FDM Asia March 2010

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

We show the future of Batch-size 1

MARCH 2010

FDM

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Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986

Wood Species And Sustainability

Optimising The Nesting Solution

Green Building Practices

Ad

vert

isem

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2 FDM AsiA march 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

ContentsMarch 2010 • VOL. 22 NO. 2

member of Business Publication audit of circulation, Inc.

Incorporating:

The Chinese Academyof Forestry

Associate of

etm EasternTrade Media Pte Ltd

an Eastern Holdings Ltd company The Chinese Academyof Forestry

Associate Of

Printer: Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd

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

Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd1100 Lower Delta road, EPL Building #04-02, Singapore 169206 Tel: (65) 6379-2888 • Fax: (65) 6379-2805/6379-2806 • Website: www.fdmasia.com

IMPORTANT NOTICEThe circulation of this publication is audited. The Advertiser's Association recommends that advertisers should place their advertisements only in audited publications.

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 re-sponsibility 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 pub-lisher. Reprints of articles appearing in previous issues of the magazine are available on request, subject to a minimum quantity.

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

and authenticity of information appearing in the magazine, the Pub-lisher 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: [email protected]

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

pAge

FOCUS14 Veneer On Plywood

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

TECHNOLOGY18 Optimising The Nesting

Solutionan insight into the nesting-based technology for the woodworking industry. By Dr Jegatheswaran ratnasingam

22 Continuous Reliability In Short Cycle TechnologyWith the demand for wood based laminated boards being unprecedented, the need for faster and reliable pressing lines are an automatic choice for many manufacturer of laminated boards worldwide. By Shiv Kumar Shet, Biesse manufacturing

24 Flame Retardant Additives: The Rise Of Carbon NanotubesPotential application of carbon nanotubes as a flame retardant additive. By Krzysztof Grzybowski, Frost & Sullivan

40

17 24

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA March 2010 3

PANELS26 Environmental Responsibility:

Green Building PracticesEnvironmental responsibility and green building practices are increasingly emphasised in production and today’s building projects. Specifically in North america, programmes such as LEED and rEGrEEN are gaining in significance. By Mike VandenBurg, Kleiberit

MARKET REPORT30 Mixed Sentiments

The timber markets of Malaysia, Indonesia and china according to ITTO Tropical Timber Market report

SPEciAL EdiTORiAL FEATuRE35 The cEO Of Diamond Wood china, Stan French, talks about the production, manufacture and marketing of its accoya wood.

SuRFAcES & FLOORiNG38 Laminating Paper: The Versatile Choice

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

dESiGN & dÉcOR42 Opening New Doors andy Sumner, senior technical consultant, BM TraDa certification, discusses

the third-party Q-Mark certification scheme for doorsets.

46 Jarrod Lim: A Designer’s Perspective The up and coming furniture designer talks about

his latest collection, his experience with wood, and shares his perspectives on design and manufacturing. By royce Tan

50 3D Edgebanding: A New Generation ProductThe 'loose' edges of wood-based panels pose a challenge to machining and finishing operations for furniture manufacturers. With the advent of the edge-banding technology, this problem has been tackled successfully. By Dr Jegatheswaran ratnasingam

WOOdS & SuSTAiNABiLiTY54 Wood Flooring 2010: Species & SustainabilityFor 2010 and the future, the question is whether the world can produce enough hardwood material to supply the potential growth of flooring which remains enormous. By Michael Buckley, Turnstone Singapore

S

04 Editorial06 Industry News64 Product Highlights66 Calendar Of Events72a Enquiry Form72b Subscription Form

68advertisers’ enquiry numbers.

Regulars

Page

EXHiBiTiONS REviEWS58 Domotex Hannover 201060 IMM Cologne 201062 ZOW Shenzhen

2054 6060

58

46

According to International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, on a year-on-year basis,

non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew by 21 percent in January 2010.

On a year-on-year basis, non-oil domestic exports to the top ten NODX

markets (China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea,

Taiwan, Thailand and the US) except the EU-27, have also increased.

In particular, non-oil domestic exports to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan rose by 76

percent, 97 percent and 104 percent respectively. This is but one perspective, albeit

at a somewhat macro level. So, it is obligatory to examine things in a context that is

more related to our business.

Exhibitions. This is one avenue where, if there is a silver lining, it may be revealing

itself. Domotex Hannover, in January, saw a 12 percent increase in visitor attendance,

over 2009. On the Singapore front, it is heartening to report that the country has fared

well in the IMM Cologne. The Singapore Furniture Industries Council led a consortium

of companies and returned with sales results that totalled S$14.6 million (US$10.4

million) in on-spot orders and forecasts of S$236 million worth of sales for 2010, an

increase of more than 200 percent from last year.

The fact that there has been no drop in the number of exhibitors in the upcoming

regional shows is perhaps testimony that the economic slump has seen its worst. In

fact, this March will prove to be an exciting one for trade shows, with MIFF, Indiawood,

IFFS, WMF, VIFA, Zow Shenzhen, Domotex Asia and Interzum Guangzhou. FDM Asia

will be making its rounds at the shows, and will be reporting on the facts, figures and

other goings-on.

This may or may not be precedence setting, but FDM Asia has sought locally

based, award-winning furniture designer Jarrod Lim for his philosophies on the pros

and cons of working with wood, and why he does what he does. A refreshing change

and, it is hoped, a welcomed foil to matters related to the woodworking industry.

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

And while enterprises are feeling a renewed confidence in placing financial resources

into investments, the only thing left for us is merely to hope that this trend will continue

to prevail for the long haul.

Editorial

Derek Rodriguez

Back On Track?

Published by:

EastErn tradE MEdia PtE Ltd(a fully owned subsidiary of Eastern Holdings Ltd)Registration No: 199908196C

managing director Kenneth Tan [email protected]

editor Derek Rodriguez [email protected]

technical editor Joson Ng [email protected]

features editor Tjut Rostina [email protected]

editorial assistant Eunice Tay [email protected]

senior art director/studio manager Lawrence Lee [email protected]

art director Phyllis Ng [email protected]

advertising sales manager Sim Eric [email protected]

business manager (China) Ding Yongmei [email protected]

assistant business manager (China) Yumi Gui [email protected]

senior circulation executive Brenda Tan [email protected]

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

ExEcutivE BoaRDchairman Stephen Taygroup executive director Kenneth Tanfinancial controller

Robbin Lim

etm EasternTrade Media Pte Ltd

an Eastern Holdings Ltd company

Head Office & Mailing address:Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd1100 Lower Delta Road, EPL Building#04-02, Singapore 169206Tel: (65) 6379 2888 Fax: (65) 6379 2805

representative Office - shanghai, China Office:Shanghai New Eastern Media Co. Ltd15D Block B, Victoria Plaza, No. 1068, Xikang Road, Shanghai, P.R, China 200060 Tel: (86 21) 6276 8394Fax: (86 21) 6276 41704 FdM asia MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

The retrofit ecoscalper from the ContiRoll® ecoline family means that local excess material is simply “shaved off.” That spells reduced material usage and an improved mat distribution.

ecoscalper –a cut above the rest

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Industry News

UK: TRADA, the Timber Research

and Development Association,

has published a construction

briefing on timber carbon

foot-prints, based on a study

which quantifies timber’s carbon

footprint for comparison with

other materials.

The timber industry has long

been confident that, in terms

of its carbon footprint, timber’s

environmental credentials are

sound, but it has until now

lacked the means to quantify this

argument. The product carbon

footprint has been developed

to assess emissions associated

with each stage of a product

during its life cycle and the

TRADA study was commissioned

to meet demand from engineers

and design professionals for

such figures for timber.

Membership and marketing

manager Rupert Scott said:

”Measuring CO2 emissions is

not like using a ruler or a set of

scales, however. It is more like

profit and loss accounting,

weighing up what is paid in

against what is taken out.

Assessing the carbon footprint

of any material is there-

fore complex.” The construction

briefing applies calculations

to several different scenarios

covering several types of timber

used commercially in the UK.

The aim is to provide data for

design professionals, consider

different end of life options

(eg fuel, waste) and to account

for the carbon sequestration of

timber in different ways (from

excluding it to including it fully).

The scenarios investigated

by the study include:

Sitka spruce, Scotland,

preservative treated – cladding

Redwood, Sweden, hydro

power – timber frame

English oak, central England –

green oak timber frame

Iroko, Cameroon, decking.

Woodworking Machinery: Q4 Improvement

TRADA Publishes Timber Carbon Footprint Study

New STA Rules ForImport

Sarawak, Malaysia: The Sarawak

Timber Association (STA) was informed

by the Department of Agriculture

that the Government, through, the

National Plant Protection Organisation

(NPPO) Malaysia, has decided that

all importation of logs and lumber

or sawn timber from all countries

must be accompanied with an import

permit from Department of Agriculture

Malaysia and a phytosanitary certificate

from the exporting country with effect

from November 3, 2009.

After several parties filed an

appeal, a grace period of six months

is given, and this will be enforced

from May 1, 2010. However, the

current treatment is required for

consignments imported during this

grace period.

This requirement is stipulated

to protect the timber industry from

dangerous pests and diseases.

Milan, Italy: The fourth quarter in 2009 showed

the first signs of economic recovery for

the Italian woodworking machinery and

tools industry. Good news, though to a

moderate extent, that bring some optimism

for preliminary 2009 balance and 2010

forecasts. The increased confidence of

international markets feeds expectations

for improvement in the next few months;

however, going back to pre-crisis levels

is a long-term goal and will necessarily

require both structural and strategic

innovation processes.

According to the quarterly survey based

on a statistic sample that represents the

entire industry, production increased by

5.5 percent compared to the same period

of the previous year (foreign orders up

by 17.6 percent, domestic orders down

by 22.4 percent). Prices have remained

substantially stable, while the orders

book, at the end of Q4 2009, covered 1.8

months approximately.

A quality survey showed that 47 percent

of the interviewed companies indicated a

negative production trend in the final quarter of

2009, 39 percent talked of substantial stability,

while 14 percent reported expansion.

Employment was stationary for 46 percent

of the sample and decreasing for 54 percent.

Available stocks were stationary according to

61 percent, decreasing according to 28 percent

and growing according to the remaining

11 percent.

