acetate, soy-based and MDI based adhesives had negligible levels of formaldehyde, if any, during the chamber testing.

This standard allows manufacturers of hardwood plywood who use NAFor ULEF-based resins to submit an application for an exemption from the requirements of section 93120.3 (b).

While formaldehyde-free adhesives are preferred over other adhesives to meet the new CARB standards, it is not mandatory that all adhesives used be formaldehyde-free. An ultra-low-emitting adhesive could pass the strictest limits of the new CARB restrictions.

One key consideration, however, is that chamber testing is performed on wood with the adhesive – not just on the adhesive itself. As noted earlier, the wood often naturally contains some amount of residual formaldehyde. By using a formaldehyde-free adhesive, a manufacturer can eliminate the possibility that the adhesive would add formaldehyde emissions to existing emissions already in the composite wood. It provides the assurance that the adhesive is not going to contribute to the testing results.

ENQUIRY NO. 4106

22 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

ENQUIRY NO. 063

Focus Grass:

ALL For ONE & Furniture makers benefit as Mepla-Alfit, Hetal and Grass come under one united fittings brand.

G

rass, the new global brand, combines the product Subsumed Under Grass portfolios of Mepla-Alfit, Hetal and Grass. The As to the changes that has taken place, Mr Hettich amalgamated company exhibited their various says: “From Interzum 2009 we will be distributing all product innovations under a united Grass brand for the first products under the Grass brand. For the purpose of time in Interzum 2009, Cologne, Germany (May 13 – 16). export we have already integrated our distribution Its product range aims to set new trends and structure into that of Grass to a large extent so that reinforce existing ones, such as handleour export customers already buy their free operation, motorised systems and fittings from one supplier.” After Interzum, design freedom. all products will be subsumed under the On the tie-up of the companies, Grass brand name.

Florian Hettich said: “By making the Innovation is one of the major points Hetal brand part of the Grass brand we in the company strategy. There are several are in a position to offer our customers development projects that aim to provide one of the most comprehensive ranges solutions for its customers. “Throughout of furniture fittings. Likewise, the existing the whole value creation chain, from the Grass range is extended by our core furniture makers, the trade, the fitters products, ie: flap lift fittings, corner through to the final customers we want Florian Hettich: “For the cupboard fittings and suspension systems to create excitement,” adds Mr Hettich. purpose of export, we have for wall cabinets.”

When asked what can be expected already integrated our distribution structure into This will enable them to supply a wider from the merger with Grass, he says: “One that of Grass.” range of furniture fittings from one source. of the main considerations in this merger He adds: “By combining our product ranges is the expansion of our export sales. By under one brand name we are able to step up the scope joining our two distribution organisations we are able and quality of our customer service quite significantly. to increase our activities in the market considerably Now furniture makers can use the whole product range and offer our customers the necessary advice and of the Grass brand to distinguish their products for their service. The second important aspect is the craft-based customers and to position themselves accordingly.” trade. The Grass brand is well known worldwide in

24 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Focus

ONE For ALL

this trade, a fact that can be exploited by our trade partners in the respective markets. As Hetal, we were simply too small to be able to establish a brand in the respective export countries.”

For Hetal and Grass, the Interzum exhibition was the starting point for a shared future, “which we will shape successfully together with our customers,” adds Mr Hettich.

History In The Making

ENQUIRY NO. 009

November 2007 saw the merger of Grass and MeplaAlfit, even as it simultaneously took over Hetal. The subsequent 18 months saw the formation of the premium Grass brand.

The merger of the two companies and streamlining of the range of fittings were finally concluded in August 2008. Its international sales and distribution activities were merged as well as restructured to offer customers in 55 countries a more direct contact. Today, the Group employs a staff of more than 1,900 spread over 12 sites throughout the world.

Hetal, the Vorarlberg-based company and specialists in the corner cabinet fittings, flap fittings, single-axle object hinges and cabinet suspension systems, will remain an autonomous enterprise, although sales and distribution will be carried out through the Grass brand. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4101

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

25

Focus Surface Drying:

Energy Saving UV CURING UV-drying processes consume 45 percent less energy than their conventional counterparts. By Frederick D MuĂŤller

P

aint coating or liquid coating technology, as it is increasingly being referred to, along with foil coating and direct printing, ranks among the most sophisticated surface treatment technologies available today.

Depending on the application, the coating hardware on offer ranges from compact, stand-alone machines to fully automated, high-performance coating lines. At the usual component widths of between 0.4 to 2.4 m, these can easily achieve feed speeds of up to 120 m per minute.

In the furniture industry, conventional nitrocellulose and polyurethane lacquers still have a market share of around 50 percent. And in the wood trade, this figure is likely to be even higher.

However, there is a worldwide trend towards more environmentally-friendly alternatives that have a lower or no organic solvent content.

A Question Of Exposure It is in this area that radiation curing technology really comes into its own. Here, paint coats on furniture are hardened by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light or electron beams. For this reason, water-soluble

26 FDM Asia  May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

lacquers that are suitable for radiation curing are regarded as the way of the future for furniture paint coating lines.

Not only are these lacquers largely organic-solvent free, they are also superior to conventional solutions in terms of endproduct quality, cost, and environmental friendliness. Today, point lines feature up

New liquid coating technology can be amortised within a year.

to 90 percent lower emissions than their counterparts of only a few years ago.

Paint consumption of modern lines has also been significantly reduced.

For these reasons, investments in new liquid coating technology can be amortised within a year.

Ultraviolet technology can drastically reduce energy and material costs.

UV-curable lacquers consist of liquid compounds that transform almost immediately into a dry, solid paint coat when exposed to a high-energy source of UV radiation. The paint hardens in a very short space of time, depending on feed speed, the number and intensity of UV lamps as well the material substrate.

The end result is a dry, firm paint film, comparable to ultra-thin synthetic foil.

The short drying time produces an even, true-colour finish, rendering subsequent powdering unnecessary. It also allows an immediate determination of end-product quality since there are no further changes due to drying. UV-curable paints are solvent free, eliminating the toxic fumes produced by conventional drying processes.

Traditionally used solvent based coatings contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and can pose health and safety risks for finishers as well as end-users. The absence of VOCs in UV coating improves customers’ indoor air quality as well as work place safety. An additional safety concern with solvent based coatings is the risk of fire. Higher flash points of UV coatings provide low flammability.

Because the coated components are already totally dry, processing can

Focus How UV Curing Works

By UV Doctors Inc, Maryland, USA

In its most basic form, UV curing involves a photo-chemical reaction which converts a liquid or semi-liquid organic compound to a hard plastic-like polymer. The heart of this reaction is a special compound, known as a ‘photoinitiator’, which absorbs light and then uses the absorbed light energy to initiate and propagate the curing reaction.

Unlike conventional drying processes which use heat to evaporate water or solvents from a material, UV curing involves a total conversion of liquid material to a solid state. This lack of solvents makes UV curing an attractive alternative in cases where solvent emissions must be reduced.

The hard plastic-like cured polymer has superior physical properties (such as abrasion-resistance,

The short drying time produces an even, truecolour finish, rendering subsequent powdering unnecessary.

gloss, and chemical resistance).

The UV curing process is very fast, usually completed in fractions of a second. This means reduced space requirements and a decrease in Work In Process. Racking or secondary drying operations are eliminated with UV curing. In many cases, quality can be improved

continue without interruption, significantly boosting productivity.

through the elimination of surface blemishes caused by contact between a partially dry ink

Reduced Consumption

for the UV curing process. Both the light source and the UV curable material are normally

Modern UV-drying processes consume 45 percent less energy than their conventional counterparts. UV lamps have a service live of at least 120,000 hours. Since a surface temperature of only around 40 deg C is required for UV curing, energy consumption is significantly reduced, as are any adverse effects on the manufacturing environment, including the components being processed.

Compared with conventional application methods, such as manually operated spray guns, tray trucks or rack dryers, UV systems use 90 percent less paint. A UV-curing line that applies about 40 grms of paint per square metre produces comparable results to a polyurethane spray line applying around 250 grms per square metre.

If paint losses during spraying are included, this amount can easily double.

However, good surface preparation is as important when using UV systems as it is in the case of other paint application methods: An evenly sanded surface will save on unnecessary, extra processing steps and therefore reduce costs. FDM

designed for each specific application.

or coating and another surface.

Any UV curing process requires a UV light source and a coating specially formulated

ENQUIRY NO. 4104

Product Highlight DV-Systems: CVS UV Finishing System A finishing system that meets increasing green requirements is now available from USbased manufacturer of finishing equipment, DV-Systems.

For improved finishing results, the CVS includes sanding units on its infeed conveyor. A motorised roller conveyor with centre adjustable guides and hold-down wheels provides the infeed. Sanding brushes or belt sanding units can sand and denib up to four sides of the profile.

Various sizes and features allow for an accurate match with wood workers’ finishing needs. The small CVS3 model features feed speeds of up to 75 fpm and cures clear or tinted UV. The medium CVS7 machine can finish at up to 150 fpm and the advanced CVS9 model provides rapid finishing at up to 200 fpm. Both CVS7 and CVS9 can be customised to cure clear, tinted and even pigmented UV.

ENQUIRY NO. 4105

ENQUIRY NO. 4103

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

27

Technology Nested-Based Manufacturing:

Boosting The Process

Recent additions in nested-based manufacturing include improved algorithms, flexible CADCAM file import capabilities, product lifecycle modules and better machining communications. By Augustine Quek

N

ested-based manufacturing (NBM) is a mass production process that attempts to minimise material usage with prior planning in cutting and machining of parts from flat raw materials.

In wood-based products, the nesting process usually involves optimising the usage of panels by arranging the parts such that minimal area is left unused.

The high degree of sophistication usually requires the use of nesting software to analyse the shapes of the parts to be produced at a particular time.

Software algorithms usually consist of several features, such as redraw suppression, true shape nesting and edge gap fitting. Simply suppressing the drawing of each sheet until the nest is complete improves nesting speed, especially when running very large nests.

Revamped & Improved True shape nesting means that actual geometric details of the part are taken into consideration while nesting. No approximation as a rectangle or any other simpler shapes is made while nesting parts on the sheet. It enables interlocking of parts, recognition of arbitrary shaped sheet and part geometries, and holes present in the sheet.

Edge gap fitting allows for even closer nesting where parts have multiple passes with different tooling. Most software can also read IGES or DXF profile files automatically, while some have in-built convertors.

The Plus 2D Nesting software is a typical example. It generates two dimensional cutting processes and optimum layouts for cutting. Its algorithms generate optimised cutting plans for cutlists and also NC codes for CNC beamsaws, panelsaws, cutting tables and other tools.

Other features include multiple stock and multiple part nesting, integrated customer and order entry database, material and part assemblies library, support for saw blade thickness, grinding margins and cut complexity, support for non-rectangular

28 FDM Asia  May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Technology The full scope of

panel dividing technology!

Suppressing the drawing of each sheet until the nest is complete improves nesting speed, especially when running very large nests.

machine tool manufacturers, companies providing CAD/CAM solutions, leather industry, wood working, wood engraving industry, construction industry, agricultural equipment manufacturers and engraving and sign making industry, among others.

Soft & Hardware Combined Since nesting is to prepare the raw material for processing, many woodprocessing machines also have in-built nesting software that coordinates with the hardware in part production.

Some innovations come from PCD tooling specialist Cruing (UK), which has two new advanced tools for high speed and cleaner CNC nesting. Cruing has developed Nexus and Aerotech as part of Nesting+, an advanced technology tooling programme.

Nexus combines two components, highly resistant tungsten alloy head and precision ground steel shank, to produce a high productivity full speed single operation nesting tool. The parts are positioned, interconnected and locked together using the patent ‘Q-Lock’ system.

With only a 12 mm minimum diameter, cutting resistance is reduced, allowing feed speeds of up to 20m/min without strain on the electro-spindle.

As the tungsten alloy head is an excellent heat conductor, operationalrelated heat is conducted away from the sheet material and brazed PCD tips.

According to Cruing, longer tool life is achieved as the use of tungsten alloy allows Nexus to withstand intensive

[ output ]

Benchmark solutions for all your cutting needs • From the individual cut-to-size saw to the most advanced, large-scale cutting plant solution • From furniture production to board industry • From comprehensive planning & logistics support to 24/7 after-sales service • From the most respected European manufacturer to the most reputable customers in Asia

Hannover LIGNA 2009 May 2009 18. until 22. d D73 an st , hall 26

Schelling (Changzhou) Trading Co., Ltd. 16 Keji Avenue, Longhutang Town New District Changzhou, Jiangsu 213031 Tel.: 0519 8576 0858 E-mail: info@schelling.cn www.schelling.com

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

29

ENQUIRY NO. 064

parts via DXF import, re-nest option, rings, racking and pattern amendment module.

Another example is product lifecycle management (PLM) services and technology company Geometric Software Solutions’ NestLib Library. NestLib is known for its robustness, and is used to optimise material utilisation while fitting two-dimensional shapes on flat panels for cutting machines.

The NestLib portfolio consists of a base module and a set of optional advanced modules, each of which provides specialised functionality. It includes optimised, high speed and robust algorithms for fully automated true shape nesting, as oppose to simple block nesting.

NestLib is also able to perform what is known as “adaptive nesting”, which is the ability of the interfacing application to influence the nesting results. NestLib can communicate with the interfacing application during the nesting process when it finds a location for a part orientation. This call is made for each orientation (rotation angle) of the nested part.

The application can then evaluate all the locations and either selects the current orientation or continue nesting till all the orientations are tried and then accept one of the nested orientations. It can even reject all the nested locations and continue nesting with another part.

NestLib is available as a static library, dynamic linked library (DLL) and COM DLL, and also supports .NET framework.

NestLib is available on Microsoft Windows, Sun Solaris and Linux platforms, and can be ported to Mac OS on demand.

