Panels & Furniture Asia September/October 2020

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

THE MANY FACES OF AMERICAN RED OAK
Not only is American red oak the most abundant
species in the US hardwood forest, it is also the
most versatile. Beautiful, strong and stable with
excellent steam bending capabilities and easy
to finish and stain, it’s a timber that lends
itself to a host of applications.
PICTURED: AMERICAN RED OAK DETAIL
FROM THE HOI MAI FURNITURE COMPETITION, VIETNAM 2020.
AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL SOUTHEAST ASIA & GREATER CHINA
EMAIL
WEBSITE
INFO@AHEC-CHINA.ORG
WWW.AMERICANHARDWOOD.ORG
WWW.AHEC-CHINA.ORG
AMERICANHARDWOODSEA
AHEC_SEA

Contents
September / October 2020 • Issue 5 • Panels & Furniture Asia
EDITOR’S NOTE
6
NEWS
8
MARKET REPORT
19
Birch from Russia in the US market
20
US hardwood supplies: Adapting to
a new norm
IN PERSON
22
Smart manufacturing:
HOMAG and Indonesian furniture
manufacturer pave the way
24
Taking the Gabon Special Economic
Zone to greater heights
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT
28
Baumer Inspection commissions
first raw board scanner in
South East Asia
PANEL MANUFACTURING
31
Well-matched measuring and
inspection technology for thin MDF
production
FURNITURE
MANUFACTURING
36
Machines and mankind – Combining
forces for intelligent furniture
manufacturing
MATERIALS
40
Designer Hardwood: Creating
customisable, sustainable
hardwood materials from wood waste
in just one day
46
A traded tree: What rosewood means
for Africa
FLOORING
50
COVID-19 cleaning and disinfecting:
What’s safe for wood floors?
52
All swept up
DESIGN
54
Tasmanian Blackwood heats things
up at London restaurant
56
Designing for the tropics: Trends and
post-pandemic observations
STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
58
A space of gathering and intellectual
exchange
COLUMNISTS
62
Wood Clinic: Why do the slats of the
crib’s sliding rail fall out?
66
MMMA Newsletter: What’s next? A
reversal in globalisation!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
70
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
71
24
54 58

FROM THE EDITOR
PANELS & FURNITURE ASIA
JO-ANN | Editor
Moving Forward
along these
Winding Roads
PABLO SINGAPORE
Publisher
Senior Editor
Editor
Business Development Manager
Graphic Designer
Circulation Manager
PABLO BEIJING
General Manager
PABLO SHANGHAI
Senior Editor
William Pang
williampang@pabloasia.com
Pang Yanrong
yanrong@pabloasia.com
Jo-Ann Teo
jo-ann@pabloasia.com
YanJun Pang
yanjun@pabloasia.com
Edwin De Souza
edwin@pabloasia.com
Shu Ai Ling
circulation@pabloasia.com
Ellen Gao
pablobeijing@163.com
Sharon Wu
pabloshanghai@163.net
As the world plunged into its on-going fight against COVID-19, global supply
chains were forced to find ways to survive the sharp economic downturn
owing to the lockdowns, business closures and sheer level of uncertainty.
Despite the continued closure of many borders, industries have formulated
new strategies to stand firm in the market. I trust that most businesses have
resumed operations – albeit cautiously – in this historic new normal.
In the second quarter of 2020, direct market impacts of COVID-19 saw the
drastic plummeting of US hardwood sawmill production. The worst is not
over, but how has demand contributed to progressive market recovery? Find
out more from Judd Johnson, Managing Editor of Hardwood Market Report,
on page 20.
HEAD OFFICE
PABLO PUBLISHING & EXHIBITION PTE LTD
3 Ang Mo Kio Street 62 #01-23
Link@AMK Singapore 569139
Tel : +65 6266 5512
Email: info@pabloasia.com
www.panelsfurnitureasia.com
Company Registration No: 200001473N
Singapore MICA (P) No: 095/08/2020
REGIONAL OFFICES (CHINA)
PABLO BEIJING
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Email: pabloshanghai@163.net
Issues of economic sustainability aside, environmental sustainability has been
a longstanding hot topic. Panels & Furniture Asia was intrigued to hear from
Peter Torreele of 3RT on how his company creates customisable hardwood
materials using wood waste (p.40). You’ll be surprised that their patented
technology allows such wood products to be manufactured in just one day!
On a similar note, this issue shines a spotlight on sustainably sourced
Tasmanian Blackwood which has been gaining attention beyond Australia.
According to the Tasmanian Timber Promotion Board, high-quality Blackwood
from the swamps of north-west Tasmania is meeting demands of the upscale
international market. Be sure to check out a swanky new London restaurant fit
out with this elegant timber (p.54).
Last but not least, in case you have just been disinfecting your hands – and
neglecting your floors – during this period, Brett Miller of the National
Hardwood Flooring Association in the US shares some quick tips on how to
properly clean and disinfect wood floors (p.50).
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owner. Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy of the information in this publication, the Publisher accepts no
liability for damages caused by misinterpretation of information, expressed or implied, within the pages of the magazine.
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8 | NEWS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
STUDY: FORESTRY MACHINE MARKET TO WITNESS DECLINING
SALES AMID COVID-19; LONG-TERM OUTLOOK POSITIVE
ACCORDING to a report published by
Fact.MR, the forestry machinery market
will witness declining sales in the near
term amid the COVID-19 outbreak, but
the long-term outlook remains positive.
The global forestry machinery market is
expected to be valued at over US$4 billion
by the end of 2020 and is anticipated to
surpass US$6 billion by the end of the
forecast period of 2020-2030. However,
the COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted
the growth of the industrial equipment
machinery market due to nationwide
lockdowns, leading to a steep fall in the
sales of forestry machinery, globally.
In addition, high initial investment of
forestry machinery adds another layer of
complexity, as several users are hesitant
to invest in new forestry machinery at
this time. This, in turn, is expected to
see a decline in the demand for forestry
machinery in the near future.
However, ongoing development plans
formulated to boost the forestry industry in
key countries such as China and Indonesia
are expected to drive the demand for
relevant solutions, such as forestry
machinery and equipment. Moreover,
growing focus of manufacturers on
designing machinery for high production
applications, demanding operations, and
extreme terrain conditions, is expected to
augur well for the growth of the forestry
machinery market during the forecast
period of 2020-2030.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE
GLOBAL FORESTRY MACHINERY
MARKET STUDY
• The global forestry machinery market
is projected to create an absolute
dollar opportunity of around
US$2 billion, and is anticipated to
expand at a value CAGR of 5% during
the forecast period.
• By machine, forwarders are set to hold
a share-wide market dominance with
over 38% of the total market value by
the end of the forecast period.
• Skidders are projected to progress at
a value CAGR of 5%, and be valued 1.5
times more than bunchers by the end
of 2020.
• By region, Europe is expected to
emerge as the fastest-growing forestry
machinery market and surpass a
market valuation of US$2.5 billion by
the end of 2030.
“The impact of COVID-19 will have
long-term implications on the growth
of the forestry machinery market. It is
anticipated that, even if the pandemic
is brought under control, demand is
expected to remain muted till the end
of 2020, owing to uncertain economic
conditions. However, a positive outlook
for forestry machinery in developing
countries of Asia Pacific, coupled with
a shift towards mechanized mode of
operations, is anticipated to foster the
demand for forestry machinery over the
coming years,” said a report analyst.
INDUSTRY PLAYERS FOCUSING ON
PRODUCT LAUNCHES TO STIMULATE
GROWTH
Key players in the forestry machinery market
are Komatsu Ltd., Tigercat International
Inc., Deere & Co., Barko Hydraulics L.L.C.,
Caterpillar, Inc. AGCO Corporation, Kubota
Corporation, Ponsse Oyj, and Rottne
Industri AB, among others. Prominent
manufacturers are focusing on introducing
new products in order to broaden their
customer base and gain a competitive edge
over other players. For instance,
• In 2020, Komatsu introduced its new
901XC 8WD Harvester, which is a thinning
powerhouse for challenging steep, rough
or soft terrain. Further, the harvester is
integrated with a "Double Comfort
Bogie" drive system that provides
excellent handling and follows the
terrain more closely than competitors’
8WD machines.
• In 2020, Tigercat introduced its
H-series Skidders. The new skidder line
includes the 620H, 630H and 632H
four-wheel models, as well as the
625H and 635H six-wheel models.
These skidders are integrated with a
Turnaround system that lets the operator
rotate its seat 220°.
• In 2020, John Deere launched its Mechanical
Self-Leveling Loader (MSL) option for small
tractors. These are designed to keep loads
level throughout the lift. The new loaders
are compatible with John Deere 1E, 1R,
2R and 3E compact utility tractors. P
These insights are based on a report on the Forestry Machinery Market by Fact.MR.
VIETNAM FORESTRY EXPORTS EXCEEDS US$5 BILLION IN
FIRST HALF OF 2020
THE Vietnam Administration of Forestry
has announced that the export revenue of
forestry products hit US$5.3 billion in the
first half of 2020, up 2.7% over the same
period last year. The total export value
of such products is expected to reach
between US$11.75 to US$12 billion.
On the other hand, the import value
of wood and wood products over
the same period decreased 8.8% to
US$1.2 billion, and the agency estimates
the yearly figure to match 2019 at around
US$2.55 billion.
In the first six months, 106,300 ha of
forest were planted, fulfilling 48.3% of the
yearly target of 220,000 ha. P

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia NEWS | 9
DIEFFENBACHER TO
MANUFACTURE WORLD’S
LONGEST CONTINUOUS PRESS
WITH the construction of an 80-meter-long CPS+,
DIEFFENBACHER will set a world record for the longest
continuous press used to produce wood-based panels. The
press is the core component of a medium density fibreboard
(MDF) plant ordered from DIEFFENBACHER in July by Chinese
wood-based panels manufacturer Guangxi Lelin Forestry
Development Co, Ltd.
“In planning the world’s largest MDF plant, we are excited
to have DIEFFENBACHER at our side once again as a project
partner,” said Wei Mingkuai, President, Guangxi Lelin. A highspeed
THDF plant in Nanning that produces up to 1 mm thin
boards was ordered by Guangxi Lelin from DIEFFENBACHER
in June 2018 and commissioned in October 2019.
“We are extremely satisfied with the performance of our THDF
line and the support provided by DIEFFENBACHER before,
during and after the construction of the plant. They have
fully earned the trust we placed in them,” Wei said. “True to
the motto ‘never change a winning team', DIEFFENBACHER
was the logical choice for our new project. We look forward
to deepening our partnership.”
In addition to the CPS+, DIEFFENBACHER will supply
equipment ranging from the air grader to the storage system.
With state-of-the-art automation and control systems, the
MDF line will meet the highest demands of digitalisation.
Plant construction is scheduled to start in the second quarter
of 2021 in the southern Chinese city of Chongzuo, not far from
the Vietnamese border. Start-up is planned for fall 2021. P
JAPAN: ASSEMBLED WOODEN
FLOORING IMPORTS DIPPED 36%
IN JUNE
The International Tropical Timber Organization has reported
that the year-on-year value of Japan's import of assembled
wooden flooring reduced 36% in June 2020. The market also
saw a 32% drop in the month-on-month value compared
to May.

10 | NEWS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
The WAF's Use of Certified Timber Prize 2019, supported by the PEFC, went to Pingelly Recreation and Cultural Centre, Australia
NEW DATES ANNOUNCED FOR WORLD ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL;
BEST USE OF CERTIFIED TIMBER PRIZE ENTRY DEADLINE POSTPONED
THE Programme for the Endorsement
of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the
World Architecture Festival (WAF) are
continuing their collaboration, awarding
the Best Use of Certified Timber Prize for
the third time.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WAF
will be held virtually from 30 November
to 4 December 2020, and a physical WAF
event – where the Best Use of Certified
Timber Prize is to be awarded – will
run from 23 to 25 June 2021 at the FIL
Exhibition Centre in Lisbon, Portugal.
The entry deadline for the Best Use of
Certified Timber Prize has thus been
extended to 8 January 2021.
CONTINUING A SUCCESSFUL
COLLABORATION
For the third year in succession, PEFC
is sponsoring the Best Use of Certified
Timber Prize, rewarding architects and
project teams for using certified timber
as the main construction material for
buildings outstanding in sustainability,
innovation, quality or aesthetics.
“In our two-year-long dialogue with
renowned architects at WAF, we have
noticed an increasing interest in
sustainable timber. Some architects
even say it’s 'the only way forward',
" said Fabienne Sinclair, Head of Marketing
at PEFC International.
"We are pleased to contribute to making
both forests and construction more
sustainable.”
Architects and project managers of
construction projects that use certified
timber as the main material are invited
to submit their applications at
https://www.worldarchitecturefestival.
com/ENTER. P

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia NEWS | 11
INDONESIA'S NATIONAL FOREST STEWARDSHIP STANDARD APPROVED
THE Indonesian National Standards
Development Group (SDG), an
independent chamber-balanced group
representing environmental, economic
and social chambers from various
organisations, has developed the Forest
Stewardship Standard – a comprehensive
tool for the promotion of responsible
forest management in Indonesia. The
standard has since been approved by the
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and will
be effective by 1 December 2020.
Consultancy groups Lembaga Ekolabel
Indonesia and Asia Pacific Consulting
Solutions facilitated the development
group.
According to official documents, the FSC
Principles and Criteria, together with a
set of national indicators approved by
FSC Policy and Standards Committee,
constitute an FSC National Forest
Stewardship Standard (NFSS).
The Principles and Criteria of the NFSS
states that compliance with legislation
(including government regulations)
is one of the key pre-requisites for
obtaining a FSC certificate. The Ministry
of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia
(MoEF) currently implements a mandatory
scheme of Timber Legality Assurance
System, or in Indonesian, the Sistem
Veri-fikasi Legalitas Kayu (SVLK). The
SVLK has been endorsed by the Forest Law
Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)
and the Eupeon Union Timber Regulation as
an FLEGT License. In addition to the SVLK,
MoEF has in place a sustainable forest
management certification system called the
Sustainable Production Forest Management
certification system, or Pengelolaan
Hutan Produksi Lestari (PHPL).
The requirements of SVLK and PHPL,
alongside with other laws and regulations
of Indonesia, were taken into consideration
during the development of the NFSS to
ensure that FMUs comply with the respective
government laws and regulations on timber
legality. P

