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MAY/JUNE 2010 Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986 Sanding Machines: Smoother At Scraping The Bond Identity: Laminates & Adhesives MDI: A Resin For Today’s Industry Veneer Production: Overcoming Challenges

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FDM Asia May/June 2010

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May/June 2010

Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986

Sanding Machines: Smoother at ScrapingThe Bond Identity: Laminates & adhesivesMDI: a Resin For Today’s Industry

Veneer Production: Overcoming Challenges

ENQUIRY NO. 150

ENQU

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152

2 FDM AsiA MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

ContentsMAY/JUNE 2010 • VOL. 23 NO. 4

Member of Business Publication Audit of Circulation, Inc.

Incorporating:

The Chinese Academyof Forestry

Associate of

etm EasternTrade Media Pte Ltd

an Eastern Holdings Ltd company The Chinese Academyof Forestry

Associate Of

Printer: Fabulous Printers Pte Ltd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Focus18 Sanding Machines:

Smoother At ScrapingSanding is becoming more amenable to small and medium-sized manufacturers. Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam & Edward Francis tell why.

TEchnoLogy24 A Resin For Today’s Industry

MDI is fast becoming the resin of choice with composite wood panel producers. By Iain Stanton, composite wood panel marketing manager for Europe and Asia, Huntsman

28 Making Fingerjoints StickA combination of several factors help maximise fingerjoint quality. By Jerome Lim

PanELs30 Veneer Production:

Overcoming Challenges Changing market conditions is forcing veneer manufacturers to reinvent themselves to remain competitive. By Malte Herrmann, head of marketing, Danzer Group

suRFacEs & FLooRIng34 Hotmelts: The Bond Identity

Take a closer look at flat lamination technology and the specific properties of the adhesives system employed. By Andrew Nixon, technical customer service, Henkel

pAge

3034

18

ecopilot, our new retrofit software from the ContiRoll® ecoline family,controls board thickness to tenth-of-a-millimeter accuracy. Variationsare corrected automatically by the distance control system. What’s init for you? Improved thickness tolerances, less waste and less sandingdown.

ecopilot –new heights inproduct quality

www.siempelkamp.com

SPP.0156.ENG.FriseurundCockpit.211x281:SPP.0156.Anzeige.Ecocalibrator.211x281 28.01.2010 13:31 Uhr Seite 2

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4 FDM AsiA MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

ContentsMAY/JUNE 2010 • VOL. 23 NO. 4

06 Editorial08 Industry News62 Calendar Of Events64a Enquiry Form64b Subscription Form

Regulars

64Cover Credit: danzer Group

Page

DEsIgn & DÉcoR40 Up Against The Wall

Wainscoating is a popular method of giving life to an otherwise dull looking wall. By Frank De Marcus

WooD & susTaInabILITy42 Hardwood Associations:

Taking The LeadFDM Asia talks to National Hardwood Lumber Association executive director Mark Barford about the impact of hardwood associations. By Jerome Lim

advertisers’ enquiry numbers.

EVEnTs & EXhIbITIon

52 Exhibition Preview: China International

Woodworking Machinery Exhibition

53 Exhibition Preview: Furniture Woodtech

Thailand

54 Exhibition Review: World Flooring Forum

56 Exhibition Review: Malaysia International

Furniture Fair 2010

57 Exhibition Review: WMF2010

FEaTuREs46 MDF: The Next Generation Alternative

Enjoying success in recent years, MDF’s growing demand is attributed to its versatility. By Shobhan Mital, executive director, Greenply Industries

48 Ready, Set, Growth!Ralf Griesche, director of marketing and public relations for Siempelkamp, shares the reasons behind the company’s success

42

46

48

SM

abundant,appealing

alder.Cabinet makers, furniture designers and woodworkers have come

to appreciate the many desirable properties of alder. It’s a beautiful

wood that regenerates naturally and grows quickly. Alder has light,

consistent color and fine grain that accepts all manner of stains. It’s also strong and has

uniform density so it machines well, has excellent turning properties, requires less hand work,

and securely holds fasteners.

Our alder is certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative®

(SFI), a standard that is also endorsed and recognized by

the PEFC.

Shanghai, China: 86.21.6249.9898

Vietnam/Guangzhou, China 86.20.3878.1570

Taiwan: 886.42.355.3306

Hong Kong: 852.2865.5922

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

Working With reneWable

materials is not only the right

thing to do, but it offers a

competitive edge as Well.

Graded For Yield.®

, and Northwest Hardwoodsare registered trademarks of Weyerhaeuser.© 2010 Weyerhaeuser Company. All rights reserved.

ENQU

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Editorial

Derek RodriguezEditor

The Feel-

Published by:

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

managing director KennethTan [email protected]

editor DerekRodriguez [email protected]

technical editor JosonNg [email protected]

features editor TjutRostina [email protected]

staff writer JeromeLim [email protected]

editorial assistant EuniceTay [email protected]

senior art director/studio manager LawrenceLee [email protected]

art director PhyllisNg

graphic designers ZhangYue JeffreyPimenteladvertising sales manager SimEric [email protected]

business manager (China) DingYongmei [email protected]

assistant business manager (China) YumiGui [email protected]

senior circulation executive BrendaTan [email protected]

contributorsDrJegatheswaranRatnasingamEdwardFrancisMalteHerrmannIainStantonAndrewNixonShobhanMittal

ExEcutivE BoaRDchairman StephenTaygroup executive director KennethTanfinancial controller

RobbinLim

etm EasternTrade Media Pte Ltd

an Eastern Holdings Ltd company

Head Office & Mailing address:Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd1100LowerDeltaRoad,EPLBuilding#04-02,Singapore169206Tel: (65)63792888Fax:(65)63792805

representative Office - shanghai, China Office:Shanghai New Eastern Media Co. Ltd15DBlockB,VictoriaPlaza,No.1068,XikangRoad,Shanghai,P.R,China200060Tel: (8621)62768394Fax:(8621)62764170

ThemonthofMaysawtheopeningofExpo2010Shanghai,acolourful

showcaseofcultureandtechnology,bringingtheattentionoftheworld

to themiddle kingdom for a six-monthperiod.With theestimated

numberofvisitorstohit70million,plentyofopportunitiesareexpected

tobegeneratedwiththisevent.