Geometric claims NestLib is used by

Technology

Product Highlights Biesse: Entry Level Rover Biesse’s Rover B7.40 FTK line is the new entry level, affordable, 5 x12 machining centre designed for nested based manufacturing and solid surface machining.

Compact in design, the Rover is suited for use in shops with limited floor space. Offering fast, on-the-fly 10 position tool changer, and a completely see-through head cover, the Rover comes with a 16HP electrospindle and a centralised lubrication system.

ENQUIRY NO. 4202

Geometric: Nestlib 2009 R1 Nestlib 2009 R1 is a product extension to the existing nesting libraries software series developed

by Geometric of Mumbai, India.

The nesting algorithms have been parallelised to take advantage of multiple processors available in multi-core machines. Users can experience nesting time reduction up to 40 percent on dual core machines and up to 70 percent on quad core machines.

Inclined guillotine cut feature make it possible to have end-to-end inclined guillotine cuts for non-rectangular parts. Parts and sheets of different materials and thickness can be added to the same nesting order. NestLib will automatically select and nest parts with relevant thickness and material on the corresponding sheets. NestLib libraries now support Microsoft Visual Studio 2008.

ENQUIRY NO. 4203

Holzher: Nesting Technology For Large Panel Formats With basic dimensions of 3900 mm in the X-direction and 1950 mm in the Y-direction, Holzher’s Dynestic 12.6 G is capable of handling exceptionally large panels.

The heavy-duty vacuum pump with capacity of 250 m³/h, optionally 500 or 750 m³/h, holds work down on the grooved Dynestic matrix table with high suction force. The welded basic machine body supports the travelling gantry which can be moved uniformly on dust protected recirculating ball sliding shoes running in surface-hardened linear guides.

The machine software with its open architecture allows for connectivity to all branch programmes, design and CAD/CAM solutions, particularly in regard to nesting programmes. The Windows-based graphic user surface is laid out to ensure intuitive control of the individual programmes.

In conjunction with the HHPDE (Holzher’s process data acquisition) software, time-based and calculatory monitoring of the individual jobs as well as feedback to the machines are possible at the parts level for processing times, running metres and edgebanding.

ENQUIRY NO. 4204

30 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

mechanical stress, far more than steel.

Another Cruing tool, the Aerotech nesting tool, assist the CNC machining centre’s dust extraction system by removing MDF dust and residual material from the nested grooves during operation. Total dust removal is generally achieved at 18,000 rev/min at 15 m/min feed and 24,000 rev/ min at 20 m/min feed. Aerotech provides single operation high speed nesting up to 15 m/min. In addition, cutting pressure is reduced, causing less strain on the electro-spindle. Cruing also claims that in certain circumstances the Aerotech makes it unnecessary to have larger, more expensive extraction systems.

Stroking Precision CNC machining centre and software specialist Masterwood has introduced a 3-axis entry-level machine designed for fast and accurate panel nesting. The MW 1836 features a matrix table measuring 3900 x 1900 mm combined with a router with a maximum stroke of 3600 x 1800 mm, enabling it to deal with large sizes. The 8 kW router is equipped with a 12 post carousel tool changer and the machine also incorporates five vertical drills in the X and five in the Y axis, and a 250 cu m/hour vacuum pump.

Masterwood’s own MasterNest CAD/ CAM package is used in MW1836. This purpose-designed software carries out all the necessary nesting calculations and then automatically creates the machining programme. Masterwood claims that the machine does away with the need for a panel saw, as all the cuts can be made on the machining centre.

Many wood product companies justify the purchase of new machines based on greatly improved material yields. Thus, machines with nesting capabilities would be highly favoured. Nesting not only reduces wastage, it also reduces the need for multiple machines and accessories, thereby reducing both recurring costs and capital ENQUIRY NO. 4201 investments. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 002

Technology any dimension and shape, including openings for doors, windows, stairs, service channels and ducts.

The structures offer high thermal, acoustic and fire performance to satisfy ever-tougher building regulations.

CL buildings have a very low carbon footprint because the wood locks away the carbon absorbed during growth.

Wood is easy to machine and the material itself is a good insulator. CL is currently imported from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The Jumbo Plywood

Cross-Laminated

TIMBER This introduction for specifiers offers an overview of the applications and benefits of using cross-laminated timber as well as design issues. Contributed by TRADA

A

lthough cross-laminated timber (CL) is commonly used in Continental Europe, it is a relatively new product in many parts of the world. Yet early applications show that CL panel construction can be competitive, even in tall and long span applications where conventional timber framing was hitherto unsuitable or uneconomic.

Made by laminating lengths of timber, CL is the main form of solid wood panels (not all solid wood panels are cross-laminated).

Wall, floor and roof elements can be pre-cut in the factory to

32 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Cross-laminated timber panels have three, five, seven etc layers stacked on one another at right angles and glued together in a press over their entire surface area. Each layer is composed of softwood boards (of varying lamination thickness) glued together. Sometimes offcuts are used. The build up is symmetrical around the middle layer.

Although it looks like ‘jumbo plywood’, CL is a structural product. Panel thickness is in the range 50–300 mm, but panels as thick as 500 mm can be produced.

These large solid panels form walls, roofs, floors, and even lift shafts and stairs. The building envelope can be easily clad with other materials such as timber, brick, mineral render or composite panels. CL could be considered where masonry, concrete and steel would be ‘normal’ forms of construction.

Although CL has a promising future in multi-storey construction, it is likely that low-rise non-residential buildings will be its main application CL is suitable where an internal exposed timber surface offers an aesthetic or acoustic benefit, such as exhibition spaces, places of worship, sports halls, theatres and dwellings.

The practical and current code limit for platform timber frame is seven storeys. In contrast, CL is a solid panel, capable of resisting very high racking and vertical loads, and is not limited in height by any building code.

Manufacture & Pre-Processing Various adhesives are used to bond together the laminates. Formaldehyde-free panels are available. If glue specification is critical, check with manufacturers.

Panels can be manufactured with their outer layers orientated in either direction relative to the production length. When specifying to minimise offcuts and waste, consider the manufacturer’s preferred production sizes and transport limitations.

Panels can be up to 20m long and 4.8m wide

Technology but transport constraints normally govern panel size.

Some suppliers offer curved panels with a minimum radius of 8m.

• Machining The manufacturers have various methods of joining adjacent wall and floor panels on site including rebates, notches and half-lapped joints in the edges of the panels.

Panel rebates and openings are cut by computer numerical controlled (CNC) routers. Manufacturers can incorporate cut-outs for windows, doors, ducts and chases in the factory.

As with all pre-fabricated methods of construction, a design freeze is essential in order to ensure that all openings are correctly incorporated into the panels. Avoid late modifications to openings or additional service runs.

Modifying panels on site can be costly and time consuming and may affect their structural integrity.

Typical Material Properties Properties vary according to the manufacturer and basic materials. Wood is normally spruce, but larch and pine may be available.

The common strength grades for the laminates are in the range C16 to C24 and at least one manufacturer offers glulam grades GL24H to GL28H. Moisture content (MC) at delivery is typically 8–14 percent.

Designers will find that working stresses are low due to the large cross section. Classification of the surface quality of the panels follows BS EN 13017-1. CL can be supplied for visible or hidden applications: • Standard Grade (or non visible quality) Surface is suitable for lining and typically has top layers corresponding to Class C. • Interior Grade (or residential visible) Surface is suitable for exposed residential internal structure and typically has top layers corresponding to Class AB. • Interior Grade (or Industrial visible) Some manufacturers have a third grade, Interior Grade (or Industrial visible) surface that is suitable for exposed industrial internal structure and typically has top layers corresponding to Class BC. Surfaces are supplied either sanded or planed, depending on manufacturer. The density depends on the timber species and is typically in the range 470 kg/m3 (spruce) to 590 kg/m3 (larch) at 12 percent MC.

Eight storeys of apartments featuring cross-laminated timber panels.

CL panels have been used in: - structural and non-structural wall elements - multi-storey structures with or without concrete substructure - solid partitions, with and without linings - floor (ceiling) elements - parapet wall elements formed from balloon framed wall panel elements - roof elements - room-in-the-roof sloping panels - cantilevered floors, eg balconies - curved load-bearing structure - load-bearing lift shafts - stairs • External Walls External non-load bearing walls comprising highly insulated panels.

In this form, CL floor panels span parallel to external walls so that external walls can be highly insulated non-load bearing ‘infill panels’. Take care with potential differential movement between the load bearing and infill panels.

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33

100

Technology

40

Cross-laminated timber 20

Masonry

0

Platform timber frame

5 10 Span (m) Figureand 2: Span height capabilities of mainstream Span heightand capabilities of mainstream structural structural materials in in multi-storey multi-storeybuildings. buildings

Supplier Eurban Finnforest

Origin Switzerland Germany

Product Crosslam timber panels Lenotec

James Jones & Sons

Austria

BBS

KLH

Austria

KLH solid timber panels

Stora Enso

Austria

CLT

Suppliers and products in the UK

• Floor & Roof Components Timber frame walls or concrete or masonry basements may support CL floor slabs where a thin floor section is needed.

However for low-rise construction, the increased loadbearing capacity of CL wall panels may offer no structural advantage over conventional stud framed walls, but the appearance may be preferred.

For basement construction, a concrete or masonry structure should also be provided below external ground level with the CL floor slabs bedded onto mortar and DPC at least 150 mm above finished ground level.

Engineered timber floor structures. These can also be combined with CL wall panels where a lightweight floor/roof structure is more appropriate or where an exposed CL wall panel is an aesthetic requirement.

• Composite Timber/Concrete Floors CL floor slabs can also be used to form wood/concrete composite floors, where the CL slab is used as a permanent formwork with horizontal shear transfer between materials being provided shear plates and screws.

34 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

www.willpryce.com

Height (m)

60

80

Steel Concrete frame frame

CL timber panels used as loading walls and floor ‘slabs’.

• Hybrid CL products These include: - Lenostrand (Finnforest): a cross-laminated OSB product - Leno K (Finnforest): a cross-laminated product containing a central layer of Kerto laminated veneer lumber (LVL).

Design Principles • Building services Panels can incorporate pre-formed service routes for small services such as electrical wiring. These may be routed through the rebates at the interfaces between two adjacent panels or be drilled and rebated into the panels to order.

Services may also be routed in chases on the surface of the panels which are pre-milled into the panels in the factory.

Early coordination with the architect and building services engineer is essential to take advantage of this service.

Alternatively, building services may be routed in a cavity formed by a layer of plasterboard fixed to battens on the face of the CL wall or a suspended ceiling supported from the underside of floor panels.

• Thermal performance Thermal mass can reduce the variation in temperature over the daily cycle, although other factors such as ventilation, solar gain and insulation must be taken into account.

Important properties are thermal conductivity (rate of transferring heat) and specific heat capacity (ability to retain heat). For example, CL and lightweight concrete block materials have a similar thermal conductivity while CL has a greater

Technology

www.willpryce.com

Easy fixing of services to ceiling.

specific heat capacity. Therefore, a 70mm CL panel has a thermal mass similar to 100mm lightweight block.

Unlike conventional timber framing alone, CL makes a contribution to the U value. For example, a 100mm CL panel of density 500 kg/m3 has â value 0.13 W/mK. Designers must assess the risk of condensation. A well ventilated cavity and ‘breathable’ insulation will be needed.

• Airtightness Thermal performance will be compromised if the construction does not achieve adequate airtightness. Because CL construction would not normally include a vapour control layer, the system relies entirely on the detailing of joints to achieve airtightness.

Joints that are merely screwed together may suffice but this will depend on ‘true’ surfaces and good workmanship.

Airtightness is normally achieved with either pre-compressed foam tape within the joint or breathable tape across the outside joint. Pre-completion testing may be needed to demonstrate compliance.

• Acoustic Performance When considering sound transmission through party walls, CL panels are more similar to lightweight masonry construction (where the mass of the wall contributes to the acoustic performance) than timber frame wall panels.

Consult manufacturers for tests on various configurations.

In the absence of test data, it is safe to conclude that CL walls with plasterboard (similar to what would be used on

timber frame walls) will provide acoustic performance well in excess of what the Building Regulations require.

When protecting against external noise, designers may take account of the acoustic resistance of the CL, although the transmission via the windows may dominate. Consult manufacturers for tests on various configurations.

Durability, Finishes & Sustainability Durability of CL panels will depend on the timbers used for its manufacture and the level of exposure to the weather.

Heartwood durability is: for spruce, not durable – slightly durable; for pine, slightly durable – moderately durable; or for larch, moderately durable. Sapwood portions are not durable against fungi or wood boring insects.

Since both sapwood and heartwood are present in CL, panels will be liable to decay if their moisture contents exceed 20 percent for an extended period of time. Therefore, it is important that these timbers are not exposed to continuous wetting by providing a drained and vented cavity behind cladding.

Structural timber must be at least 150 mm above finished ground level. CL panels are not suitable for long-term external exposure and a separate cladding system is necessary.

Check that the wood used in CL panels is from managed, sustainable forests. Manufacturers supply chain of custody certificates under the FSC or PEFC schemes.

At the end of the building’s life, the CL panels may be suitable for re-use or recycling. The untreated wood and the glues used in CL panels make the product suitable as a ENQUIRY NO. 4211 biomass fuel. FDM

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Panels

FRIM researchers with their inventions.

Wood Meets Glass Fibre:

LIGHT BUT

Strong A composite material that combines wood veneer with fibreglass offers product variation and utilisation for furniture manufacturers. By Dr Hamdan Husain, Forest Research Institute Malaysia

S

carcity and shortage of raw materials have caused problem to the wooden furniture industry. In response, more research is now being directed towards timber composites.

Research and development (R&D) conducted by the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) involved designing composite to be used in an innovative, yet economical way.

Timber exudes warmth and homeliness resulting in wood-based furniture being preferred by the market.

To continue enjoying and owning this natural material (especially in the market of escalating prices) requires developing an alternative that retains the characteristics and appearance of natural wood.

