DOST 7 SET-UP Product Catalogue - DOST 7! - Department of ...

Total Woodkraft
It All Started With Books
Be it in the luxurious ambiance of Eskaya, a high-end resort-hotel in Bohol or in the simple and quiet surroundings of
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church, Total Woodkraft’s furnishings cater to the distinct needs of its customers.
The customized furniture pieces found in Eskaya, - the
bar counter, a combination of bamboo and coco crackle;
the bed, a combination of wood and native matting;
as well as tables, doors, tv and fridge stand - are all
products of a successful business which started simply
with individual orders from local residents. No wonder,
the simplicity and elegance of these furnishings easily
attracted house guests, one of whom owns a resort in
Tagaytay. Impressed by its craftsmanship, pieces were
ordered. The list of clients of Total Woodkraft includes
existing big resorts and hotels, restaurants, and a
condotel in Bohol.
The idea of a furniture business accidentally came to
Caraciola Grace Alcala, Proprietor and Manager. As
she visited the homes of her prospective clients to sell
children’s books, she observed that customized furniture
was desired but there was no one who could deliver
these at an affordable price. In addition, she observed
that Boholanos had this cultural style of having something
new in their house during their fiesta celebration
in May.
Anthony Lacaran, Operations Head, added that this
desire can range from having a new piece of furniture-
a door, window, or just about any home furnishings
and accessories. Ms. Alcala believed that this “habit”
will ensure a regular flow of orders for lumber and
furniture items prior to the fiesta month of every year.
The idea of a woodworking business was not bad after
all. Soon after, Grace left her business of selling books
and shifted to the business of manufacturing home
furnishings, foremost of which, is a wooden book
cabinet and stand.
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DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VII
Product Catalogue 2011
“Sa una, mahadlok ming modawat ug orders labi na
gikan sa foreigners, kay mobawog ang among kahoy.
Mao nang ang among gamiton na kahoy kay plyboard
ra.” (Before, we were afraid to take orders particularly
from foreigners because our lumber would shrink and
warp. So the wood that we used was only plyboard.)
Anthony related that this apprehension has changed
since 2004 when the firm was able to establish and
operate a 3000 bd. ft.-capacity furnace-type lumber
dryer, the only lumber dryer in the Province of Bohol.
But how did this come about? It really all started with
books.
The DOST Provincial Head ordered a set of children’s
books from Ms. Alcala. This chance encounter led to
Total Woodkraft’s application to participate in the Small
Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SET-UP).
As a result, a kiln dryer was purchased. With this capability,
the firm was able to expand its market to serve its
clients. And by expanding its market, the lumber utilization
rate has considerably doubled, from 2,000 bd. ft. per
month prior to the operation of the dryer, to 4,000 bd, ft.
Translated as income, this means P4 million annually
from P1.8 million. Reworks due to shrinking and warping
were eliminated and employment almost doubled.
To cater to its growing market, Total Woodkraft transferred
to a bigger area six years after it was established.
Aside from the physical requirements, its processing
equipment could no longer cope with its increasing wood
utilization rate. An additional thickness planer was purchased
to match the wood utilization rate brought about
by the operations of a kiln dryer. Three sets of manual
frame presser were also added to the firm’s equipment
acquisition.
With DOST’s partnership through SET-UP, the objective
of expanding the capacity of wood planing of lumber per
hour to 100 percent based on current planing hours of
10 bd. ft. per hour, was achieved. The corollary objectives
of increasing production volume by 50 percent as
well as increasing gross income by 15 percent based
on 2007 data, were likewise achieved.
Inspired by the progress of her business, the proprietor
of Total Woodkraft has availed of a second assistance
from DOST. This time, power tools comprised the
package. This equipment is aimed at cutting the
working time by three-fourths.
Unlike before when its customers were mainly locals,
majority of Total Woodkraft’s customers are now
foreigners whose high production standards have
already been met by the firm. Indeed, Total Woodkraft
has gone a long way from where it started.
The next time you visit a resort in Panglao, or eat in
one of the city’s known restaurants, or visit one of the
churches, you may just be lying down, sitting comfortably
or kneeling in quiet prayer in a creation by Total
Woodkraft.
Total Woodkraft
Sta. Felomina, Alburquerque, Bohol
Ms. Caraciola Grace T. Alcala
Proprietor
Tel No: (63)(38) 539 9175
Mobile: 0920 879 1870
Email: caraciolagrace@yahoo.com