SouthofChina–Singaporealsosawanewopening–theMarinaBaySands,

an integrated resort, introducingasecondcasino for the republic.Expected to

beawildfinancialsuccess,thereismuchtobeexcitedaboutintheSouth-east

Asiancountry.ElsewhereintheUnitedStates,thereispositivenewsregardingthe

economy,givinghopestoasolidrecovery.

Nottobeoutdone,isEurope'sXylexpo.Afterthetimelysettlingofthevolcanic

ashesthatcausedmajorairtransportdisruptionstoandfromEurope,thecontinentis

onceagain‘openforbusiness’.Toutedbytheorganiserasaplatformofinnovation,

researchandsolutionsforwoodworkingmachineryandtechnology,therewere652

exhibitors,including225fromacrosstheborder.Withsomeagendasfocussingon

thestateofthearttechnologiesandtheongoingrecovery,themoodwasupbeat

anddefinitelyencouraging.

InthisissueofFDMAsia,wearealsoridinginthiscurrentwaveofoptimism,

bringingyou,ourreaders,successstories.Thepanelssectionstudieshowaveneer

productioncompanyovercomeschallengespresentedbyglobalisationand the

financialcrisistodevelopproductsthatarerelevanttoday.

WhetherisitAsia,theUSorEurope,barringthefinancialwoesofGreece,the

generaltrendisencouraging,andforthewoodfraternity,thisoverallpositiveenergy

isdefinitelyashotinthearmthatallowsustolookaheadtothesecondhalfof

2010withmuchconfidence.

Good Factor

6 FdM asia MAY/JUN2010|www.fdmasia.com

Promoting French Lumbers and Wood Products

6, rue François 1er 75008 PARISTél : + 33 (0)1 56 69 35 92 - Fax : + 33 (0)1 42 56 32 [email protected]

ENQUIRY NO. 083

8 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

industryMAY/JUNE 2010

Malaysia timber Price May increase

5-10 PercentKuching, Malaysia: Log and timber prices

may increase by five to ten percent in the

next six to nine months, according to the

Sarawak Timber Association.

In a Bernama News Agency report,

Chairman Datuk Wong Kie Yik said it

was something that the sector had been

expecting after sharp drops in exports in

the first two months of this year.

The first two months of 2010 saw

Sarawak’s timber products exports suffer

a 34.2 percent decline to RM 507,165,849

(US$ 160 million) from RM 770,593,333

during the same period last year.

Volume exports saw a similar drop of

35 percent from 900,375 metric tonnes to

585,397 metric tonnes.

Mr Wong blames weather complications

that made logging operations and

transportation more difficult, causing

a slide in the amount of major timber

products exports.

Speaking at the opening of STA’s annual

general meeting at Wisma STA, he said

that rain-induced floods made it dangerous

for logging operations and prohibited the

rafting of logs to log landings. In contrast,

the lack of rain in February kept water

levels low, allowing logs to be rafted to

log landings.

Montreal, Canada: Domtar Corp has entered into an agreement to sell its forest

products business to Eacom Timber Corporation for CAD80 million (US$79.8)

plus elements of working capital estimated at CAD30 to CAD40 million.

Domtar will receive 19 percent of the proceeds in shares of Eacom. The

transaction is expected to close at the end of the second quarter of 2010, subject

to material consents and customary closing conditions.

“Our forest products employees have demonstrated tremendous resilience

throughout the years. Their sustained efforts to reduce costs and pursue the

continuous improvement of operations have positioned the business well for

the recovery,” said John D Williams, president and CEO of Domtar Corporation.

Mr Williams added that Eacom will establish its headquarters in Montreal,

Quebec, where it will become one of the largest publicly-traded lumber producers

in Eastern Canada. All Domtar forest products employees will now be absorbed

by Eacom.

The transaction includes five operating sawmills: Timmins, Nairn Centre and

Gogama in Ontario, and Val-d’Or and Matagami in Quebec; as well as two non-

operating sawmills: Ear Falls in Ontario and Ste-Marie in Quebec.

The sawmills have approximately 3.5 million cubic meters of annual harvesting

rights and a production capacity of close to 900 million board feet.

Also included in the transaction is the Sullivan remanufacturing facility in

Quebec, and Domtar’s interests in two investments: Anthony-Domtar and Elk

Lake Planing Mill.

“With this acquisition, we pursue our vision of becoming a major softwood

lumber producer and we look forward to integrating Domtar’s leading wood

products management team to ensure a smooth transition,” said Eacom CEO

Rick Doman.

The son of former lumber magnate Herb Doman, he also said in a Montreal

Gazette report that the diminished lumber outputs from Sweden, Finland, Austria

and Germany gives them an opportunity to supply wood into Europe from

Eastern Canada.

new timber Player Acquires domtar

News

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 9

Industry News

naypidaw, Myanmar: Worsening forest depletion have

prompted authorities to cut down the country’s timber

output for the 2010-11 fiscal year, which starts in April,

according to a Xinhua news report.

Forestry authorities have also initiated other efforts to

prevent deforestation, among them granting local private

companies allocated land to grow teak and hardwood.

The Southeast Asian nation has lost 14 percent of

Gandhidham, india: Timber importers

in the Indian state of Gujarat are seeking

RS 600 million (US$13.6 million) worth

of tax refunds, said a Business Standard

news report.

The move was a response to authorities’

failure to act on a Supreme Court directive,

which states that timber importers who

have already paid VAT are eligible for

a Special Additional Duty refund of 4.5

percent, according to the Kandla Timber

Association.

The decision came after it was declared

Myanmar Cuts down timber Production

its 60 percent forest cover in 1975. Its various kinds

of forest covers include freshwater forest, saltwater

forest, pine forest, deciduous forest, evergreen forest,

among others.

Myanmar raked in US$40 million from wood product

exports totalling to 600,000 tonnes in 2008-2009, and

continues to dominate the world teak market with a 75

percent market share.

that cutting and sawing of timber, which

had to be cut into smaller pieces for easier

transportation, is not considered processing

and manufacturing, and hence, are not

subject to VAT.

So far, timber importers have yet to

avail of the refund, and the association is

complaining of the Central Board of Excise

and Customs insistence that sawed and

cut timber is processed timber.