Fibre-Reinforcement One promising option was developed by FRIM Timber Design Unit and their team members, in the form of a composite that combined wood veneer with fibreglass. The study aimed to develop a thin, lightweight yet strong wood veneer reinforced with fibreglass panel.

The material is known as roving bi-directional glass fibre-reinforced (GFR’s) which, when combined

36 FDM Asia  May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Panels with veneer serves as reinforcement to the panel. The composite panel in the R&D project (referred as plywood) is produced by bonding thin wood veneers together using thermal setting resins under pre-determined heat and pressure.

By reinforcing the plywood with GFR, this product was able to achieve the ultimate strength and stiffness required. The project also overcomes the bonding difficulty between GFR and wood veneer, as well as delamination-associated issues.

Tests on design and performance of the composite product showed the superiority of the fibreglassreinforced veneer product. Low contact angle or high surface wettability of the material provides better adhesion on the veneer, while its strength and stiffness is equivalent to other plywood and wood composites.

potentially environmental-inclined material, its formaldehyde emission was proven to be in line with the JAS standards.

Economics analysis showed the panel saves about 60 percent on raw material usage. Transportation and handling is easier due to its lightness and easy-stacking features, contributing to its cost-effectiveness.

Given its many potential such as product variation and utilisation, this product will likely benefit the furniture industry. The light material will minimise many design constraints faced by manufacturers and fabricators. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4301

Light & Easy When tested at the FRIM Furniture Testing Lab, its strength exceeded normal standards whereby the panel remained intact after 100,000 test cycles. A

FRIM Receives Invention & Innovation Awards Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)

the raw material apart from being light, strong

researchers clinched one gold, three silver

and could delay heat transfer.

and five bronze awards for their innovations

The three silver awards went to Dr

at the 8th Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE)

Aminah Hamzah for low technology non-mist

2009, the invention and innovation event in

propagation system for large-scale propagation

Asia held from February 19 – 21 in Kuala

of kacip fatima (Labisia pumilla); the group led

Lumpur, Malaysia.

by Dr Mohd Khairun Anwar Uyup for phenolic

The FRIM Timber Design Unit

treated plybamboo and group led by Dr Wan

researchers, led by Dr Hamdan Husain,

Tarmeze Wan Ariffin for POPScrim–Parallel Oil

received the gold award for the invention

Palm Scrim Lumber.

of GFR-V Composite, an engineered wood

The inventions receiving the bronze awards

product that can be used for furniture as

were the development of Essentia–Herbal care

well as building components.

products from Malaysian biofunctional plant

expertise networking and document sharing; and

Compared to other engineered products,

ingredients; internal bond glue sample aligner;

ScrimBAM–Engineered lumber from crushed

GFR-V Composite saves about 50 percent of

Kenaf OSB; FRIENDS–Friendly environment for

and dismantled bamboo strands.

Seminar On Wooden Furniture Industry 2009 Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) will be organising a Seminar

representative from the International Tropical Timber Organization and

on Wooden Furniture Industry 2009 (SWFI2009). The seminar, with the theme

various industry leaders. There will also be a special panel discussion

‘Competitiveness & Sustainability’ will be held from August 4 – 6 at the Legend

on ‘Challenges & Opportunities Of The Wooden Furniture Industry.’

Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Discussion will be based on four topics: economics, technologies, marketing and business as well as policy. The keynote address will be delivered by a

In line with the seminar theme, a technical visit to a furniture mill will be organised on August 6.

ENQUIRY NO. 4302

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37

Panels

Waste Not, Want Not

Functional products produced from recycled wood waste have the potential to redefine the wood working industry. By Augustine Quek

M

ajor technological advancements have increased the versatility of wood waste. Forms of wood waste have been recognised and used in ways such as feedstock reuse to energy production. According to the National Environment Agency (NEA) in Singapore, 71 percent of nearly 270,000 tonnes of wood waste produced were recycled.

Wood waste contains the same primary components of the parent wood: cellulose (40–50 percent) hemicellulose (15–25 percent) and lignin (15–30 percent). Cellulose and hemicellulose are carbohydrates while lignin is a complex, aromatic polymer that forms part of the cell wall structure.

They can be reconstituted in synthetic panels by blending wood particles with glue and pressing under heat and pressure. Composites utilising wood bound to other materials can also be manufactured, which reduces the issue of fibre quality. Several processes exist in producing quality products from recycled wood waste.

38 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Reconstituted Composites The term ‘reconstituted’ describes a process in which wood waste is broken down into strands, flakes, particles, or fibres and reassembled into new forms with the aid of an adhesive.

Reconstituted wood composites may be constructed from recycled wood waste in the same way as conventionally produced particle-based composites such as oriented strand board (OSB) or particleboard. By utilising various-sized wood particles generated from the waste stream and hot pressing the particles with a conventional adhesive, a variety of panel products can be produced.

An example is Singapore-based LHT Holdings’ technical wood panels. Its panels are made of recycled wood formed through a blend of various species of tropical hardwood wastes. The various woods are blended together with MUF (melamine-urea-formaldhyde) glue and formed under high pressure and temperature. It has a relatively high density of between 650 to 950 kg/m3, depending on the type of product.

Panels Considerations For Use

form, densify, hold and restrain the fibre mat during drying or curing. The second method uses retractable porous mandrels An important part of particle-based composite panel to form and consolidate deep thick ribs. manufacture is a consistent and homogeneous raw material Once formed and consolidated, the fibre mat is removed source to assure uniform panel properties. Because the and dried in subsequent steps similar to the first method. This raw materials being considered here are derived from process readily accepts recycled wood fibres and has the waste, the many forms and sources of wood waste may potential for both curvilinear and three-dimensional solid pose special processing considerations. formed products.

For example, dimensional lumber scrap may be mixed with particleboard Wood/Plastic trimmings, old Composites pallets, and tree Wood/plastic composites Wood waste is broken down limbs. Therefore, (WPC) include those made into strands, flakes, particles, or sizes and specie by binding various recycled fibres and reassembled into new forms with the aid of an adhesive. will likely vary, as wood waste with recycled will the cleanliness of plastics, synthetic fibres, and the raw material. Waste wood from demolition sites may resins. The powder or fibres are mixed to a dough-like consistency be contaminated with lead-based paint, nails, stones, and then extruded or molded to the desired shape. plastic, gypsum, and concrete. In addition to this surface Additives help tailor the end product to the target area of contamination, the wood waste may contain preservative application. The diversity of organic components used in WPC or fire-retardant chemicals. processing can produce a variety of composite products, ranging One promising method of obtaining a homogenous from inexpensive, low-performance composites to expensive, source of raw materials from wood waste is a UK-based high-performance materials. Other advantages include being process known as Fibresolve (see box for more details).

The process breaks down waste wood panels into their component fibres. Through a rigorous process of wetting, steam application, agitation, vacuum and pressure cycles, wood fibres and coatings and be completely separated.

The loose fibres have a measured moisture content of between 125 percent to 175 percent, and are thus ideal for wet-forming processes.

Wet-Formed Fibres

TM

ENQUIRY NO. 059

Wet-formed fibre products employ a wood fibre/water mixture (pulp slurry). Three basic techniques – moulding, extruding, and laminating — can be used to produce products thick enough for making panels and other building applications. Panels made from wet fibres obtained from the Fibresolve process have displayed similar structural parameters (density, modulus of elasticity, bending strength, internal bond strength, swelling etc) to those made from virgin wood.

Another example is Spaceboard, a patented threedimensional pulp-molding technology developed by the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), of the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

The production technology has two main methods of forming and consolidating fibres. The first method uses an array of rubber pads attached to a forming screen to

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39

Panels mouldable, colour stainable, moisture and pest-resistant.

Consequently, WPC has now gained widespread acceptance and usage.

Many companies now offer wood/plastic composites.

Artowood, Thailand’s largest manufacturer of WPC has a patented formulation content of wood, high density polyethylene (HDPE) and thermoplastic (see box for more details).

UK’s Ecodeck formula consist of 55 percent hardwood fibres and 45 percent high density, with colour pigmentation system, wetting/bonding agent and ultraviolet light inhibitor package.

Belgian manufacturer Beologic produces readyto-use compounds ranging from 25 percent to 85 percent of conditioned softwood fibres in a matrix of PVC, PP or PE for WPC production. These compounds can be freely injected, extruded, or moulded.

Fibresolve: Process & Application The Fibresolve process, a patent of Fibresolve Ltd in the UK, is designed to break down MDF and particleboard into wood chip and wood fibre and remove the coating material, leaving intact in sheet format.

It does this by the application of a series of pressure and vacuum cycles to the panels over a total period of approximately 1hr (Fig 1).

During periods 1, 2 and 3 of the process (Fig 1) the material is rotated within the reactor and a small amount of wetting agent is sprayed into the reactor during period 1.

Fibresolve cycle at default conditions Period 1

high pressure

Period 3

Atmospheric pressure

vacuum pre-plateau

Wood/Inorganic Composites

Period 2

vacuum cycle

Recycled particles or fibres of wood held together with an inorganic matrix, such as Portland cement and gypsum, form a composite that can be used in many applications. The use of inorganic materials to bind waste wood fibre, chips, and particles has proven to be technically feasible in commercial products such as sound insulation board, gypsum fibreboard, and low-density cement-bonded wood building blocks.

There is no doubt that the environmental movement is causing significant and lasting changes in industry.

Material recovery reduces virgin resource consumption and disposal costs. Combination of wood fibres with other materials provides a unique opportunity to utilise recycled waste and low-grade wood fibres. The use of waste wood to form new materials is a trend that ENQUIRY NO. 4303 is here to stay. FDM

01

02

Fig 1

03

04

Period 4

05

06

07

0

time (mins)

The Fibresolve Reactor The Fibresolve Process uses an autoclave-based reactor. The current Fibresolve (MK III) reactor is a purpose built laboratory-scale, 50kg capacity, vessel consisting of: • an outer stainless steel cylindrical vessel, 2.1m

long x 1.0m in diameter with a sealable stainless

Fig 2

steel door (Fig 2) • an inner stainless steel tromel, 2.1m long x 0.84m

in diameter perforated with 3mm holes and a helical screw (Fig 3) • a series of inlet and outlet ports with valves and

gauges for supply of steam and wetting agent, and extraction of waste liquor and vacuum

Fig 3

ENQUIRY NO. 4304

Artowood: Wood-Plastic Composite Artowood is the first and largest wood-plastic

retardant, weather resistant, splinter-free and does

composite (WPC) research and manufacturing facility

not warp when exposed to heat.

in Thailand. The in-house research and development

This patented formula aims to reduce global

unit – Artowood Innovation Unit, supervises

consumption of natural wood by using synthetic

ongoing tests on improving WPC technologies.

wood to replace and substitute natural solid wood

Artowood is termite and fungus proof, fire-

as a building material.

ENQUIRY NO. 4305

40 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Executive Insights

True Grit The market this year is going to be difficult at best, but AHEC continues to conduct seminars and activities to enable companies in South-east Asia to reposition themselves for the coming upturn.

John Chan

South-east Asia & Greater China regional director, AHEC

T

he American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) is looking into promotions and seminars in the region “not just to promote the wood, but also promote how to use the wood in the designing of new products,” said its South-east Asia & Greater China regional director, John Chan.

This will enable the local manufacturers to “design better products to increase their competitiveness,” adds Mr Chan.

AHEC has been promoting American hardwood in Asia since 1992 and will continue to do so whatever the market situation. As an example, Mr Chan said the New York-based furniture designer John Kelly was fully sponsored by AHEC to do a seminar in Jakarta and Surabaya in Indonesia, in April for the benefit of the local furniture designers and producers there.

“We can help them create a new product to help them increase the competitiveness of their products,” says Mr Chan. “Interior designers and architects can recreate their entire interiors to their desired preference and style.” As US

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

41

Executive Insights

The Export council aims to strengthen the asian region as a whole with a slew of technical and design programmes.

hardwood is environmentally friendly and offers diverse applications, the presentation by John Kelly will enable the local craftsmen to expand their design concepts and value-add to their future creations.

Event Calendar The export council aims to strengthen the Asian region as a whole with a slew of technical and design programmes. Targeted at contractors, manufacturers, designers, and architects, its programme, already well established in parts of South-east Asia, provides an educational insight on the further use of US hardwoods.

“We are conducting more such programmes for the various countries of South-east Asia. In February this year, we invited a professor and furniture designer from Providence, Rhode Island School of Design (in the US), to judge a furniture design competition and give a workshop on how to use US hardwood to design something that’s both marketable and functionable in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam,” adds Mr Chan.

In Thailand, the association held a two-day workshop in June last year with Dr Koomen from the UK for 10 groups of young designers there. He adds: “AHEC members donated not only the lumber for the project, but also sponsored Dr Koomen for the workshop.”

42 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

As global exports from the US in 2008 were down by 20.5 percent, the South-east Asian market performance, while depressed, was not as bad as many had anticipated.

After the Indonesian design seminar in April, the association is planning for a convention in Shenyang, China, for about 400 furniture designers and producers from June 10 – 12. The American Hardwood 14th South-east Asia and Greater China convention, has as its theme, ‘The Sustainability and Diversity of US Hardwood: Manufacturing and Design Solution’. He expects “about 20 percent of the participants from South-east Asia.”

“We will have international speakers to go there and speak about design, application of raw materials for furniture design, etc,” says Mr Chan. Whereas in

the past, AHEC ventured into the main cities of China, “now we are going up north of China, near the boarder with Russia, in Liaoning Province. This is another of its strategies to promote US hardwood in the emerging cities.”

Encouraging Numbers Overall, in terms of lumber, South-east Asia as a whole is down by 14 percent down. However, as global exports from the US in 2008 were down by 20.5 percent, the South-east Asian market performance, while depressed, was not as bad as many had anticipated.

Surprisingly the Indonesian market was

Executive Insights

pretty encouraging as it registered a positive growth of 7.5 percent.

