Wood Substitutes

Siddharth Meloth

14020243033

MBA - E&E (2014-2016)

Semester- 2nd

Wood substitutes are building products that are not graded as lumber

Composite substitutes contain wood fibre's and a mixture of plastic (Wood-plastic composites-WPC) or cement, glue and assorted other materials.

Structural substitutes, also known as engineered wood, consist of thin, overlapping strips of lumber laminated together under hydraulic pressure.

Majority of wood substitutes contain wood by products, other substitutes may contain no wood whatsoever.

Introduction

Deforestation It has been estimated that about half of the Earth's mature tropical forests—between 7.5 million and 8 million km2 have now been destroyed.

By 2030 there will only be 10% of forest cover will be remaining if the currentrate of deforestation is not reduced.

It has been estimated that we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect speciesevery single day due to rainforest deforestation.

Deforestation is a major contributor to global warming.

Damage to forests and other aspects of nature could halve living standards forthe world's poor and reduce global GDP by about 7% by 2050.

Advantages of wood substitutes Environmental benefits: Utilization of industrial waste, avoid deforestation,

reduction of environmental pollution.

Stronger than wood

Weather resistant, durable

Corrosion-resistant

Termite fungus, rot, rodent-resistant

Fire retardant, self-extinguishing nature

Cost-effective than teakwood, GRP, PC products and maintenance-free

Use in variety of applications: doors, ceilings, flooring, partition, furniture

Wood substitutes in Indian markets

Bamboo Rubber wood Recycled wood wastes

India is the second richest country in the world in terms of Bamboo genetic resources,

after China with about 13.96 million Hectares.

More than 50% of the principal genera of Bamboo are found in Eastern India.

Results indicate that the maximum number of green sound bamboos is found in

Arunachal Pradesh (2666 million T), followed by Assam (2046 million T), Manipur (2035

million T) and Mizoram (1953 million T).

It is estimated that the quantity of Indian imports of Bamboo Poles in 2012 was

approximately 6.1 Million kg, valued at US$ 5.62 Million.

The National Mission on Bamboo Technology and Trade Development under Ministry of

Agriculture looks after the bamboo plantation and industry in India.

Bamboo

Bamboo productsBamboo panels present significant advantages over wooden boards

owing to their strength, rigidity and flexibility.

Bamboo flooring: Bamboo flooring is a high value product (as highas Rs 180 per sq ft. in domestic markets16) with a large domestic andinternational market.

Bamboo Sticks for Blinds and Incense sticks.

Bamboo furniture: As a category it includes traditional productsmade of round or split bamboo

Bamboo flooring Bamboo furniture Bamboo house

Market size and import/export It is estimated that the current value of global trade

in bamboo products is worth 7bn USD, and is

expected to rise at 17bn USD by 2017

The annual market for value added bamboo in

India is estimated at approx. 1.0bn USD in 2004

which is expected to grow up to 5.8bn USD by

2015.

China has USD 5.5 Billion

Indian exports bamboo flooring and products

worth 1 billion USD to European Union, Hong

Kong, Japan and the United States .

Rubber wood India is the third largest natural rubber producing country of the world, next to Thailand and Indonesia.

Total availability of rubber wood in India is estimated at 1.6 million cubic meters per annum and it isexpected to be 2.5 times by the end of the decade.

Unlike other woods that are cut down for the sole purpose of producing furniture, rubber wood is used onlyafter it completes it’s latex producing cycle which about 20-25 years and dies.

Rubber wood has certain advantages over conventional timbers from the natural forest because it is aplantation by-product, it is available at a relatively low cost.

Rubber wood is classified as a light hardwood.

India is eyeing China's booming construction and furniture market to export rubber wood.

The Rubber Board is a statutory body constituted by the Government of India, under the Rubber Act 1947,for the overall development of the rubber industry in the country.

Rubber wood products Furniture and furniture parts

Parquet

Panelling

Wood-based panels (particleboard, cement and gypsum-bonded panels)

Medium-density fibreboard (MDF)

Kitchen and novelty items

Sawn timber for general utility and fuel

Rubber wood furniture Rubber wood flooringRubber wood panelling

Market size and import/export Malaysia is the largest exporter of rubber wood with an overall productioncapacity of 1.16 million m3 per annum.

Thailand is the second largest exporter of rubber wood 1 million cubic metres ofrubber wood.

Japan, United States & China are the largest importer of rubber wood.

India is now looking to add China to its export market in addition to the UnitedStates, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom and the Middle East.

The Rubber Board of India participated in International exhibition on furnitureworld and wood working machinery, China 2003 to finalise the deals.

Recycled plasticIn addition to being made from recycled content, HDPE plastic lumber is a trulyrecyclable material that can be used over and over again.

Its resistance to decay and ability to withstand severe weather ensures a lifetimeof use, without sacrificing the look of the product.

Since plastic is susceptible to expansion and contraction from variabletemperatures, HDPE, EPS Solutions are mixed to it during manufacturing toincrease durability and decrease expansion and contraction.

Since the minerals are not an organic material EPS Solutions’ recycled plasticlumber remains impervious to rot, mold, mildew, insects, water and other decay.

Characteristics

Extremely non-corrosive plastic

Prohibits water penetration

Increased strength

Decreased thermal expansion

Coloured all the way through (minimal fading)

Ease of use with standard woodworking tools

No decay from microscopic organisms

Industry Marine Consumer

Thank you