The association argued that since

most of the timber is sold outside the

state, the difficulty of transporting huge

Gujarat duty refund soughtpieces of logs requires that they be cut into

several pieces.

Imported logs can reach lengths of up

to 80 feet (23.38 m), more than twice the

length of trucks used to transport them.

A letter has been sent to the Central

Board to ask for a refund.

The timber sales in the state are expected

to be at RS 12 billion or US$271 million.

Myanmar, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia,

as well as African, Latin American and

European countries are among the state’s

sources of imported timber.

Wo

rld r

esou

rce institu

te staff

10 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Demand for

forest plantations in Vietnam are on the

rise, but land for it is in short stock, a

Thanh Nien news report said.

Ha Cong Tuan, deputy head of the

Department of Forestry under the Ministry

of Agriculture and Rural Development,

said that residents are in search of more

lands to transform into forest plantations,

but currently the state’s forestry land fund

could only provide so much.

Only two to 2.5 million hectares of

land are presently available, and these

lands are ones that are either managed

by local authorities or inefficient, state-

owned farms.

Given this amount, only one hectare

of land may be allotted to each of the 20

million residents near forest areas, although

Tuan added that a family may not be able

to derive an income from such a land.

Residents near forest lands realized the

enormous economic potential of harvesting

Vietnam Forest Land short After rise in demand

trees after those who had received forest

lands several years before earned money

from harvesting trees.

Depending on their species, trees

become mature for harvesting within five

to eight years.

The fund, which derives from the

provisions of the 2004 Law of Forest

Protection and Development, seeks to

expand the country’s forest land after

much of it was lost to development

projects.

Global Wood Chip shipments dip 14 Percent

seattle, united states: Wood chip shipments in China defied

global trend last year when imports tripled despite a 14 percent

worldwide dip, a Wood Resource Quarterly report revealed.

The tripled figure enabled China to become the second largest

importer of wood chips in 2009. Pulp manufacturers in search

of cheaper wood chips or wood chips with unique properties

have fueled industry growth in the past years.

The global financial crisis received most of the blame for

the global drop in wood chip trade after it peaked at 31 million

oven-dry metric tons in 2008. Nevertheless, the current volume

of global wood chip trade is twice bigger than it was twenty

years ago.

Meanwhile, countries that experienced the highest percentage

of export reduction include Australia at 22 percent; the United

States at 25 percent; and South Africa at 45 percent.

Japan Wood Exports down 13 Percent

yokohama, Japan: Wood exports from Japan fell 13

percent in 2009, according to the Japan Lumber Report

quoted in a recent International Timber Trade Organization

market report.

The strong Yen and the diminished global demand

for wood in 2009 are cited as the main reasons for the

decline.

Japan’s log exports in terms of both volume and

value declined, but higher volumes of veneer, plywood

and fibreboard were exported.

Log exports were down almost 22 percent because

of weak demand from China and Korea. Taiwan and

Vietnam are other significant buyers of logs from Japan,

and export volumes for these markets have increased.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 11

Industry News

Essen, Germany: A Singaporean furniture company bagged

the prestigious Red Dot Product Design 2010 Award in Essen,

Germany, marking the first time that a company from the

Southeast Asian city-state was able to do so.

Made with black walnut and white oak hardwoods,

Singaporean firm Air Division’s ‘Liner’ Sofa and Armchair

features rail-like armrests, a strong sleek, and fluid structure,

as well as goose down cushions that provides a sense of

warmth and security.

The design derives from herculean-sized luxury shipping

liners in the early 19th century, when railings provided

passengers with a sense of security

‘Liner’ sofas and armchairs designed in-house are made

in Malaysia with Walnut and Oak imported from the USA.

Constructed entirely from solid lumber, the company

gives its reason for material choice as partly aesthetic

and partly because these two species are ‘harvested from

sustainable resources.’ The range is finished in natural

uncoloured wax.

The glamorous awards presentation of the Red Dot

Award: Product Design will take place on July 5, 2010 in

the Aalto-Theatre in Essen, Germany.

s’pore Firm receives Little red dot Award

singapore Companies Expanding in Vietnam

singapore: Since the establishment of the Singapore-Vietnam

Connectivity Framework Agreement in 2005 to promote economic

cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam, Singapore companies

have significantly broadened their economic interests in Vietnam.

Said Chiong Woan Shin, IE Singapore’s regional director of

Vietnam and Cambodia: “Regional cities in Vietnam such as Hai

Phong City, Danang City and Can Tho City hold good potential for

Singapore companies as they offer new business and investment

opportunities for Singapore companies. Being relatively less

developed than the

traditional investment hotspots, there is less competition and

hence more room for growth.”

“Northern Vietnam, with its close proximity to China and

manufacturing bases of multinational companies such as Canon

and Samsung, is suitable for Singapore manufacturers who are

looking to set up overseas plants. Singapore players can also

serve the transportation and logistics needs of North Vietnam’s

manufacturing base, as well as the Mekong Delta area in Southern

Vietnam, which is the base for Vietnam’s vast agricultural and

aquaculture produce.”

In 2009, despite the economic downturn, Vietnam registered a

positive GDP growth of 5.3 percent, the highest in Southeast Asia.

Vietnam also continued to attract foreign investments in 2009, with

a total FDI inflow of US$21.5 billion, a 20 percent increase from

two years ago. Vietnam also experienced its lowest inflation in

six years in 2009 - 6.9 percent, compared to 23 percent in 2008.

For 2010, the Vietnamese government has targeted a 6.5

percent growth in GDP, as well as a controlled inflation rate of

seven percent.

Middle East demand For Exotic timber to rise

dubai, united Arab Emirates: A company in the international wood import

industry has expressed optimism that the demand for exotic timber

in the Middle East region is likely to increase over the next few years.

Green Resources SL, which is making its debut at the ‘Dubai WoodShow

2010’, has pointed out that the Middle East region’s construction and

development sector remains unaffected by the global economic downturn.

This, they added, will create a constant demand for key construction

materials like wood and timber.

sh

ahram

sh

arif

12 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

Moscow, russia: China’s plywood exports during the first two

months of this year rose 67 percent to 938,000 cubic metres,

while medium density fibreboard (MDF) exports grew by 95

percent compared to the same period last year.