The forecast survey outlines possible

short-term trends: although stagnating

production is affecting most companies, a

rally of foreign markets hit by the global

economic crisis is expected. Foreign orders

will record growth according to 32 percent

of the sample, while they are expected

to stay at the same level according to 64

percent. The remaining 4 per cent expects a

further drop. The Italian market is expected

to have a shrinking trend according to 14

percent of the interviewees, it will remain

stable for 68 percent and it will improve

for 18 percent.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA march 2010 7

Industry News

Forestry Efforts To Meet Climate Target Jakarta, Indonesia: The Indonesian government says reforestation and cuts

to deforestation will enable it to meet its Copenhagen emissions reduction

commitment solely from the land-use sector. Along with other developing

nations such as China, India and Brazil, the Indonesian government announced

a commitment in the lead up to the Copenhagen climate conference to cut

greenhouse emissions – in its case by at least 26 percent below business as

usual levels by 2020.

Like Brazil, and unlike other big emitting nations, a large part of the country’s

carbon footprint comes not from industry and energy production but from

deforestation. According to reports, the Indonesian minister for forestry, Zulkifli

Hasan, says a national plan to plant 21 million hectares of new forest by 2020

and eradicate illegal logging and land-clearing would see the country drastically

reduce its emissions.

Franklin Guangzhou

Launches Web SiteGuangzhou, China: Franklin Guangzhou

Adhesives has launched a web site to

provide information on selection and

proper application of both its broad line

of wood adhesives for the assembly

of furniture, millwork and laminated

goods to customers in China and the

Pacific Rim.

The site provides information on

more than a dozen emulsion-based

wood adhesives the compay offers under

the Titebond, Multibond and ReacTITE

names for the assembly of furniture,

millwork and laminated goods. This

range of product offers water-based

adhesives for most applications on the

plant floor, including assembly, solid

edge and face gluing, finger jointing

and lamination.

Fiberglass makers will also find

information on the company’s line

of specialty polymers, including film

formers and binders, for use in the

production of fibreglass-reinforced

products (FRP). The company offers both

Duracet polyvinyl acetate emulsions

(PVA) and epoxy emulsions to meet a

broad array of specific manufacturing

requirements.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Local furniture

manufacturers and exporters can look

forward to better times ahead as demand

is picking up after almost a year of

slowdown due to the global economic

recession. SHH Resources Holdings

MD Datuk Teo Wee Cheng said orders

for made-in-Malaysia furniture were

coming back from international buyers.

“Manufacturers have started to receive

more orders, albeit at a gradual rate

but we still perceive this as a good

sign,’’ he told StarBiz after the company

AGM recently. Datuk Teo said the

local furniture industry was starting to

stabilise and more international buyers

were returning to source furniture from

local manufacturers. He said the high

quality of local furniture and the ability

to deliver in time were among the main

reasons why more international buyers

had come back.

Datuk Teo said previously, many

of them sourced their furniture

from Chinese manufacturers but

after sometime they decided to turn

back to Malaysian furniture producers.

He said apart from the ability of

the local producers to supply quality

goods on time, many of the inter-

national buyers wanted to decrease

their dependency on the Chinese

furniture suppliers and reduce their

business risks.

Good Times Ahead For Furniture Makers

Pau

larp

s, T

he N

ethe

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Industry News

Germany: Apart from developing machinery and work cells

for furniture processing plants, IMA’s products are also used

to tool up complete systems. The Bavarian Waldner group has

invested E20 million (US$27 million) to build a hyper modern

production hall for laboratory equipment. The contract was

awarded to IMA Klessmann working as the prime contractor

together with the IMA subsidiary Meinert and its cooperation

partners Schelling and Priess & Horstmann working as

the subcontractors.

Already at the beginning of 2010, the new processing plant

will be installed to replace the old equipment and increase

capacity by 50 percent. Another part of this deal for Waldner

is that it satisfies two more points on their wish list: The

entire equipment for the hall is supplied from a one-stop-shop,

and the new plant substantially increases the capability of the

system to produce a large number of variable parts also in

batch volumes as low as one. The laboratory furniture manu-

facturer believes that a clear increase in capacity and the

expansion of existing resources will push it ahead of its rivals in

the future. This will result in a reduction of delivery times.

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

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

Raute Gets Order For A-P Weinig Absent At IWF 2010

Tauberbischofsheim, Germany: Michael Weinig

has announced that the company will not exhibit

at the IWF 2010 Show in Atlanta in August.

“Weinig has enjoyed a strong and mutually

beneficial relationship with IWF for many years and

we continue to wish the exhibitors a successful

event. But we see every day the impact that the

economy has on our market. Our woodworking

industry customers need and deserve all the

support we can provide during the recovery

from this unprecedented economic recession,”

explained Peter Lohmeyer, vice president of

Sales for Michael Weinig. “By redirecting the

resources typically allocated to a show event

of this magnitude, we will offer beneficial and

timely support in helping our customers find

solutions to their production challenges. We want

to ensure our customers’ long-term survival by

assisting them in finding ways to thrive, even in

today’s economy.”

Nastola, Finland: Raute Corporation

has received a significant order

comprising almost all production

lines for a plywood mill in the

Asia-Pacific region. The customer

is a well-established plywood

producing company. The machinery

deliveries will take place from June

to September 2010 and the start-up

of the mill by summer 2011.

The value of similar mill-scale

machinery deliveries

made by Raute typically

exceeds E15 million

(US$20 million).

The received order

improves Raute’s order

book and reduces the

need for adaptation

measures in the machine

design and production of the Nastola

plant during 2010. Despite this

received order Raute’s order book

is not at a level to maintain normal

workload, which means that

adaptation measures must be

continued due to production and

financial reasons. As a whole the

market situation of Raute’s customer

industries hasn’t yet returned to a

normal level.

IMA’s Equipment Used For Production Hall

Jeric

San

tiago


Industry News

Beijing, China: Siempelkamp has sold five presses in Chin,

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

m ContiRoll - comes after both Huayi Wood and Luyuan III

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

of top-quality panels.

China remains one of the most important markets for

Siempelkamp, showing continued growth over the past years.

As early as 1957, Siempelkamp delivered its first presses to

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

have been sold in China. Siempelkamp also supplies press

lines and complete plants for the metal forming and rubber

industries to the China market.

Siempelkamp has a production facility in Wuxi, Jiangsu

Province with some 200 employees and a sales office in

Beijing. The Wuxi facility manufactures parts of the forming

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

Siempelkamp know-how and quality management combines

Chinese manufacturing skill to fulfill the Chinese market

requirements for innovative products. With a further E1 million

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

machinery in Wuxi, Siempelkamp China seems geared for

ongoing growth.

Machines for the Chinese Market

Siempelkamp’s managing director of Wuxi, Xiancang Meng,

said: “With our machines, Chinese customers can cater

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

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

the presses sold in China might be comparatively small, they

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

and 12’ presses.”

Experience Counts

Providing custom solutions is important with a global

client base with varying detailed requirements and

Siempelkamp can look back on 25 years of experience in

the field and more than 200 successfully designed and

constructed continuous presses to ensure that the customer

gets exactly what they need. But some requirements never

change as Xiancang Meng points out: “Optimum pressure

distribution, very low tolerances, quick startups and stable

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

Only then can they guarantee top quality results for the

next link in the value chain whilst ensuring maximum

profitability.”

Adding Value for Every Order

“Giving our customers a competitive edge means adding

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

such as China, this is especially important. Siempelkamp adds

value through offering full line solutions including elements

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

forming and press lines as well as complete finishing lines.

These elements, complemented by full planning, engineering,

assembly and start-up services, result in turn-key plants which

are amongst the most efficient and dependable in the world.

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

be added to line solutions but what really cements the true

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

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

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

and ensure that they maximise the value of their investments

in Siempelkamp presses.”

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

new licensees of its 5Gs technology

protection against claims for license

fees from other parties.

The improved Fold-down Technology

uses a side push tongue (5Gs) to

provide a functional and cost effective

solution for laminate and wood

floorings. Several of its licensees have

already decided to introduce 5Gs on a

large scale.

The new 5Gs solution is in Välinge’s

opinion, different to all other known

locking systems and other party patents

that Välinge has. As such it has offered all

new licensees protection against claims

for license fees from other parties. This

will eliminate all insecurity that has been

created by some patent holders that

claim patent protection beyond their

original invention.

The company now offers 5Gs licenses

on favorable terms since no cross license

fee has to be paid to any other patent

holders. The intension is to establish

a fund with assets that could be used

to finance legal actions and provide

security for unjustified license claims

from other parties.

“Välinge will protect its rights and

use its patents against all infringing

fold down systems on the market and

support its licensees legally in potential

unjustified legal actions from other

patent holders”, says Darko Pervan,

CEO of the company.

High Five For Siempelkamp


Industry News

Modified Wood Products To

IncreaseUK: The range of modified wood products

available in the UK is likely to increase

as further development work is under-

taken in Europe and elsewhere, according

to a new wood information sheet

from TRADA Technology, modified

wood products.

Modified wood is that which has been

treated with a chemical, biological or

physical agent to enhance its performance.

It excludes wood treated with biocides

(ie wood preservatives).

The wood information sheet aims to

help specifiers select the most appro-

priate modified wood for a particular

end use. One of the main drivers for

wood modification has been to improve

the decay resistance of low durability

timbers including those grown in Europe.

However, a number of other beneficial

changes to wood properties, including

improved dimensional stability, may

also result. These have increased both

performance of wood products and the

range of applications.

Schneider’s US$40.5 Million PlantEberhardzell, Germany: Holzwerk

Gebr Schneider has started the

construction of a plant at the company’s

headquarters. The system is designed

to allow for the production of both

flexible and pressure-resistant wood

fibre panels without any modification

or conversion work.

The plant is configured to operate

with a total annual output of both

products with about 250,000 m³.

According to the company, the

invest-ment will amount to almost

E30 m (US$40.5 million), from which

approximately E5 m will be spent

for the building and other civil costs.

Installation of the systems is due

to start in May, and the plant is

expected to start its operations in

December 2010.

Back in December 2009, Schneider

and Dieffenbacher signed a

supply contract for the main plant

components.

The system will be capable of

producing single-layer panels with a

thickness range of 20 – 240 mm and

densities between 35 and 200 kg/m³.

This will be Dieffenbacher’s second

insulation board plant following

the commissioning of Homatherm in

Berga at the start of April 2009.

Given an optimum production

sequence, the fibre throughput will

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

amount of the raw material is going

to be provided by the wood chips

from the company’s own saw mill

and finishing plant.

Heat and energy for the insulation

board plant amounting to about 12.5

MW thermal capacity will come from

the nearby Bio-Power SKW, operating

on its own premises since 2004.

Schneider is initially intending

to market a large proportion of the

insulation board production directly

through its existing sales network.

However, the company is also planning

to expand its sales activities.

A small share of the production

will be value added inhouse on a

production line for sandwich elements

being installed in parallel to the

insulation board plant. This line will

glue the wood fibre insulation boards

to panel elements at the factory,

and these will then be marketed as

semi- finished products.