12 | NEWS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Construction work for Kastamonu's new forming and press line has officially begun at their Samsun site
KASTAMONU AND SIEMPELKAMP HIT TWO NEW
MILESTONES IN LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP
KASTAMONU Entegre and Siempelkamp
have hit two new milestones. Assembly
work on a new forming and press line
with 7'-x-37.1-metre ninth-generation
ContiRoll ® for the production of
particleboard in Samsun officially began
at the end of July. Kastamonu, a leading
producer of wood-based boards, has also
placed an order in July for a modernisation
package for its Siempelkamp MDF line in
Kastamonu City to be installed at the
end of 2020.
These moves reaffirm the two companies’
strong partnership even during
these difficult times caused by the
restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
The assembly work with startup scheduled
for early 2021 means that the continuous
forming and press line in Samsun –
which is intended to replace the existing
particleboard line at the Yontas location
that was acquired in 2009 – is now
entering its home straight.
Pallmann, one of Siempelkamp’s
subsidiaries, will be supplying the knifering
flakers – two MicroFlaker and two
MacroFlaker systems as well as a knifering
flaker for dry particle preparation – at
each location. An automatic setting and
knife-ring grinding robot by Pallmann for
automatically sharpening the blunt knives
in the ring constitutes an additional part
of the scope of delivery.
Kastamonu is also currently relying
on Siempelkamp support at six other
locations in Turkey.
In Kastamonu City, capital of the province
of the same name in the country’s north,
a package by Siempelkamp Logistics &
Service GmbH (SLS) – another one of
Siempelkamp’s subsidiaries – is being
installed to modernise an MDF line that
is operating with a 7'-x-55.3-metre
ContiRoll ® .
The package includes a light board
package that will enable the customer to
produce so-called light MDF (L-MDF) with
raw densities down to 500 kg/mÑ. The
scope of delivery also includes the Sico

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia NEWS | 13
Master Gauge – a new type of measuring
frame that is installed on the foundation
and encloses the ContiRoll ® ’s two hot
platens in the calibration area at the
control system. The main benefit that
this new frame offers is the simultaneous
measurement of the upper and lower
hot platen positions independent of
the effects caused by any mechanical
expansion within the frame.
to the market in Turkey. 29 new plants
have been realised to date – including
the current project – during the more
than 25-year cooperation between
Siempelkamp and Michael P. Krocker /
GIM Export.
“It is particularly at this moment in time
that we’re proud to support to Kastamonu
Entegres' entrepreneurial spirit and to
contribute to its plans for the future by
becoming involved in the two different
projects. We’re now looking forward to
working with the Kastamonu team on
location and to the successful startup of
both projects,” said Ulrich Kaiser, Head
of Sales Wood Division, Siempelkamp;
and Dr Stephan Niggeschmidt, Managing
Director, SLS. P
The ContiRoll ® press’ calibration area is
also being equipped with an additional
cylinder track, which is to be combined
with a track control for individual
cylinders. The additional cylinder
track is being fitted in order to further
minimise raw board tolerances and to
further reduce the sand-off in raw board
production. The modernisation work will
generate added value for Kastamonu
Entegre by enabling them to significantly
expand its range of products and reduce
both raw material costs and input.
Kastamonu Entegre currently operates
eight Siempelkamp plants using
continuous press technology in Turkey,
Russia and Italy – the close links with
Siempelkamp started in 1969 with a belttray
plant for particleboard production in
Kastamonu City.
The two current projects underline the
innovative power that the business
relationship continues to generate even in
these challenging times. GIM Export will
again be involved through the provision
of its financing support as a tried-andtested
partner and Siempelkamp’s link

14 | NEWS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
CIFF GUANGZHOU REPORTED TO BE FIRST
FURNITURE FAIR HELD DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
THE China International Furniture Fair
(CIFF) reported a successful run of its
latest Guangzhou edition, held from
27 to 30 July 2020 at the China Import
and Export Fair Pazhou Complex. With
1,607 exhibitors occupying 300,000
sqm of exhibition space, CIFF Guangzhou
attracted 145,363 visitors and is reported
to be the first furniture trade fair to be
held successfully during the COVID-19
pandemic.
CIFF Guangzhou is a primary platform
for international and domestic product
launches and trade, and plays an
important role in securing the stability
of the supply chain and industry chain.
It also facilitates the recovery of the
furniture industry amid the global
pandemic. The four-day exhibition
housed the entire furniture supply
chain under one roof, namely home,
outdoor and leisure furniture, home
décor and home textile, office, hotel, and
commercial furniture, furniture machinery
and raw materials.
Design forums, exhibitions and events
were held during CIFF Guangzhou,
including "Design Spring – Contemporary
China Furniture Design Fair" which
promoted the growth and development
of Chinese furniture design, and "2030+
International Future Office" which
explored the possibilities surrounding
the future of the office environment.
Strict protocols were adopted throughout
the event for the safety of all exhibitors,
visitors and exhibition employees.
The 47 th CIFF Guangzhou will be held
from 18 to 21 March 2021 (first phase)
and from 28 to 31 March 2021 (second
phase). P

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia NEWS | 15
INDONESIAN FURNITURE AND HANDICRAFT
ASSOCIATION APPOINTS NEW CHAIRMAN
SUPRIYADI has been elected the new
chairman of the Indonesian Furniture
and Handicraft Association (Himpunan
Industri Mebel dan Kerajinan Indonesia
[HIMKI]), replacing Ir. Soenoto, at the
2 nd HIMKI National Conference held at
Hotel Santika Cirebon from 18 to 19
August 2020. Supriyadi previously served
as Advisory Board Member of HIMKI's
Regional Representative Council.
In his inaugural speech, Supriyadi
thanked management and members for
entrusting the leadership of HIMKI to
him. He announced his determination in
transforming HIMKI into a bigger ship that
embraces all parties and leading HIMKI to
financial independence.
HIMKI as an association of business
actors in the furniture and handicraft
industry sector, in the broadest sense,
realises its responsibility to foster
and develop harmonious cooperation,
encourage equal opportunities for
business and participate in implementing
national development in the economic
sector. HIMKI continues to develop
and strengthen the national furniture
and handicraft industry, which includes
ensuring the continuity of supply of raw
and supporting materials, enhancing
product design and innovation, increasing
production capacity, developing human
resources, promotion and marketing, as
well as institutional development so that
it can make a real contribution to the
industry. P
Newly appointed chairman of HIMKI, Supriyadi, addressing
management and members (Photograph: HIMKI)

16 | NEWS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
BIESSE GROUP LAUNCHES R&D LAB TO
ACCELERATE INNOVATION
BIESSE GROUP has announced the
launch of the Biesse Innovation Lab, a
major new project in the field of research
and development (R&D) and innovation
that will serve as an accelerator for new
ideas and start-ups. The Lab also seeks to
cultivate links with the world of academia
such as universities and research centres,
and with other accelerators such as
venture capital firms and companies, to
further enhance the Group's innovation
ecosystem.
The Biesse Innovation Lab was created
with the intention to seek solutions
not only within the organisation but
also outside of it, through interaction
with its points of reference in Israel
and Italy. In Israel, it will be developed
in collaboration with the AdlerInlight
Technology Observatory, an organisation
created to bring together industry and
innovation on the Italian territory. In
Italy, the Lab will be developed with
the support of Manifaktura, a company
with expertise in the implementation
of open innovation initiatives and the
management of innovative projects in the
manufacturing sector.
“To open our company boundaries in
order to broaden the horizons of our
minds: this is the two-way principle
according to which Biesse Group seeks
to lead the Biesse Innovation Lab. The
process of digital transformation we are
currently experiencing involves change at
all levels, and it is only by seizing every
opportunity that this revolution offers
that we can continue to be innovators,”
explained Roberto Selci, Chief Executive
Officer of Biesse Group, at the formal
launch event. The event was also attended
by Agmon Porat, HamLet Israel's LetLab;
Gianluigi Benedetti, Italian Ambassador
to Israel; and Jonathan Hadar, Head of the
Israel Economic Mission in Italy.
The Biesse Innovation Lab will integrate technological, business and organisational themes via a
team focused on multi-functional development
The new organisation, created by Biesse
Group in collaboration with the other
players involved in the project, will
integrate technological, business and
organisational themes via a team focused
on multi-functional development. It
will comprise staff from both within
and outside the organisation, with the
participation of managers, analysts,
creatives, engineers and experts in
marketing and sales.
“Innovation is born of the encounters
that take place between people; we
immediately established a sense of
mutual professional inspiration with
Roberto Selci, which has served to
breathe life into this new model for the
creation of innovation. We share a desire
to create winning ecosystems and to
bring positivity and added value to
Italy,” commented Roberta Anati, Chief
Executive Officer of AdlerInlight.
At the end of the meeting, Francesco
Balducci, Chief Executive Officer of
Manifaktura added: “We are very proud
to contribute to the creation of the
Biesse Innovation Lab, in the certainty
that the skills that generate innovation
are part of a collective action that takes
place through a network of actors,
connections and relationships, locally and
globally. Biesse Group and its partners
are thus able to face the challenges
related to Industry 4.0 and Circular
Economy, finding agile solutions, but at
the same time relevant, innovative and
sustainable." P

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia NEWS | 17
WEMHOENER (CHANGZHOU) CELEBRATES
ITS 100 TH SHORT-CYCLE PRESS LINE
On 26 July 2020, a special celebration was
held in Jiangsu, China, to commemorate the
delivery of Wemhoener Changzhou's 100 th
short-cycle press line made by its Chinese
factory. The press line was delivered to its
customer, Jifu.
It is the second short-cycle press line that
Jifu has bought from Wemhoener China.
In 2016, Jifu bought their first short-cycle
press line with EIR function, which can
produce synchronised-design melamine
faced panels. To meet an increasing market
demand, Jifu ordered its second shortcycle
press line from Wemhoener in 2019.
“Our order book is full and we need the
new press line to be put into use as soon
as possible,” said Mr Ge, owner of Jifu, who
is very optimistic and confident about his
business.
“It’s the right decision,” he said, adding
that “we improved the quality of our
products and the efficiency of our
production when we used Wemhoener's
short-cycle press line.”
The unexpected outbreak of COVID-19
has impacted the global economy heavily
in 2020. However, after a complete
shutdown in February, China’s economy
is recovering. In the second quarter,
the GDP growth rate of China reached
+3.2%.
“In the first half of the year, the sales
revenue of most Chinese furniture
manufacturers achieved almost the same
level as last year,” said Mr He, Managing
Director of Wemhoener China. “The
demand for woodworking machinery is
picking up in China.”
(L to R) Mr Ge from Jifu and Mr He from Wemhoener
China celebrating the delivery of Wemhoener
Changzhou's 100 th short-cycle press line
With a good order back-log from 2019
and the new orders from the Chinese domestic
market in 2020, Wemhoener China maintained
full production throughout the COVID-19
pandemic. To meet the increasing demand
of the Chinese market, as well as the Asian
market in general, Wemhoener is constructing
its second plant in China. An additional 7,000
sq m of the new plant will be put into use in
2021. P

18 | NEWS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
GERMAN LOG EXPORTS REMAIN HIGH IN EARLY
2020; ALMOST 50% DESTINED FOR CHINA
WOOD RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL
reports that the log market in Germany
has been extremely volatile in the first
half of 2020, with high demand from
the export market and a tight supply of
fresh green logs. When COVID-19 forced
sawmills to close in March, domestic
demand for sawlogs fell and the price
increases seen earlier in the quarter
reversed – resulting in both domestic and
export prices falling.
Sawlog prices varied throughout the
country depending on the level of local
supply, the quality of the beetle-killed
timber, the availability of fresh logs, and
the competition from log exporters. Log
prices also varied due to contract volumes
and spot purchases. Towards the end of
the quarter, spot prices fell to levels that
barely covered the costs for logging
and hauling the timber. The 1Q/20’s
estimated average sawlog price was
an increase from the previous quarter
but substantially lower than the 1Q/19,
according to Wood Resource Quarterly.
Softwood log exports from Germany have
increased dramatically over the past five
years, from 2.1 million cubic metres in
2014 to 7.4 million cubic metres in 2019.
The oversupply of logs resulted in record
high exports in the 3Q/19 followed by two
quarters of q-o-q declines (see chart).
Despite the reduction in exports during
the winter months, total shipments
during the first four months of 2020
were up 38% as compared to the same
period in 2019.
China has quickly become the largest
market for German logs, accounting
for almost 50% of all exported logs so
far in 2020. From January to April this
year, almost 2.4 million cubic metres of
softwood logs were shipped to China.
Log exportation from Europe to Asia is a
recent trend. As late as 2017, there were
practically no shipments of German logs
outside of Europe.
Log export prices were fairly stable
during most of 2019 but started to
decline in late 2019 and early 2020. In
March and April 2020, average prices
were down about 14% as compared to
the same months in 2019. Prices for logs
destined for China have also declined
substantially from early 2019 but are still
nominally higher than the prices for logs
shipped to other markets.
The large supply of logs in Germany has
had little impact on the consumption of
logs by the domestic sawmilling industry.
The increase in lumber exports has been
less dramatic than that of logs, with the
y-o-y rate of change actually falling the
past three years, from 12% (2015 to
2016) to 6% (2018 to 2019). P
Source: Wood Resources International LLC