In the Lesprom News Network report, the United States received

bulk of the country’s plywood export at 173,000 cubic metres, up

40,300 cubic metres from the same time last year.

Plywood exports to the UK during the said period skyrocketed

to 195 percent, with South Korea, United Arab Emirates, and

South Korea following suit at 118 percent, 115 percent, and 57

percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the USA imported an additional 59 percent of

MDF from China, while Russia bought 140 percent more MDF

from the East Asian country.

Other countries also reported increases in MDF imports

from China in the same period, among them South Korea (126

percent), Canada (187 percent), the UAE (120 percent), and Saudi

Arabia (10 percent).

Shandong produced the majority 83 percent of total plywood

exports, while Jiangsu exported the most MDF at 146,500 tonnes.

Plywood, MdF Exports in China soar

Washington, united states: Total fibre

consumption by US paper mills declined

10.5 percent in 2009, the American Forest

& Paper Association said.

According to the Annual Fiber

Consumption Report released in

April, consumption of fibre products

such as wood pulp, recovered paper,

us Fibre Consumption down 10.5 Percentand non-wood fibres declined to 80

million tonnes.

Total fiber consumption is estimated

to increase at an average annual rate of

2.2 percent during the three-year period

2010-12 as the US economy recovers

from the recession.

Meanwhile, wood pulp consumption

Milan, italy: Tighter budgets and eco-conscious consumers are choosing greener and cheaper furniture, a trend indicated in the recent Milan International Furniture Fair, an AFP report said.

Nature-themed designs emerged as the trend of the moment, while the use of wood and metal became more prominent in furniture construction.

The article quoted trends analyst Marco Romanelli as saying that designers are also responding to consumers’ demand for practical and durable furniture as a result of the financial crisis.

Buyers have now become more careful about the type of furniture they purchase, with their choices gearing more towards obtaining value for money, said the analyst.

Wide-mesh fabric in rugs and designs are also gaining popularity as people seek refuge from the outside world through interiors.

steel Price Affects Plywood demand

yokohama, Japan: Plywood prices have been moving up over

the past month and a number of factors have contributed to this

change, according to a report from the International Tropical

Timber Organization.

The Tropical Timber Market Report said the main factor driving

up plywood prices is said to be the recent jump in demand and

price of iron ore in China.

This has resulted in rising steel prices in most markets. Plywood

and steel products compete in many end uses and plywood has

suddenly become more competitive.

Analysts are expecting these factors to affect price structures

in other sectors of the timber industry.

Cheaper, Greener Furniture in Vogue

is estimated by the survey to increase

from 50.6 million tonnes in 2009 to

53.3 million tonnes in 2012, an average

annual rate of 1.7 percent.

Recovered paper consumption is

estimated to increase at an average

annual rate of 3.1 percent during the

same period.

Ab

ou

t a loves d

c

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 13

Industry News

tropical Log demand improves

ENQU

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Industry News

yokohama, Japan: Demand for tropical logs from manufacturers

in Japan is increasing, according to the Japan Lumber Reports

(JLR), and Free-On-Board (FOB) prices are firming on the back of

this renewed buying, an International Tropical Timber Organization

report said.

Plywood mills in Malaysia and Indonesia are maintaining

reduced production levels in the face of the weak demand for

plywood, but there are indications that they have started to

rebuild log inventories. This is supporting an improvement in

domestic log prices.

Japan’s monthly consumption of tropical logs is around 45,000

cubic metres and this was maintained in January. However, there

are signs of slightly higher production levels in Japanese mills,

so stocks must be falling.

Market prices for Sarawak Meranti Regular are currently around

JPY 6,400 (US$68) per koku (equivalent to 180 ltr) cost insurance

freight, up 200 from levels in March. Prices of JPY 5,400 (US$58)

for Meranti Small and JPY 4,900 for Meranti Super Small are an

improvement of levels seen in March this year.

Supporting the upward movement in log FOB prices has been

renewed active buying for the Chinese and Indian markets. The

JLR is saying that log shipments during April will be affected

by a diminished supply in the producer countries with Meranti

Regular logs being particularly affected.

Current prices for Meranti Regular are around US$190 per

cubic metre, but suppliers are pushing for a price of US$200.

Kapur prices in Sabah are also moving up sharply on the back

of strong demand from buyers in China.

Meanwhile, the same report disclosed that during 2009, EU

imports of hardwood logs reached only 4.38 million cubic metres,

down a massive 60 percent on the previous year.

In addition to recessionary pressures and a lengthy period of

stock reductions by European importers, the figures are strongly

influenced by Russia’s phased introduction of log export taxes.

This contributed to a 76 percent fall in the volume of EU imports

from Russia during the year. However, log imports were also well

down from key tropical hardwood supplying countries including

Gabon (31 percent), Cameroon (22 percent), the Congo Democratic

Republic (48 percent), and the Congo Republic (59 percent).

14 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry NewsIndustry News

Kuching, Malaysia: Daiken Corp will be supplying Malaysian-grown raw materials in Sarawak when its plantation matures in two years, a Forestry Sweden news report disclosed.

According to Daiken Sarawak’s executive director Kazuyoshi Katsumata, talks with timber and plywood mills are underway to sell wood from its acacia plantation, which would mature in 2012.

Mills in the region, many of which had closed down in the past few years, would yield wood residues from the plantation timber, securing a steady influx of residues to the firm’s local MDF (medium density fibreboard) factories.

The Japanese firm has a 3,000 hectare plantation in Bintulu, and

daiken to sell Malaysian timber in 2 yrs

has already poured in US$7 million for the planting of acacia trees. The coming two years will see the planting of another 2,000 hectares.

Katsumata also added that the company might consider expanding its plants once prices recover. Currently, prices of MDF boards are down due to the weak Japanese economy, according to Katsumata.

Japan receives 80 percent of the MDF boards, as 15 percent is exported to other Asian countries while the rest is distributed locally.

The Nanto City-based corporation pursued the plantation project to combat tight supply of raw materials.

Daiken produces a total of 10,000 cubic metres of MDF from its US$200 million plants in Bintulu and Miri, Sarawak.

singapore: International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and the

Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) have

co-organised their first forum to encourage collaboration

between Singapore and Taiwanese companies to grow their

business in India.