Until now, Schneider has

predominantly produced structural

wood members for modern house

building. Its product range includes

not only classic structural wood but

also KVH (construction solid wood),

laminated beams and wooden planking,

and even glued ceiling elements. In

spite of difficult economic conditions,

it was possible to increase sales

in 2009 to about E50 m. A total of

160,000 m³ of wood products were

produced and sold. The addition

of the insulation board production

is expected to boost the annual

turnover by about E30 m to about

E85 m by 2012. The workforce is set

to increase from the current 200 to

about 250.

Schneider is also investing in

expanding its solid wood activities.

Additional con-tinuous dryers are

being installed and the KVH production

is currently being expanded with a

second production line and another

sorting line. The investment volume

for this is about E3 m.

Dubai, UAE: Strong delegations from China, Germany, Argentina, Malaysia,

UAE and the US head an impressive list of exhibitors to the upcoming Dubai

Wood Show from April 13 - 15. Other countries include Canada, Lithuania

and Switzerland.

In a recent public announcement, Dawood Al Shezawi, MD of Strategic

Marketing & Exhibitions unveiled the Dubai WoodShow programme and

highlighted the scope and objectives of the 2010 edition.

’Dubai WoodShow Forum’ will be the launching pad where on one hand,

industry players can examine the wealth of business opportunities stemming

from the ever-expanding Middle East wood sector, allowing major players

to explore ways to differentiate their products and services and maintain

leadership in the market. On the other hand, investors and business developers

will be able to connect directly with free zones authorities as well as logistics

and supply chain services providers and learn about the key requirements

needed to successfully enter the Middle East wood market.”

Al Shezawi also discussed the show’s new developments aimed at

supporting visitors and exhibitors to capitalise on the time spent at the

exhibition and attracting a new breed of attendees. The show will feature

the first ever editions of the Dubai WoodShow Forum, Dubai WoodShow

Roundtables and Dubai WoodShow Workshops, all of which are free

of charge.

“We have created the forum and workshop to present the wood and

forestry industry executives attending the woodshow with a premium

opportunity to hear experts’ presentations from their competition, generate

business ideas, share knowledge and walk away with solutions, techniques

and methodologies applicable in their day-to-day management. We also

introduced the roundtable which is a dedicated platform for one-on-one

business meetings designed to support and empower our business partners

in their client portfolio development and market expansion strategies.”

Dubai Wood Show

Industry News

Doubling Timber Self-Sufficiency Tokyo, Japan: The government plans to boost Japan’s timber self-

sufficiency rate to 50 percent from the current 24 percent over the

next 10 years by promoting forest road development to cut timber

production costs, government sources said. Under a new plan aimed

at invigorating the forest industry and creating jobs in mountain

villages, the government aims to increase the road density for two-

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

similar to Germany, which is known as an advanced forestry country,

according to sources.

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Industry News

Cologne, Germany: The IMM Cologne home

furnishings show held in January this year,

attracted 100,000 visitors, a figure officials say

was on par with last year’s attendance.

International attendance was up 5.7 percent

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

international visitors in 2009. Attendance

from North America represented the bulk of

this growth, with a 23 percent increase over

last year, while Eastern European attendance

was up a reported 18 percent.

The show also reported increases from

Asia and South America, while visitors from

Germany remained stable.

“I see this result as proof that the various

activities we have undertaken to attract

national and international visitors, such as

our VIP packages, have been successful,” Udo

Traeger, head of show organiser Koelnmesse’s

furniture, interior design and textiles division,

said in a statement.

Cologne is open to consumers for a portion

of the show, and the traffic total includes

that attendance. Officials have not broken

out the consumer attendance this year, but

in 2009 it was given at about 23,000.

The show had 1,053 exhibitors from

51 countries, about the same number that

showed in 2009, according to last year’s

show results. This included a 7 percent

increase in German manufacturers.

International exhibitors represented

about 58 percent of the total or

611 companies.

Dirk-Uwe Klaas, the chief executive of

the Association of the German Furniture

Industry said: “In the midst of the crisis,

trade visitors and end consumers alike

have given us impressive confirmation

that the IMM Cologne has regained its

former strength.”

Surveys taken at the event also indicate

that 80 percent of the visitors interviewed

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

when Cologne will host the LivingKitchen

fair for the first time. Held the same week as

IMM Cologne, it will be held every two years

and will showcase items such as kitchen

furniture, fitted appliances, sinks, fittings,

lighting and other accessories.

The next IMM Cologne event is planned

for January 18 - 23, 2011.

Cologne Fair Attracted 100,000 Visitors

Green Buildings Markets Reach Higher Levels Singapore: The rising environmental

consciousness of consumers in

Asia Pacific has placed the Green

Buildings market on the threshold

of significant growth. In markets

where awareness of the long-term

benefits of Green Buildings is markedly low, governments’ and

Green Building councils’ regulations, incentives, and certification

systems are proving invaluable.

This awareness issue, compounded by the high upfront costs

of the buildings and early market development stage in some

countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, makes it imperative

for builders to depend on regulatory support and Green Building

Certification programs.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan: Green Buildings - A

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

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

2009 and estimates this to reach 17 percent by 2015.

management,” says its company consultant Ranajay Dasgupta.

“Governments and Green Building associations, for their part,

should closely collaborate and offer more incentives to

the builders.”

Builders will also be hoping to benefit from corporate social

responsibility as well as Green Building recognitions, as Green

brands have better marketability. Although builders win considerable

orders from government and non-government projects, most of

their business is expected to come from premium customers.

Interestingly, the next wave of growth will be seen in buildings

that target middle-class consumers.

“The Asia Pacific Green Building market aims to promote

sustainable building constructions all over the world,” notes Mr

Dasgupta. “Green Buildings in Asia Pacific markets encourage

environment-friendly practices within the construction and

building industries as well as provide better design, healthier

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

higher productivity.”

Already, market stakeholders

in Australia, Singapore, and Hong

Kong are well educated about the

merits of Green Buildings. New

government initiatives such as the

Neutral Carbon Emission 2030

strategies will further promote

the market.

These marketing efforts are

not a recent development. Green

Buildings have been promoted

since 2000 but the market has

still not realised its potential and

this offers substantial scope for

growth. Nearly 14 percent of

the new buildings in developed

countries such as Australia

and Singapore are Green, and

the rest of the countries in the

region are expected to follow

suit. In fact, close to 30 percent

of the new buildings in the Asia

Pacific are expected to be Green

by 2015.

“To achieve such success,

developers across countries

need to exchange Green Building

materials and resources, as

well as upgrade their expertise,

skills, and practices related to

Green Building development and

D c

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UK

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14 FDM AsiA MARCH 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

PlywoodDespite the increase in production and use of MDF and OSB, the annual global production and consumption of plywood exceeds that of MDF. By Michael Buckley, Turnstone Singapore

Focus

Veneeron

Much of the world’s plywood production is softwood or mixed hardwood species mainly for

general construction use in shuttering, underlay, and general use where strength is critical. Such uses also include wood I-joists, glued-laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber.

The Plywood AdvantageThese products not only yield superior performance properties but also make better use of precious forest resources. And it all began with plywood. But there are also a number of specialised uses and particularly where expensive or exotic species are overlaid as veneer and where the plywood properties outperform particleboards or MDF.

In several cases such as marine plywood produced to international standards the species throughout the multi-layers are specified to durable species – mainly tropical. But wherever

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

There are few, if any, decorative species that cannot be sliced for overlay on plywood. From teak to walnut and any oak, fine veneers are available worldwide. What is important however is the construction of the plywood substrate because defects such as core gaps can telegraph through and ‘appear’ on the surface in a way less likely in MDF.

Machining, routing and moulding of plywood component parts is often more effective for high precision work after which MDF components may have little strength remaining. So here is a question of you get what you pay for.

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

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

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

History In The MakingPlywood has been around a very long time. According to APA, the Engineered Wood Association of America, archeologists have found traces of laminated wood in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. A thousand years ago, the Chinese shaved wood and glued it together for use in furniture. (So nothing new there!)

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARCH 2010 15

Focus

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

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

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

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

Focus

The Charlie Sideboard featuring

plywood edge

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

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

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

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

Source: APA


Focus

sawdust results from either rotary cutting or slicing (the two most popular methods of cutting veneer). Greater square foot coverage, in comparison to solid wood products, is achieved by using veneer. Thus, plywood manufacturing makes better use of the high value woods prized by consumers today”.

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

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

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

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

flooring of suitably hard decorative species laminated on base plywood. This has technical advantages of stability in manufacture and installation as well as extending valuable and costly forest resources.

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

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

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

Film and theatre sets are another key application, especially for thin plywood. Scene builders and scene shifters particularly love the strength-to-weight

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

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

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

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

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Designer shop display in Singapore's Orchard Road

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ENQUIRY NO. 2101

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

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

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

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

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

But in recent years some architects and designers have emphasised their use of plywood by showing its raw edge, as demonstrated in ‘The Charlie Sideboard’ by Design Refinery, designed and made in Melbourne, Australia from sustainable hoop pine plywood overlaid with American black walnut.

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Complex machining requires the strength of plywood

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

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

In conclusion, there seems to be a healthy and continuing need for plywood

– the pioneer of engineered wood – as well as a strong, stable and effective base material for some of the world’s rarer decorative species for high value applications. FDM

Renzo Piano’s Rome Auditorium

AH

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18 FDM AsiA March 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Technology

In a recent report by the International Furniture research Group (IFrG) in collaboration with researchers at the

Nanjing Forestry University, china, it was found that almost 63 percent of all furniture manufacturing, particularly solid wood and panel product manufacturers, both in china and the South-east asian region are involved in contract mass production.

as a result, the supply elasticity of products within these categories is getting smaller, due to the competition within the country as well as regional manufacturers. For example, the traditional English Windsor chair, has seen its price per unit being eroded from US$27 in 1993 down to US$6 in 2009. as such, there is an increasing need to optimise production processes, with the aim of reducing manufacturing cost in order to remain competitive.

although the report revealed the strategies used by manufacturers to

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

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

In fact, through the application of IcT tools, some of the manufacturers surveyed in the study have indicated a reduction of almost eight percent in their direct labour cost as well as supervision and administration costs. With the ever-increasing labour cost, both in china and the Southeast asian region, manufacturers are all geared towards savings in labour cost by means of IcT tools.

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

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

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

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

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

Solution

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OptimisingTheNesting


Technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

in the furniture manufacturing industry is often tedious and expensive.

Efficiency was constantly improved upon by integrating the furniture design software with the nesting process. according to panel processing machine manufacturers, NBM will continue to see improvements, with the software becoming more powerful. Options of curved surface, radius work and more are being integrated into the furniture design software packages.