Vietnam showed spectacular growth for the first 10 months of 2008. However, the recent economic downturn brought things to a grinding halt. As a whole, Vietnam was down by 7 percent. If the numbers are compared to the world’s 20 percent decrease, then again (compared to the world 20) – the results are no doubt, pretty heartening.

He adds: “In 2008, Vietnam US hardwood lumber imports was worth some US$60 million as there was quite a number of big furniture producers from China who sought the cheaper labour markets of Vietnam.”

Question Of Value Indonesia has been a consistent user of US hardwood particularly in the flooring and door manufacturing sectors in recent years. It leads the growth rate for the consumption of American hardwood lumber in Southeast Asia in 2008 with 7 percent increase in the value of shipments of sawn lumber (from US$17,257,814 in 2007, to US$18,524,260 in 2008).

Despite some of the problems of its own forest resources, Indonesia (still one of the top 10 furniture exporters) remains an important wood processing country in Asia with its established industry infrastructure and skills base.

The export council has been working closely with such organisations as Asmindo, the Indonesian furniture industry association and HDII, the Indonesian Society of Interior Designers.

In 2008, a total of US$109.5 million value in hardwood lumber for Southeast Asia and some US$60 million (reflecting some 56 percent of the total) of sawn lumber were shipped

to this region. Given that imports of US hardwood logs have been down by 31 percent in value, the value of lumber has actually gone up.

Market Forces The export of American hardwood is dependent on the recovery of major markets. “While the market remains uncertain for South-east Asia, the last few months of statistics showed that both Singapore and Malaysia have settled down,” noted Mr Chan.

The market this year is going to be difficult at best, but AHEC’s position is “not just to educate the producers and designers when the market is good”, AHEC will continue to prepare

seminars and various activities to enable companies in South-east Asia to reposition themselves for the upturn in the market.

The ASEAN region and China with their economies ranked third in the world, will continue to progress. In this aspect, AHEC is looking at another niche area to promote its hardwood and help its members to gain further inroads – ie: the premium-end markets found in the hotel, tourism and upper range property markets.

“We are maintaining the promotion of US hardwood in South-east Asia as we want to develop the market here,” is a stance Mr Chan clearly ENQUIRY NO. 4801 makes. FDM

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

43

Materials �Surfaces Decorative Veneers:

COMEBACK

KID

Wood veneers have seen a resurgent presence amidst the growing environmental awareness.

By Malte Herrmann, head of marketing, Danzer Group

W

ood is being increasingly used as a decorative element and genuine wood veneers are experiencing a comeback as a result.

Overall, the demand for wood and wood products has risen steadily in recent years due to rising environmental awareness and escalating prices for fossil fuels.

Veneers are among the finest products that can be produced from wood and is regarded as a material suitable for decoration. These thin sheets of wood veneers give cupboards, shelves and tables their individual, decorative surfaces.

Globally, more than 200 different varieties of wood are regularly traded as veneers. Light, dark and reddish species from North America, Europe and Africa can be transformed into a variety of colours, patterns and designs.

Appealing & Ecological It is all about giving customers what they want. Similar to other products,

44 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

customer tastes vary with current trends. Danzer has seen strong demand for redwoods, wenge and zebrano.

Many customers have requested for decorative wooden surfaces with strong contrasts from brown to black.

Veneers are used whenever customers require an individual and natural character. Companies use veneers in the manufacture of furniture and doors, as well as for the outfitting of yachts, private planes, concert halls, hotels, banks and other buildings.

Veneered wooden surfaces have great potential to take on an important function in design. At the same time, veneer is ecological. Forests are rarely destroyed to harvest wood used for decorative purposes, as very few trees are suitable for manufacturing wood products for decorative applications. On average, less than five percent of all harvested logs fulfill the requirements – making them suitable to be transformed into decorative veneers.

Renewable & Contemporary One of the major advantages of wood is that it is a sustainable resource. It is constantly growing and will continue to grow. However, the same cannot be said about oil, iron, coal and other raw materials.

It is estimated that just 10 percent of the world’s forest areas are needed to satisfy the demand for industrial wood products — including paper — without any recycling.

Moreover, the stock of wood is constant. The volume of wood and forests in the northern hemisphere have been growing for decades. From an environmental perspective, wood has an outstanding property: it actually absorbs carbon dioxide and retains carbon, which helps reduce the effects of global warming. Processing wood requires energy, but it consumes only a fraction of the amount of energy needed to process other materials.

Wood is also a contemporary material

Materials �Surfaces

These thin sheets of wood veneers give cupboards, shelves and tables their individual, decorative surfaces.

that is suited to the demands of today’s consumers and designers. Each piece of wood is unique, offering consumers the individualism that many seek in this age of mass production.

Each log has its own individual character, history and point of origin. This is especially true for specialty species.

The versatility of wood, including the ability to use and combine different species, qualities, structures and aesthetic properties, offers designers an almost limitless range of creative possibilities.

3D Veneers Danzer Group’s subsidiary, Reholz, has developed a patented process for moulding veneers three-dimensionally without cracking. With 3D veneers, it is possible to achieve stable moulds that are resistant to breakage or bending. Both the structure of the wood and texture of the veneer are unchanged in the process.

International demand for 3D veneers is increasing. Three-dimensional veneers are used in the furniture and automotive

industries. The furniture industry uses 3D veneers for chairs and rounded furniture fronts, and the automotive industry employs the material in interior trim applications.

Another field of application for 3D

veneers are coatings for three-dimensional surface. Reholz produces special veneers for the medical technology and electronics industries that can be applied to rounded metal or plastic surfaces. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4501

Danzer Group: Subsidiary IFO Obtains FSC Certificate Danzer Group’s subsidiary Industrie Forestière d’Ouesso (IFO) in the Republic of Congo has achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for its forestry concession. Danzer Group can now supply logs, lumber and veneers from major African species with an FSC forest management certificate.

The FSC certificate guarantees that IFO’s forest concession — covering an area of nearly 1.16 million ha (2.9 million acres) — is managed according to the FSC forest management standard that includes social, economic and ecological requirements. To date, the IFO forest concession is the largest in Africa which has been awarded full FSC certification.

Lumber and logs from IFO are sold by Danzer Group subsidiaries Interholco and Danzer UK, while veneers are available through Danzer Europe Veneer (DEV). IFO’s FSC certification has been realised in close cooperation with WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), in particular by its GFTN programme (Global Forest and Trade Network).

ENQUIRY NO. 4502

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

45

Materials �Surfaces

Beautifully Varnished Fraunhoefer researchers have come up with a varnish that’s hard wearing, scratchresistant and best of all, environmentally-friendly.

– Using Renewable

H

ow do you make a scratchresistant varnish using sugars and vegetable oils? Researchers can show how it’s done: They have developed a furniture varnish containing roughly 50 percent renewable raw materials that offers the same hard-wearing quality as conventional varnishes.

When the petroleum runs out, renewable sources of raw materials will have to be found to replace petrochemical feedstocks.

In the case of furniture varnishes, Fraunhofer researchers at the Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI in Braunschweig, Germany, have already developed an alternative product in which the majority of petrochemical components have been substituted.

Attractive Alternative Their water-soluble furniture varnish is based on vegetable oils and sugars and has identical properties to the conventional varnishes on sale today. It is hard-wearing, scratch-proof and resistant to chemical attack.

“This varnish offers the coatings industry an attractive alternative to petrochemical products that is economical to produce

46 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

and performs well in all tests,” reports Dr Claudia Philipp of the Fraunhofer WKI. The new varnish is based on the chemical compound 1,3-propandiol, which is derived from glycerin. Glycerin in turn is the basic substance found in all vegetable oils, and is readily available as a byproduct of manufacturing processes for fatty acids and biodiesel, for example.

In the laboratory synthesis, the researchers transform 1,3-propandiol into polyurethane, which serves as a binder in hard, transparent, scratchresistant varnishes. “The aim is to use the relatively cheap 1,3-propandiol as a substitute for one of the more expensive petrochemical synthesis components, without altering the coating properties of the varnish,” explains Dr Guido Hora, its department head.

A Question Of Resilience 1,3-propandiol has not been considered a valuable raw material in the past, and rarely enters into the composition of varnishes. “Our first step was to conduct a detailed analysis of the relationship between the starting material and the

properties of the final product,” Dr Claudia Philipp says. “As the chemical structure of 1,3-propandiol led us to surmise, the new varnish is not only hard but also resilient.”

In other words, it doesn’t chip when a cup or other object is dropped onto a varnished table. A good varnish needs to be hard, but also capable of amortising shocks to a certain extent, so as to prevent damage to the item of furniture beneath the coating.

Another advantage of the new varnish is that it contains no N-methyl-2-pyrrolidon (NMP), a solvent once widely used in polyurethane coatings. This substance is meanwhile known to have a toxic effect on the growing embryo and is classed throughout the EU as a hazardous chemical requiring a warning symbol on all products containing a concentration higher than five ENQUIRY NO. 4503 percent. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 016

Hardwoods & Softwoods

Drying Of TREATED

George Roberts (NW) Ltd, Liverpool, UK

TIMBER

What are the common situations when treated timber will need drying? Contributed

by Maryline Foucher, Cathild Industrie

A

preventative preservative timber treatment; fungicide and/or insecticide, is often carried out at the end of the sawmilling process, or sufficiently early in the production process, for the timber to be ‘treated’ when it reaches the kiln.

There are different treatment methods and products. Examples of treated timber that most commonly need drying include:

immersion; the timber will only need to be left to drip-dry for a few hours before it can be handled and transported before it is loaded into a kiln.

* Softwoods Treated Against Sapstain Fresh sawn softwoods are sometimes treated against sapstain, usually by

* Hardwoods Treated Against Insect Attack The drying of hardwoods that have been treated with an insecticide does not require

The most common preservative treatments Methods

Products

- Brushing, spraying, or immersion

- Water based preservatives, organic solvent based emulsion or dilution preservatives

- Pressure treatment

Cathild: High Capacity, Low Temperature Kiln Cathild Inc specialises in the design and sale of conventional dry kilns, whether stainless steel or aluminium. Headquartered in Quebec, Canada, the company has introduced a ‘High Capacity, Low Temperature’ kiln designed specifically for the drying of softwood lumber.

Optimised fan speed, flow rate and pressure create a system

- Water based solutions of metallic salts

any particular precautions. However, remember that insecticide treatment may be essential if the temperature in the timber core is not likely to reach a suitably high value quickly enough at the beginning of the drying cycle (at least 50 deg C). * Pressure Treated Pine Whether in the form of posts or boards for cladding for example, softwoods that have been treated with metallic salt preservatives need to be dried before treatment. Such a treatment reintroduces water inside the timber and the timber will thus need to be dried again, although this second drying cycle will be quicker than the first.

of air circulation that provides homogeneous drying. The constant

Timber Drying Today

(low temperature) drying conditions offer a compromise between

The installation of a timber-drying unit always occurs in a context where many general, or more company-specific, issues need to be addressed. Question like what are the most efficient solutions today can be expected.

drying quality, energy management and speed. In addition, its CH 12W control system provides individual control in each kiln zone.

Large volumes can be available (125 m3 from half a zone or 250 m3 from a whole zone).

48 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

ENQUIRY NO. 4603

Hardwoods & Softwoods Influence On Timber In order to adequately control the treatment stages and to take into account the supplier’s recommendations (regarding the preservative product during timber drying), measurements of the timber moisture content should be taken accurately.

The high temperature In addition, both the timber moisture programmed during the drying cycle will also help content and the atmosphere inside to permanently fix the the chamber should be managed preservatives. properly during the drying stages.

National Biofuels Ltd, Ireland • Starting the drying process If the timber has air dried quite a lot, during drip-drying for example, the timber should go through an initial conditioning phase inside the kiln for a period of time – long enough to facilitate the start of the drying process.

• Conducting the drying cycle Even though timbers dry faster when they have been pressure treated, particular care and a specific drying schedule are necessary to avoid timber distortion and splitting. This will occur if the drying process is carried out too aggressively.

Technical Implications • Fixing of treatment products If the timber is kept under cover, and if the time elapsed between treatment and kiln drying is short, the risk of leaching will be minimised. The high temperature programmed during the drying cycle will also help to permanently fix the preservatives.

German Timber Promotion Fund

Advantages and disadvantages of the various current drying practices The Different Practices

Advantages

Disadvantages

- No investment in equipment

- Requires a very high amount of space and is very time consuming - Inadequate for most end uses - Many defects

Kiln drying only

- Fast high quality drying - The moisture contents achieved meet all needs

- Requires a lot of space - Stocks upstream and downstream - Any wide distribution of initial moisture content values will be difficult to manage

Air drying followed by kiln drying

- Increased flexibility of stock management - The moisture contents achieved meet all needs

- Requires a very high amount of space - Stocks upstream and downstream - The defects encountered with air drying do often still occur

Air drying only

Drying in a pre-dryer - Very high flexibility of stock management and then in a kiln - The moisture contents achieved meet all needs and they will be contained within a narrow range - Optimum quality

• Influence on equipment This question should be examined with both the suppliers of the preservative product and the kiln manufacturers: Is the

- Requires a lot of space - The level of capital investment required is high

preservative corrosive? Will some of the kiln parts be at risk of oxidation? FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4602

BIGonDRY: Drying & Sterilising Kilns Located in Bassano del Grappa, Vicenza, Italy, BIGonDRY srl, offers whole plants committed to

• Drying time The second drying cycle that takes place after the preservative pressure treatment is shorter than the first (50 percent to 80 percent depending on the cases).

drying as well as sterilising HT treatment plants (for packaging and vaporising plant of wood).

The specialist in drying kiln and heat treatment plants, has also developed an accessory to ensure optimal humidity control using the high pressure system (70 Bar) and, a sensor for the recording and the controlling of the air flow throw the wood stacks. According to the company, this offers cost reductions during the drying cycle of to

• Measurement of moisture content The introduction of metallic salts into the timber can alter the moisture content readings (which can be measured by the electrical resistance method using probes). It may be necessary to consider special calibration.