The forum was held on April 14 at the Taipei International

Convention Centre in Taiwan, and attracted more than 100

Taiwanese companies, mainly from the electronics industry.

Singapore’s Trade Representative in Taipei, Stanley Loh,

and TAITRA deputy chairman Wayne Wu gave the opening

remarks at the forum.

Three of Singapore’s successful companies in India –

Ascendas, First Engineering and YCH Group – were invited to

present on their experiences. The forum follows the opening

of the Taiwan Trade Centre in Singapore in December 2009,

and adds a new dimension to the steadily growing business

interaction between Singapore and Taiwanese companies.

India has seen an unprecedented rise of importance in the

Forum discussion to Promote singapore-taiwan Collaboration in india

global consumer market over the years. In 2009, India grew

by 7.3 percent despite the financial crisis and is expected to

grow another 8.5 percent this year. It also is part of the BRIC

countries that are set to become leading economies of the

world. India is expected to become the world’s third largest

economy by 2050, after China and the US.

Having helped Singapore companies to establish themselves

in India, IE Singapore sees the next stage of their work as helping

Singapore companies to broaden their customer base in India.

Through this forum, IE Singapore hopes the capabilities

of Singapore companies and their strengths in India will be

better known to Taiwanese companies, leading to potential

business collaboration between Singapore and Taiwanese

companies in India.

IE Singapore also encourages Taiwanese companies to use

Singapore as a springboard into India. Taiwanese companies

that set up in Singapore can immediately connect with some

4,000 Indian companies that are already in Singapore.

tim P

arkinso

n. s

heffi

eld, u

K

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 15

Industry News

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Tannic acid stains on your veneer?Not with the KUPER FL-Innovation II 1000.

The solution: Premium quality plastic chains combined with

our patented sliding rail system. The chains are working

maintenance-free and unrivalled perfectly. One more advantage:

The extremely narrow heating zone preserves delicate veneers

and reduces shrinking considerably. This is how to splice both

precious micro veneers and thick veneers.

Not with the KUPER FL-Innovation II 1000.

Heinrich KUPER GmbH & Co.KGHeinrich-Kuper-Straße 10 – 1533397 RietbergGermany

Phone +49(0)5244/984-0 Fax +49(0)5244/984-2 01E-Mail [email protected] www.KUPER.de

KUP1040_Anz_FDM_Asia_FL-Innov_II_RZ.indd 1 15.04.10 17:50

seattle, united states: Wood chip shipments in China defied

global trend last year when imports tripled despite a 14 percent

worldwide dip, a Wood Resource Quarterly report revealed.

The tripled figure enabled China to become the second largest

importer of wood chips in 2009. Pulp manufacturers in search of

cheaper wood chips or wood chips with unique properties have

fueled industry growth in the past years.

The global financial crisis received most of the blame for the

global drop in wood chip trade after it peaked at 31 million oven-

dry metric tons in 2008. Nevertheless, the current volume of global

wood chip trade is two times bigger than it was twenty years ago.

Meanwhile, countries that experienced the highest percentage

of export reduction include Australia at 22 percent; the United

States at 25 percent; and South Africa at 45 percent.

Global Wood Chip shipments dip 14 Percent

Guangdong, China: State and local officials awarded HuaLi Industrial with the ‘Guangdong Provincial Level Enterprise Technology Centre’, citing its research and development contribution in the furniture industry.

The Dongguan-based firm has also teamed up with Guangrun Furniture to become the official supplier of furniture edgebanding materials for the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.

HuaLi, a producer of edgebanding and finishing materials for the furniture industry, maintains a RMB30 million (US$4.4 million) laboratory for its research and development.

HuaLi receives Guangdong Award

16 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Industry News

seoul, south Korea: South Korean wood

product manufacturers are feeling the

pinch from soaring timber prices, a

Joong Ang Daily report said.

The sharp price increase made it

more difficult for industry players to

obtain the material, with the cost of new

timber having risen 60 percent since 2009.

Supply shortage and rising demand

for timber in China and India have also

contributed to the price spike.

Previously, used timber at construction

sites provided a cheap alternative to new

timber, but a slowdown in property and

construction market have induced shorter

stock for used ones.

The last six months saw a 14 percent

climb in particle board prices, the Korea

Wood Panel Association disclosed,

prompting sector analysts to encourage

the country to improve its timber resource

management.

south Korean Companies Feeling timber Price Pinch

Earlston, uK: BSW Timber has unveiled

progressive plans for a multi-million

pound investment at the Howie Forest

Products site at Dalbeattie, following a

successful acquisition of the company in

November 2009.

The Dalbeattie mill is the largest single-

location sawmill in UK and plans to invest

over £7 million (US$ 10.7 million) into the site

are part of a drive to increase productivity

from 230,000 sq m sawn timber to more

than 350,000 sq m.

First phase investment will see a planer

and grader line installed on site, which will

almost double production of Easi-Edge

construction timber from 65,000 sq m to

120,000 sq m each year.

Manufacture of this added value timber

product will be further increased by invest-

ment in a new stacker system to improve

operational efficiencies and produce an

BsW timber invest us$10.7M in dalbeattie Mill

additional 50,000 sq m of Easi-Edge volume,

whilst releasing greenmill capacity.

The site will also benefit from investment

in a heat source facility for the operation and

kilns. Current plans include the construction

of a biomass boiler which will use the site’s

natural timber bi-products to produce

enough heat energy to sustainably supply

the increased demand on the site.

Tony Hackney, BSW chief executive,

said: “State-of-the-art equipment and infra-

structure development will help enhance

value and give the sawmill total flexibility,

not only will it be the largest mill in the

UK but it will further develop its level of

sophistication.

He added: “The investment underlines

our confidence in the growth in the market

for British timber due to a combination

of technological advances and the high

cost of imports.”

Vancouver, Canada: Asian markets

such as China and Japan continue to

drive growth in wood products, as

demand for lumber in the US market

sees slight improvements, according

to Canadian-based integrated forest

products company, Canfor Corp.

The firm attributed a significant

amount of its sales to China and

Japan, helping offset a lull in the

US economy.

“Strong demand from offshore

markets, particularly China, continued to

mitigate the impact from the protracted

downturn in the US housing market

in the current quarter,” said the firm

in its first quarterly report for 2010.