For mass production furniture environments, four essential machine-stations make up the cornerstone of the manufacturing operations:

1. Through-feed panel processing lines, with an edgebanding line. This is a pre-requisite for efficient handling of panels materials used in the manufacture of case goods and office furniture.

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

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

With the increasing labour cost, both in China and the South-east Asian

region, manufacturers are all geared towards savings in labour cost by means

of ICT tools.


Technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On the other hand, high-end nesting cutting tools with four flutes usually produce up to 50 metres per minute, and produce an average of 45 panels. however, the single biggest drawback is that there is no possibility of re-sharpening the cutting tools.

although the improvement to efficiency is visible, the advantage in using higher end tooling is the speed in production and the choice made in the option for selecting these tools is solely left to the furniture manufacturer. The advantages of NBM is that it requires a simple set up, and reduces the inventory through

‘Just-In-Time’ (JIT) principles, reduces the need for floor space, and provide a degree of assured quality in assembly tooling scheduling, as well as a higher chance of increasing sales and profits.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In addition, there is less material handling because of the better accuracy and finish of the panel products cut when compared to a manual saw. Less skilled manpower is required to operate the cNc machine due to the automated NBM process. Ultimately, any software that is compatible with the factory’s machining line can yield a productive solution.

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


Technology

range can be produced in a short cycle time. In fact, with the advent of the NBM technology, production of office furniture on manual systems is unimaginable as the manufacturing cost becomes too prohibitive. In this context, the technology is here to stay and will continue to transform the panel products-based furniture industry. FDM

The author wishes to thank Biesse Group

of Italy for sharing their insights into the

NBM technology.

ENQUIRY NO. 2202

Trueshaped nesting is one such development that adds flexibility and value to the whole production process. This form of nesting confirms that there are no assumptions made by the software, while considering the sizes and shapes of the materials. The actual requirement is achieved and material wastages are reduced. It also enables the interlocking of parts.

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

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

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

Economics Of NbMFor many of the furniture manufacturers employing the technology, it is about speed, flexibility and cost competitiveness. as panel products based furniture becomes more complicated to suit the variable needs of customers, its manufacturing processes calls a very high degree of flexibility.

Through the use of automated machining stations, adverse product

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

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

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

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

FEATURES

Sliding table length

2,000, 2,600, 3,000 or 3,200 mm

Cutting width 1,000 or 1,300 mm

Cutting height max. 100, 125 mm

The Altendorf WA 8:

The benchmark for quality.

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

Altendorf Asia Sdn. Bhd.No. 45, Jalan TPP 1/1 · Taman Industri Puchong · 47100 Puchong, Selangor D. E. MalaysiaPhone +60 3 8060 9689 · Fax +60 8061 9689 · [email protected] · www.altendorf.com

sd_WA8_Anzeige+Produkt+171x122_01 1 02.02.2010 9:48:38 Uhr

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Technology

These days companies of great repute in the wood working industry are in for continuous improvement in r&D

as far as their products are concerned. They spend millions of dollars to get out the best solution to cater to the industry. This has resulted in a great boost for manufacturers of furniture and makers of panel boards who update their fleet with such modern improvisations and increase their profits.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continuous Reliabilty In

Technology

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

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Technology

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

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

• Panelboardstorage• Conveyingbymechanicalorrobotized

movement.• Impregnateddesignpaper/foils/veneer

etc• The hot press – the heart of the

system• Liftingnormallypneumatically• Conveyor which can be roller, belt

transmission etc• Sizing/Cutting• Storageofthefinishedprelaminated

boards

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

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

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

However, some companies havepatented their methods making them a monopoly.Siempelkemphavepatentedtheir paper laying technology which is more often used in laminate flooring. Inlinepaperlayingsystemisyetanotherway to stick the laminate and also enable systems to quickly transfer the layered panel with a fresh one. This is normallyusedbycompanieswhohaveveryhighoutputandismoreoftenusedin flooring products.

The company has also developedmachinery to produce thin boards with speeds from 105 m/min to 120 m/min. Thereisanimprovementinthedistributionof pressure by addition of more cylinders and distribution of heat uniformly in the platenswhichcanimprovetherigidnessor stiffness.

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

Of late high pressure laminate pressing lines(HPL)arealsousedtomanufactureproductsasmentionedabove.Normallyhighpressuredecorativelaminateslikeformica or sun mica are processed in theHPLlines.HPLisalsowidelyusedin industrial products like industrial laminatesusedininsulationboards,PCBswithcopperclad, insulatorsheetsandwherever high pressure is required forimpregnating any material onto it.

Very high production outputs like 12 million m2 of laminate are obtained fromtheHPL.Featureslikemould-platesafety,uninterruptedassemblyandlesserhumaninterventionisoftenfoundtobetherewardswhileusingtheHPL.Highpressure laminate lines can be further

enhanced by automating the line with optionslikeSCADA(SupervisoryControlandDataAcquisition), optimising layout,and automatic controls of press plates,timed cleaning systems and control of air.However, thecostofthesystemwillincrease proportionally with the addition of each system.

SCPs, HPLs and other pressingtechnologiesavailableinthemoderndayindustry is here to stay and continuous improvements will yield to moresophisticated lines in days to come. Itwon’t be longwhen everymediumandlarge scale manufacturer of the modular furniturewillequipthemselveswithsuchlines to cater to the ever demandingcustomer.Thepressingtechnologyisvastand continuous research is being made for economisation of lines for it to be available for every producer of furnitureallover theworld.

In addition to the speed andsophistication that is being involved inthe modern day short cycle pressing technology needs to be combined with factorswhichcanattributetothesavingin energy, usage of parts made fromcompositeorrecycledmaterialstoimprovethecostoftheentirelinewhichisaveryheavy budget. Can we imagine suchlines running on generators using solar power,orbycompactsteamgeneratorsfueled by waste from any other source? Why not?

Itonlyrequiresanattemptandwearesure that companies with great resources likethink-tanksintheirR&Ddepartments(who can modernise old ideas to latest trends)canfinditeasytomakeabreakthrough. Today's manufacturers need to pen down thoughts to reduce damage to nature,exploitationofournaturalresourcesand think hard on global warming issues. India’sMahatmaGandhireferredtoasthe'Fatherof thenation'once said that theearth has enough to satisfy everyone’sneed and not greed. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 2201

mr

aTm


Technology

Carbon nanotubes (cNTs), which were formerly perceived as highly expensive and problematic in

use particles, are now incorporated in various solutions, including as a flame retardant additive. Nowadays, few research groups are investigating this material even as an agent providing non-flammable feature to various products and coating layers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flame Retardant Additives:

TheRiseOfCarbon Nanotubes

Kor

nel K

ovac

s,S

zoln

ok,h

unga

ry

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

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

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

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARch 2010 25

Technology

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

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

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

As Such, cNTs-reinforced polymer or (metallic) is seen as a potentially fruitful area of new, tougher, and fatigue resistant material. Other additives like carbon nanofibres and can affect design material with its relatively huge sizes. Moreover, their price is also leveraged due to the increasing demand from aerospace sector.

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

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

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

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

On the other hand, application of single walled carbon nanotubes is now rather unrealistic for flame retardant nanocomposites, because of their low dispersive properties and high price. however, some latest experiments prove possibility of their high scale production.

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

Experiments proved that material failure as a flame retardant is mostly resulted due to its poor dispersion. however, this problem should be classified as a 'know how' limitation and many producers have overcome it in their technologies.

In effect, implementation part of cNTs seems to be a problem of the past. Now, they are perceived as promising additives even in the flame retardant solutions. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 2203

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

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

The global flame retardant chemicals market was 1.8 million metric tonnes (as of 2006) and its value is now estimated below US$3 billion. These numbers include the major flame retardants groups: inorganic, bromine-based, chlorine-based, phosphorus-based, and nitrogen-based. In addition, this market still exhibits increasing potential. The compound annual growth rate is estimated at four percent to five percent for the total market up to 2015, with the highest growth seen in developing countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, including china, India, and South Korea.

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

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

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

Moreover, the char made of carbon


Panels

�

Green. It’s here to stay. The term almost creates a feeling of satisfaction that someone has

looked at an item closely enough to say that its use is for the betterment of all. Building materials, electronics, transportation, furniture – choices are made to utilise the latest technology. To offer the most value, to know some thoughtful consideration was put into creating this green item.

Product design is obviously key from a saleability standpoint. If the design imparts a positive reaction, a purchase is made. Furniture has long played in the arena of creating a point of view. People desire to own a certain design and is proud to display and discuss the origin of their decision, about how their emotion moved them to bring this piece into their life.

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

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

Practices

Environmental Responsibility:

Green

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


Panels

extra fold here or a shade darker there. The building blocks of furniture are being taking into consideration more and more to the point that green has become part of the design, part of the slogan. End users are asking for green.

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

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

Consumer choices go back to the emotional, the design. Adhesives and coatings are these building blocks that not many people outside of the furniture manufacturing plant put much thought into. This is changing.

Over and over the consumer hears terms such as source reduction. Reduce, reuse and recycle. They know the smell of new car comes in part from adhesives. Formaldehyde is used on people recently passed, so to have the same material inside the table on which they eat causes one to think. How much energy is put into creating that attractive finish on the new bookshelf? How can adhesives and coatings play a role in helping move our comfort needs forward? Green.

Forward ThinkingSome manufacturers realised the need for environmentally friendly adhesives and developed polyurethane (PUR) hot melt adhesives for lamination as an alternative to solvent based adhesives. Kleiberit is an example of such a company. Its current PUR hot melt product line offers a wide range of quality adhesives for a variety of applications. Its primers complement their PUR hot melt adhesives with water based and low-VOC primers.

The transportation industry has long known the benefits of adhesives vs. mechanical fastening. Gas mileage is improved with the use of the lower weight adhesives. Hiding the fastener from the consumer was another step in the design process adding time and money. The repetitive nature of the fixing of the mechanical fastener was not

ergonomically positive. The health of our labour and the ability to travel further with less energy are green.

Furniture producers are rethinking their assembly processes to incorporate adhesives into their design to create some of the same benefits. Processes are being changed to accommodate new adhesive formulas that offer better, more consistent properties.

However, the rule does not stop at better, but cleaner, safer and more responsible. Thirty years ago solvent adhesives were the norm as they were easy to use and worked well in a wide variety of applications. It was obvious to some that in order to be environmentally responsible, these formulas needed to change. What could take the place of this popular and successful adhesive? Polyurethane hot melt.