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia MARKET REPORT | 19
Birch from
Russia in the
US market
By Marina Khaibulina, Lesnaya Industriya Journal
According to the United States (US) Department of
Agriculture, the import of birch furniture components
from Russia increased by 275% to 1,741 pieces from
January to September 2019, with a 158% increase in value up to
US$750,000. For the same period of 2018, the US imported 464
units from the Russian Federation worth around US$290,000.
The export of birch furniture components to the US may be
a promising direction for Russian woodworking companies.
According to Alexander Oshkaev, head of Russia’s Runko Group,
Russian companies currently occupy no more than 1% of the
total volume of component deliveries to the US. Therefore, a
promising segment is opening up for Russian manufacturers to
develop exports to North America.
The US is the dominant global importer of furniture. In October
2019, the Runko Group signed an agreement with an American
company and started its deliveries of lumber. For this buyer
alone, about 40,000 m 3 of furniture components is requested
per month.
“As part of the development of this area, we are considering
two options for cooperation: the manufacturing of furniture
components within the existing factory or the construction
of a new production facility,” said Oshkaev. “In the first case,
the cost of new high-technology equipment will be about 400
thousand euros and the volume of production will be 320 m 3 per
month. The second option involves investments of about four
million euros and monthly deliveries can reach up to 2,000 m 3 .”
Although Runko Group does not currently supply birch furniture
components to the US, negotiations are underway.
The first Russian company to successfully enter the US
hardwood market was AVA Company. It owned a woodworking
factory specialising in the deep processing of birch – from
logging to the finished products. However, in 2016, several
accidents occurred and all the plant's income were used
to pay them off, leaving the enterprise in debt. In autumn
2018, AVA Company was officially declared bankrupt. Armen
Babadzhanyan, then director of the company, was convicted
of non-payment of salaries to 350 employees and the factory
building was sold in an electronic auction.
Not all entrepreneurs are optimistic about the market conditions
for birch furniture in the US. According to Andrei Fialkovsky,
commercial director of Sudoma, finished birch furniture
components are not interesting to the North American market
since there is a higher demand for imported raw materials with
a low degree of processing.
“This, in turn, is due to the economic policies of North America,
which is based on the organisation of its own manufacturing
industries,” said Fialkovsky. “North America is a very large
regional birch market where there is no shortage of products;
there are many suppliers, including national ones. There is high
competition in this market, and its conjuncture currently favours
buyers and not suppliers.”
However, he believes that the market does have great prospects
with its good marginality and stability, adding that if one can
form a technological chain and organise sales as required by
the US market, there will be no critical problems with the entry
of Russian manufacturers into this segment. P

20 | MARKET REPORT
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
US HARDWOOD SUPPLIES:
ADAPTING TO A NEW NORM
By: Judd Johnson Managing Editor, Hardwood Market Report
If it is agreed that change is persistent, then it is agreed there
is always a new norm. On rare occasions, change can be lifealtering
and even historic. COVID-19 created such change.
US hardwood sawmill production dropped to record low levels
in the second quarter of 2020 as a direct result of market
impacts from COVID-19. Unlike effects from the China/US trade
war or cyclical events that disrupt business within individual
market sectors, government regulations aimed at mitigating
the spread of COVID-19 affected the entire marketplace for US
hardwood lumber.
The impacts were as abrupt and comprehensive as those from
a severe economic downturn. At only five months into the
pandemic, contraction in US hardwood sawmill production was
comparable to that during the early part of the Great Recession.
Figure 1 shows the volume of annual production from 2006
through year to date 2020 (July) and tracks the percentage
change in volume output from the preceding year. The effects
from this pandemic on US hardwood lumber production and
supplies are undeniable (Figure 2).
Figure 2
2) US domestic markets for grade lumber, including furniture,
cabinets, moulding, millwork and flooring
3) Exports of grade lumber, with China having a major impact
both directly as an importer and indirectly by outsourcing
wood product manufacturing throughout South East Asia
The supply situation is a matter of fact, but the real point of
concern is what the next new norm will be. The answer hinges
on the market’s performance, meaning if there is near term
recovery in:
1) US domestic markets for industrial lumber and timber, which
account for approximately 60% of the entire US hardwood
marketplace
There must be an adequate blend of demand contribution
from the industrial lumber and grade lumber sectors to
stimulate a broad increase in sawmill production. If this occurs,
US hardwood sawmill production should respond quickly.
Even though some sawmills and lumber yards have closed,
substantial production and processing capacity remain in place.
Otherwise, a significant imbalance in demand between industrial
lumber and grade lumber would cause sawmill output to stall
at a low level.
Figure 1
In reality, the marketplace is already making progress toward
recovery. The US industrial lumber market sectors are strongly
influenced by economic activity. The economy began rebounding
in May after COVID-19 mitigation restrictions moved into Phase
2 protocol. Additionally, record high US softwood prices have
helped propel more hardwood volume into the industrial sectors.
The US housing industry is energised. By the end of July, yearto-date
construction of new single-family housing units had
recovered from the March through May deficits; it is on par
with the same period last year. Furthermore, projections on
new single-family housing construction for 2020 are set above
2019 and anticipate additional growth next year. Together with
residential refurbishing construction, the domestic US housing

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia MARKET REPORT | 21
market should help drive demand higher for hardwood interior
fittings, finishes and furnishings.
Business with China seems less certain. Activity strengthened
through the first five months of 2020, but new order placements
fell precipitously in June. However, data released by the Chinese
government show the economy and housing market are trending
in the proper direction to fuel demand for manufactured
hardwood goods. Even at a pace of business similar to this past
spring, increased demand from China would also strengthen
commerce in other countries and be an important influence on
future US hardwood lumber production.
These past several months of low sawmill production will become
more evident to the marketplace. Less lumber produced means
less lumber will be kiln dried and available for sale (Figure 3).
To what extent there will be shortages is uncertain. What is
certain is that demand for US hardwoods has improved from
the initial COVID-19 setbacks and is now encouraging sawmill
production increases.
Change is persistent. Process toward the next new norm is well
underway. P
Figure 3
HMR is the leading source of pricing and market information
for North American hardwoods. It has provided reliable,
expert analysis of pricing and market trends to hardwood
companies throughout the world since 1922. Sample
copies and subscription services for Hardwood Market
Report ® and all other HMR publications are available online
at www.hmr.com.

22 | IN PERSON
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Smart Manufacturing: HOMAG and
Indonesian Furniture Manufacturer
Furnindo Pave the Way
By Jo-Ann Teo
As global manufacturers shift beyond merely automation, wood panel processors and furniture
manufacturers are looking towards the use of smart technology to optimise production lines and further
streamline processes. HOMAG, a world leader in providing integrated solutions for the woodworking sector,
endeavours to enable their partners to achieve Industry 4.0 and get ahead of the game.
Here, we explore how a leading Indonesian furniture manufacturer partnered
with HOMAG to embrace smart automation in their factory right from the get go.
In a part of the world where manual woodworking methods are still considered
the norm, what was the motivation behind the change and what challenges
came along with this unusual endeavour? Panels & Furniture Asia had the
opportunity to speak with Tim Spanjaart, Managing Director of Furnindo and
Chief Operating Officer of AVIP, to find out more.
Tim Spanjaart
FURNINDO AND AVIP
Furnindo Utama Asia is one of Indonesia’s leading panel
processing furniture manufacturers, and is the daughter company
of AVIP – a professional design and build interior architecture firm
that has been providing the Indonesian market with workspace
fit-out solutions for the past 26 years. Established at the beginning
of 2016 in Tangerang, Java, Furnindo’s factory currently spans
around 5,500 square meters and employs a strength of about
40 staff members.
Before the establishment of Furnindo, AVIP was heavily reliant
on the outsourcing of furniture production as their 500-sq-m
workshop in Indonesia was largely unable to produce sufficient
yield. Despite an attempt to shift from manual practices by
importing second-hand digitally controlled machinery from the
Netherlands, the space that they had was still insufficient for
AVIP’s rapid growth. Looking to reduce the amount spent on
outsourcing, as well as resolve issues with product quality and
timely delivery, Tim, then Production Manager at AVIP, and his
management team saw the iminent need for an upgrade.
HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING
That’s how Furnindo was born. In 2015, the decision was made
to invest in their own factory and the goal was to produce
customised furniture and interiors with as much automation as
possible. Despite the higher investment needed to kick-start a
fully automatic panel processing line, Tim and his team wanted
to move away from manual production right from the start to
minimise mistakes and errors.
“It was an investment to make, but weighing the advantages and
disadvantages made us come to the conclusion that it would be
good to do this right from the beginning,” Tim said. “If we had
to implement this while we were already running the production
process, it could create a lot of unforeseen issues and slow you
down when you have deadlines to meet.”
His team then contacted a local representative of HOMAG and
purchased a panel dividing saw (SAWTEQ B-300) and CNC
processing centre with edging capabilities (CENTATEQ P-310
and Edge Bander NKR782). Tim shared that his late father led
the decision to work with HOMAG.
One of AVIP’s interior fit-out projects – commissioned by Dana Indonesia

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia IN PERSON | 23
HOMAG’s panel dividing saw SAWTEQ B-300 (HPL300)
with lifting table installed at Furnindo
Tim (centre) and his team members with HOMAG’s
CNC machine CENTATEQ P-310 (BMG311)
Tim (left) is able to personally operate all the machines as
he likes to be hands-on. Here, he measures a leftover panel
before using it for production
“At that time (in 2015), my father was still around – he had been a
furniture maker for a very long time. He had his own factory in the
Netherlands that was completely fit out with HOMAG machinery,
so he knew what he was looking for,” Tim recalled.
The machines arrived in December 2015 and were fully
operational in January 2016. Right from the start, Tim was
involved in the guiding and setting up of the factory. As meeting
AVIP’s demands was a major goal that Furnindo was set up to
fulfil, it was important that the machinery purchased were able
to significantly increase production capacity. According to Tim,
HOMAG’s panel saw was definitely up for the job. In fact, after just
over a year, to better handle output from the panel saw, Furnindo
purchased a second CNC machine (CENTATEQ P-100)!
The drastic shift away from manual production also allowed for
higher precision and consistency, decreasing the percentage of
defective and rejected products. According to Tim, the percentage
of defective and rejected products was around 6% to 7% before
the shift from manual production. Post-transition, the percentage
reduced to around 2%.
Since Furnindo’s output is project based and made-to-order, the
production of smaller batches is not uncommon – even down to
one or two units. Here, their use of HOMAG’s wood CAD|CAM
software (now known as HOMAG iX) drives automation and
optimises production capacity even for small orders. Using
3D rendering and automatic CNC programming, this software
enables manufacturers to streamline processes and improve
their professional presentation capabilities by optimising the
design stage into the manufacturing process. Prior to using this
software, everything was being done manually. Drawings were
made in AutoCAD and individual panel dimensions had to be
individually extracted.
“The software rapidly improved the way we draw and produce the
furniture,” Tim commented. “Overall, it’s much faster to design
and have our designs ready for production because manual
inputs are not required. Once the designs are ready, just a push
of a button is needed for them to be translated into individual
optimised cutting programmes.”
FACING CHALLENGES HEAD-ON
The move from manual to digital production is a major one,
and definitely did not come without its challenges. From the
beginning, HOMAG shared with the team that the CNC processing
centre was rather complicated especially for those who have no
prior experience with CNC machines, and the complexities were
doublefold because of the machine’s edging capabilities. However,
HOMAG’s support in the form of regular visits from engineers and
trainers helped the team to successfully manage the transition
and implementation. Implementation of the wood CAD|CAM
software presented a challenge at the beginning. Furnindo’s
draftsmen, being native Indonesians, were not fluent in English
and besides learning the ropes of a new software, they had to
learn to break down the language barrier. After a week-long
training session with a German trainer, the team took a month
or two for experimentation and testing. Another week of training
with HOMAG was then scheduled to evaluate the progress and
iron out teething issues. It helped that the training sessions
were held prior to delivery of the machines – the team was
able to start operating them with the software immediately
upon arrival.
After getting past the initial hurdles, the software and machinery
have definitely helped Furnindo in leaps and bounds. As the
production demands for AVIP can now be met, the current
challenge is to keep the factory running at full capacity – Furnindo
is now working on creating relationships with other vendors,
local and beyond, to whom they might be able to supply in the
near future.
IN A NUTSHELL
Given that Batch Size 1 production (or even small-batch
production) is still catching on in the South East Asia region,
Furnindo’s foray into automation is a leap in the right direction given
ever-increasing demands for customised projects and products.
Industry leaders such as HOMAG aim to be at the forefront
of helping manufacturers transit into this brave new world,
with relevant regional and robust local support, education and
training.
When asked if the use of HOMAG’s products have been well
implemented within Furnindo, Tim seemed pleased with the
outcome of the transition from manual to fully automated
production.
“It definitely helped us reach the goals that we aimed to change,”
he concluded. P

ADVERTORIAL
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
TAKING THE GABON
SPECIAL ECONOMIC
ZONE TO GREATER
HEIGHTS
Kumar Mohan
The Gabon Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is
the fruit of a shared vision of the Gabonese
government and Olam International Limited
and seeks to facilitate the industrialisation
of Gabon. Spanning 1,126 hecatres in Nkok,
approximately 20 kilometres from Gabon’s
capital city Libreville, Gabon SEZ is one of
the biggest industrial parks in Sub-Saharan
Africa aimed at promoting the sustainable
production and processing of timber and
other natural resources.
Panels & Furniture Asia had the opportunity
to find out from Kumar Mohan, Director
General, Gabon SEZ, insights on the current
successes of the SEZ, as well as upcoming
milestones and plans.
Firstly, congratulations on the success of Nkok SEZ! We
understand that out of the 166 companies based there,
around 88 units are in the wood processing sector. Is there
any concern about more wood processing units establishing
their bases at Nkok SEZ, given that they would be dependent
on one single raw material (eg, timber)?
Thank you so much. As of time of writing, the total capacity of
wood-processing units in Nkok SEZ is around 1 million cubic
metres and these units are currently operating at 70% capacity.
Up to 3.4 million cubic metres of logs can be easily harvested
in Gabon under sustainable forest management rules against
its current production of 1.7 million cubic metres. Gabon SEZ
has forest concessions of more than 2 million hectares that
we are not yet harvesting currently, as a lot of raw material is
available from other forest concessions. Moreover, the species
and grade of timber logs required by veneer units, sawmills,
furniture manufacturers and flooring companies are different,
so they are not competing with each other for the raw material.