Canfor reported a total net income

of CAD32.5 million (US$32.1 million)

for the first quarter of 2010, compared

to a net loss of CAD9.1 million for

the fourth quarter of 2009 and a net

loss of CAD69.9 million for the first

quarter of 2009.

They also pointed to bullish timber

and pulp prices as one of the main

reasons for growth.

“Lumber and pulp prices increased

significantly in the first quarter of

2010, and were the major reason for

the company’s improved results for

the quarter,” the firm added.

Nevertheless, the firm predicts

a steady albeit slow recovery for the

US market within the year.

“With the US economy and

housing sector still facing significant

headwinds, we expect to see a slow

and somewhat fragile recovery of

the housing market over the coming

months,” said the company’s CEO,

Jim Shepard.

Canfor says China, Japan to drive

Lumber Growth

Ko

k Leng

yeo, s

ing

apo

re

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 17

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Industry News

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: An upcoming agreement currently

under negotiation with the European Union guarantees

sustainable sourcing for all of Malaysia’s timber exports.

Reported in the Economy Watch, the pact will mandate all

Malaysian timber companies to comply with legal requirements

in harvesting timber.

Illegal and unregulated logging has been blamed for

environmental problems around the world, including destruction

of wildlife habitats, landslides, floods, and soil erosion.

Countries that sign a similar agreement with the EU possess a

competitive advantage in timber exports, the EU said, because

it would exclude Malaysian exports from further checks.

Malaysia, which ships majority of its timber to Japan

and the EU, drew in MYR 2.67 billion (US$ 837.6 million)

in timber product sales last year, according to the New

York Times.

The pact requires exporter countries to take responsibility

for ensuring that timber has been sourced properly.

Countries with existing agreements with the EU include

Ghana, Congo, and Cameroon.

sustainable timber Agreement For Malaysia, Eu

Hughenden Valley, uK: The Timber Research and

Development Association (TRADA) has launched a new

Market Development Award within industry magazine

TTJ's annual awards initiative, to follow on from the ‘

Best Technical Information Support Award’, sponsored

by the association for the past five years.

The award is open to any company who on their own,

or in partnership, has created a new market or expanded

on an existing market in any way, such as developing

a new product, improving the breadth of offering such

as manufacturing through to long-term maintenance,

or carrying out further testing or certification to create

outlets for existing products.

"Product development goes hand in hand with market

development, but there are other ways to grow and

the new award will enable us to recognise excellence.

The ultimate aim is to make it easy to specify timber,"

said Rupert Scott, the association’s membership and

marketing manager.

trAdA Launches Market development Award

18 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Focus

Sanding Machines:

ScrapingSmoother AtSanding is becoming more amenable to small and medium-sized manufacturers. By Dr Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam & Edward Francis

A bunch of straws: The structure of wood, shown above, mimics a bunch of straws on which sanding must produce a smooth surface

Joelle N

ebb

e-Mo

rnod

. Brad

ford

, UK

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 19

Focus

Wood and wood-based panels being a natural material is not only  variable  in  its  structure 

but  also  shows  different  degrees  of smoothness. The need to have a more or less perfectly smooth and flat surface is a pre-requisite for the manufacturing of high quality, value-added wood products. Accordingly,  the  sanding  process  is regarded  as  an  ‘aesthetic’  task  aimed primarily at improving the appeal of the product among potential customers.

In  a  survey  carried  out  by  the International Furniture Research Group (IFRG) in conjunction with Universiti Putra Malaysia,  it  was  found  that  sanding was  the  task  that  attracted  the  least attention  among  all  exhibitors  at  the regional  furniture  fairs  held  in  Kuala Lumpur,  Bangkok  and  Jakarta;  most 

respondents agreed that it was very difficult to ascertain what is an acceptable sanded quality.  The  non-availability  of  quality standards defining surface smoothness and flatness for wood has been a long-standing  challenge  to  wood  products manufacturers throughout the world, and going  by  the  present  trend,  it  appears that a solution  is nowhere near. 

In  this  context,  wood  products manufacturers  must  appreciate  the fundamentals  of  the  wood  sanding process and also the working parameters that would contribute to the final quality of  the sanded wood. As we attempt  to shed  some  light  into  this  area,  we  will also discuss some of the developments that are available in the marketplace that makes the sanding tasks more amenable to manufacturers.

‘scraping A Bunch Of straws’The fact that the structure of wood mimics a ‘bunch of straws,’ enunciates the fact that undulations on the surface of wood is almost impossible to remove. Hence, the main purpose of the sanding process is to generate a smooth and flat surface that  could  be  applied  with  adhesives/coatings in an economical yet aesthetic manner. The removal of undulations can be  achieved  by  machining  or  sanding processes, but the latter is often preferred especially when the amount of material to  be  removed  is  small  (ie:  less  than 0.5 mm). 

The sanding process is essentially a ‘scraping action’ by the numerous mineral grains  mounted  onto  a  sand  paper  (or rather  coated  abrasives).  The  sand 

ENQU

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20649_Resources.qxd 2/13/07 7:55 AM Page 1

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20 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

FocusFocus

paper  is  the  cutting  tool  in  the  sanding processes, and it has a complex structure to  ensure  diversity  to  cater  for  different applications.  Sia,  Mirka,  Hermes,  VSM, Fujistar,  and 3M are  among  the  leading suppliers of sand papers  in  the world. 

The  amount  of  material  removed during the sanding process is determined by process parameters (ie: coarseness of the mineral grain—indicated by grit size, sanding pressure, feed speed and cutting speed),  and  for  different  types  of  work materials, different process parameters are required to ensure acceptable results. After all,  the  quality  of  the  sanded  surface  is defined by its smoothness and flatness, which  in  turn  is expressed by a surface free of defects and blemishes.

However,  increasing  the  amount  of material to be removed during the sanding process will inevitably increase the process cost.  In  fact,  studies  have  shown  that although sanding cost can range from 5 to 10 percent of the total manufacturing cost,  the  actual  cost  of  poor  sanding quality  can  be  significantly  higher  as  it may result in product rejection and returns. Hence,  finding  a  compromise  between cost-quality-production  throughputs  is what  technological  developments  in sanding are  focusing on.