New ApplicationNot a new development was polyurethane, but the application was new. We saw early, markets developing and changing, and felt that the adage “we’ve always done it that way” was old thinking. These new polyurethane adhesives became easy to use, fast and offered properties beyond the old technology. To benefit, it was green before green was a watchword. Polyurethane became a core competence.

The furniture industry continues to define new applications for the polyurethane adhesives which offer the flexibility to be used from the fabric to the rigid wood. No VOCs here, this is green and it’s only getting better. Lower monomer content

Customer specific bonding in all fields are conducted in the new technical center - to the customers advantage


Panels

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

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

Primers are used to create a surface that is adhesive friendly. Like the solvent adhesives of yesterday the primers worked well but didn’t offer a positive environmental choice. Low VOC and water base primers continue to meet the challenges of the design. The consumer may hear the term VOC, but is not likely to know or care about what vapour pressure the organics are measured.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Win-Win SituationWhat’s now available isn’t a replacement, but an advancement. No more does too much ozone exist. The manufacturing line need not be the length of a football field length in order to apply, sand, cure, dry and repeat the process. Where does the sanding go? If one applies a material to create a finish only to remove a portion, is this spending time and resources wisely?

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


Panels

ENQUIRY NO. 2301

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

The Green TrendGreen has become a sales tool and educating the consumer creating demand for green certification of product is growing. As shown, new products are being developed continuously to accommodate this almost insatiable need for environmental responsibility.

The producers of furniture, chemicals, windows, adhesives and even particle board have to listen to this calling or be left in the rear view mirror. In the US, the green trend has been set by California. Now, years after, other states and Canadian provinces are following the trend with similar emission laws. Both producer and consumer can enjoy the benefits of new greener technologies. It’s doesn’t come easy – but nothing this good and worthwhile ever does.

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

Panels

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

ENQU

IRY

NO.

128

HOMAG Asia Pvt Ltd No. 68 Sungei Kadut Loop · #04-00 NutzcentreSingapore 729504Tel. +65 63698183 ext 551 · Fax +65 [email protected]

Success with a system

High speed production of alltypes of high quality flooring

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

'Homag's flooring specialists understand thedemands of the worldwide standards andpatents for flooring production.'

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HOMAG

LIGMATECH

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.MARTINI-

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02/

2010

Mit Partnerschaft und Strategie zum Erfolg

50 years HOMAG

Securing success through partnership and strategy

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

30 FDM AsiA MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

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

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

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

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

Timber Export RecoveryMalaysia is expecting commodity exports, particularly exports of timber products, to recover in line with the economic recovery in both the EU and the US.

Exports of Malaysian commodities declined from RM112 billion (US$33 billion) in 2008 to only RM90 billion in 2009 due to the global economy slowdown.

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

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

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

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

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

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

MixedSentiments

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

MarketReport

Malaysia


Sarawak log, FOBMeranti SQ up Small Super smallKeruing SQ up Small Super smallKapur SQ upSelangan Batu SQ up

US$ per m3

227-251211-242203-227216-228196-226174-204206-231185-222

Pen. Malaysia logs, domestic(SQ ex-log yard)DR MerantiBalauMerbauRubberwoodKeruing

US$ per m3

233-252298-327323-35559-93216-232

Peninsular Malaysian meranti logs are top grade and are used for

scantlings for the EU. Their prices are higher than Sarawak’s.

Malaysia Sawnwood, FOBWhite Meranti A & upSeraya Scantlings (75x125 KD)Sepetir BoardsSesendok 25,50mmKembang Semangkok

US$ per m3

281-311433-446

250-272345-363

295-318

Malaysian Sawnwood, domesticBalau (25 & 50mm,100mm+)MerbauKempas 50mm x (75,100 & 125mm)Rubberwood 25 x 75 x 660mm up 50-75mm Sq. >75mm Sq.

US$ per m3

325-345451-503261-301

207-257246-278268-297

Malaysia ply MR BB/CC, FOB2.7mm3mm9mm & up

US$ per m3

404-466384-414330-402

Meranti ply BB/CC, domestic3mm12-18mm

US$ per m3

329-420313-342

Malaysia, Other Panels, FOB

Particleboard Export 12mm & up Domestic 12mm & up

MDF Export 15-19mm Domestic 12-18mm

US$ per m3

226-249212-229

279-310270-288

Malaysia, Mouldings, FOBSelagan Batu DeckingRed Meranti Mouldings 11 x 68/92mm x 7ft up Grade A Grade B

US$ per m3

530-540

545-558498-507

Malaysia, Rubberwood, FOBSemi-finished dining table solid laminated top 2.5’ x 4’, extension leafAs above, Oak VeneerWindsor ChairColonial ChairQueen Anne Chair (soft seat) without arm with armChair Seat 27 x 430 x 500mm

US$ per piece

62-8769-8361-6359-64

59-6759-6847-52

Rubberwood Tabletop22 x 760 x 1220mm sanded & edge profiledTop GradeStandard

US$ per m3

568-601552-571

MarketReport

Log Prices Other Panel Prices

Furniture And Parts PricesSawnwood Prices

Added Value Product Prices

Plywood Prices

32 FDM AsiA MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com32 FDM AsiA MARch 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indonesia logs, domestic pricesPlywood logs Face Logs Core logsSawlogs (Meranti)Falcata logsRubberwoodPineMahoni (plantation mahogany)

US$ per m3

187-230169-202178-239147-181

51-75160-199468-495

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

US$ per m3

177-196199-233

219-242223-250

234-248221-239204-223

Indonesia ply MR BB/CC, FOB2.7mm3mm6mm

US$ per m3

392-449349-390328-370

MR Plywood (Jakarta), domestic9mm12mm15mm

US$ per m3

250-261242-252231-245

Indonesia, Other Panels, FOBParticleboard Export 9-18mm Domestic 9mm 12-15mm 18mm

MDF Export 12-18mm Domestic 12-18mm

US$ per m3

215-224194-206186-197176-188

249-262231-242

Indonesia, Mouldings, FOBLaminated BoardsFalcata woodRed Meranti Mouldings 11 x 68/92mm x 7ft up Grade A Grade B

US$ per m3

297-309

484-518440-461

Sawnwood Prices

Plywood Prices

Other Panel Prices

Added Value Product Prices

Log Prices (Domestic)

Indonesia

MarketReport


MarketReport

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

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

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

Sawnwood imports totaled 9.88 million cu m, valued at US$2,319 million in 2009, up 39 percent in volume and 15 percent in value over 2008. Of the total, softwood sawnwood imports were 6.34 million cu m, valued at US$1,099 million, up 74 percent in volume and 52 percent in value from 2008. hardwood sawnwood imports were 3.54 million cu m, valued at US$1,220 million, up 3 percent and down 6 percent respectively.

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

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

Fibreboard imports amounted to 288,800 tonnes, valued at US$119.5 million, down nine percent in volume and 15 percent in value from 2008. Particleboard imports came to 290,200 tons, valued at

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

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

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

Wood-Based Panel ExportsPlywood: A total of 5.63 million cu m of plywood were exported in 2009, valued at US$2,524 million, down 22 percent in volume and 26 percent in value from 2008.Fiberboard: Fiberboard exports totaled 1.50 million tons in 2009, valued at US$883 million, down 20 percent in volume and 19 percent in value from 2008.Particleboard: Particle board exports totaled 80 600 tons in 2009, valued at US$32.38 million, down 36 percent in volume and 29 percent in value from 2008.Veneer: veneer exports amounted to 85,700 tonnes in 2009, valued at US$172.68 million, down 22 percent in volume and 29 percent in value from 2008.Sawnwood: A total of 555 900 cu m of sawnwood were exported in 2009, valued at US$345 million, down 19 percent in volume and 14 percent in value from 2008.

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

China


ITTO

TTM

Rep

ort

LogsLauan (50-60cm)Kapur (up to 79cm)Merbau 6m, (up to 79cm)TeakWenge

SawnwoodTeak sawn grade A (Africa)US Maple 2” KDUS Cherry 2”US Walnut 2”LauanOkoumeSapele

Yuan per m3

1900-21001900-21003500-4000

11000-130005200-5300

93007500-10000

10000-1300014000-155003500-38004500-50005400-6000

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

Yuan per m3

4800-49004500-4600

9800-10050

6000-61005700-5800

LogsLarch 6m, 24-28cm diam.White Pine 6m, 24-28cm diam.Korean Pine 4m, 30cm diam. 6m, 30cm diam.Mongolian ScotsPine 6m, 30cm diam.

Yuan per m3

11601250

14001500

1220

LogsKorean Pine 4m, 38cm+ diam.Mongolian Scots Pine 4m, 30cm diam. 6m, 30cm+ diam.SawnwoodMongolian Scots Pine 4m, 5-6cm thick 4m,10cm thick

Yuan per m3

165012001300

14001450

LogsOkoume 80cm+Sapele 80cm+Wenge 80cm+

SawnwoodDoussieEuropean beech boulesRadiata

PlywoodUS Black Walnut 4x8x3 mmBeech 4x8x3 mmTeak 4x8x3 mmPoplar (4x8x3-5 mm)

Yuan per m3

2900-34006000-6600

13000-14500

3600-40003200-3400800-1200

6000-80006000-80006000-80003000-4000

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

According to the Distribution Plan for Export Quotas of Sawnwood in 2010, the total export of sawnwood in 2010 is 212,000 cu m. Among 29 provinces or companies who are getting export quotas, there are six provinces (cities) whose export quota is over 10 000 cu m each. They are Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, 98 200 cu m; Dalian city, 17 100 cu m; Sichuan Province, 16 600 cu m; heilongjiang Province, 16 000 cu m; Tianjin city, 14 700 cu m and Jilin Province, 13 300 cu m.

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

ENQUIRY NO. 2704

Guangzhou City Imported Timber Market

Shanghai Furen Wholesale Market

Shandong De Zhou Timber Market

Zhejiang Jiashan Kaihua International Timber Market

Hebei Shijiangzhuang Wholesale Market

MarketReport


Special Editorial Feature

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accoya® wood can be cut into various

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

Interview with CEO of Diamond Wood

Mr Stan FrenchChief Executive Officer Diamond Wood China



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

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

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

Q: What are the merits of Accoya® wood compared to other typical hardwood species? A: Accoya® wood’s high-performance characteristics equal or even surpass the best tropical hardwood species. First, it

possesses excellent class I durability and weather resistance, perfect for outdoor use. Next, it’s dimensional stability up to 97.7 percent, is highest among all the hardwood speices. Compared with other woods, the swelling and shrinkage of Accoya® wood is reduced by 75 percent or more, making its surface coating and varnish last three or four times longer, greatly reducing maintenance costs. Moreover, Accoya® wood is also non-toxic and environmentally friendly which can be safely reused and recycled. The wood is indigestible to insects and micro-organisms and therefore more resistant to decay. Accoya® wood has superior resistance to the effects of UV exposure when translucent coated, means that its natural appearance is retained for longer, meanwhile, the wood has reduced thermal conductivity, offering superior heat insulation and energy conserving

Besides that, the yield rate for Accoya® wood is up to 98 percent, whereas for most other wood species, this rate is normally in the 60-70 percent range. As the whole block of Accoya® wood has uniform density, it can avoid

an intractable problem faced by most timbers: wood knots.