40 percent (when compared to traditional systems).

With its telematics attendance system in place, the company is able to attend to customers’ calls in an efficient manner, an added-value service that it prides itself on.

ENQUIRY NO. 4604

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

49

Hardwoods & Softwoods

The HIGH Temperature Drying Way Conventional steam-heated systems take a back seat as high temperature drying process emerges for high throughput of kiln-dried lumber. By Choo Kheng Ten and Sik Huei Shing, Forest Research Institute Malaysia

C

ustomers are becoming highly critical in their selection as more and more choices are available in the furniture market.

Durability and stability are some of the features expected when a buyer sources for furniture, besides being functional with ergonomic elements and aesthetic values.

In addition, wood-based furniture has to adhere to requirements and standards imposed by importing markets, including environmentally friendly features and prudent use of preservative chemicals.

Currently, more than 95 percent of the drying mills in Malaysia are based on the conventional steamheated system.

Then & Now Drying kilns are enclosed chambers in which the condition of the drying medium or air is controlled. Temperature, humidity and circulation are monitored to accelerate or retard the drying process.

The main purpose for drying timber is to ensure that the timber is dimensionally stable prior to usage as structure or in downstream manufacturing. The process is essential for economical utilisation of timber for construction, building, manufacturing and craft purposes.

FRIM responded to enquiries from interested exporters, manufacturers and kiln operators by investigating the various technical aspects of system design and control instrumentation.

As opposed to conventional kilns where subjected temperatures are below 100 deg C, the FRIM HTD system dries timber with temperatures well above 100 deg C. The heating medium (heated air at temperatures in excess of 100 deg C) is provided by finned heat exchanger which is powered by steam supplied from a boiler system.

50 FDM Asia  May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Hardwoods & Softwoods The drying system involves an optimised heat treatment process, using both wet and dry heat. It is operated by semi-automatic equipment that controls the humidity and high temperature via a series of heat sensors and air dampers. FRIM scientists have completed the development of a specific HTD protocol for rubberwood which optimised the rate and quality of dried timber stocks.

Cost Efficient Energy Savings Using the HTD system, drying time is now reduced between two to three days, from previously eight to 11 days in the conventional system. When drying cycle is shorter, fewer drying chambers will be required.

The quality of HTD timber is generally good for downstream processing, characterised by a more compact wood with enhanced grain feature. Specific mechanical strength of the timber has improved, along with its enhanced dimensional stability.

This project was awarded the Anugerah Inovasi Perkhidmatan Awam (AIPA) 2005 (Category: R&D collaboration with private sector), Gold Medal Award in Malaysia Technology Expo 2006 (Category: Environment, Energy and Protection), Gold Medal Award in Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition 2006 (Category: Manufacturing Process) and FRIM Best Research Award 2006. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4601

When drying cycle is shorter, fewer drying chambers will be required.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  May/June 2009

51

Hardwoods & Softwoods Hardwoods

Yellow Meranti (Shorea Dipterocarpaceae) Other Common Names: Bam, Damar Hitam, Meranti, Seraya, Seraya Kuning

MTC, Wood Wizard

Kitchen Cabinet Mart, California, USA

General Wood Characteristics Yellow meranti is a light hardwood with a density ranging from 575 kg/m3 to 735 kg/m3 air dry. The sapwood is lighter in colour than, and is clearly defined from the heartwood, which is lighter yellow-brown with a green tinge, darkening to deeper shades of yellow-brown or brown. Texture is moderately coarse but even, with usually interlocked and sometimes wavy grain.

Working Properties It is easy to re-saw and cross-cut in both green and air dry conditions. Planing is also easy and the planed surface is smooth to moderately smooth. Gluing quality is good, making it suitable for plywood manufacture. The timber dries well, without any defects.

Major species include S dolichocarpa, S faguetiana, S gibbosa, S hopeifolia, S longisperma, S maxima and S multiflora. The young bole is smooth with light and dark coloured patches but tends to crack or become scaly-fissured when old.

Distribution Yellow meranti trees range from small to very large. Found in most areas of well-drained forests throughout Malaysia, yellow meranti trees are better represented in hilly areas from 150m to 600m.

Uses Yellow meranti is suitable for light construction, general utility purposes, planking, furniture, flooring, pallets, plywood manufacture as well as panelling and partitioning. With its good peeling and gluing properties, it is prized as a plywood species.

It is also suitable for the production of laminated scantlings, which are used in the manufacture of door frames, windows and sills. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4610 Information provided by Malaysian Timber Council

Apple (Malus sylvestris) Family: Rosaceae

Apple (Malus spp) consists of 30+ species that occur on both sides of the Atlantic in northern temperate zones. Its wood can be confused with pear (Pyrus spp) and other ‘fruitwoods’ in the rose family (Rosaceae). Malus is the classical Latin name for apple. Apple hybridises with North American crab apples.

52 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Distribution Apple is a cultivated fruit tree, persistent, escaped and naturalised locally across southern Canada, in eastern continental US, and from Washington south to California. It is native to Europe and west Asia. Apple grows wild in the southern part of Great Britain and Scandinavia and is found throughout Europe and south western Asia. It is planted in most temperate climates.

General Wood Characteristics The tree rarely reaches 30 ft (9 m), with a small crooked bole to 1 ft (0.3 m) in diameter.

Apple wood has a reddish gray heartwood and light reddish sapwood (12 to 30 rings of sapwood). When steamed, the wood becomes reddish brown to dark red-brown. The wood of wild apple trees are said to be better than that of cultivated varieties.

Compression Specific gravity

MOE X106 lbf/in2

MOR lbf/in2

Parallel lbf/in2

Perpendicular lbf/in2

WMLa in-lbf/in3

Hardness lbf

Shear lbf/in2

Green

0.61

1.05

7,400

3,000

850

15.7

1,090

1,640

Dry

0.67

1.27

12,800

6,030

1,300

23.0

1,730

1,740

Hardwoods & Softwoods Working Properties The wood, which is very difficult to split, is hard and difficult to work, but is easily stained and polished. The timber converts cleanly but is moderately hard to saw.

A clean finish is produced normally, but a reduction of the cutting angle to 20 deg is an advantage to planing. When exposed, apple wood is non-resistant to heartwood decay.

Uses Apple is used in furniture, turnings, mallet heads, skittle balls, umbrella handles, machines and toys, cog wheels, fruit presses, shuttles, wood screws, plane blocks, bookbinder screws, boat knees, canes and walking sticks, drawing instruments, pianos and tool handles. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4611 Information provided by USDA Forest Service

Softwoods

Radiata Pine (Pinus Radiata)

Also known as Remarkable Pine in Australia, the tree has had a dramatic impact on the world timber scene.

variation in properties from country to country. It is approximately 20 percent heavier in density than Ponderosa pine. The softness of the wood makes it a forgiving material to work with.

The sapwood is slightly pale white, while the heartwood is light brown with a slight reddish cast. Its growth rings are noticeable. It offers medium strength and stiffness with a bending strength (MOR) averaging 12,000 psi.

The radiata pine is suited to a considerable range of growing conditions, is easily raised and planted, and provides larger yields of usable timber in a shorter time than many native species around the world.

While the radiata pine is a softwood, it does present some confusion as the wood is harder (ie: denser) than some hardwoods (eg: balsa and poplars).

Distribution Although radiata pine is native to a very small area in central coastal California, in the US, most commercial radiata pine lumber can be found in the plantations in Chile, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Remarkably, the species is one of the most widely grown exotic timber species in the world, covering 3.7 million ha, with large areas of plantation in New Zealand (1.2 million ha), Chile (1.3 million ha), Australia (740,000 ha) and Spain (260,000 ha).

This fast growing tree can reach 100 ft in height and up to 24 in in diameter with 15 – 25 years.

General Wood Characteristics The plantation-grown tree offers wood with a fairly fine, straight grain texture and relatively few knots. There is only a small

Working Properties Radiata is one of the easiest drying species and offers a shrinkage of 5 percent after drying. However, excessively dry wood may develop torn grain during machining. When overdried, some splitting may occur during nailing; pre-drilling the wood may be necessary. Over-dried wood may also warp or present shrinkage defects as it dries in use.

While the radiata pine machines very well, some grain tear out around knots may occur. The pine is very easy to glue.

Nails, screws and staples hold well compared to eastern white pine and ponderosa pine.

Uses The timber is particularly useful as it can be readily sawn and peeled. It offers good nail-holding power, works well, can be easily stained. The wood absorbs insecticides and fungicides easily and responds well when pressure treated, making it suitable for long-life applications in exterior environs.

The lumber is widely used for building and structural applications, including glue-laminated beams and engineered trusses. In addition, the wood has found favour amongst furniture and cabinetmakers as it can be painted and varnished easily. It is also used for millwork as well as for panelling ENQUIRY NO. 4612 purposes. FDM

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53

Hardwoods & Softwoods adoption of the concept has helped to restrict harvesting operations, and with that, the supply of logs from the forest has been somewhat curtailed.

Curtailment Policies

Lay Hwa Chew, KL, Malaysia

South-East Asia:

Sustainable

Forest Management & Certification Practices

The disparity in national practices calls for negotiations to ensure that a common standard is agreed upon. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam

W

ithin the South-east Asian region, Malaysia and Indonesia leads the way in terms of forest resources, as these nations are blessed with the rich, lush tropical rain forest.

Statistics from the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) suggest that the forest coverage in these countries cover approximately 58 percent and 59 percent of its total land area, respectively.

Further, these nations have adopted Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)

54 FDM Asia  May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

practices in order to sustainably develop its forest resources. The SFM concept is however not new: it simply requires sustainable management of the forest resource from a multi-faceted approach.

In this context, the SFM aims to ensure the derivation of benefits, both tangible and intangible, from the forest in perpetuity. Most importantly, the extraction of logs from the forest will be controlled, and carried out selectively, to ensure the sustainability of forest resources. The

Already, the large wood-processing sectors in these countries are facing short-supplies, and they have invariable lead to the premature closures of many processing mills. It has been estimated by the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG) that the adoption of SFM in Malaysia and Indonesia has lead to a closure of almost 30 percent of its primary processing mills, due primarily to the non-availability of raw materials.

Inevitably, the adoption of SFM has also arguably intensified illegal wood supplies. Although evidence that links illegal logging activities to the excess wood-processing capacity available remains inconclusive, many published reports provide at best, circumstantial evidence to suggest that the demand from the wood processing mills tend to somewhat induce greater indulgence in illegal wood extraction activities.

One of the main weaknesses of the SFM practices lies in its inability to ensure sustainable management practices, due to poor enforcement of the practices as well as the insignificant penalties imposed on offenders.

Since 2000, the concern for illegal logging has heightened throughout the world, especially in the European Union.

As the EU is the leading advocate for environmental-friendly forestry practices in the world, it also offers the largest market for environmental-friendly forest products.

To offset growing concerns among consumers of tropical forest resources, forest certification schemes have come into existence primarily to ensure sustainable and permitted logging operations in the forests.

Forest Certification Concerns about increasing loss of tropical forests due to indiscriminate logging

UNODC

Barbara Weightman, California State University, USA

Hardwoods & Softwoods

To offset concerns among consumers of tropical forest resources, forest certification schemes have come into existence to ensure sustainable and permitted logging operations in the forests.

practices, has led to the development of certification as an instrument for promoting sustainable forest management since the mid 1990s.

Certification provides a mechanism for independent validation of sustainability in markets where forest products are subject to consumer resistance on environmental grounds. And while the initial focus of certification was mainly on tropical forests, these processes have since expanded to encompass all forest types.

The two most important international forest certification schemes in the world are: the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC). In the case of Malaysia and Indonesia, the Malaysian Criteria & Indicators (MC&I) and the Lembaga Ekolabel Indonesia (LEI), have been developed to cope with the need for certification schemes that is more acceptable to national forestry practices and policy.

On the global scale, some 280 million ha of forest was certified at the end of 2008. The FSC (25.14 percent) and PEFC (68.69 percent) schemes in combination, account for 93.8 percent of all certified forest areas.

Forest certification is envisaged as a market-driven mechanism that promotes sustainable forest management in three main ways. By:

The demand for certified wood products is expected to rise, as a higher price-premium may be obtained.

(1) establishing standards for forest practices and management that guarantee a certain level of management performance, (2) enhancing marketing opportunities for products from sustainably managed forests, and (3) promoting public education about improved forest management, for both producers and consumers.

(4) ensuring maximum value for the forest resources, at the same time promoting equitable benefits to all the stakeholders.

success in ‘preaching to the converted’ – in saving forests in developed countries that were probably already saved – while the vast majority of tropical forests that were the original target for certification have remained outside the process.

The disparity between developed and developing countries appears to stem from two major constraints: (1) insufficient demand for certified forest products in global markets,

The Argument For

(2) wide gaps between existing management standards and certification requirements, especially in the tropical countries.

Despite heightened interest in forest certification over the years, the total area of certified forests presently stands at 280 million ha which is 7 percent of the global forest area of 3,952 million ha, (or about 20 percent of the total production forest area of 1,347 million ha).

While the proponents of certification argue that certification schemes are enhancing forest management throughout the world, it is clear that the main impact have been on large-scale industrial and state-owned temperate and boreal forests (as the impact on forests in developing countries have been far less significant).

To a large extent, it can be argued that certification has had its greatest

The demand for certified wood products is small in the global marketplace, and in usually confined environmental conscious countries, such as Germany and the Scandinavian nations. In addition, the price premium for certified wood products in the retail market is also small, usually in the extent of 3 percent. As such, many wood products manufacturers find the amount too small an incentive for them to pursue and adopt certification schemes.