A Global ComebackThe combination knife planer/sander  in wide-belt sanding is making a comeback in  the  global  scene.  To  grind,  smooth, cut,  or  polish  the  workpiece,  this machine  uses  a  cutter-head  followed by one, two or more abrasive material. Natural abrasives include sand, pumice, corundum,  and  ground  quartz,  while synthetically  produced  abrasives  are carborundum (silicon carbide) and alumina (aluminium oxide).   

The  cutter-head  (planer  knife)  in the  first  stand  has  reduced  power requirement  and,  together  with  better control  of  abrasive  belt  consumption, higher  feed-speed  rates  and  more accurate tolerances, have transformed the sanding technology for applications where high stock removal is a necessity such as in the case of wood-lamination manufacturing plants. Previously, glued-up  panels  were  planed  using  36-grit abrasives, and would require an abrasive sequence of 60/100/120 to remove the scratch  pattern,  and  hence  increases the sanding cost. 

However,  since  the  planer  knife removes approximately 0.25 to 0.30 mm in stock to produce a smooth surface, the 120-grit abrasive is sufficient. Recent 

additions  to  such  sanding  machines have  been  the  feed-through  orbital sanders, used primarily to remove the scratch  pattern  produced  by  wide-belt  sanding  and/or  stroke  sanding. A  second  use  for  this  particular machine is sealer/lacquer sanding. Such combination  machines  use  wide-belt sanding  heads,  followed  by  orbital heads, and denibbing brush units. 

The  woodworking  industry,  in conjunction with many major machinery manufacturers, is constantly developing new  and  improved  ways  of  sealer sanding.  Sealer  sanding  can  be performed by use of wide-belt sanders, brush machines, hand sanding, rotary brush  machines  and  feed  through orbital sanders. It has been seen, and further developed, that the denibbing of material by any of the above machine in  the  white  wood  state  has  greatly improved  the  product  prior  to  stain and  seal.  It  must  be  recognised  that having  a  properly  prepared  surface has  decreased  the  amount  of  labour used  in  subsequent processes.

From Manual To Pre-setSaving  computer  programs  of  the different individual materials to be sent 

sand & Corundum: Natural abrasives

Paul W

illiams. E

ssex, Eng

land

Mahyar Jehazi

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 21

Focus

through  a  sanding  machine  reduces operator set-up time and error, thereby increasing  productivity  in  sanding workstations. There is no more manual set-up of several different  items  to  run each  individual piece of material, since it  is  all  handled  by  calling  up  a  single program for a particular piece of material that pre-sets everything on the machine.  Furthermore,  electronic  sectional  pads have  greatly  reduced  sand-through  of veneers and lacquers, which in turn has greatly  increased  operator  productivity through less operator error and material rework. 

Manufacturers are starting to realise that fairly flat panels and tighter overall panel  tolerances  produce  not  only significant improvements in sand quality, but also  in machining operations. The 

answer  to  this  is  core  calibrating,  a process that eliminates the extra expense of  copying  heads  on  a  combination machine.  Without  the  need  to  copy panels that are flat, the tolerances of all machines throughout the manufacturing facility would greatly  improve. 

The final product is the last thing to consider. If the panel is pro-cessed right from the beginning of the operation, the finish will be more uniform, thus helping to produce  the best  finish possible. 

Healthier, More Productive WorkplaceAs  in most  areas of  the woodworking industry,  the  use  of  electronic  control technology  is helping the woodworker become more productive, from a simple terminal to the control of belt speed and 

feed speed. Among small and medium-sized  wood  products  manufacturers, there  is  growing  interest  in  15-inch wide-belt  sanders  that  feature  open throat design with smaller footprints and smaller power requirements. Advances in technology mean an accuracy of plus or  minus  0.1  mm  from  side  to  side. Adjustments  to  the  hardness  of  the contact  roller mean extreme accuracy in sanding, even for sanding laminates of  very close  tolerances. 

Oscillating  tracking of  the abrasive belt provides reliable performance with  a tried and tested technology, as opposed to  the  high  service  and  replacement parts cost associated with electric-eye tracking systems, previously promoted as  a  valuable  alternative  technology. Furthermore,  improvements  to  dust 

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FocusFocus

collection design in sanding machines, closer  to  the  head  with  open  throat full-length of  the contact  roller, means more efficient waste removal, less dust in the shop, and a healthier workplace.

A Forgiving DesignAnother innovation has been in sanding pad mechanisms. Past  technology  for abrasive  belt  units  for  profile  sanders included a  rigid design of  the sanding pad  mechanism  on  the  units,  which was  inflexible or stiff. The present day pad mechanisms are more forgiving and more versatile, as they can be adjusted to follow the contour of the edge. This produces  a  smoothing  rather  than  a calibrating effect. 

Recently,  innovations  in  set-up  of abrasive belts have also been brought to the marketplace. Set-up time on abrasive belt sanding units has traditionally been a  process  of  trial  and  error  until  the correct positioning of the abrasive pad is obtained. The forgiving design usually allows  the  operator  to  obtain  a  good sanding job on the first few trial pieces.  Improvements  in curved sanding have 

also  transformed  sanding  technology. Cathedrals  and  other  shaped  edges  can now be sanded using an abrasive belt  unit.  When  possible  and  eco- nomical,  abrasive  belts  should  be used  to sand curved surfaces without intricate detail. 

Following The ContoursIn  the  past,  most  sanding  of  shaped edges  has  been  done  using  abrasive disk units. But now, computer-assisted design has enabled belt units to follow the  contour  of  the  panel.  The  use  of such computer  technology also allows for easy parts replacement. The programs are equipped with a self-learning feature to assist the operator in learning to use the machine. 

Ultimately,  reducing  or  eliminating difficult-to-use  technology  or  hand sanding will  reduce time constraints  in the sanding process. Recent technological developments  in  wide  and  cross-belt sander  designs  have  generally  had  a 

dramatic effect on the way woodworkers look at surface improvement and quality in finish polishing. 

The  cost  of  this  technology  has come  down  into  the  range  of  the smaller manufacturer, and the machines are  simple  to  operate  and  consistent in  uncalibrated  materials.  In  many applications,  where  traditional  sanding machines have been upgraded, handwork and orbital sanding have been eliminated completely and new methods of finishing can be implemented with a measurable result on the bottom line, and a definable improvement in quality and consistency. Hence, woodworkers are keen  to  take advantage  of  the  newer  machine’s advantages,  inevitably  changing  the way they look at the actual function of sanding  in  their production. 