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia IN PERSON | 25
A log yard spanning over 32 hectares ensures a year-long availability of logs even during the rainy seasons
The first set of investors in our Gabon SEZ ecosystem are more
into first and second transformation of timber and therefore,
our upcoming five-year strategy is as follows:
a) Attract industries that are more focused in third transformation
either using panels produced in Gabon SEZ or exotic hardwood
available in Gabonese forests.
b) Attract investors who will focus on utilising plantation timber
as raw material, as we are currently developing big timber
plantations which will see a huge availability of plantation timber
at a very competitive price.
c) Attract additional wood processing units so that the installed
capacity in Gabon SEZ can rise to 2 million cubic metres
annually.
Therefore, there is a lot of scope for additional manufacturers
in all segments of timber transformation.
There’s no doubt that cheap raw material (eg, timber) is
available in Gabon. However, given that infrastructure and
logistics have been a challenge in most African countries, how
does Nkok SEZ ensure that the units will not face a shortage
of raw materials?
The development of an SEZ at Nkok is aimed at creating a
sustainable ecosystem for processing of natural resources,
primarily timber, in Gabon. When Nkok SEZ was started, Gabon
did not have the infrastructure to facilitate the logistics from
the forest and the quick evacuation of finished products from
Gabon. Gabon SEZ has successfully invested more than US$300
million in developing the new modernised port, railway and
truck logistics system to bring raw materials from the interiors
of the forest to Nkok SEZ. However, we accept that the logistical
cost is slightly higher compared to our competitors. However,
as export volumes are increasing, the government and port
agencies are more willing to rationalise the port charges. We
are quite convinced that in a year or two, these prices will be
very competitive.
We understand that Gabon SEZ is also operating a log supply
chain and sourcing for logs from third parties to ensure
constant supply. Are there any plans to ensure the easy
availability of logs around the year – especially during the
rainy seasons – and at a fair price?
Gabon’s rainy season extends from March to April and from
October to mid-December, and the availability of logs goes down
slightly during these periods since logs harvested in the forest
cannot be evacuated during heavy rain. To ensure year-long
availability of logs including during the rainy seasons, Gabon
SEZ has developed a well-equipped log yard at the railway
siding within the SEZ and near to the factories. Spanning over
32 hectares, with a storage capacity of 300,000 cubic metres
of logs, this log yard will allow the handling of 2 million cubic
metres of logs per annum and ensure steady supply round the
year. Additionally, we have six log yards in interiors of the country
where we stock logs from nearby forests before transporting
them to Nkok SEZ. We have also invested in 100 log trucks and
130 log wagons to ensure the easy and continuous availability
of logs all year round. Logs prices are fixed annually and there
is no variation throughout the year.

26 | IN PERSON
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
We have 26 manufacturing units (sawmills, veneer, plywood and
furniture) promoted by Chinese investors and two manufacturing
units (sawmills and furniture) promoted by Malaysian investors.
Our readers might be curious about life in Nkok SEZ. Tell us
more about the living and work environments.
Gabon SEZ’s Single-Window Clearance building
In light of the initiatives to improve the logistics to ensure log
supply, are there plans to reduce the logistics cost for finished
products exported by the units in the SEZ?
As mentioned earlier, our first step was to build an efficient
infrastructure for the evacuation of finished products and we
have already achieved it. We are already working with different
stakeholders explaining our long-term vision and the strategy
to reduce logistics cost by increasing the volume, and we have
received quite a good response. Free On Board charges have
not increased in last two years and, with a further increase in
volume, we anticipate further decrease in logistics cost.
We have heard about the frequent custom strikes in Gabon
which has led to delays in transit time for containers. How
you intend to deal with such a crucial aspect impacting timely
shipment?
The impact of such strikes is lower for industries within the SEZ.
Gabon SEZ has as Single-Window Clearance building which
works as an autonomous structure for the manufacturing units
in Nkok SEZ. Even during port strikes, the customs department
in the facility ensures that exports are not blocked or delayed.
Given that the Government of Gabon is a partner in Gabon SEZ
and they have a good understanding about the importance
of the SEZ, we have engaged very closely with the Customs
Department over the last few years and they have supported
the units in the SEZ very well during such strikes.
A majority of our readers hail from the furniture, flooring
and door and window manufacturing sectors within South
East Asia and China. Out of all the wood processing units
currently at Nkok SEZ, specifically how many are in each of
the abovementioned sectors? How many are from the South
East Asia and China regions?
We have a total of fifteen units involved in furniture manufacturing,
three units in flooring and decking production and one unit in
door and window manufacturing. Most of the furniture units in
the SEZ are small-scale units selling to the local market. Only
four units produce furniture for exports. Units producing doors,
windows, flooring and decking are mainly export-oriented and
serve European and United States markets. All these units use
exotic hardwood for their products.
With the Single-Window Approval System, it is very easy to
set up an industrial unit in the SEZ. We have 22 government
departments/agencies housed in one single building within the
SEZ. All approvals typically required to set up and run a unit
– company registration, industry license, work permit, custom
exemption, VAT exemption, etc – are all provided at one location
and there is no need for an investor to run from one office to
another. These approvals are given in a timely manner.
Nkok SEZ has been planned to balance work, life and play, and is
divided into three areas: industrial, commercial and residential.
With more than 8,500 working in the SEZ, including 2,000
residents, the area is bustling with activity. In the residential
zone, 120 villas have been built and are occupied by senior
and technical heads of the manufacturing units. Gabon SEZ
SA, as the Operation and Maintenance Authority of Nkok SEZ,
provides reliable utilities such as electricity and water, etc. The
general estate management (ie, roads, street lights, security
and general cleanliness) has also been efficient, ensuring a
healthy work environment.
We understand that over 90% of plots in the first phase of
Gabon SEZ have been allotted and occupied – including 166
customers, over 75 operational units and 30 units under
construction. What’s the next milestone for Gabon SEZ?
The next milestones for Gabon SEZ are:
• Ensuring a more diverse ecosystem within Nkok SEZ to increase
the input to output ratio to 85% (compared to 55% currently).
• To become the largest panel-exporting African SEZ by 2022.
• Exports of more than US$3 billion by 2023 by attracting
industries which will further add value to the existing products
in the SEZ.
Which particular segment of wood processing would you
recommend for readers keen on exploring opportunities in
Gabon SEZ?
Gabon and our SEZ are perfect destinations for all kind of wood
processing. We have already been able to attract many investors
for second transformation, and this is right opportunity to focus
on industries that handle third transformation of timber (ie,
manufacturing of furniture and other consumer wood products)
as a lot of raw material is available. In terms of skills, Gabon SEZ
is partnering with the Gabonese Government to launch a training
school focusing on third transformation. The Government, by
way of the new finance law, is attempting to make industries in
third transformation more attractive using additional incentives.
Furthermore, working capital financing is available at preferred
interest rates for industries dealing with third transformation. P
For business, investment and trade enquiries, please get in touch
with the GSEZ team at gsez@olamnet.com or +24102001086.

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia IN PERSON | 27

28 | PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
BAUMER INSPECTION
COMMISSIONS
FIRST RAW BOARD
SCANNER IN
SOUTH EAST ASIA
Baumer Inspection has successfully commissioned the first
raw board scanner ColourBrain ® RawBoard 4.0 in South
East Asia at Green River Panels Trang, one of the largest
panel producers in Thailand. Officially introduced at LIGNA in
May 2019, the first system was installed at a world-leading
panel producer in Germany in the same month. Currently,
more scanners are being commissioned in other parts of Asia,
especially in China.
ColourBrain ® RawBoard 4.0 is an inspection system that detects
typical process errors in the production of chipboards and
medium- and high-density fibreboards. Using automatic optical
inspection systems and evaluation statistics, errors such as
grinding defects, surface damage, and spots caused by oil, water
and dust contamination can be identified for rectification and
process optimisation. ColourBrain ® RawBoard 4.0 automatically
differentiates between sporadic and process-related defects,
increasing first-choice output and reduces customer complaints.
With live production monitoring, the integration of all systems
into one control system and a common defect database,
extensive customised reports can be generated to troubleshoot
process deficiencies. This also helps in the conservation of
materials and manpower.
Available in three compact sizes, this system takes up minimal
space in production lines and is easy to install, clean and
maintain. It can be integrated with any existing transport
system, and its predefined interface protocols allows flexible
machine-to-machine communication. P

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS | 29

30 | PANEL MANUFACTURING
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia PANEL MANUFACTURING | 31
MDF come in a wide range of thicknesses
in modern production lines
WELL-MATCHED MEASURING
AND INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY
FOR THIN MDF PRODUCTION
By Konrad Solbrig, Head of Technology, Wood-based Composites, Electronic Wood Systems
The efficient production of a high-quality medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is fundamentally
attributable to the available raw material, capability of the installed machinery and manufacturer’s
knowledge. However, inline measuring and control systems also play a major role in meeting the
increasing requirements. Electronic Wood Systems (EWS) shares with us their quality inspection
and measuring systems for wood-based panel manufacturing.
Good-quality MDF production begins at the forming line,
with a homogenous and clean fibre mat provided by
Siempelkamp’s MDF-Mat Formers, including StarFormer
and Equalizer. Here, EWS' X-ray mat inspection and measuring
system, EcoScan, serves as a reliable instrument for monitoring the
mat parameters. The system, developed by EWS and Siempelkamp,
comprises individual sub-systems for area weight measurement
and foreign body detection (FBD), with a special focus on fastrunning
production lines even for MDF panels as thin as 1.5 mm.
Impurities, or metal and non-metal foreign bodies in the fibre mat,
are unacceptable for both hot press protection and panel quality.
The FBD system, EcoScan FBD, scans the entire mat and provides
control signals in order to reject the defective material. The X-ray
imaging method is comparable to digital photography; good
photographs depend on appropriate lighting, the nature of, and
distance to, the objects and the camera's sensor resolution and
sensitivity. Similarly, using an intelligent algorithm, EcoScan's
FBD unit evaluates continuously acquired X-ray images, allowing
for common signal variation and regular mat inhomogeneity to
avoid false detections. Up to three detection levels are available
in the manual setting or via a recipe. The image acquisition of the
EcoScan FBD is performed by a scanning linear array sensor – a
line camera sensitive to X-rays (Figure 1). High spatial resolution
comes from a small pixel size and pitch (1.6 mm across), as well
as a fast sensor read-out repetition rate, with a 1.5 ms sample

32 | PANEL MANUFACTURING
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
In contrast to FBD, area weight measurement of panels with
thicknesses ranging from 1.5 mm to 40 mm requires a differently
designed X-ray system. EcoScan’s high-precision area weight
gauge utilises unique double-traversing and self-adjusting flying
measuring heads (FLY), which employ MultiEnergy Technology
– finely graduated X-ray energies consistently yielding a high
measuring resolution of ± 0.5 % over a wide area-weight range,
and accurate absolute values.
Figure 1. EcoScan FBD using high-performance linear array scanning technology
time covering 7 mm panel thicknesses. Moisture
content measurement using infrared moisture analyser MT-SCAN
completes the forming line measuring equipment at several
relevant positions.
Downstream of the hot press, thickness gauge and blow detection
systems are essential devices for final panel quality and process
performance monitoring (Figure 5). Because panel producers are
faced with decreasing panel thickness tolerances, they need an
inline measuring instrument with almost calliper-like accuracy.
Figure 2. EcoScan FLY high-precision area weight measurement using self-adjusting flying measuring heads

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia PANEL MANUFACTURING | 33
Figure 3. Traversing area weight gauge MASS-SCAN X ME with MultiEnergy technology for various measuring tasks in panel production
EWS’ THICK-SCAN is a reliable and cost-effective thickness
gauge that is also suited for installation in the sanding line. The
integration of the thickness gauge into process automation is a
well-established application for panel thickness control in modern
production lines.
The application of ultrasound for panel inspection has been a
common principle for decades, enabling the detection of internal
defects such as delamination, blows and voids. EWS’ blow
detection system BLOW-SCAN features a linear array of ultrasonic
sensors with an individual number of inspection channels across
the panel width. The sound transmission amplitude through the
panel, measured by each pair of transducers (transmitter below
and receiver above the panel), drops significantly when there is
an internal defect. Regarding detection capability, lateral (sensor
pitch and size) and longitudinal (scanning performance = sample
time with over-sampling) spatial resolution must be specified,
where individual guarantee values for defect sizes are defined.
A typical configuration comes with a 100 mm pitch of 50 mm
sensors and 8 ms sample time (Figure 4), resulting in 150 mm
by 50 mm guaranteed detectable defect size. In addition, there
is a variation of the signal depending on various panel quality
parameters, which is displayed in a multi-coloured ultrasound
image. This optimises production capacity, to run the line close
to its specific limits with regard to press time and panel thickness,
based on the readings of the signal distribution across the panel.
Today, there is a trend towards higher spatial resolution for the
detection of smaller defect sizes, which is also considered to
be relevant for thin-MDF production. To this end, fundamental
research and development is in progress to produce an effective
system with outstanding features – and a new generation of
ultrasonic technology – in the near future.
It is worthy to note that both thickness-measuring and blowdetection
systems are designed for panel evaluation and require
gaps between the panels on a regular basis for individual zerocalibration
of the sensors. This is to compensate for pollution,
temperature drift and other impact factors. Therefore, the
devices must be installed downstream of the diagonal saw
section. Complete with integration of fully automated emptygap-measuring
procedures, this is considered to be the fastest
and most practical solution.
Figure 4. BLOW-SCAN configuration for 150 mm by 50 mm guaranteed
detectable defect size (lower red dot)