In recent years, the EU has advocated a requirement for certified wood products in most public procurements; however, its implementation is still not European-wide yet. Nevertheless, with such schemes,

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

55

Hardwoods & Softwoods

56 FDM Asia  May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

South-east Asian countries need to aggressively embark on certification schemes.

the European Union, with several tropical countries including Malaysia, offers a new approach to this problem. When fully implemented, the forest resources can be managed sustainably to ensure equitable benefits to all the stakeholders.

Challenges To Certification To many in the tropical region, the need for certification is often misconstrued as a non-tariff trade barrier, which is a model of protectionism.

However, in reality, the benefits of certification are often not fully appreciated in many parts of the world. Nevertheless, the extent, type and location of certified forests are indications where the direct impacts of certification have occurred.

From the published statistics available from inter-governmental organisations, it is apparent that only 5 percent of the total global forest area has been certified. Most of which are temperate and boreal, with relatively slow progress in tropical forests.

Although the cost of certification is regarded as high at this point of time, the benefits, most indirect, may provide long-term business leverage to the

practitioners in South-east Asia. This is made more noticeable, especially when the developed world (the largest consumers of tropical wood products) are increasingly concerned with environmental issues and non-formal forestry practices.

It can be argued that South-east Asian countries need to aggressively embark on certification schemes. This will enable them to increase the transparency of their forestry and forest products manufacturing activities and, enable their produces to gain greater access to marketplaces where environmental concerns continue to heighten.

In the final analysis, it is apparent that forest certification is here to stay. It has become one of the rules in the globalisation of forest and forest products sector. Noncompliance can only lead to market isolation and alienation, which will bring about adverse economic effects to the respective nations.

This consequence is truly untenable to many developing countries as its forestry and forest products sector continue to be an important socioeconomic sector that provides for national growth. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4605

Birdlife International

the demand for certified wood products is expected to rise, as a higher pricepremium may be obtained. This hopefully, is the further impetus for manufacturers to adopt certification schemes.

In a recent survey conducted by the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG) in 2008 covering more than 500 wood products manufacturers in Malaysia and Indonesia, almost 72 percent of the respondents did not see themselves adopting the certification schemes over the next five years, primarily due to the small financial gains to be made.

Although, 85 percent of the respondents agree that the indirect benefits of adopting certification are encouraging as it could be used as a marketing tool to expand market share. In reality, it is difficult to translate certification schemes into higher profits. Further, almost 27 percent of the respondents indicated that by virtue of them using plantation-based wood resources, they were not required to adopt certification, which was perceived to be applicable to natural forests only.

Another misconception among the respondents was the fact that almost 15 percent of the respondents perceived that by adopting the ISO 14000 Environmental Management System, they were precluded from the need for certification.

The results of this survey clearly expound the fact that there is much misconception about certification, and there is an overwhelming need to disseminate more information about the benefits of adopting certification schemes.

Nevertheless, the existence of national certification bodies poses challenges to standardise and harmonise, the whole business of certification. The disparity in national practices when compared to internationally recognised certification schemes, calls for negotiations among all parties concerned to ensure that a common standard that has been agreed upon, is adhered to.

In this context, the introduction of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) by

MARKET REPORT Malaysia's National Timber Industry Policy:

Blueprint For GROWTH

T

Malaysia: Export Of Major Timber Products (Jan – Oct 2008) PENINSULAR MALAYSIA Unit

Quantity

FOB Value (RM)

SABAH Quantity

SARAWAK

FOB Value (RM)

Quantity

FOB Value (RM)

LOGS

m3

15,932

24,254,180

501,064

276,362,072

2,976,939

1,390,983,812

SAWN TIMBER*

m3

587,347

1,003,979,058

340,523

555,595,082

637,783

622,846,030

SLEEPERS

m3

9,372

9,858,140

0

0

2,303

2,753,556

VENEER

m3

4,129

12,485,077

72,640

96,269,191

261,779

245,485,638

MOULDINGS***

m3

151,207

394,008,964

49,051

126,217,298

14,214

26,642,128

CHIPBOARD / PARTICLEBOARD

m3

435,542

287,472,815

29,559

12,267,269

100,381

49,277,958

FIBREBOARD

m3

829,915

822,055,259

39

32,907

141,205

155,985,745

PLYWOOD**

m3

262,423

385,711,356

909,123

1,235,117,089

2,815,392

3,730,412,329

WOODEN FRAME

kg

9,058,527

107,021,571

0

0

0

0

BUILDERS JOINERY & CARPENTRY

kg

111,006,586

664,085,375

10,256,648

59,579,675

49,753,242.0

112,500,630

WOODEN FURNITURE

Unit

n.a.

5,617,396,907

n.a.

37,730,226

n.a.

17,920,567

RATTAN FURNITURE

Unit

n.a.

36,789,474

n.a.

6,604,843

n.a.

0

OTHERS TIMBER PRODUCTS ***

n.a.

312,399,784

n.a.

35,577,208

n.a.

58,380,190

GRAND TOTAL****

n.a.

9,677,517,960

n.a.

2,441,352,860

n.a.

6,413,188,583

MALAYSIA Unit

Quantity

FOB Value (RM)

% Share of Total FOB Value

% change in Quantity 08/07

% change in FOB Value 08/07

LOGS

m3

3,493,935

1,691,600,064

9.1

-10.9

-5.3

SAWN TIMBER*

m3

1,565,653

2,182,420,170

11.8

-25.5

-18.7 -26.1

SLEEPERS

m3

11,675

12,611,696

0.1

-16.1

VENEER

m3

338,548

354,239,906

1.9

20.4

4.7

MOULDINGS***

m3

214,472

546,868,390

3.0

-26.1

-30.2

CHIPBOARD / PARTICLEBOARD

m3

565,482

349,018,042

1.9

-4.7

20.8

FIBREBOARD

m3

971,159

978,073,911

5.3

2.6

-1.2

PLYWOOD**

m3

3,986,938

5,351,240,774

28.9

8.3

-0.6

WOODEN FRAME

kg

9,058,527

107,021,571

0.6

-13.4

-5.0

BUILDERS JOINERY & CARPENTRY

kg

171,016,476

836,165,680

4.5

6.6

-1.0

WOODEN FURNITURE

Unit

n.a.

5,673,047,700

30.6

n.a.

3.4

RATTAN FURNITURE

Unit

n.a.

43,394,317

0.2

n.a.

3.4

n.a.

406,357,182

2.2

n.a.

-2.4

n.a.

18,532,059,403

100.0

n.a.

-3.3

OTHERS TIMBER PRODUCTS *** GRAND TOTAL**** * Sawn timber includes dressed timber

|

** Plywood includes blockboard

***Moulding includes wooden dowels

|

**** Grand Total does not include shipment between Peninsular Malaysia,Sabah & Sarawak

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

57

Source: MTC, DOS

he Malaysian timber industry is to be transformed into a manufacturer of high-value products and services under the country's National Timber Industry Policy (NATIP).

A blueprint for the long-term growth of the timber industry (2009 – 2020) was mapped out in a policy document called the National Timber Industry Policy (NATIP). Launched in late February, the policy will place emphasis placed on the export of processed timber products. “With the policy, the industry’s annual export is expected to more than double to RM53 billion (US$14.6 billion) by 2020,” said the then Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at its launch.

The Minister also outlined the need for federal and state administrations to keep re-aligning their strategies vis-à-vis the guidelines documented in NATIP in order to grow the industry systematically and sustainably.

Malaysia is the largest exporter of tropical logs and sawn timber, the second largest supplier of plywood and the 10th largest exporter of furniture. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4402

MARKET REPORT

The US Economy & Its

Timber Industry

There is a huge way to go before the US consumer engine of growth really gets up any steam. By Michael Buckley, consultant, World Hardwoods

Bear Creek Lumber, Washington, USA

So, is this the beginning of the green shoots of revival? Whatever it is, there is a huge way to go before the US consumer engine of growth really gets up any steam and meanwhile, the downturn is having a huge impact on the wood processing industries from joinery products such as flooring and doors, to furniture, decking and anything to do with construction.

With the US so dependent on imported products, this fall in demand has already adversely affected factories from China to Vietnam and all over South-east Asia.

There is probably much more knock-on effect left to come here although the development of domestic demand within Asia may provide some cushion.

In the US however, it seems that

T

he Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has forecast that the global economy will shrink by 2.75 percent this year. In its twice-yearly report, the Paris-based think-tank said the United States economy is expected to shrink by 4 percent and the Eurozone economy by 4.1 percent.

US industrial production decreased 1.4 percent in February for the fourth consecutive monthly decline to 11.2 percent below the level of a year earlier.

More important, as everyone knows, consumer confidence is at low ebb for modern times – fuelled by the country’s unemployment rate. Its new housing supply peaked in May 2006 at 1.98

58 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

million units, but by January 2009 they were down 44.5 percent.

Shoots Of Revival The wood industry in America is however, not just dependent on consumer purchasing but more on the activity of the construction sector and here there may just be a little light appearing to shine.

Banks are starting to lend, albeit under government pressure, and in February, home sales increased 5.1 percent over January, with improvements recorded in all regions. Housing starts climbed 22 percent in February although they were still 47.3 percent down on the previous year and new home completions and building permits issued were also up.

When sustainably managed, timber will easily take its place with other competitors, many of which are not renewable and leave a heavier footprint on the planet than wood.

MARKET REPORT things cannot get much worse and, with the Obama administration working hard and determined to turn things round, mid-2009 may possibly see the bottom of this market and some upturn in 2010 – perhaps!

Meanwhile, In Asia…

For Asian manufacturers looking to import raw timber material from around the world the conventional wisdom might suggest that prices will continue to fall on reduced demand and supplies will be easier than in the boom times of 2006/7.

Most timber buyers however, know that the opposite is probably true.

Production capacity is falling and the resources necessary to feed production are not being contracted. Mills are going on short time, reducing shifts and in many cases just closing up shop.

This is particularly true of the US which has the single most productive source of hardwood forests, sustainably managed for long-term production. But right now, it is the unsustainable flow of cash that is the big issue.

According to George Barrett of the US publication, Hardwood Market Review: “Hardwood lumber exports from the US fell 18.8 percent in 2008 to 2.2 million m3 (945 million board feet), the first time in 16 years that annual totals have fallen below 1 billion board feet.

The major Chinese market fell 16 percent in 2008, to 459.1 million m3, less than in most other developed countries. Every month in 2008 lower shipping totals were posted than the same month in 2007, just as every month in 2007 was lower than the corresponding month in 2006.”

On The Export Front One longer term effect of these market disruptions and changes in orientation has been a reduction in the consumption of ‘grade’ lumber in the USA itself and thus an increased importance of export markets to US producers.

Traditionally, the export market accounted for about 10 percent of grade lumber by value, although it has to be borne in mind that, of the remaining 90 percent, almost half of total mill-run production is non-grade material used in pallets and packaging.

Today, it is estimated that about 30 percent of all grade lumber is exported.

This has come about by the huge transfer of US furniture production to overseas and an increasing volume of flooring, doors and construction items imported.

It is rare that innovations come along in the primary wood sector although there are many constantly shaping the secondary manufacturing sector, especially in the fields of engineered products, adhesives, treatments and finishes.

It is estimated that about 30 percent of all grade lumber is exported.

January – December Hardwood Products

2005

2006

2007

2008

%CHNG

World Total

1,485,545,229

1,618,498,908

1,421,964,171

1,130,878,575

-20.47

Logs

589,304,868

618,409,844

809,439,021

734,417,267

-9.27

Veneers

442,840,405

428,244,884

447,580,454

375,249,076

-16.16

Flooring

92,468,342

99,364,107

92,501,058

82,720,275

-10.57

Lumber

Plywood

72,667,227

77,646,429

87,895,750

102,092,344

16.15

Chips

47,517,935

53,277,855

57,958,383

69,371,119

19.69

Molding

20,194,514

24,031,611

29,598,402

28,024,404

-5.32

Siding

3,097,629

6,559,902

1,656,614

2,627,674

58.52

Table: US Hardwood Exports Source: USDA, FAS, 2009

Pockets Of Nuggets New species, in commercial volumes, do not get discovered which leaves plantation technology as the main source of ‘new’ material. One exceptional development of note in the primary sector is the current focus on tulipwood – one of the most available and sustainable of all US hardwood species, yet little known as a structural timber outside the USA. The American Hardwood Export Council in Europe has been working on structural testing and new treatments of tulipwood and providing good technical information as well as some interesting examples of its use. The next few years are likely to see its use in windows, and small structural

elements due to its strength and stability with a good weight to mass ratio.

The future of the wood industry is anyone’s guess. But as the best construction and furniture material the world has from an environmental standpoint, when sustainably managed, timber will easily take its place with other competitors, many of which are not renewable and leave a heavier footprint on the planet than wood.

The key now is consumer demand which is about as predictable as the winner of the famous annual Grand National horse race in UK. And for those non-racing enthusiasts, it was won this year by a 100-1 outsider! FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4401

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

59

MARKET REPORT

China's Timber Production Timber output expected to hit 100 million cubic metres in 2009

Tropical Forest Trust

C

hina’s annual timber production plan for 2009, published by the country’s State Forestry Administration, projected that 158.57 million m³ of timber will be logged and its timber output will amount to 100.39 million m³.

The three provinces with the highest logging volume and timber output are: Guangxi Province (19.91 million m³ of logging volume, 13.13 million m³ of outputs); Fujian (17.43 million m³ of logging volume, 12.06 million m³ of outputs) and Hunan (15.16 million m³ of logging volume, 9.703 million m³ of outputs). The logging volume and timber outputs of these three provinces make up 33 percent and 35 percent of the national total, respectively.

60 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

China plans to raise its forest coverage rate to 20 percent by 2010 and 26 percent by 2050, and a minimum of 310 million ha of forest land will be retained and maintained.

Its plantation areas have also been increasing steadily. According to the State Forestry Administration, plantation areas in China reached 53.3 million ha, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the world’s total. Its forest area has been increasing at a rate of 4 million ha annually in compared to a global decrease of over 6 million ha per annum.