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

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

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



ENQUIRY NO. 2601

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

Diamond Wood is addressing a growing market for performance wood, which in China alone has already reached over US$20 billion per year. The company works with domestic Asian construction firms and Asian wood product manufacturers.

Q: What is the market feedback for Accoya® wood? And what are its production plans in China?A: The feedback is wonderful, especially from architects, building companies and manufacturers of wooden products. The wood can meet huge demands no matter from environment point of view or performance requirement. The big issue for green tech is that it is often not economical. Accoya® wood is both environmentally and ecologically excellent. We have attended a series of important shows in 2009 like the Tianjin Int’l Garden & Landscape Design & Facilities Exhibition, Shanghai International Garden and Landscape Design & City Construction Exhibition and CIFF Guangzhou, etc. We hope through these shows, we can make more architects and manufacturers aware of Accoya® wood and its superior functions and ultimately increase its usage in more extensive projects and applications.

Our first factory in Nanjing, will be capable of producing more than 360,000 m³ of Accoya® wood per year. It is expected to be fully operational in 2011. Until the Nanjing factory is completed and operational, we will import Accoya® wood from Titan Wood’s factory in Europe with a view to developing key Asian customers and channel partners.

Q: What are the outstanding applications of Accoya® wood? Could you cite some famous and typical cases of its usage?A: Accoya® wood’s unique characteristics outperform any other timber species. We have turned traditional perceptions of wood as a construction material with severe limits to be used in a much wider field of applications.

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

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

Q: How will you envision the market outlook for 2010? Will you have further expansion plans? A: Asia, especially China, is still a vast market for our marketing operation. The construction economy is in good shape, the outlook for the building industry is

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

Q: What is your general business ideology and winningformula for your company’s success?A: Firstly, the product quality will be always in the focal point. The design and function of our product has aroused more attention worldwide. We intend to offer the market a cost effective, durable and sustainable outdoor timber solution.

We have talented, passionate and well-trained employees who have a common goal for being the leader in this industry and servicing our clients’ needs fully. Meanwhile, we know the art for constantly challenge ourselves to scale new heights and not cease to try innovative technologies for further improving our product. All these elements place us on the leading edge in this industry. FDM

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


Surfaces & Flooring

Of the myriad of interiors that use melamine papers, laminate flooring represents one of the fastest growing applications. The popularity of melamine papers in

laminate flooring is largely due to the durability of the melamine resin impregnated papers.

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

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

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

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

Papers designed for living spaces often sport natural themes. Emphasis is placed on creating a warm, conducive and cosy

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

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

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

Laminating Paper

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

The industrial look features melamine papers with a

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Melamine papers are a subset of décor papers which

have been saturated with melamine resin. The ubiquitous

melamine, a low pressure laminate, is the result of

thermally fusing melamine paper onto a substrate, usually

chipboard or medium density fibreboard.

The use of melamine papers however, is not

restricted to producing low pressure laminates. High

pressure laminates also feature décor papers saturated

with melamine resin, with several layers of kraft paper

impregnated with phenolic resin forming the backing to

the décor paper overlay. Laminates featuring designs

printed on melamine paper have found their way into

virtually every living and commercial space.

The designs of melamine paper are printed on alpha

cellulose paper, which is regarded as the premium grade

in the paper manufacturing industry. The décor paper is

then impregnated with melamine resin. The two most

commonly used resins are melamine formaldehyde (MF)

and melamine urea formaldehyde (MUF).

Once the décor paper is saturated with the resin,

it is partially thermally cured under carefully controlled

conditions, in a a process known as the B-stage. The

partially cured melamine paper is then cut into customer

specified sheets and wrapped in plastic.

As the melamine paper is an intermediate product,

storage conditions must be monitored to prevent premature

advancement (known as ‘blocking’) of the resin. The

optimal storage conditions consist of room temperature

(25 deg C) and 50 percent relative humidity.

High humidity and temperature may cause the

aforementioned blocking and shorten shelf life of the

paper. The premature advancement of the melamine paper

will subsequently

produce an inferior

quality laminate.

Storage life of

the melamine is

approximately three

months.

For papers in

a particular quality

grade, the difference

in price is often due

to the complexity

and quality of the

imprinted design.

Back To Basicssubtle patina to simulate unfinished cement, while high-gloss, mirrored finishes are used to create the realism of steel and aluminium.

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

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

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

Realism In SimulationIn fact, one of the greatest advantages of utilising melamine

papers is their affordability. Laminate surfaces featuring

melamine papers are more cost-effective when compared

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ENQUIRY NO. 2401

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to competing surfaces such as natural wood,

marble and metal.

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

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

From the low pressure laminate to the hard-wearing high pressure laminate, the melamine paper looks likely to be remain a popular printing décor overlay for years to come. FDM

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In today’s market, demands for guarantees of overall fitness for purpose are increasing. No longer is it enough for a doorset simply to work at a building handover. The contractor

and owner want evidence that it will continue to perform well into the warranty period of the building and beyond.

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

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

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

specifiers. The scheme is deliberately ‘heavyweight’ in terms of the performance criteria demanded – it is based on sister company chiltern Dynamics’ highly successful classification for Service Life Test Programme cDTM01.

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

however, while testing demonstrates that one individual product is able to meet certain requirements, third-party certification provides the assurance that all doorsets coming from the production line would be made to the same specification as that originally tested. As such, certification such as the Q-Mark gives manufacturers a major competitive advantage and is an invaluable yardstick for the specifier. BM TRADA Q-Mark schemes are acknowledged to

Opening

Andy Sumner, Senior Technical Consultant, BM TRADA Certification Ltd, discusses third-party

Q-Mark certification scheme for doorsets to prove lifetime performance.

CDTM01 Classification for Service Life test programme incorporates elements from a number of British and European standards.

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

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

Over the years working closely with industry, chiltern Dynamics has developed and refined the cDTM01 test programme to ensure that testing fully represents the end use environment and the new Q-Mark scheme reflects that. It incorporates the most demanding elements from a number of British and European standards, including the DD 171 Guide to specifying performance requirements for hinged or pivoted doors; BS EN 1191 Windows and doors – resistance to repeated opening and closing – test method; BS EN 1192 Doors – classification of strength requirements; and BS EN 12046-2 Operating forces

– Test method – doors.Based on their performance under testing, doors can then

be classified against BS EN 12400: Windows and doors – Mechanical durability – Requirements and classification. The classification is expressed as a category of duty. The test programme covers a whole range of criteria, including:• Vertical load• StaticTorsion• Softandheavy impact• Hardbody impact• Slammingshut• Slammingopen• Closureagainstobstruction• Resistance to jarringandvibration• Abusive forceonhandles• Operating forces

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

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

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

The ‘severe duty’ classification represents what the standards refer to as the ’frequent violent usage’ doorsets may undergo in a busy school or hospital environment, for example – and in response to feedback from the industry, Chiltern Dynamics can now add a

‘very severe’ classification to the programme if additional testing is carried out, for example applying higher forces or increasing the severity of testing, as applicable.

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

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

44 FDM AsiA MARCh 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

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

A nominated person in the member’s organisation will be responsible for looking after the Q-Mark enhanced lifetime performance scheme, which also requires:• Controlled documented procedures defining the critical

areas of doorset manufacture and assembly, including customer requirements, work instructions, traceability and quality control.

• Trainingrecordstobekeptforthosepeopledirectlyinvolvedwith the process of manufacturing certified products.

• Aprocess to recordcustomer feedback.• Installation/ maintenance instructions to ensure that

the finished product is installed and functions as it was designed.

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

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

Testing is a key part of any certification programme.

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

About bM tRADA CeRtifiCAtion...Part of the BM TRADA Group, BM TRADA

Certification is a leading multi-sector

certification body accredited by the United

Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Established in the construction industry

for more than 30 years, BM TRADA offers

certification to quality, environmental,

information security and health & safety

management systems, as well as chain of

custody and personnel schemes. It also

offers its own Q-Mark range of product

certification schemes, CE marking and

British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC)

window energy rating, as well as a wide

range of training courses. The company

has established joint venture partnerships

in Spain, Latvia and Turkey and works

with agents in more than 40 countries

around the world.

By specifying or selecting a Q-Marked

product assures that every product

manufactured offers the same level of

performance through an approved quality

management system. Performance and

production continue to be regularly

checked through audit testing and

inspections.

ENQUIRY NO. 1602

Doorsets which have achieved the Q-Mark for Enhanced lifetime performance will also be well placed to enter the wider European market. The Construction Products Directive (CPD) considers the requirements for durability of products, demonstrated by testing an ‘as built’ doorset. Cyclic testing of doorsets is used as a mechanism to demonstrate durability along with other performance tests, to comply with national regulatory requirements, compliance with the CPD and ultimately achieving CE marking. FDM

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA MARCh 2010 45

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Give us a little background about yourself.A: I was born in Australia and moved to Singapore three years ago, after spending two years in England and Italy.

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

Like many of the arts of that require some amount of raw talent, do you see being a designer as more of a calling then a job?A: Talent is one aspect, but I think a lot of the skills can be learnt. It’s not so much the raw talent but the way you think and your passion for the job,

Jarrod Lim:

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

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

So is being a designer all work and no play then?A: Well, in reality, there are fun parts to the job. The actual designing part of the job is quite fun, the drawing and stuff like that is fun but these are just only such a small portion of what you actually have to do to get the product made and manufactured.

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

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

As a designer, what is it about wood that draws and attracts you to use it as a design material for your furniture designs and pieces?A: Well, for one, I like the natural warmth of wood. It is just a very human material, something easy to live with. And aesthetically speaking, it’s sort of soft and warm as well. In short, it has that very homely appeal and it can also be still quite modern and not really all that antiquated country style.

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

How long have your design concepts revolved around wood? A: When I was working in England and Italy, I worked mostly with wood – designing tables, chairs and cabinets. That hasn’t changed after coming to Singapore. In fact, I have probably done a lot more wooden products because there are so many wood-based manufacturing

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companies around the region, especially in Indonesia.