34 | PANEL MANUFACTURING
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Figure 5. SicoScan panel evaluation systems powered by EWS technology with thickness gauge, blow detection and non-contact panel scale
downstream of Siempelkamp’s diagonal saw section
The ensemble of panel evaluation systems in the cooling and
stacking line downstream of the diagonal saw section is typically
completed by a panel scale. Here, the continuous non-contact
system CONTI-SCALE X ME (Figure 5) is considered to be a
more reasonable solution compared to the previous mechanical
unit, especially in the case of thin panels with low weight. It
is important to consider that the conveyor already provides
a tare weight in the order of 2,000 kg on the load cells of
the mechanical scale, which may show uncertainties of up to
± 40 kg. Therefore, such a huge mechanical device is not
practical for thin-MDF with panel weights down to 15 kg. On
the contrary, the CONTI-SCALE X ME is a lean and precise
area-weight-measuring device utilising low-power X-ray units,
sensitive high-speed detectors and similar internal procedures for
calibration, signal evaluation, and parameter settings via recipe
data like the EcoScan FLY or MASS-SCAN X ME. Using MultiEnergy
Technology, the X-ray parameters are fully automatically adapted
to the current panel properties, resulting in a consistently high
measuring resolution of ± 0.6% to 0.8 % of the measured area
weight. With corresponding track-wise data from the thickness
gauge, the cross-profile and average panel density are calculated
and displayed, and panel weight can be derived by considering
its dimensions. Moreover, there is a minimum gap requirement
of only 335 mm and it can even be installed instead of a roller
within the conveyor.
Additionally, a low-energy version of the laboratory density profile
measuring device was developed. DENSE-LAB X light features an
enhanced internal X-ray system to obtain appropriate measuring
accuracy of the measured profiles in the density range of 50 kg/
m³ to 350 kg/m³ (compared to a 300 kg/m³ to 1500 kg/m³ range
in standard devices). As well as the X-ray technology adaptations,
it comes with the well-established features of the standard device.
Here, it was only logical to create individual devices, either for
standard or for low-density panels, to maintain a lean system
design without resulting in an expensive all-in-one solution.
All the described measuring and inspection systems are standard
in modern production lines – for example SicoScan integrated
in Siempelkamp projects (Figure 5) – and are also available for
individual upgrades of existing plants. Once installed and adjusted
to the customer’s needs, the X-ray systems are aimed at zero
operator interaction. Inline measuring and control systems are
a key factor for Industry 4.0 in wood-based panel production.
There are high standards required of panel producers, which
consequently puts high requirements on their process equipment.
Here, the application of reliable measuring and inspection systems
helps to enhance total efficiency, avoid over-metering, ensure
constant product quality and achieve overall savings. P

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia PANEL MANUFACTURING | 35

36 | FURNITURE MANUFACTURING
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Machines and mankind – Combining forces
for intelligent furniture manufacturing

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia FURNITURE MANUFACTURING | 37
On 30 July 2020, Kawasaki Robotics, Nanxing Machinery
and FinChinasoft co-participated in a seminar themed
“Machines Lending a Helping Hand to Mankind – How to
Best Use Robots for the Intelligent Manufacturing of Furniture”.
Nanxing Machinery made a dynamic on-site presentation
on intelligent and efficient cutting, CNC drilling and sorting
workstations. Representatives from over ten benchmarking
enterprises that centre on the application of robotics in the
furniture industry had an exchange of views in an effort to jointly
explore artificial intelligence (AI) and inaugurate a new era for
its transformation.
KAWASAKI ROBOTICS BREAKS DOWN
TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIERS
Kawasaki Robotics enjoys a history of more than five decades. As
a trailblazer in producing industrial robots, it boasts world-leading
equipment and technology that have now been widely utilised in
industrial fields. Along with continuously upgraded AI technology,
there seems to be an irresistible trend of industrial robots making
their way into the factories of furniture manufacturers.
Kawasaki Robotics has joined efforts with FinChinasoft to open up
new frontiers in furniture manufacturing, in the hopes of creating
greater value for the industry using robotics and information
technology.
NANXING MACHINERY PROVIDES MARKET INSIGHTS
IN BOOSTING INTELLIGENT MANUFACTURING
Nanxing Machinery is a representative enterprise in China’s
woodworking machinery. As the home furnishing industry
undergoes transformation and upgrading, Nanxing Machinery,
by keeping abreast with market demands, has taken the lead to
launch an overall solution so that its customers can move from
standalone production methods to more flexible and integrated
line production. Meanwhile, the company has been cooperating
with FinChinasoft to roll out a production and marketing
model – “Equipment + Software; Online + Offline” – which has
helped furniture companies save labour costs, boost efficiency
and gain a competitive edge.
FINCHINASOFT BRINGS ABOUT THREE-PARTY
COOPERATION TO PROPEL INDUSTRY GROWTH
Despite the myriad of challenges facing the furniture manufacturing
industry, FinChinasoft, Kawasaki Robotics and Nanxing Machinery
have been forging ahead hand in hand over the years. After
multiple rounds of technological upgrading and optimisation,
the three companies have hammered out various successful
application cases, such as intelligent and efficient cutting, CNC
drilling and sorting workstations, and have helped create costeffective
robotic integration solutions for the home furniture
industry, and realise the intellectualisation and informatisation
of furniture manufacturing.
Numerous stories of the successful implementation of
intelligent application integration solutions provide traditional
customisation-oriented manufacturers, who seek to improve
efficiency and overcome manual limitations, with constructive
information worthy of reference.
Looking ahead, human-robot collaboration will lie at the very
heart of the entire home furniture manufacturing industry.
Kawasaki Robotics, Nanxing Machinery and FinChinasoft will
combine forces in a sustained and in-depth manner, brave winds
and waves, and leverage each of their strengths and profound
heritage from the industry to fuel the transformation and
upgrading of informatisation in the sector.
The trend of the times is here and a promising future is ours to
behold! P

5 th Edition
ASIA’S SPECIALISED
WOOD MATERIALS
WOOD PRODUCTS
TRADE SHOW
by Panels & Furniture Group of wood magazineswww.sylvawoodexpo.com
28 th -30 th JUNE 2021
SHANGHAI
CHINA
VENUE:
99 XING YI ROAD
SHANGHAI CHINA
JOINTLY ORGANISED BY
WeChat
China Timber &
Wood Products
Distribution Association
Shanghai
Timber Trade
Association
Shanghai Pablo
Exhibition Co., Ltd.
Enquiries For International Exhibitors
Pablo Publishing & Exhibition Pte Ltd
Tel: +(65) 6266 5512
Email: williampang@pabloasia.com
ENDORSED BY
American
Hardwood
Export Council
French
Timber
Softwood
Export Council
Canada Wood
Thai Timber
Association
Malaysian
Timber
Council
National
Hardwood Lumber
Association

40 | MATERIALS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Designer Hardwood: Creating
customisable, sustainable hardwood
materials from wood waste in just one day
In the wood industry, flexibility in manufacturing takes many forms, but what Designer Hardwood
brings to the table is revolutionary. Who would have thought that one day, we can customise wood
products right from its source – the wood material itself?
Researched and developed in the 3,000 sqm Innovation Centre
in Adelaide, Australia, Designer Hardwood has three standout
characteristics:
• It is made from recycled wood – wood chips and residues
• Its range of customisation options is extensive – from
appearances to properties such as hardness and density. This
means that it is now possible to create a wood material that has
the look of pine, a softwood, but the properties of tropical hardwood
• Its patented process includes a “Nano-glue” that is non-toxic
and entirely recyclable
Panels & Furniture Asia spoke to Peter Torreele, Managing Director
of 3RT, the company that created Designer Hardwood, who
explained the technology behind Designer Hardwood:
“Our patented technology provides a new source of quality
hardwood without having to cut mature native trees, because we
are using wood waste as input material, sources can be thinnings
from both hardwood or softwood plantations, damaged or
sick trees as part of tree felling in native forest management.
Our process converts these input materials into wood products
that can have the same properties as mature native hardwoods
such as modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR),
density and hardness. Our process is a unique combination
of three fields of expertise: nanotechnology, materials science
and advanced automation/robotics.”
USING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO MANUFACTURE
DESIGNER HARDWOOD
A fully automated digital production unit converts wood
residue into mature hardwood using advanced robotics
and Industry 4.0 smarts that results in a fast, efficient and
cost-effective process. The process is similar to the idea of
3D-printing – wood products with the properties of hardwood
can be manufactured in just a day instead of chopping
down a tree that takes decades or even a hundred years
to grow.

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia MATERIALS | 41
With a strong belief that automation can
ensure the highest quality conformity
at the lowest production cost while
eliminating operator errors, 3RT
constantly applies the latest Industry
4.0 developments in a pragmatic way
through software updates.
Each production unit consists of a
series of integrated modules that
works seamlessly in one continuous
process. Two robots manage the
entire production process, monitored
from a centralised HMI console. The
production unit only requires two
people to operate, compared to 20 to
30 workers in a traditional sawmill.
Torreele also emphasised that
3RT does not manufacture finished
wood products but instead produces
The process is
similar to the idea of
3D-printing – wood
products with the
properes of hardwood
can be manufactured
in just a day instead
of chopping down a
tree that takes decades
or even a hundred
years to grow,
— Peter Torreele,
managing director of 3RT
the hardwood material and provides
the technology to manufacturers who
are interested to produce Designer
Hardwood products themselves.
“Our suppliers are plantation and native
forest owners and our customers are
wood manufacturers. We develop the
‘production recipes’ in our Innovation
Centre, based on the plantation species
and the requirements of our customers.
We then produce these new hardwoods
in our Digital Production Units, either
owned by ourselves or licensed to the
customer.” 3RT has a global partnership
with Bosch which manufactures, installs
and maintains 3RT’s digital production
units around the world, as well as
Siemens to ensure that 3RT stands at
the forefront of advanced automation,
IoT developments and data analytics.

42 | MATERIALS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Various products made from Designer Hardwood
3RT also licenses its technology globally. With a compact
footprint of 650 square metres, the digital product units create
significant value-add to wood waste at a low investment cost.
Manufacturers have the option of either buying or leasing the
production units, in combination with a licensing fee. 3RT can
build and install the customised “plug-and-play” production
unit within 12 months, while its Innovation Centre prototypes
the products that manufacturers want to produce.
THE CUSTOMISATION PROCESS
Designer Hardwood’s customisation process is fascinating. By
manipulating the process parameters, a broad range of unique
properties independent from the original wood specie can be
achieved.
Sometimes, two different wood species, or even hard and
soft wood species can be mixed together to create new wood
materials. Alternative materials like bamboo and palm oil trunks
are also used.
Knife handle made from Designer Hardwood

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia MATERIALS | 43
“It is about determining the right
process parameters to get to the desired
result. We have more than 100 process
parameters in our production units,
hence the importance of data analytics,”
explained Torreele.
“Scientists and engineers at our
Innovation Centre develop new wood
materials and customise wood products
with species from around the world.
Customisation involves both mechanical
properties such as density, hardness,
as well as visual aspects. This allows
us to develop products specifically
designed for the precise customer
application.
“The ‘Nano-glue’ is specifically designed
for our process, which makes the
production of hardwood significantly
cheaper than traditional native
hardwood,” shared Torreele.
“We apply the latest in nanotechnology
and materials science through our
long-term partnership with Flinders
University that gives us access to 130
scientists and significant lab equipment.
Our revolutionary process combines
countless textures and properties to
create the perfect wood for your needs.
It also includes bringing nanotechnology
into the products, thereby creating
additional properties such as termite
resistance or fire retardant. And it’s all
100% natural. No harmful chemicals go
into our process,” said Torreele. P
All images are credited to 3RT.
Another advantage that may appeal
to designers and architects is that
we can ‘design’ wood products with a
specific visual pattern or appearance
according to their design vision, and
without limitation,” said Torreele.
“The prospect of being able to
manufacture hardwood products
from softwood sources also seems
to be an appealing proposition in the
market,” he added.
Designer Hardwood is suitable
for decorative and not structural
applications. Decorative
applications include walls, floors,
doors, decorative panels, DAR
components, furniture, stair treads
and balustrades, and mouldings.
PATENTED “NANO-GLUE”
PROCESS AT THE HEART OF
3RT’S TECHNOLOGY
At the heart of 3RT’s technology is a
process using a water-based “Nanoglue”
that bio-mimics the natural
growing process of a tree. Different
timbers, with the same performance
properties as their ancient ancestors
can be made in just a single day.
Compared to traditional
formaldehydes or isocyanides
which contains harmful chemicals,
“Nano-glue” is non-toxic and 100%
recyclable.