Supply Shortage However, China is facing the brunt of a pending log supply shortage as a

result of Russia’s current 25 percent log export tax and the scheduled 80 percent tax in late 2009. With Chinese demand for wood raw material inputs (logs and lumber) still expected to remain relatively strong in 2009, lumber prices or exporters’ returns in China are expected to be attractive.

Major changes to supply and price dynamic have already occurred in log and lumber markets in Japan, Finland and the Baltics as a result of the 25 percent tax. According to the Wood Markets Group, northern China has been the most negatively impacted by the tax and the country needs to source new log and lumber suppliers and, also step up its own domestic timber harvests.

Wood demand in China itself is expected to increase despite decreases in finished wood product exports as its won domestic wood product market continues to expand.

VP and co-author of the Wood Markets report, Gerry Van Leeuwen says: “The ripple effect from Russia’s log export tax will continue to disrupt major log and lumber markets – especially China – and higher prices (or returns to exporters) are a given!”

“This means that there are some potentially attractive opportunities for those log and lumber exporters that can create a competitive fit with China, especially during the global market downturn,” says its company president, Russell Taylor. “The current market turbulence leaves China as the only destination that will likely require increased log and lumber imports in 2009 and this is the opportunity for strategic exporters”.

MARKET REPORT

Plan For 2009 Adds Mr Van Leeuwen: “Based on our recent travels and research in Russia and China, we believe that some of the only growth opportunities in 2009 for softwood exporters could be linked to calamities linked to the Russian log export tax. If and when the 80 percent tax is initiated, a real supply shock will be the end result, no matter how global markets are doing!”

In an effort to respond to the effects of the international financial crisis and encourage wood products trade, China will be: increasing the rates of the export rebate tax for 117 wood products items; actively negotiating with governments of importing countries/regions such as the US, the EU and Japan to improve market access for forest products; and encouraging a quick response to products manufactured by domestic forestry enterprises, increasing grades and specifications of products, as well as stabilising wood products exports.

In terms of furniture production, China furniture exports account for 23 percent of the world’s total and it has been the major producer and exporter of furniture in the world. The country’s furniture enterprises generated RMB210 billion during January to September in 2008, up 21 percent over the same period in 2007. The total value of furniture exports rose 23 percent to US$19.8 billion.

However, while its wooden furniture exports fell 9 percent, the value of the wooden furniture exports rose 6 percent over the same period. The value of furniture imports grew 22 percent to US$945 million.

Local experts predict that the total

Tropical Forest Trust

Wood Product Trade

In terms of furniture production, China furniture exports account for 23 percent of the world's total and it has been the major producer and exporter of furniture in the world. output value of China’s furniture will exceed RMB600 billion yuan for the year and the value of furniture exports will be US$26.6 billion.

• Rizhao: Port Of Choice Already Rizhao, a major seaport located approximately 620 km north of Shanghai has become the port of choice for log importers in the Shangdong Province.

According to statistics from its

customs, log imports through Rizhao Port (including Lanshangang) during January to February 2009 were valued at US$13.33 million (for 126,000 m³). The figure represents a 7.7 times increase in volume and nine times the value of that in the same period of 2007.

Logs imported through Rizhao Port are mainly from New Zealand and Russia. The main timber species being radiata pine and white pine.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

61

MARKET REPORT According to a report from The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), timber traders find Rizhao Port an attractive destination for log imports due to its advantageous location, convenient transportation and customs clearance environment, and better loading and unloading equipment. The port is able to process more than 10,000 m³ (per month) of timber at the recently established Lanshan timber processing trade demonstration zone.

According to the China National Furniture Association, furniture exports reached US$27.583 billion in 2008, up 22 percent compared with the same period in 2007. Imports were US$1.222 billion, an increase of 10.7 percent.

Guangzhou City Imported Timber Market Logs Yuan per m3

Shanghai Furen Wholesale Market

Lauan

1900-2400

Beech KD Grade AB

Kapur

1900-2450

Merbau 6m, 60 cm diam.

4300-5300

Teak Wenge

11000-16000 6500-7000

Sawnwood Teak sawn grade A US Maple 2” KD

8500-9500 8800-11000

US Cherry 2”

14000-14200

US Walnut 2”

16000-16800

SE Asian Sawn 4m+, KD

3500-4000

Tian Jin City Huan Bo Hai Timber Market Logs

Yuan per m3

Okoume 80cm+

2800-3400

Sapele 80cm+

6000-6500

Wenge 80cm+

13000-14000

Plywood

Sawnwood

Yuan per m3 2500-3200

US Cherry, 25mm

9500-10000

US Red Oak, 50mm

9800-10500

Sapele 50mm FAS (Congo) KD (2”, FAS)

5500-5600

KD (2”, grade A)

4500-4600

Shandong De Zhou Timber Market Logs

Yuan per m3

Larch 6m, 24-28cm diam.

1170

White pine 6m, 24-28cm diam.

1300

Korean pine 4m, 30cm diam.

1450

6m, 30cm diam.

1550

Hebei Shijiangzhuang Wholesale Market Logs

Yuan per m3

Korean Pine 4m, 38cm+ diam.

1800

Mongolian Scots Pine 4m, 30cm diam.

1250

6m, 30cm+ diam.

1300

US Black Walnut 4x8x3 mm

6000-8000

Sawnwood

Beech 4x8x3 mm

6000-8000 6000-8000

Mongolian Scots Pine 4m, 5-6cm thick

1400

Teak 4x8x3 mm Poplar (4x8x3-5 mm)

3000-4000

4m, 10cm thick

1450

Source: ITTO

62 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Tropical Forest Trust

• Manzhouli City: Regulation To Develop Industry Manzhouli City, one of the major areas

for importing Russian logs in China, has issued a new regulation to encourage, support and guide development of the wood processing industry.

The city plans to establish a fund to support the wood processing industry and help enterprises obtaining financing to support their future development, says ITTO’s April issue of Tropical Market Timber Report.

Manzhouli City is now host to 107 wood processing enterprises with total capacity of 5 million m³, of which, 30 percent have downstream processing programmes.

While the imports of Russian logs has dropped due to the export tariffs, the output value of large wood processing enterprises skyrocketed to RMB3.4 billion in 2008, registering an increase of some 130 percent over 2007, accounting for 60 percent of total industrial output value in the city.

• Inner Mongolia: Up By 52% According to a report from the Erlianhot Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, some 1,490 batches of logs totalling 111,500 m³ valued at US$16 million were accepted at the port in February 2009, up 52 percent by volume and 50 percent by value respectively over January 2009 levels.

According to ITTO Tropical Timber Report in April, the gains are attributed to the Russian government’s postponement of full implementation of its log export tariff policy to 2010, and the Chinese government adoption of a series of policies to stimulate demand for logs, increase investment and expand construction, and other stimulus measures to drive demand in its local markets. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4403

Exhibition Preview AHEC:

14th Southeast Asia & Greater China Convention Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) will be holding its 14th convention, appropriately themed, the Sustainability and Diversity of US Hardwood: Manufacturing & Design Solution. Intended for architects, interior designers, furniture designers and producers, flooring and door producers, the convention will also appeal to professors of architecture and those in interior design academies.

Topics of interest include: • The Development of the Furniture and the Timber Processing Industries in Northern China by the president of Liaoning Furniture Assn.

• The Recent Development Perspective

•

•

• •

of the Indonesia Furniture Industry by the Indonesian Furniture & Handicraft Industry Assn Overview on the Opportunity for US Hardwood in the Malaysian Furniture Industry by the Malaysian Furniture Industry Council The Success & Challenge of the Hong Kong Furniture Industries by the International Furniture and Decoration (HK) Assn Overview of the Thai Furniture Industry by the Thai Furniture Industry Assn The Development of the Furniture & Timber Processing Industries in Vietnam by the Handicrafts and Wood Industry Assn of HCMC FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4702

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parquet production line

s h a n g h a i q i u l i n m a c h i n e ry c o . , lt d

SHANXI QIulIN Tel: +86-354-2411812 SHANgHAI QIulIN Tel: +86-21-69151282 guANgdoNg QIulIN Tel: +86-757-27737650 Contact Person: Ms Yao Wen Mobile: +86 1390 3443900

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

ales Regional S utors istrib Agents / D d!

Wante

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

ENQUIRY NO. 976

Liaoning is the most southern of China’s three North-eastern provinces and is the gateway to the area of the Changchun and Heilongjiang provinces. The province has over 1,200 registered furniture companies in 2007 employing over 120,000 workers.

Total furniture production (mainly solid wood) is valued at RMB 13 billion (US$1.9 billion). Of this, some US$460 million are from its exports.

Liaoning also serves as the gateway to Japan and Korea, and is an important manufacturing centre to these two countries, providing increasingly more opportunities for interior designers, furniture and timber product manufacturers.

Against this backdrop, the American

Sheraton Shenyang Lido Hotel Liaoning, China June 10 – 12, 2009

63

Exhibition Review

Interzum Guangzhou 2009 In its 6th year running, Interzum Guangzhou endeavoured to provide a trading platform to members of the furniture production and woodworking sectors.

In its 6th edition, Interzum Guangzhou was held at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou from March 27 – 30, 2009, in conjunction with China International Furniture Fair (CIFF).

More Space & Exhibitors (L - R) Liu Jian Jun, GM, China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition Corp and Michael Dreyer, VP Asia Pacific, Koelnmesse

T

he Guangdong province is one of the most important furniture markets in the world. Experts estimate that within a few years, China will become the fastest growing consumer market in the world for furniture. With more than 10 million new wealthy people living in China, it is further expected that up-market furniture sales will continue to show strong market growth.

64 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

Signs of optimism amidst the bleak economic outlook was reflected when the event opened to a sell-out. A total of 761 exhibitors (versus 688 in 2008) occupied eight halls spanning 80,000 sq m, representing a 10 percent increase in exhibitor participation and a 33 percent increase in exhibition space despite the global economic slowdown.

Speaking of a significant trend in the Chinese domestic market at the press conference, Michael Dreyer, VP Asia Pacific, Koelnmesse, said: “Due to rising affluence in China, furniture producers, manufacturers and suppliers should

also be concerned with the quality and design, and not just on pricing alone to remain competitive”.

Exhibitors at the four-day trade fair reported a good response from the market.

Daniel Weidner, executive sales manager, Benz GmbH, said: “We have already had a number of quality enquiries although the exhibition traffic is moving a little slower this year. However, we foresee a recovery in the third quarter that would bring about stronger sales revenues.”

Marco Rampichini, GM, SCM Group said: “The situation is actually better than what we expected. Although some of our customers are still adopting a wait and see attitude, we have already communicated with them and will proceed with follow-up-action after the show”.

With local exhibitors forming the majority at the fair, Jacky Chen, sales director, Union Brother (China) said: “It

Exhibition Review

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

Live demonstration of woodworking machineries at the fair.

was a last minute decision to take part in our first Interzum Guangzhou. We are here because of the recommendations from our customers. We are pleasantly surprised by the excellent response and the overwhelming numbers of visitors.”

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Pavilion from USA is a new addition, bringing with them company representatives from all of West Virginia and parts of eight other states: Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Workshops & Seminars Visitors had the opportunity to network with industry suppliers on exploring new business opportunities.

Dai Jin Hui from Changzhou commented: “It was an enriching experience as we had the opportunity to pick up the latest information on the

industry. At the same time, we were able to connect with many potential new suppliers”. Ron Ziegler, an Australian materials buyer for wooden furniture added: “The China market is in our development plans for the next five years and the past four days have been fruitful for us.”

Aside from the product showcases on the exhibition floor, industry practitioners shared their knowledge and experience in the areas of furniture & bedding and solutions, innovations & market opportunities in a series of professional seminars.

For the first time this year, 20-20 Technologies, a provider of computeraided design, sales software and manufacturing for the interior design industries from North America conducted a workshop on software solutions to meet the market requirements. Giben,

IMA and Canada Wood have also lent their support by holding seminars focusing on panel production and sustainability issues. A networking session organised for participants concluded these presentations.

Post-show statistics reported 60,697 in visitor attendance – an increase of 6 percent from 57,073 visitors in 2008.

These trade buyers come from the DIY (Do-it-yourself) and BIY (Build-ityourself); furniture manufacturing; furniture wholesale and retail; interior design; institutions; wood and plastic processing and wood and plastic trading sectors.

Interzum Guangzhou was jointly organised by Koelnmesse and China Foreign Trade Center (Group) and will return on March 27 – 30, 2010 at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4706

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

65

Exhibition Review

Domotex Asia / ChinaFloor 2009

T

he three-day Domotex Asia/ ChinaFloor 2009 held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from March 24 - 26, 2009 occupied a total gross space of 89,125 sq m and attracted 909 flooring companies from 38 countries. In total, the event attracted some 36,986 professional visitors from China and abroad.

According to the organisers of the event, the show welcomed 5,020 international visitors with several buyer delegations. Visitors from the top five country of origin were from South Korea, Japan, US, Hong Kong and Taiwan. There were a total of 4,000 designers at the show, of which 250

66 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

participated in International Interior Design & Flooring Application & Development Forum 2009.

Resilient flooring section saw significant growth this year. Domestic and international brands included Tarkett, Armstrong, Gerflor, Grabo, Mondo, Vertex, Serfleks, Fieloturf, and Tarkett SAS. Brand names in this year’s parquet & laminate section included domestic notables, such as World of Friends, Lulin, Fudeli, Anrantabu, Sterling Pacific, Yan Kanon, New Sihe, SinoMaple, Kanglong, A & W, Jiusheng, Plantation, Jilin Forestry Jinqiao, Yihua, Yongyu and Kentierwood.

Floortech Asia offered front-end products from manufacturing and processing equipment, raw materials to laytech and protech technologies for after-sales market .