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

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

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

How does wood measure up when compared with metals and composites?A: There will always be a market for wooden furniture. It’s not really a competitor or a competition with other materials used for furniture design and manufacturing.

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

It’s not so much that they want a wooden chair, or table, it just that all their machines are wooden furniture manufacturing machines so they can only produce wooden furniture designs. Some of the other companies I work for, specialises in metals products while some companies specialises in small items. There are a lot of companies in

the region specialising in making wooden furniture.

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

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

How do you see the future of wood being used in furniture design and manufacturing? A: I think the demand for wood in my business will remain pretty stable. Importantly is where the wooden furniture is made. Once again, there will always be a market for wood in the arena of furniture design and manufacturing.

Bezier Coffee Tables

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

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

Have you designed wooden furniture for the Western market? A: Yes, all my products are not so much aimed at a particular market but at the international furniture design scene. When I was working in Europe, everything we did was European based. Then, I was just designing for the international market, and now I still do.

If so what do you think are some variations and differences of the western wooden furniture market’s temperaments and requirements as contrasted with wooden furniture market in the East, Singapore and Asia at large.A: Well, there are a lot of differences. Even between the western markets, there are a lot of differences in market temperaments between America and Europe. The Americans sort of prefer heavier and thicker furniture: a bit more sort of country style or old and traditional style kind of furniture. Whereas, maybe some of the Europeans prefer furniture that is a bit more slender, a bit more modern. Asia, with the exception of

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

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

Singapore is a very small market so there is no specific character of the Singapore market per se that you can say, “Ok, we need to specifically design our furniture for this particular market that likes their furniture this particular way or we need to change this part of the design to fit Singapore’s market”. Singapore kind of just takes whatever comes out of the west or the east, mostly from the West.

Could you tell us about your latest range of products? What were your inspirations? And what do you hope to convey?A: I think my new product range is trying to do sort of a clean modern

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

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

ENQUIRY NO. 2503


&DesignDecor

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

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

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

I think what gives the furniture design and manufacturing industry a bad name would be the large manufacturing companies that mass produce furniture from lower-priced timber and sell them

cheap. These are the sorts of furniture that gets thrown away after a while

and thus contributes to the wastage of our natural resources.

So if I can design a better chair that would probably use the same amount of wood as some other chair that they would manufacture. And if I can design a chair that people

see and say “This chair is much nicer

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

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

So if the wood is going be used, it’s better to turn it into something valuable. I think there is always going to be a demand for wooden furniture. But its whether you turn it into a cheap piece of furniture that will only last three years or whether you turn it into an expensive or rather well-made piece of furniture that will last 20 years.

With regard to the manufacturing process, how do you go about navigating through the whole manufacturing process from the conceptualisation of your furniture designs to its completion?A: I work with the manufacturers and I have to build a relationship with them, know what they are capable of designing and making. And you design something and generally you work together to see what the best way of producing a sample, testing it, and see if it’s going to work. We then consider whether its too expensive to make, or too difficult to make and make the necessary adjustments.

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

Apex Chairs

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


&DesignDecor

Edgebanding technology has come a long way since the late 1990s, certainly from the days

of iron on edgings. With the current edgebanding technology, it is relatively easy to accommodate all the needs of the panel-based furniture manufacturers, whether it is high volume production runs or smaller batch quantities.

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

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

3D Edgebanding:

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

Generation Product

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&DesignDecor

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

• highpressure laminateedging• acrylicmultiplex3Ddesigns• veneeredgeband• solidhardwoodsofupto20mmin

thickness

Theseedgebandingsarecommonlyused on single and double-sided lines enablinghighspeed,highqualityproductiononto melamine-faced chipboard, melamine-faced MDF, door-blanks, laminatedchipboard,MDFor plywood, and evensolid grade laminates. These panels are usuallypre-milled foraqualityfinish.

Inrecentyears,withthe3Dedgeband

technology, a dimension of bothfunctionalityandaestheticstoedge-bandmanufacturing has been realised.

The3Dedge-bandsaremanufacturedintransparentacrylic,andtheirdecorativefinish is applied on the reverse side.Viewed through the glass-clear material, thedecorativefinishgainsadepthanda3Deffect.Theedgebandsurfacecanbepolished toanydesired levelofgloss.

The hard acrylic layer protects thecoloursordecorativefinishesappliedtothereversefromanykindofdamage,andeverydecorativeimageremainsperfectlypreservedeven formilled radii.The3Dedge-bandscanbeappliedmanuallyandautomatically when straight processingon all edge-band gluing machines with hot-meltadhesive technology.

Generally, thermoplastic edgebands

settheglobaltrendsinqualityanddesign.Whether used in the kitchen, bathroom, and livingroomorat theoffice, the3Dedgebandensuresacreativeandclassylook. Used on the front, carcass, table and worktop, It offers numerous applications to ensure design-oriented accents.

An Edge For 3DThe premium natural edgebands appears as natural as to be almost indistinguishable from genuine wood. Matt lacquer and naturalistic embossing gives the structure a natural-seeming velvety andwoodencharacter. combined with matching boards, it results in a perfect genuine wooddecorativefinish.

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


&DesignDecor

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

The edgebands demonstrate very good surface durability and are robust in the face of mechanical and chemical attacks. Different edgeband solutions are on offer in the marketplace, from suppliers such as Dollken and Rehau, for widely varying needs and requests

– always matched exactly to the gloss level and the decorative appearance of the board.

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

• Thehigh-classappearance• Theprintedimagesarecompletelysafe

from damage and remain preserved even for milled radii

• Theedgebandsurfacecanbepolishedto any level of gloss

• The availability of many up-to-datecolours and decorative finishes

• The possibility of made-to-orderproduction for any desired decorative finish

• Therobustandgoodsurfacedurabilityprovides an excellent surface for consumers

• Thewidevarietyofedgebandsolutionsavailable to cater for various substrates to suit various applications and price-points

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

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

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

According to the international Furniture Research Group (IFRG), the market for edge-bands in the Asian furniture sector is poised to hit US$100 million per annum, within the next years. If this upward trend continues, edgebanding technology can gain greater prominence as an element of ‘value-creation’ within the furniture industry. After all, being fashion, edgebands on furniture will enhance its aesthetics. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 2502

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Advertorial

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

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

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

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

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

is equipped with a special power package.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Homag Asia Pte Ltdemail [email protected]: +65 6369 8183 for more information

For the manufacturing of

Kitchens, Office, Lounge, DiningAnd Bedroom Furniture

Advertorial

Homag:

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Wood & Sustainability

In the US, real wood flooring is the norm, whereas in Europe, wood still accounts for less than six percent

of floor coverings by area, in terms of new installations.

The European Federation of Parquet Flooring (FEP) estimates that its members’ wood-based flooring sales dropped by seven percent in 2008, and by 15 percent in 2009. Does this have anything to do with the sustainability of hardwood raw material? Not really, for several reasons.

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

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

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

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

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

As always, cost comparison is important, but in the case of flooring, so are installation and performance in use. These, in turn, influence consumer attitudes and in this respect, the US leads Europe in the sense that more American consumers see wood as the natural material for flooring.

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

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

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

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

Wood Flooring 2010:

& Sustainability

SpeciesSpecies



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

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

The world’s forests in the US, Europe and tropical countries offer a huge choice of species that are suitable for flooring. But as suggested at the recent AHEC industry conference presentation in Athens, there are four main commercial hardwoods of major significance in the world; oak, beech, teak and the mahoganies. All are suitable for flooring from a technical point of view, along with many others.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flooring productsM k t h 2008 ( di t I t t ft)Market shares 2008 (according to Intercontuft)

FEP European Federation of the Parquet IndustryFEP Fédération européenne de l’industrie du parquetFEP Föderation der europäischen Parkett-Industrie

StatisticsStatistics 20082008

Parquet production vs. consumption in 000 m²

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60.000

70.000

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Total Production Total consumption

FEP European Federation of the Parquet IndustryFEP Fédération européenne de l’industrie du parquetFEP Föderation der europäischen Parkett-Industrie

StatisticsStatistics 20082008

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

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

The reference by FEP to tropical species encompasses a huge number of species ranging from the popular merbau, now under resource pressure, to lesser known South American species found inconsistently in natural forests. What stands out clearly from the FEP data is the fact that excluding tropical species in 2008, oak (red and white), ash and beech accounted for 84 percent of the non-tropical species consumed in Europe.

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

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

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

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

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

Red oak flooring in Shanghai residence AH

EC

0%

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60% 57,6%

0,5%6,5%

1,0% 0,8% 2,1%7,0%

0,6% 4,4%0,2% 1,3%

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Species - Usage rate in 2008 (%)

Oak

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Beech

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Maple AshAcacia

PineEuc

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Use Of Wood Species

However, in the longer term there is no reason to believe that

wood flooring demand will do anything other than increase.



ENQUIRY NO. 2801

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

Visiting from Hong Kong, John Chan,

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

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

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

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Exhibition Review

DomotexHannover2010

Domotex hannover 2010 ended with a substantial rise in attendance. Over the four days (January

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

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

for Industry

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

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

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

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


Exhibition Review

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

Professor Venn also identified some clear trends for other types of flooring on display, for example, an increasing preference for parquet made of domestic wood displaying a highly visible grain. This is indicative of a rising interest in natural authenticity, he explained.

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

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

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

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

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

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

and application technologies. These trends were also broadly reflected

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

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

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

The next Domotex hannover runs from January 15 to 18, 2011. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 1401


Exhibition Review

Led by the Singapore Furniture Industries council (SFIc), Singapore Mozaic ambassadors and other

local companies, returned with excellent sales results from imm cologne 2010 which ran from January 19 to 24. The 16 Singapore participants clearly impressed and secured S$14.6 million (US$10.4 million) in on-spot orders, with S$15.4 million worth of sales under negotiation. The contingent also forecasts an additional S$236 million worth of sales in the coming 12 months, a more than 200 per cent increase from 2009.

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

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

Flying the Singapore Mozaic flag were Air Division, Eurosa Furniture, haleywood Industries, home of homes Furniture, hTL, Koda, Lorenzo, MLc Marketing, Richin Furniture Décor, Star Furniture, Suncoast Sitra, Univonna and Urban Foundry. Also showing as part of the Singapore Pavilion were Ivena International, Wayco International and Wood Bros Furniture.

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

in the European market by showcasing their range of fine products and innovative designs in such a high-profile event on the international furniture circuit. having learnt a lot from last year’s debut experience, the Singapore contingent really upped their game and as a result, achieved an exponential increase in sales figures,” said Andrew Ng, president of SFIc.