BIFA WOOD
VIETNAM 2021
www.bifawoodvietnam.com
NEW DATE: 11-14 March 2021
Venue:
Binh Duong Convention &
Exhibition Centre (open ground)
Duong Hung Vuong, Phu Hoa ward,
Thu Dau Mot city, Binh Duong province,
Vietnam
Google Map
QR code
Exhibition Site
WOOD &
WOODWORKING
MACHINERY
EXHIBITION
Enquiries For International Exhibitors
Pablo Publishing & Exhibition Pte Ltd
3 Ang Mo Kio Street 62 #01-23 Link@AMK
Singapore 569139
Tel: (65) 6266 5512
Email: williampang@pabloasia.com
info@pabloasia.com
WeChat
Jointly organised by
BINH DUONG FURNITURE ASSOCIATION (BIFA)
PANELS & FURNITURE Group
BINH DUONG FURNITURE ASSOCIATION

46 | MATERIALS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
A traded tree: What rosewood
means for Africa
By Paolo Omar Cerutti
Every time I get interested in one particular value chain –
especially those that start in the forests of sub-Saharan
Africa – I wonder whether I’ll contribute to closing the
barn door before or after the horses have left.
This conundrum is readily exemplified in the example of research
conducted in the delicate Miombo forests of southern Africa,
situated between Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) and various neighbours.
The "hero" of this story is rosewood. The illegal trade in the
wood is one of the world’s most lucrative businesses, and
affects much of South East Asia and parts of Africa and South
America. When demand started to increase in West Africa
around 2010, exports went from basically zero to hundreds
of millions of dollars in just a few years. And, rosewood’s
exploitation is causing a range of environmental and
socioeconomic disasters.

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia MATERIALS
| 47
In Zambia and the DRC, traders are looking for mukula, but also for any tree that consumers could buy as "rosewood"
ROSEWOOD: A TRICKY TERM
Even the term rosewood is tricky, as many tree species
are harvested and traded under that name. In southern
Africa and Zambia in particular, rosewood is best known
as mukula, or Pterocarpus tinctorius.
It is an oversimplification generally attached to rosewood
that one can draw a straight line from production to
consumption, between a forest somewhere in Africa,
South East Asia or South America, and on to China.
The Chinese market is indeed a big consumer of
rosewood because of consumer demand for dark red
tropical hardwood species. Over the last decade, about
US$9 billion in rosewood was imported into China, and
this accounts only for wood officially listed as rosewood,
which excludes many species sold as "rosewood" but
not recorded as such, like mukula.
Start date in logging reported by interviewed cutters
(bars = total per year, line = cumulative percentage)
Source: Informality, global capital, rural development and the environment:
Mukula (rosewood) trade between China and Zambia

48 | MATERIALS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Contacts downstream are also essential, especially as Zambia
is a few thousand kilometres away from wherever the timber is
going. Traders may at times "procure and sell" on the spot, but
that is not where the money is made. Buyers and networks built
over years and across oceans are required.
Eventually, containers filled with rosewood reach their destination,
and trees purchased in Zambia for approximately US$20 per cubic
metre earn a trader about US$1,000 per cubic metre.
Even the term rosewood is tricky, as many tree species are harvested
and traded under that name
Yet, in the case of mukula, the supposedly straight trading line
from Zambia to China is actually more of a zigzag, with a single
container from Zambia perhaps loaded onto a ship leaving from
at least five African ports (including those in Kenya, Tanzania,
Mozambique, South Africa and Namibia) and stopping in transit
countries (including Madagascar, India, the Philippines and
Vietnam), where its contents could be mixed with other tree
species.
FARMERS TURNED LOGGERS
During this research, we came up with the term "farmers turned
loggers" because almost anywhere that the rosewood trade has
been documented, farmers are lured into logging. They accept
an average income of US$4 per tree cut, which translates into
what for them is a substantial – albeit very short-term – income
of about US$770 a year. "Farmers turned loggers" can roam
for months in surrounding forests in search of mukula trees.
Or anything else with dark red colour for that matter.
Meanwhile, elders, wives, friends and children cover their work
on the family farm, waiting for the much-needed income to
provide for their basic needs like health and education.
Ultimately, chances are high that mukula trees will end up on
the Chinese market. But, as with many value chains, the story is
much more complicated.
TRADING IN ROSEWOOD
Field research on the rosewood trade by a team from the
Centre for International Forestry Research was conducted in
four districts in southern Africa between 2016 and 2017, and
included discussions with rural communities, timber harvesters,
government, private sector officials, brokers, intermediaries
and companies buying and eventually shipping timber out of
the country. In addition, 52 focus group discussions involving a
total of 494 participants were held to learn more about mukula,
followed by engagement with policy makers starting in 2018
that is still ongoing.
This is what we found.
Rosewood traders in Zambia require money to buy the wood,
connections to the powers that be and contacts in downstream
operations. The closer to the final buyer of the raw material
outside Africa, the better.
Traders now are generally unconcerned as to how the wood
was obtained. But, when they initially entered the business,
competition was high and people had to roam villages in rural
areas, possibly with the help of local chiefs, translators, facilitators
and brokers. As rosewood traders make a name for themselves,
they tend to move to the capital, leaving behind a network of
preferred brokers who source the wood.
There are two immediate problems with this model. First, the
"farmer turned logger" discovers very soon that, after one
or two logging seasons, the resource is simply gone from the
surrounding environment. So, unless he turns into a professional
logger – something that happens very rarely – he'll go back to
his previous occupation once back at home.
Second, the landscape as it was before the rosewood frenzy is
now very much depleted, and there is a risk he is unable to provide
the same vital services as before for his family and community’s
survival.
It is difficult to fully quantify the services that millions of nowgone
mukula trees were providing in Zambia, or the DRC, or
Malawi, or the world. We estimate that during the mukula
frenzy, between 90,000 and 150,000 ha of forest was affected
annually by unregulated and unsustainable logging operations,
with revenue losses of about US$3 million. Such depletion has
impacted flagship fauna species living in those dry forests, and
increased natural phenomena – such as fire – to which these
forests are very prone.
POSITIVE SIGNS
On 21 August 2019, the proposal championed by Malawi to
list mukula under Appendix II of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of
Wild Fauna and Flora was accepted during the 18 th Conference
of the Parties to CITES. Appendix II includes species not
necessarily threatened with extinction, but of which trade must
be controlled to ensure their survival.

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia MATERIALS | 49
This is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough.
Unfortunately, traders are able to continue their work even
under the stricter circumstances instituted by many countries.
In Zambia, for example, as in several other countries, the
government has adopted a long series of log production and trade
bans, but there needs to be better enforcement.
THE NEED FOR CONTINUED PRESSURE
Continued pressure is the final requirement. In such an
interconnected world, along complex and murky value chains,
continued pressure on countries and regions to improve and
apply their own laws, and on businesses to play by the rules,
must not falter.
Enforcement tools with larger scope are essential, for business as
usual is consuming forests. In Zambia and the DRC, traders are
looking for mukula, but also for any tree that consumers could
buy as "rosewood". This tells us that enforcing rules on single
species – such as the CITES resolution does – is okay. But this
works only in conjunction with bolder approaches to national and
regional laws and policies.
Broader networks are the only long-term solution. For years,
people have been talking about certain countries’ efforts to fight
illegal logging, almost always with the corollary sentence about
other countries that are not. China has just passed a new forest
regulation that, for the first time, explicitly talks about illegal
logging and trade – and condemns it. Let’s take such positive
moves and build on them for more impact on the ground, where
resources are being depleted.
We all have a role to play, and we need to be well aware of it. As
citizens of this planet, let us not be framed into the "producers
and consumers" binary. At each node of the value chain, we can
find a way to push the right button. In this business, there are
plenty of doors and windows in the barn, and only if we come
together can we shut them all before the horses are gone. P
(All images are credited to Paolo Cerutti.)
This article is republished with permission from Trade for
Development News.
Paolo Omar Cerutti is a forester at the Centre for International
Forestry Research.

50 | FLOORING
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
COVID-19 cleaning and
disinfecting: What’s safe
for wood floors? by Brett Miller
Photograph: Nabila Fauzia / Unsplash
With the spread of COVID-19,
dust, pollen, particles, animal dander,
killing germs on surfaces
or allergens. A regular cleaning routine
around the house is top
should be all you need with wood floors.
of mind. The American Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommends washing your hands with
soap and water or using a hand sanitiser
that contains at least 60% alcohol to
protect yourself.
Try to sweep daily, vacuum on the bare
floor setting about once per week, and
use a damp mop with the right cleaning
product on a monthly basis. The type
of finish on the floor can dictate which
cleaner is appropriate to use. Consult
the flooring or finish manufacturer to
Additionally, the CDC suggests cleaning
determine how to care for your floor.
and disinfecting frequently touched
surfaces such as doorknobs, light
switches, faucet handles and phones
daily.
What about your floors, though? The
Photograph: Mitchell Luo / Unsplash
The mop should be slightly moistened and
well-wrung, ensuring that the amount of
moisture left on the floor surface is
minimal. When using spray mops, use
only high-quality spray mops that provide
germs that could possibly have been tracked into the house
may be crossing your mind right about now. If you have real
wood floors, read on before you get carried away with using
greater control over the amount of solution that is applied and
come with super-absorbent, disposable or washable pads that
remove the cleaning solution and soil from the floor’s surface.
bleach, disinfectant sprays or other “sterilising” non-wood floor
cleaning products.
Many wood floor cleaning products contain ingredients, such as
isopropyl alcohol, with disinfecting properties. It is important to
Wood floors are already a healthy choice for indoor air quality
and interior environments because they have no fibres, grout
lines, or embossing that can trap microorganisms, bacteria,
use the appropriate cleaning products, as recommended by the
floor and/or finish manufacturer, to avoid damaging the wood
finishes and ensure the longevity of your floors.

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia FLOORING | 51
When used directly on a wood floor, products such as bleach, disinfectant
aerosols or other “sterilising” cleaning products can break down existing
finishes, resulting in premature wear. In addition, these products can
discolour finishes and wood, leave a haze on the floor’s surface or cause
irreversible damage to any type of wood floor.
It is not advised to use a steam mop on a wood floor. Steam is the vapour
form of water, which means it can travel deeper and faster between cracks
and into the cells of the wood. Repeated use can permanently damage the
wood and the floor’s finish.
Finally, to decrease the potential for tracking germs inside, consider
removing your shoes before entering your house. Place breathable throw
rugs at doorways to help prevent dirt and debris from being tracked
inside. P
Brett Miller is the Vice President of Technical Standards, Training, and
Certification for the National Wood Flooring Association.
A brief guideline for the maintenance of wood flooring
Photograph: Beazy / Unsplash

52 | FLOORING
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Photograph: Tim Mossholder / Unsplash
All swept up
The topic of cleanliness and hygiene is at the forefront
of everyone’s mind these days, with the COVID-19
pandemic still sweeping the globe and everyone
starting to settle into what’s been termed as the “new
normal”. However, what’s good for hygiene may not
be good for wood flooring – especially when it comes
to the matter of maintaining its finishing!
Brett Miller
Brett Miller, Vice President, Technical Standards,
Training and Certification, National Wood Flooring
Association (NWFA), advises against getting too carried
away with cleaning and disinfecting.

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia FLOORING | 53
What is the standard procedure for maintaining wood flooring?
MILLER: Follow the finish and flooring manufacturer’s
instructions on routine maintenance. NWFA recommends dry
sweeping floors daily to remove fine and large particles from
the floor’s surface, and to only use vacuum cleaners that have
a setting for hard surfaces. Damp mop weekly when necessary.
Deep clean and recoat annually or as needed.
When it comes to the maintenance of
wood flooring, what are some key issues/
challenges that have to be considered?
What are some challenges that can arise from the increased
cleaning of wood flooring?
MILLER: Too much moisture can cause damage to the finishes and
to the wood. Use of improper products can damage the finishes
and the wood. The use of any procedure outside of manufacturer
recommendations could void flooring warranties and shorten the
lifespan of the flooring. When finish becomes compromised, it
may be time for a recoat or a complete resand. P
MILLER: Do not over-wet the floor. The mop
should be slightly moistened and well wrung
out, ensuring the amount of moisture left
on the floor surface is minimal. When using
spray mops, use only high-quality spray
mops that provide greater control over the
amount of solution that is applied, and that
come with super-absorbent, disposable or
washable pads that remove the cleaning
solution and soil from the floor’s surface.
How can owners make sure that they are
properly disinfecting their wood flooring?
MILLER: Routine maintenance as described
above is best for wood flooring. Otherwise,
follow the American Centers for Disease
Control requirements for personal hygiene
to minimise exposure.
How often should one fully disinfect wood
flooring and does this differ from how wood
flooring is typically cleaned?
MILLER: Only use products and procedures
as recommended by the flooring and finish
manufacturer. Do not use disinfectants
without their approval.

54 | DESIGN
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
TASMANIAN BLACKWOOD HEATS
THINGS UP AT LONDON RESTAURANT
By Tasmanian Timber
Mama Fuego is a 700sqm restaurant outside of London’s North Greenwich Pier. With a playful nod to the 60’s and
70’s throughout the interior’s luxe fit-out, the theme of the restaurant is brought to life through the use of the
warm tones, utilising 50 cubic meters of sustainably sourced Tasmanian Blackwood found throughout the space.
BLACKWOOD CENTRAL TO RESTAURANT DESIGN
Designed by de la Vega Architects who have been executing
projects around Australia and across the globe, Mama Fuego is a
culinary fusion of South American and Australian cuisine, making
the restaurant’s main material choice, an Australian timber, a
perfect fit. Crafted by Justin Macri and his team at their Sydney
based facility Metric Joinery, the venue’s joinery, bar tops,
kitchen, coffee counters, wine fridge, sunken lounge, tables,
wall paneling, banquet seating, and feature zig-zag half wall,
are all made from sustainably sourced Tasmanian Blackwood.
“It was the first time I had used Blackwood and the timber
performed beautifully. I really enjoyed working with the
Blackwood and the client loved how the few blackwood elements
were coming together so much that the amount of Blackwood
specified tripled in size,” said Macri.
With modular construction, the Blackwood pieces came to life
through a collaborative effort between the architects, de la
Vega Architects and Metric Joinery, and were manufactured to
be easily dismantled with knock-down connections and then
shipped overseas where the pieces were assembled like a puzzle.
Mama Fuego is a culinary fusion of South American and Australian cuisine, making
the restaurant’s main material choice, Tasmanian Blackwood, a perfect fit
Using state-of-the-art technology alongside traditional methods
like wood turning to create 200mm diameter expertly designed
and crafted table legs, each piece was hand finished with a
Danish oil to show off the timber’s natural lustre and to achieve
a pristine final product.
“We always employ the latest technology in all of our projects,
but the finishing touches are done by hand. The workability
of the Blackwood enabled us to achieve a great end result.
Blackwood is a beautiful product,” explained Macri.
“It was the first time I had used Blackwood and the timber performed beautifully. I
really enjoyed working with the Blackwood and the client loved how the few Blackwood
elements were coming together so much that the amount of blackwood specified tripled
in size,” said Justin Macri from Metric Joinery in Sydney, Australia
TASMANIAN TIMBERS GAINING INTERNATIONAL
ATTENTION
As Tasmanian Blackwood remains a favourite among joiners,
architects and furniture makers within Australia, the use of
Tasmanian Timber in the international market has begun to
take off. Shawn Britton, Managing Director of Britton Timbers,
one of Australia’s leading timber suppliers, said they’ve noticed
Tasmanian Blackwood has piqued the interest of architects and
designers abroad.