Featured Events • 2009 International Flooring Awards Some 280 senior practitioners attended the awards ceremony held at Shanghai Pudong Radisson Hotel on March 24.

This year’s International Flooring Awards winners were Meilidao, PTP and Kentier (Most Innovative Laminated Floor); A&W (Ark) and Treesun (Most Innovative Solid Wood Floor); Sino-maple (Most Innovative Engineered Wood Floor);

Exhibition Review

Dasso and Yongyu (Most Innovative Green Floor); and Shine (Luxury Flooring Brand In China) The winners of the Top Chinese Flooring Brand included Meilidao, A&W (Ark), Sunyord, Treesun, Kentier, PTP and Sino-maple, while the winners of the Top International Flooring Brand went to Lamett and Dasso.

• 2009 Wood Flooring Trend Show An inaugural event, the 2009 Wood Flooring Trend Show produced five shows over a two-day period and, was used largely as a launch pad for new products, design ideas and trends.

• Sino-US-Europe Wood Flooring Summit Held on March 26, the third Sino-US-Europe Wood Flooring Summit had representatives from the China National Forestry Product Industry Association (CNFPIA), National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), European Federation of Parquet Importers (EFPI).

The summit played an important role in reducing industry trade friction between countries and enhancing the degree of openness of the market.

Topics of discussion included the Lacey Act of America, FLEGT agreement between China and the EU, forest harvesting in tropical areas, EU legislation concerning due diligence, as well as the legality of imported wood.

• Lay-Tech & Pro-Tech Two new sections, Lay-Tech and ProTech, provided solutions to the entire life cycle of the flooring industry from raw materials, manufacturing & processing, to installation, cleaning and maintenance.

While Laytech showed installation tools & equipment, underlays, adhesives, skirtings, mouldings and flooring locking system, Protech demonstrated cleaning & maintenance solutions, tools and equipment, oils, waxes.

Domotex Asia/ChinaFloor 2010 is scheduled to take place next year from March 23 – 25 at the same venue. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4705

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

67

Exhibition Review

ZOW IN Shenzhen Bernd Rademacher, MD, Survey Marketing + Consulting shares how his company boldly explores new frontiers by launching ZOW Shenzhen. By Therese Tan

F

ounded in Germany in the midnineties, ZOW, the supplier fair for the furniture industry and interior design made success in Italy, Spain, Russia, China and Turkey.

In 2004, the first ZOW was held in Shanghai, China, attracting a myriad of trade professionals in the furniture and interior design industries.

This year, the event has come to Shenzhen, a special economic area and one of the most prosperous cities in southern China.

FDM Asia met up with Bernd Rademacher, MD, Survey Marketing + Consulting (Asia) at the event and held an exclusive interview with him.

His insights on the current economic situation proved invaluable, as he shared his company’s strategies for this year, the selection of exhibitors and the event’s product innovations.

Bernd Rademacher, MD Survey Marketing + Consulting (Asia)

68 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

hub on the Pearl River Delta region.

We will also continue to coparticipate in upmarket furniture exhibitions with high volumes of international participation, as it fits the way in which ZOW is marketed.

FDM: Do you think the economic situation will spur your exhibitors to be more competitive and offer a better deal to their customers?

BR: I foresee that the economic crisis would result in improvements to the quality of components supplied to the furniture industry, which would in turn, improve the quality of the furniture produced.

Using the Chinese furnituremanufacturing market as an example, advancements to its quality and design would make them more competitive in the global market – where they do not have to compete on low costs alone.

FDMAsia: What are the strategies that Survey Marketing + Consulting will employ in 2009 to keep ahead of its competition?

FDM: How do you go through the selection process for the exhibitors?

Bernd Rademacher: ZOW has now branched into Southern China, which has seen recent growth as one of China’s major furniture centres and economic

BR: To keep in line with our marketing concept of becoming a leading furniture component and supply show, we have also charted a criteria for

Exhibition Review

Using the chinese Furniture-Manufacturing Market As an example, Advancements to its quality and design Would make them more competitive in the Global Market.

our prospective exhibitors at ZOW. Participants will have to come from furnishing components or supplying backgrounds or they would not be offered an exhibiting space at ZOW. In this respect, our local partner Shenzhen Furniture Trade Association (SZFA) has also played a part maintaining the quality of this trade show, as many of the bookings were done through them.

ZOW Shenzhen

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

This year, the inaugural

reflected that the top three

ZOW Shenzhen was held in

countries of origins of these

‘workshop atmosphere’,

conjunction with Shenzhen

visitors were Asia (90.25 percent),

the organisers conducted

International Furniture Exhibition

followed by Europe (5.87 percent)

industry seminars on product

(SIFE) from March 19-22.

and USA (3.71 percent). Of the

highlights and trends in

Situated at the Furnishings

visitors from Asia, 97.28 percent

centralised forum areas on

and Accessories Zone (FAZ)

of them originate from China,

a daily basis.

of Hall 4 at the Shenzhen

with the remaining 2.72 percent

FDM: Why should a furniture component supplier exhibit at ZOW?

Convention & Exhibition Centre,

from the rest of Asia.

the four day event drew 8,000

The focal point of this trade

BR: ZOW provides a B2B platform to people who are producing materials and components for the furniture industry.

As we screen our visitors before admittance to the show, exhibitors are assured that the people they meet are from the relevant industries with whom they can build businesses with. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4701

trade visitors and around 40

fair was the showcase of product

exhibiting companies from an

innovations by exhibitors to visitors,

international spectrum.

which was encouraged by specially

Post show statistics have

To

emphasise

the

designated functional areas.

ENQUIRY NO. 4703

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

69

Exhibition Preview

China Furniture & Woodworks 2009

D

alian is a large port which has strategic significance in northeast Asia. As an important port of China, Dalian focuses on industry, trade and tourism. It is also a centre for logistics, finance and foreign exchange settlement.

The port, which links more than 300 ports in about 160 countries and regions, handles about 70 percent of cargo and 90 percent of container transport in northeast China.

Situated in the Northeast Asia Economic Area and the Bohai-Bay Economic Rim, Dalian is an important link in the EuroAsia relationship. Dalian’s economy has experienced rapid development since the country implemented the economic reform and opening-up policy in the late 1970s.

China Furniture & Woodworks 2009 will run from June 5 – 8, 2009 at the Dalian Star-Sea Convention & Exhibition Center and Dalian World Expo Plaza.

In its 14th year, China Furniture &

Woodworks serves as a trade platform for suppliers, manufacturers and buyers both at home and overseas.

Summer Trio The fair this year will incorporate all three summer shows – China Int’l Furniture Exhibition, China Int’l Woodworking Machinery Exhibition, China Int’l Furniture Components & Raw Material Exhibition under two venues.

The show area will encompass a total of 80,000 sq m and exhibitors this year range from the panel, forestry equipment complex and wood material sectors.

Jia Qingwen, president, China National Furniture Association commented: “China Furniture & Woodworks has grown into a comprehensive trade fair in the north China. Diversified exhibits make the fair a real one-stop platform for purchasers, and save a lot of time and money for both suppliers and buyers.”

Dalian, China June 5 – 8, 2009

North Chinese Base As an entry point to markets in north China, Japan, Korea and Russia, China Furniture & Woodworks will display a variety of northern Chinese furniture products and the latest innovations in technology.

The event is organised by Dalian Northern Int’l Exhibition and supported by China National Furniture Association.

The fair plans to serve all vertical sectors of furniture and wood products manufacturing industries. About 40,000 visitors attended the show in 2008, including about 3000 international buyers from Japan, Korea, Russia, Europe, North and South America, Middle East and Southeast Asia.

These visitors come from the corporate management, manufacturing managers, financial planners, purchasing managers, production managers, technical staff, quality controllers, researchers, designers and allied workers in the furniture production and woodworking industries. FDM ENQUIRY NO. 4720

70 FDM Asia May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

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

MAY 12-16 – Interkomplekt 2009 Crocus Expo Exhibition Centre Moscow, Russia MVK International Exhibition Company Tel: +7 495 925 3413 Fax: +7 499269 4262 Email: v_v@mvk.ru Website: www.interkomplekt.ru

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

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

21-23 – DesignBUILD 2009 Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre Sydney, Australia Diversified Exhibitions Australia Tel: +61 3 9261 4500 Fax: +61 3 9261 4545 Email: shows@divexhibitions.com.au Website: http://www.designbuildexpo.com.au/ index.php

Tel: +380 322 970 627 Fax: +380 322 971 756 Email: exhib@galexpo.lviv.ua Website: www.galexpo.lviv.ua/eng/events/wood.html

JUNE 2-5 – ZOW Spain Feria de Zaragoza Spain Survey Marketing and Consulting S.L. Tel: +34 935 407867 Fax: +34 935 408235 Email: zaragoza@zow.info Website: http://www.zow.es/en/

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

10-12 – SEAsia & Greater China AHEC Convention Sheraton Lido Shenyang Shenyang, China American Hardwoods Export Council Tel: +852 2724 0228 Fax: +852 2366 8931 Email: sharon_shek@ahec-china.org Website: www.ahec-seasia.org

8-11 – China International Building & Decoration Fair

RNA Showgrounds Brisbane, Australia Everything Exhibitions & Events Tel: +61 2 9974 1393 Fax: +61 2 9974 3426 Email: info@eee.net.au Website: www.eee.net.au

China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex Guangzhou, China China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition Corp.

Tel: 020-26081622 / 26081623 Fax: 020-86681629-03 E-mail: cbd@fairwindow.com.cn Website: http://www.fairwindow.com

26-29 – Wood Processing Ukraine 2009

9-11 – Woodmach Cebu 2009

Palace of Sport ‘Spartak’ Lviv, Ukraine Gal-Expo

Fax: +63 2 750 8585 Email: jing@globallinkph.com Website: www.globallinkph.com

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

AUGUST 1-3 – Wood & Furniture Asia

JULY 22-24 – Timber & Woodworking Show

Calendar of Events 2009

Waterfront Cebu City Hotel Cebu, Philippines Global-Link MP Events International Inc. Tel: +63 2 750 8588

Kindly indicate the events you are interested in and fax the sheet/s along with your details in the Product Enquiry Page on page 72a to (65) 6379 2806 or enquire online at www.fdmasia.com

Karachi Expo Center, Pakistan Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd. Tel: +92 (21) 453 6321 Fax: +92 (21) 453 6330

6-9 – Zak Office Technology Expo Palace Grounds, Bangalore India Zak Trade Fairs & Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. Tel: +91 (80) 2521 7700 Fax: +91 (80) 2521 5511 Email: Saleem@zakgroup.com Website: www.zakinteriorexterior.com/info/2009/ Bangalore/april/aboutevent/index.html

SEPTEMBER 2-5 – Furnitech Woodtech Thailand Challenger 2, IMPACT Bangkok, Thailand Reed Tradex Tel: +66 2686 7299 Fax: +66 2686 7288 Email: prapaporn.pras@reedtradex.co.th Website: www.furnitechwoodtech.com/

2-6 – Kazbuild Atakent Exhibition Centre Almaty, Kazakhstan Iteca Tel: 7 727 2583434 Fax: 7 727 2583444 E-mail: contact@iteca.kz Website: www.iteca.kz

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA May/June 2009

71

Advertising Index ENQ NO

Heavy duty helical planer cutter head with disposable knives

Helical planer cutter head with disposable knives

Adjustable planer cutterhead

Planer cutterhead with disposable knives

ADVERTISERS / AGENCY

Page NO

055

American Hardwood Export COUNCIL

IFC

057

AMERICAN LUMBER CO

51

035

BECKER ACROMA

13

063

CHAN CHAO INTERNATIONAL CO LTD (VIETNAM WOOD 2009)

23

061

HOMAG ASIA PTE LTD

1

027

huntsman (belgium) bvba

7

062

IMA AG ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD

11

036

ISIS PRODUCTS CORP

21

060

MICHAEL WEINIG ASIA PTE LTD

5

002

reed tradex company (furnitech woodtech 2009)

31

066

RICHFRUITS MACHINERY MANUFACTURING CO LTD

15

059

sail crest rubber membrane sdn bhd

39

010

SAN JUI MACHINERY CO LTD

17

064

schelling anlagenbau gmbh

29

005

SHANGHAI CMP SINOEXPO INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION CO LTD (FMC 2009)

IBC

976

shanxi qiulin machinery co ltd

63

065

SHENZHEN XINYUNXIANG PRECISION TOOLS CO LTD

12

001

SIEMPELKAMP MASCHINEN- UND ANLAGENBAU GMBH & CO KG

3

019

TAI CHAN MACHINERY CO LTD

9

008

TONG FONG CUTTERS CO LTD

72

009

WEN CHIH MACHINERY INDUSTRIAL CO LTD

25

058

WEYERHAEUSER MARKETING

OBC

016

WUXI STAINLESS STEEL PLATE TREATMENT CO LTD

47

Safety corrugate cutter head

Single/double surface planer - helical planer cutter head with disposable knives

Legend:

Welding helical planer cutterhead

Advertisers with eBrochures

Head Office

Representative office

Canice Gan Tel: (65) 6379 2888 Fax: (65) 6379 2806 Email: canicegan@epl.com.sg

Ding Yong Mei Tel: 86 21 6311 3676 Fax: 86 21 6311 2960 Email: neweastern_sh@hotmail.com

SINGAPORE Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd 1100 Lower Delta Road EPL Building #04-02 Singapore 169206

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

All kinds of profile cutters

Regional Sales Representatives Taiwan

ENQUIRY NO. 008

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

Japan

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

Korea

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

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

www.fdmasia.com 72 FDM Asia  May/June 2009 | www.fdmasia.com

ENQUIRY NO. 005

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 reneWable 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: 886.42.350.2005 Hong Kong: 852.2865.5922

SM

, and Northwest Hardwoods are registered trademarks of Weyerhaeuser. © 2009 Weyerhaeuser Company. All rights reserved.

ENQUIRY NO. 058

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