The participation of Singapore companies in imm cologne 2010 was also supported by IE Singapore. Said Tan Soon Kim, IE Singapore’s Lifestyle Business Group director: “One feature which stood out this year at the fair was Singapore companies’ green furniture showcase. We received positive feedback from European visitors on companies such as haleywood Industries, home of homes Furniture and Koda’s incorporation of environmentally-friendly features into their furniture design.”

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

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

IMMCologne 2010:

Singapore MozaicA group of companies led by the Singapore

Furniture Industries Council brings in substantial orders for the island state.

makes an impression at


Exhibition Review

ENQUIRY NO. 2703

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

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

Added Mr Ng: “As a brand, Singapore

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

The Next ShowSingapore Mozaic will next be showcasing

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

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

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Exhibition Preview

T he global economy is picking up again and china is leading the way. The Organisation for

Economic co-operation & Development (OEcD) is forecasting that the country will see a growth in GDP of 10.2 percent in 2010. It is in this environment that the Shenzhen convention & Expo centre will host its second ZOW supplier fair for the furniture industry and interior design between March 19 and 22, 2010.

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

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

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

The two fairs running at the same time allows trade visitors from the furniture industry and interior design to find out all they need to know about new products and forge contacts, both within the sector and with other industries. 2010 will see SIFE again play host to a number of relevant events, such as the South East Asia Domain, the Designers´ Dome, the china Square, Decostyle and Woodworking Machinery.

The M Technology Award exhibition showcases a selection of the best international supplier products. It was presented for the first time at ZOW in Verona 2009 and now, it’s going global. Of the 60 submissions that were received, 20 received awards, with just two receiving a gold award and four a silver one. The M Technology Award in gold

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

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

Open, transparent stands of defined sizes, built with standard modules, invite visitors to come and discover exhibitors’ products and give even smaller companies the opportunity to make an impact. Forum areas with catering provide an opportunity for exhibitors and visitors to relax and talk on a more informal basis. FDM

March 19 - 22, 2010

ENQUIRY NO. 2702

Shenzhen

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

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

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

Product highlights

Solid content % 49

Viscousity (cps), 30 c 8000-12000

Minimum film forming temperature 5Oc

60 min cold clamp laminated (Beech) 9.49MPa

60 min conditioning time 14.48MPa(Beech wood laminated specimen)

Enquiry No: 2901 Enquiry No: 2903


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

Dorus MD 3961A performs very well in damp environments, for example, for products used in kitchens, bathrooms as well as semi-outdoor environments such as windows and doors. It can also be applied on finger jointing, furniture assembly, solid soft wood laminating, veneers, hPL, or paper overlay to MDF boards, chipboards and honeycomb panels.

Titus: Dowel CombinationTiThe Titus cam3000 and Quickfit TL2 dowel combination is designed to overcome the problems of inaccurate drilling that sometimes occurs in furniture production.

The Quickfit TL2 has an in-built self-adjustment feature that provides a tolerance of +/-1 mm on face drilling for cam. Fins on the plastic sleeve of the dowel work as a positive stop and ensure correct insertion preventing additional in-accuracies caused by over-insertion. The Titus cam3000 has been designed to improve customer assembly experience with a cam profile that enables a smoother closing action. It always locks at 230° (two o’clock) assuring greater dowel pull-up and reliability of closing.

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

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


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

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

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

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



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

price-performance ratio. The softening range of approximately 120 deg c is above the value for the EVA hot melt adhesives.

The heat resistance of the Jowat-Toptherm 237.00 is also much higher than for the standard

EVA edgebanding hot melt adhesives. This product can also be used to assemble kitchen cabinets.

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

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

The scratch-resistant coating of print base and decor papers is done with its electron beam (ESh) lines to thermoplastic furniture foils. Different types of thermoplastic substrate foils on the basis of, for example, PVc, PP, PET and ABS, are coated with high-gloss acrylate resins, ensuring scratch resistance values of approx. 1.5 to 3 N.

Alternatively, all other surface structures previously produced can be applied to thermoplastic substrates. In the field of hPL lamination, ESh technology has made it possible to produce an extremely hard hPL panel.

Calendar of Events 2010

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

Singapore

International Furniture Fair Singapore

Tel: + 65 6569 6988

Fax: + 65 6569 9939

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.iffs.com.sg

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

Beijing, China

Adsale Exhibition Services

Tel: + 852 2516 3382

Fax: + 852 2516 5024


Website: www.woodworkfair.com

10 - 14 – TIFF 2010: Thailand International Furniture FairImpact Exhibition Center, Munag Thong Thani

Nonthaburi, Thailand

Department of Export Promotion

Royal Thai Government

Tel: + 66 2512 0093


Website: www.thaitradefair.com

11 - 14 – IFFINA 2010: International Furniture & Craft Fair IndonesiaJakarta International Expo Centre

Kemayoran Jakarta, Indonesia.

Dyandra Promosindo

Tel: + 62 21 392 6867 ext 117


Website: www.iffina-indonesia.com

12 - 15 – Vietnam International Furniture and Home Accessories Fair (VIFA) Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC)

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Handicraft and Wood Industry Association

Tel: + 848 5404 2463 39143851

Fax: + 848 5404 2464


Website: www.vifafair.com

12 - 15 – TIFL: Taiwan International Furniture and Lighting ShowTaipei World Trade Center

Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan External Trade Development Council

Tel: + 886 2 2725 5200 ext. 2 629

Fax: + 886 2 2722 7324


Website: www.tifl.com.tw

19 - 22 – ZOW Shenzhen Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center

Shenzhen, China

Survey Marketing + Consulting GmbH and Co. KG

Tel: +603 2094 2880

Fax: +603 2094 2881


Website: www.zow-shenzhen.cn

23 - 25 – Domotex Asia / ChinaFloor Shanghai New International Expo Center

Shanghai, China Deutsche Messe and VNU Exhibitions Asia

Tel: + 86 21 6247 7668

Fax: + 86 21 6247 6638

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.domotexasiachinafloor.com

24 - 27 – EXPOBOIS Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre

Paris, France

Tel: + 33 01 42 93 04 04


Website: www.en.expobois.fr

MARCH

2 - 6 – MIFF: Malaysian International Furniture FairPutra World Trade Centre

MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

MIFF Sdn Bhd

Tel: + 603 9282 2888

Fax: + 603 9286 1551


Website: www.miff.com.my

4 - 7 – Manila Now: PIFS 2010 Philippines International Furniture Show

SMX Convention Centre

Manila, Philippines

Global-Link Exhibitions Specialist

Tel: + 632 750 8588

Fax: + 632 750 8585


Website: www.globallinkmp.com

4 - 8 – Indiawood 2010 Bangalore International

Exhibition Centre

Bangalore, India

PDA Trade Fairs

Tel: + 91 80 25513081

Fax: + 91 80 25542258


Website: www.indiawood.com

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

Salinas Drive.

Cebu, Philippines

Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation

Tel: + 63 32 422 8083

Fax: + 63 32 422 8081


Website: www.cebunext.com

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


Calendar of Events 2010

24 - 27 – Holz-HandwerkExhibition Centre Nuremberg

Messezentrum, 90471

Nürnberg, Germany

Nürnberg Messe GmbH

Tel: + 49 0911 86 06-0

Fax: + 49 0911 86 06 8228


Website: www.holz-handwerk.de

27 - 30 – interzum guangzhou China Import and Export Fair

Pazhou Complex

Guangzhou, China

Koelnmesse

Tel: + 86 20 8755 2468

Fax: + 86 20 8755 2970


Website: www.interzum-guangzhou.com

April

13 - 15 – WOODSHOW 2010: Dubai wood & wood products showDubai Airport Expo

Dubai, United Arabs Emirates

Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions

Tel: + 971 4 28 29 299

Fax: + 971 4 28 28 767


Website: www.dubaiwoodshow.com

14 - 17 – Vietnam Expo 2010Vietnam Exhibition & Fair Centre

Hanoi, Vietnam

Vietnam National Trade Fair & Advertising Co

Te: + 84 4382 555 46

Fax: + 84 4393 630 85


Website: www.vietnamexpo.com.vn

23 - 26 – China (North) International Furniture and Woodworking Machinery Fair (NCIFF) Qingdao International Convention

and Exhibition Centre

Qingdao, China

Jinan Deruijia Exhibition and Shandong

Furniture Association

Tel: + 0531 82730239 82

Fax: + 0531-82980591 82


Website: www.sdf999.com/nbfz.asp

MAy

4 - 8 – Xylexpo: International Exhibition of Machinery, Supplies and ComponentsMilan Exhibition Centre

Rho, Italy

Cepra Centro promozionale Acimall

Tel: + 39 02 89210200

Fax: + 39 02 8259009


Website: www.xylexpo.com

18 - 21 – Hanoiwood & Furnitec 2010: Vietnam International Wood & Wood Machinery Show Giang Vo Exhibition and Fairground

Hanoi, Vietnam

Chan Chao International Co

Tel: + 886 2 2659 6000 ext 322

Fax: + 886 2 2659 7000

E-Mail: [email protected]

Website: www.vietnamwoodexpo.com

JUNE

10 - 13 – China International Woodworking Machinery Exhibition Dalian Star-Sea Convention and

Exhibition Centre

Dalian, China

Dalian Northern International Exhibition

Tel: +86 411 82538610

Fax: +86 411 82538616

24 - 27 – Furnitech Woodtech 2010BITEC Bangkok

Bangkok, Thailand

Reed Tradex

Tel: +66 26867299

Fax: +66 26867288


Website: www.furnitechwoodtech.com

JUly

22 - 24 – Woodmach Cebu Waterfront Ceby City Hotel and Casino

Cebu, Philippines

Global-Link MP Events International Inc

Tel: +63 27508588

Fax: +63 27508585

Website: www.globallinkmp.com

AUgUst

25 - 28 – International Woodworking Fair Georgia World Congress Centre

Atlanta, United States

The International Woodworking Fair

Tel: 404-693-8333

Fax: 404-693-8350


Website: www.iwfatlanta.com

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

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The Editor FDM Asia. Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd. 1100 Lower Delta Road. EPL Building #04-02. Singapore 169206.Tel: (65) 6379 2888Fax: (65) 6379 2805Email: [email protected]



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

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ENQUIRY NO. 016

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

Our Western Hemlock is certifi ed to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI), a standard that is also endorsed and recognized by the PEFC.

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

Shanghai, China: 86.21.6249.9898 Vietnam/Guangzhou, China 86.20.3878.1570Taiwan: 886.42.496.3308Hong Kong: 852.2865.5922

E-mail: [email protected] or visit our website at www.wy.com/hardwoods

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113 Weyerhaeuser.indd 1 1/19/10 6:35 PM

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FDM Asia March 2010