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia DESIGN | 55
“Over the past five years, we have seen a steady increase in
demand for Tasmanian Blackwood from international clientele,
primarily the USA, Japan, Korea and the UK. As Blackwood is
so versatile for internal fit-out, joinery and furniture, we have
found that some international customers involved in architecture
and design are looking for something different to the standard
American species that they have specified for years,”
said Britton.
With the increase in demand for Tasmanian Blackwood, Britton
explained that is readily available for domestic and international
markets.
With modular construction, the Blackwood pieces came to life through a collaborative
effort between the architects, de la Vega Architects and Metric Joinery
“Britton Timbers have been exporting small volumes of
Tasmanian Blackwood for decades and while it is not available
in huge volumes like some species, it is readily available – direct
from Tasmania, in a range of solid timber of varying dimensions
as well as decorative veneer and panel products,” shared Britton.
The swamps of north-west Tasmania have been the primary
source of high-quality Blackwood for more than a century. This
resource has been the cornerstone of Tasmania’s fine furniture
industry over that time and Britton shares he’s proud to see
Tasmanian Timbers reaching the upscale international market.
“Having seen the completed project first hand in London, I can
attest that the finished article is simply stunning and it certainly
makes me proud to see our Tasmanian timber used in such a
high-profile project in London. There are not many species in
the world as beautiful as Tasmanian Blackwood that you would
have confidence shipping the finished article across the equator
pre-fab ready to fit together on the other side of the globe,”
said Britton. P
All images are credited to Kate Darkins Photography.

56 | DESIGN
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Designing for the Tropics: Trends
and Post-Pandemic Observations
By Jo-Ann Teo
Panels & Furniture Asia finds out from furniture designer and manufacturer onestop on
what industry trends have hit the market and what is to come.
With over a decade of experience providing end-to-end
solutions ranging from custom product manufacturing
to fully managed turnkey projects, onestop has
especially established themselves in the luxury hospitality
industry. With a great market reach in tourist havens, especially
in Maldives, notable clients include top-rated international hotel
and resort brands such as Hilton, Sheraton and Westin.
Headquartered in Singapore, onestop owns their own factories in
China and Indonesia. Their factory in Guangdong, China, spans
50,000 sq m and is fully equipped with ISO-certified precision
machinery. Their team of over 200 craftsmen and artisans manage
the full production process from material sourcing to final delivery.
This year, onestop celebrated the opening of their factory in Java,
Indonesia. Combining Indonesia’s renowned carpentry heritage
with the exclusive availability of woodworking materials allows the
production of top-quality products that are even more suitable
for hotels and resorts located in tropical climate conditions.
Depending on the wood used, different cuts and joinery methods
offer different levels of strength, and understanding this would
help to prevent warps, splits and cracks in the long run. For
example, a butt joint, in which two pieces of wood are connected
(usually at a right angle) with mechanical fasteners, are fairly
weak. These may shift and fall apart when exposed to humidity.
A better alternative would be a dovetail joint, in which two pieces
of wood interlock like the fingers of clasped hands. This is often
preferable, especially for furniture that is heavily used. It’s also
best to make wooden items with waterproof glue and treat it with
several coats of finish to seal out moisture.
A dovetail joint, in which two pieces of wood interlock, offers higher
strength and is more shift-resistant (Photograph: Pixabay)
Opened in June 2020, onestop’s new factory in Java allows for easier
access to a skilled carpentry workforce and tropic-suitable material
supplies (Photograph: onestop)
WOOD IS GOOD
Given its versatility and long-lasting lifespan, wood furniture and
panels have remained popular throughout the ages. Its natural,
light and considerably weather-resistant material can create a
cosy atmosphere and add a contemporary touch to any space.
To withstand the hot and humid weather in tropical countries,
teak is a great material of choice due to its natural protective
oils that prevents the wood from drying out and cracking. Often,
in such climates, timber furniture needs to be oiled or coated
with a preservative, and joined with outdoor-grade screws
and hardware.
Rattan is also on the rise as another trendy material for furniture
design in warm and dry climates. As a natural wood, rattan can
be painted and stained different colours, and its flexible and
lightweight properties allow it to be woven into durable products
such as tables and chairs for both indoor and outdoor use.
Amari Havodda in the Maldives uses rattan to make a strikingly classy
statement (Photograph: Amari Havodda)

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia DESIGN | 57
RECENT DESIGN TRENDS
Working with some of the top luxury hotel brands and food and
beverage establishments worldwide, onestop has the latest scoop
on recent and upcoming design trends. The COVID-19 pandemic
has warranted many changes to our physical world. Grappled
by the global tourism halt and current gradual resurgence of
business, retailers and hoteliers have to strike a balance between
marketing appeal and sensible space management. Hence,
design trends will inevitably become more mood- and spacecentric,
catering to creative needs of the masses and facilitating
comfortable distancing for the contact-wary.
Varying textures and finishes elevate the depth and style of Hilton
Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa (Photograph: Hilton Seychelles)
Patterns and textures
Embracing the minimalist concept, without deviating from being
unique and distinctive, has brought about the resurgence of using
patterns and textures. Easy to implement even to existing interior
designs, all it takes is the clever coordination of varied furnishing,
textiles and lighting. The mixing and matching of patterned fabric
or textiles with contemporary wood-look flooring and panels
could offer a simple upliftment of style and elegance.
The dramatic use of dual colours at Polish restaurant Opasly Tom
enhances the dining experience (Photograph: Opasly Tom)
Two-toned designs
Together with lighting, colours play a huge role in setting the
mood and ambience of any space. Two-toned designs seem to
have taken the spotlight these; the use of two complementary
colours not only invokes a minimalistic feel, but also allows brands
to create a unique identity. This seems especially so in restaurant
design, where warmer tones – such as orange and red – could
uplift moods and whet appetites, and cooler tones – such as grey
and blue – could provide a comfortable, laid-back vibe.
Rooftop dining
With rapid urbanisation comes denser cityscapes. The limitation
of space forces developers to build vertically, but with that comes
an opportunity to use visual appeal as hospitality marketing
leverage. Especially with its aerial views and outdoor space,
rooftop dining has gained traction due to its ambience and sense
of exclusivity.
Gorgeously green: Angad Arts Hotel in Minnesota exudes a sense of
quirkiness with its varied green hues (Photograph: Alise O'Brien /
Angad Arts Hotel)
Going bold
While neutral colours will always be popular, consumers are
increasingly attracted to hotels that are bold and colourful.
Unexpected combinations and eclectic elements are something
that travellers will take note of and appreciate. P

58 | STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Calgary Public Library, Alberta, Canada
A SPACE OF GATHERING AND
INTELLECTUAL EXCHANGE
The Calgary Public Library system in Alberta, Canada, is
actively used by over 670,000 Calgarians (over half of
the 1.2 million population) and connects residents from
all walks of life. The redesigning of the library in 2018 aimed
to welcome over twice as many annual visitors, to fill a vital
role for the rapidly expanding city. Designed by firms Snøhetta
and DIALOG, the new building provides spaces for all types of
people and activities – for social interaction and exchange, for
studying and learning, for quiet and introspection – championing
the unique civic function that libraries provide today.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The dynamic, triple-glazed façade is composed of a modular,
hexagonal pattern that expresses the library’s aims to provide
a space that invites in all visitors. Aggregated variations on the
hexagon form scatter across the building’s curved surface in
alternating panels of fritted glass and occasional iridescent
aluminium. From these shapes emerge familiar forms; parts
of the pattern might resemble an open book, snowflake-like
linework or interlocking houses, anchoring the ideas of the
collective and community. Most importantly, the entire building

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS | 59
volume is enclosed in the same pattern, allowing all sides to function as the
“front” of the building. This visual vocabulary continues inside, expressed
in the design of the library’s new visual identity and wayfinding signage in
the building, unifying their goals of inclusivity.
The crystalline geometry of the façade is carved away to reveal an expansive
wood archway that embraces visitors as they approach. Framing the entrance
of the building, the form references the Chinook cloud arches common in
the region. Created entirely of planks of western red cedar from nearby
British Columbia, the double-curved shell is among one of the largest
freeform timber shells in the world. Its organic form and texture bring the
large building down to a tactile, intimate scale. Visible from the outside of
the building is the main
STEPPING INSIDE
As the archway continues into the lobby and atrium, the wood spirals
upwards over 85 ft to a view of the sky through the oculus. Wood slats
line the perimeter of the open atrium, shaped in plan like a pointed ellipse,
serving as an orientation device for people to quickly grasp the circulation
and organisational logic of the library. Inside, the concrete structure is left
exposed and unfinished, hinting at the open-ended possibilities within. The
rhythm of beams and columns are reminiscent of a stoa – public, open-air
colonnades of ancient Greek architecture that doubled as spaces of gathering
and intellectual exchange. The rawness of the material palette is intended
to give people the sense that the library is a place of engagement, rather
than a sacrosanct repository for books.
1
2
3
1. The triple-glazed façade consists of alternating panels of fritted glass and
occasional iridescent aluminium
2. An expansive wood archway embraces visitors as they approach
3. The wood spirals upwards to a view of the sky through the oculus

60 | STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
The six floors are organised on a spectrum of “fun” to “serious” – quieter study areas are on the upper levels
Vertical wood slats ensure privacy and visibility without the need for solid walls

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS | 61
Organised on a spectrum of “fun” to “serious”, the library
programme locates the livelier public activities on the lower
floors, gradually transitioning to quieter study areas on the
upper levels as one spirals upwards. At the street level, a series
of multi-purpose rooms line the perimeter of the building,
enhancing the connectivity between inside and outside. On the
ground floor, a children’s library offers playhouses that provide
space for crafts and drawing-based activities, early literacy
programmes and a full-body indoor play experience.
Throughout the six floors, a variety of spaces provide for
digital, analogue, group and individual interactions. At the
uppermost level of the library is the Great Reading Room,
conceived as a jewel box tucked within the library, which
provides a space for focused study and inspiration. Readers
enter through a transitional space with softened light
and acoustics. Within, vertical wood slats line the space to
provide both privacy and visibility, defining an interior space
without using solid walls. Natural light illuminates the space
through the wood slats creating glancing sightlines between
the atrium and western façade.
At the northernmost point of the library is the Living Room,
overlooking the train line and the meeting point of the
two neighbourhoods. Filled with light and activity, this prow
of the building not only serves as a beacon to those outside,
inviting them to enter, but also as a prospect for looking
back out – a fitting vantage point to observe the impact of a
building that re-energises the spirit of culture, learning and
community in Calgary. P
Design Architect, Landscape Architect, Interior Architecture,
FF&E, Millwork, Signage & Wayfinding: Snøhetta
Executive Architect & Executive Landscape Architect: DIALOG
Client: Calgary Municipal Land Corporation
Size: 240,000 sq ft (2/3 larger than original library)
Structural: Entuitive
Mechanical: DIALOG
Electrical & Lighting: SMP Engineering
IT/AV: McSquared System Design Group, Inc
Contractor: Stuart Olson

62 | WOOD CLINIC
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
Hello, Mr. Shen!
I am a reader of Panels & Furniture Asia and am in charge of producing solid wood furniture in a
carpentry factory in Indonesia. Thank you for advising me with the problem of degumming the
nyatoh wood oval coffee tables. We are currently producing small batches of cribs made with red
light hard wood, but there have been complaints that the small slats of the sliding rail have been
falling off and the rail is unable to slide up or down after less than half a year's usage. The sliding
rail is shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2. Could you kindly explain the difference between traditional
kiln drying and high temperature kiln drying, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of high
temperature drying? Could you also provide information on wood drying, analyse the reasons why
the crib’s sliding rail is not durable as well as offer suggestions for improvements.
Mr Shim (Shen Yuxin)
Yours sincerely,
Mr Lin
Why do the slats of the
crib’s sliding rail fall out?
(1) According to the information provided, the following
reasons are why the small slats of the crib’s sliding rail are
falling off, and why the fence is unable to slide up or down:
a. Unstable moisture content of red light hard wood: For
the red light hard wood with a moisture content of
12%-20%, the balanced moisture content is 8%-12%
when used in the children's room with air conditioning.
Wood with a high moisture content will continue to release
moisture in the air-conditioned room, and the small red
light hard wood slats may fall off when the wood contracts.
(2) Below is the analysis and recommended solutions for wood
moisture disequilibrium:
1. Unregulated drying kiln operation: when woods of various
thickness and species are dried in the same drying kiln, they
susceptible to uneven moisture content.
the dry and wet balls. Make sure the steam
heating in the kiln is in normal condition.
e. Before starting the drying kiln, ensure
that the fan and vent are operating normally,
and the hot air circulation is uniform with no
defects, such as short flow.
ii. The processing quality of the crib parts is unstable
due to:
a. The four-sided planer is not set in place: along
with insufficient thickness of the platelets
often result in unstable glue force during
assembling. Set the thickness of the slat
according to the parameters indicated on the
drawing and reserve about 0.1mm thickness
for sanding on both sides.
i. Improvement solution suggested:
a. Stack one-inch square spacers on the wood to
be dried in the drying kiln. Ensure that spacers
are in uniform specifications
b. The thickness of the wood must be the same.
Avoid mixing with other tree species.
c. Check the drying kiln before loading. The
moisture content of the wood to be dried in the
kiln should be less than 5%.
d. Ensure that the boiler steam supply is stable. Check
b. Improper operation of the wide-belt sander:
if the small slats are sanded too thin by
the wide-belt sander, the small slats of the
sliding rail become loose. The thickness of
the small slats sanded by the wide belt should
be the same as in the design drawing.
c. The small slats are cut in different lengths:
along with too large toleranceas well as ends
that are not squared tend to result in the small

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia WOOD CLINIC | 63
Figure 1: The small slats of the crib’s sliding fence becoming loose and
the plastic slide under the upper rail
Figure 2: The plastic slide installed under the lower rail of the crib’s
sliding fence
slats becoming loose. Cut the small slats
according to the length indicated on the design
drawings, and check the length of the slats
regularly to ensure that both ends are squared.
d. Hit & miss: on either vertical end of the slats may
lead to local loosening and poor adhesive force.
Strictly control the raw log specifications by
ensuring that the width and thickness are stable.
Workers in charge of planning and cutting the
slats must remove the defects of hit & miss as
well as the broken and cross grains for other
usage purposes.
e. Improper operation of the drill cutter: the milling
slots for the upper and lower rails are not
standardised, resulting in some of the small slats
becoming loose. Workers should set the milling
slots according to the design drawing of the
crib and ensure that the milling cutters stay sharp.
f. Non-standard gluing: insufficient and nonuniform
gluing in the drilled slots of the upper
and lower rails cause the crib’s rail to
become loose. Apply glue with a pneumatic
caulkinggun and ensure that the glue on the
inside of the drilled slots of the upper and lower
rails is sufficient and coated uniformly. Use a
two-component epoxy as the assembling glue
for the sliding rail in order to reach for the glue
solid content to reach 100%.
g. Unstable adhesive force due to paint: the
drilled slots of the upper and lower rails, and the
ends of the small slats arecovered with paint when
the crib parts are coated with oil. This results in
insufficient adhesive force after assembly.
Assemble the sliding rail before painting.

64 | WOOD CLINIC
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
h. Non-standard assembly time: workers delay
assembling of the sliding rail, causing the
water-based adhesive to crust and unable to
reach the expected adhesive force. This caused
someslats to become loose. Both ends of each
small slat should be chamfered, workers trained,
and templates should be applied for assembling
so as to control theassembly time within
three minutes.
2. Distinction, and advantages and disadvantages of wood
drying in traditional kilns and high temperature kilns are
summarised in the following table:
i. Non-square up and down sliding rail: the
assembled sliding rail is skewed; hence, the rail
is unable to slide up or down. Check the sliding
rail at any time to ensure that the square
diagonal tolerance of the sliding fence is below
1mm after the fence is assembled.
Figure 3: The sepetir wood showing a collapsed due to rapid drying at high temperature
Figure 4: Honeycomb cracks on the dark red meranti due to rapid drying at high
temperature. Wood with serious honeycomb cracks cannot be used for wood processing
but can be used for match production

September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia WOOD CLINIC | 65

NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
THE MALAYSIAN MDF MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (MMMA)
What’s next?
A reversal in
globalisation!
By Peter Fitch
MMMA Newsletter for Panels & Furniture Asia September/October 2020
The emerging post COVID-19 world
will have a very different business
environment.
But, let me start by saying that
commodities such as timber and
increasingly wooden panels have been in
a bear market for the last 5,000 years. A
lot of people treat them like growth stocks,
and just go long, expecting them to rise.
In fact, the price of commodities —
whether we’re talking agricultural, timber,
energy or metals — have been falling, in
real terms, since the dawn of civilisation.
And that trend will continue.
You need commodities to live — but
they were rare and unprocessed. The
whole path of civilisation since the end
of the last Ice Age, 12,000 years ago,
has been about developing technologies
to increase the amount — and lower the
costs — of commodities. The Agricultural
Revolution that marked the end of the
Neolithic Age started the actual Ascent of
Man. Commodities are the raw materials
of civilisation.
Core strategic question(s)
Outcome
1. How have social and institutional Manage new stakeholders’ expectations
expectations changed?
and business models
2. How has the social contract with Support the workforce, empower
workers changed?
productivity, work from home and less
foreign workers
3. Do we have the right operating Capital investment in automation and
structures and alliances in place to artificial intelligence
deliver the plan?
4. How can we move faster toward Accelerate digital transformation at
digital transformation?
workplace and online
5. What customer behaviour changes Recover, grow revenue, new revenue
are likely to be permanent?
streams
6. Should we operate for cash or profit? Optimise assets, liabilities, and liquidity
7. Should we manage for profit or Increase margins and profitability
resilience?
Starting with the Industrial Revolution exploration. When nanotechnology—the
in the 1800s, the amounts we could creation of machines at a molecular
produce skyrocketed, and their costs level—is perfected and comes on stream
plummeted. Both of those trends are going over the next decade or so, commodity
to accelerate—radically—because of prices will fall to trivial levels. These
things like genetic engineering, robotics, new technologies are going to make raw
artificial intelligence (AI), and space materials superabundant and super cheap.
66

NEWSLETTER
THE MALAYSIAN MDF MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (MMMA)
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
Figure 1: Commodity Index GSCI
So why would anybody possibly want to be in commodities if
they’re in a perpetual bear market? It’s seemingly a paradox.
Right now, most commodity producers are just breaking, even
at best. Most are losing money.
This can’t continue for too long, or producers will go bust and
production will collapse. As the building blocks of civilisation,
you need them to survive. The world uses more of them every
year. That’s partly because the world’s population is still
growing, partly because it tends to get richer, and partly because
new uses are found for most commodities every year. We are
starting to see major corrections in commodity prices that have
become “undervalued”.
Take agricultural commodities for instance. The amount of
palm oil, rice, or latex that can be grown per acre increases
consistently with improvements in technology. That’s not just
true in agriculture, however—it’s true of everything.
It’s similar with most timbers. New fast-growing species will
be grown on ever larger sustainable plantations as natural
forests have become over exploited and are environmentally
unacceptable as sources of raw timber.
Technology works to reduce the production costs of all
commodities, not just timbers but all other agricultural products.
That trend will continue as biotechnology improves and
nanotechnology comes online. In addition, tech improvements
mean commodities are used more efficiently. For example,
recovery rates on sawn timbers were barely above 60% about
50 years ago. Now, nothing is wasted once a tree is harvested.
The COVID-19 pandemic has decimated many supply chains.
This has added costs in most cases. For example, in the US,
lumber prices have reach near all-time highs.
Figure 2: US housing starts beat forecasts
67

NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
THE MALAYSIAN MDF MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (MMMA)
The Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers
Index (PMI) in the US came in at 54.2 in June, up from 41.5
in April and 52.6 in May. A PMI above 50 signals a growing
manufacturing sector, which means US manufacturers are
growing again.
Figure 3: Random lengths framing lumber composite price
The US-China trade war means that traditional supply chains
from manufacturers in China shipped to consumers in the US are
now not viable. As a result, the US is either producing the goods
domestically or need to find alternative overseas suppliers. For
Malaysian producers of furniture and panel products, this has
been a boom in demand from America. Luckily this has come at
a time when the demand has reduced significantly from other
traditional markets.
The massive quantitative easing carried out by central banks
to counter the pandemic has increased the amount of ‘cash’ in
circulation in the global economy.
My prediction is that we need to be ready to deal with an
inflationary economy within the next 12 months, once the post
COVID-19 recovery is underway. The only major commodity
that is currently suppressing inflation is energy (oil and gas).
If this price begins to rise then an inflationary period will begin.
Companies and businesses must be ready and will need to
constantly review their business models to prepare for what is
to come in the post COVID-19 business world!
About the Author
Figure 4: Manufacturing purchasing managers index
Housing starts in the US surged by 22.6% to an annualised
rate of 1,496,000 in July of 2020, above market forecasts
of 1,240,000, and following an upwardly revised 1,220,000
in June. It is the highest reading since February, before the
coronavirus crisis, and the biggest jump since October of 2016.
Single-family housing starts jumped 8.2% to 940,000 and
the volatile multi-family segment went up 56.7% to 547,000.
Peter Fitch is the founder of Segamat
Panel Boards (Malaysia) and is
currently chairman of the Malaysian
MDF Manufacturers Association
(MMMA) and executive committee
member of the Malaysian Panel
Manufacturers Association (MPMA).
Prior to working in Malaysia he worked
for Plantation Timber Products (China)
and Takeuchi MDF (Malaysia). Peter
has been based in Asia for more than
25 years and in the wood panel business
for more than 20 years.
68

NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
69

Events Calendar 2021
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
JANUARY 2021
18 to 24 Jan imm Cologne
Cologne, Germany
MAY 2021
10 to 14 May LIGNA 2021
Hannover, Germany
31 May to INDEX Dubai
02 Jun Dubai, United Arab Emirates
FEBRUARY 2021
03 to 05 Feb Carrefour International du Bois
Nantes, France
JUNE 2021
9 to 11 Jun Hanoi Wood 2021
Hanoi, Vietnam
MARCH 2021
08 to 11 Mar Malaysian International Furniture Fair
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
10 to 13 Mar Export Furniture Exhibition
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
10 to 12 Jun Gabon Wood Show 2021
Gabon, Central Africa
15 to 17 Jun ASEAN Super 8
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
28 to 30 Jun SylvaWood 2021
Shanghai, China
10 to 13 Mar Vietnam International Furniture &
Home Accessories
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
11 to 14 Mar BIFA Wood Vietnam 2021
Binh Duong, Vietnam
18 to 21 Mar 47 th CIFF Guangzhou 2021 (Phase 1)
Guangzhou, China
28 to 31 Mar 47 th CIFF Guangzhou 2021 (Phase 2)
Guangzhou, China
SEPTEMBER 2021
15 to 18 Sep VietnamWood 2021
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
22 to 24 Sep NHLA Convention 2021
Florida, USA
28 to 31 Mar CIFM / interzum guangzhou 2021
Guangzhou, China
30 Mar to ArchXpo
1 Apr Singapore
OCTOBER 2021
12 to 15 Oct IFMAC & WOODMAC 2021
Jakarta, Indonesia
APRIL 2021
13 to 18 Apr Salone del Mobile, Milano
Milan, Italy
22 to 25 Apr Wood Tawian
Taipei, Taiwan
DECEMBER 2021
10 to 13 Dec MyanmarWood 2021
Yangon, Myanmar

INDEX OF
ADVERTISERS
September / October 2020 • Issue 5 • PANELS & FURNITURE ASIA
COMPANY
American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC)
PAGE
IFC
Anthon GmbH 9
Baillie Lumber 11
BAUMER Inspecon GmbH 13
BIFA Wood Vietnam 2021 44
Heavy Duty Helical Planer Cutter
Heads with Changeable Knives
Knife:
14 x 14 x 2 x 30º
14 x 14 x 2 x 37º
Cabinet Vision South East Asia 17
CMC - Carpenterie Metalliche Colzate Srl 21
Dieffenbacher GmbH 1
Forestry Innovaon Investment Ltd 35
Gabon Special Economic Zone GSEZ 27
Heavy Duty Helical Planer Cutter
Heads with Changeable Knives
Knife:
30 x 12 x 1.5 x 35º
Gabon Special Economic Zone GSEZ (Advertorial) 24-26
Homag Asia Pte Ltd
FC
Hoon Hsiang Industrial Co., Ltd 61
Ifmac & Woodmac 2021 30
IMAL SRL 7
IMEAS spa 49
Helical Planer Cutter Heads
with Changeable Knives
Knife:
15 x 15 x 2.5 x 30º
15 x 15 x 2.5 x 37º
Innovator Machinery Co., Ltd 55
IPCO South East Asia Pte Ltd 29
Jiangsu Baolong Electromechanical Mfg Co.,Ltd 45
Kuang Yung Machinery Co.,Ltd 43
Lesnaya Industriya Journal 39
Adjustable Planer Cutter Heads
with HSS or TCT Knives
Safety Corrugate Cutter Heads
with HSS Knives
Nanxing Machinery Co.,Ltd 2-3
Northwest Hardwoods 5
PEFC Internaonal 51
Plytec Oy 15
Scheuch GmbH
OBC
Sichuan Hero Woodwork New Technology Co., Ltd 72
Sowood Export Council
IBC
Srling Internaonal Co., Ltd 53
Spindle Shaper Planer Cutter
Heads with Changeable Knives
Knife:
30 x 12 x 1.5 x 35º
50 x 12 x 1.5 x 35º
60 x 12 x 1.5 x 35º
Changeable Knives
-TCT
Sylvawood 2021 38
Technik Associates, Inc 69
Tong Fong Cuers Co., Ltd 71
Yalian Machinery Co.,Ltd 65
Single/Double Surface Planers Helical Planer
Cutter Heads with Changeable Knives
Knife: 14 x 14 x 2.0 x 30º
15 x 15 x 2.5 x 30º
15 x 15 x 2.5 x 37º
30 x 12 x 1.5 x 35º
30 x 12 x 2.5 x 35º
14.6 x 14.6 x 2.5 x 30º
Scan to download eBook
PFA September/October 2020