This  has  not  always  been  easy. Traditional sander design is concerned with stock  removal. The modern finish sander  is  primarily  concerned  with providing  a  defined  surface  quality  for application of modern finishing materials. This is very different in concept from the massive,  heavy  horsepower  standard designs of yesterday.

Finding A CompromiseAs  the  global  consumers  of  wood products demand higher value for their money, manufacturers of wood products will have to pay greater attention to the sanding  processes  as  it  affects  both the aesthetic  value of  the product and also  the  overall  customer  appeal.  In this context, the sanding processes will come under greater scrutiny not only for its  operational  ease,  but  also  its  final quality and cost outcomes. 

The future of sanding technology will revolve  around  finding  a  compromise between quality-cost-throughput, which is fundamental to the success in the wood products manufacturing sector. FDM

Natural Abrasives For sanders: Pumice & Quartz

ENQUIRY NO. 4101

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Technology

Versatile, high-performing and with no-added formaldehyde, MDI is fast becoming the resin of choice with composite wood panel producers the world over. By Iain Stanton, composite wood panel marketing manager for Europe and Asia, Huntsman.

MDI (Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate) is an efficient resin binder that has been available for over thirty years, and its production is a 

complex process involving a sequence of chemical reactions resulting in a very versatile range of resins. 

The core use of MDI  is within OSB production, but there is a growing demand for MDI as a binder for Medium Density Fibreboard and Particleboard.  

Because of MDI’s versatility, the possibilities are endless  and  almost  every  day  we  are  finding  new applications  for  this  technology.

A particular application in which growth is witnessed for  the  use  of  MDI  is  wood  fibre  insulation,  which is widely considered to be a sustainable and green alternative  to  standard  insulation  methods  and  we anticipate much attention is anticipated to be given to  this over  the coming months.

Chemical WeldThe material provides a supreme bond with the wood particles  or  strands  as  it  has  a  reaction  with  the wood itself, when put under  intense heat, creating a chemical weld. 

This is a different type of bond to the mechanical weld that formaldehyde based products produce; in the case of formaldehyde products, it is clear to see where one material starts and another ends. However, MDI  bonds  by  forming  a  diffusion  interphase.  The resin  spreads  over  the  surface  of  the  wood  and penetrates  into  cracks,  cell  lumen  and  even  cell walls. Penetration depths of up to 1 mm are readily achieved, which is well beyond the three-cell depths commonly assumed  to be needed  for wood  resins to provide adequate adhesive strengths. 

IndustryToday’sA Resin For

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 25

Technology

In the diffusion interphase the MDI effectively becomes one with the wood and this, along with the penetration and the spread, is responsible for the high quality performances expected from MDI bonded wood including the resistance to  thickness swell and  the high strengths.

Production of full MDI OSB panels on labscale

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Just As SafeThere are always going  to be specific environmental, health and safety procedures to adhere to when working with any chemical, and MDI  resins are no different.

There  have  been  occasions  when  people  have  misconstrued the precautionary measures needed when using MDI in production as  over  and  above  that  of  its  traditional  resin  counterparts.  But this  is  simply  down  to  misunderstanding  as  MDI  technology  is just  as  safe  as  other  resin  technologies  to  use;  it  is  just  a  case of  addressing  certain  EHS  standards  that  the  industry  should  be seeking  to uphold  for safe handling of chemicals.

Binder BenefitsAdvantages provided by  the strong chemical weld of MDI  in  the production  of  wood  panels  include  fast  curing,  ease  of  adding biocides or fire  retardants,  improved moisture  resistance and an excellent strength  to weight  ratio. 

In addition  to no-added  formaldehyde, other benefits  include:•  Increased mill productivity. •  Increased wood species variety and  tolerance.•  Increase  in  the panels’ physical property performance.

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Technology

•  Finished  panels  that  are  smooth, light and more natural in appearance when compared to those which are manufactured  using  formaldehyde based  resins.

•  Compared  with  traditional  formal-dehyde options, MDI resins require a lower dosage making it a cost-effective binding  option  when  comparing  on a cost m3 basis.   

Formaldehyde  naturally  occurs  in wood  so  when  conventional  Phenol Formaldehyde  (PF)  and  Melamine  Urea Phenol Formaldehyde (MUPF) resins are used  in  the production of wood panels, formaldehyde  emission  levels  will  be higher as a  result.

Stringent StandardsHowever, new stringent industry standards have  been  coming  into  place  of  late, requiring wood panel producers to  limit the levels of formaldehyde emitted from their products. By using MDI resins, it is guaranteed that no additional formaldehyde 

will be added to the wood panel, therefore the level of emission is limited to what naturally occurs in  the wood  itself.

The  legislations  affecting producers  will  become  more restrictive  in  the  future, such as a California legislation that seeks to  limit  the  permissible  levels of  formaldehyde  emission  from wood-based panels.

In America, the use of MDI in the manufacture of MDF will make it ‘Exempt’ within the requirements of Section 93120.3 of the California Air  Resources  Board  (CARB) standards Mr Stanton. The level I legislation was implemented from 1st January 2009, placing strict limits on the level of permissible formaldehyde emitted from wood based panels,  and will  become even  more  restrictive  in  2011 

when  CARB  level  II  comes  into  effect for  Particleboard  and  Medium  Density Fibreboard production. 

In  Asia,  where  the  manufacture  of MDF and PB is more widespread, using MDI products means that manufacturers products can be classified as both CARB I  and  CARB  II  compliant  as  well  as becoming Japanese four-star compliant.

As limits to the use of formaldehyde 

MDI gluing process in OSB application

ENQUIRY NO. 4201

in  wood  panels  are  capped,  more  and more consumers and manufacturers are expected  to find an alternative  in MDI.

It  is  clear  to  see  the  momentum that  these  regulations  are  gathering worldwide. And as a result we are seeing more producers coming to us to try MDI technology  for  themselves  now  while they  can  fully  evaluate  the  advantages of  making  the  change  sooner  rather than  later.

Constantly EvolvingThe nature of this advanced technology means that this resin and its applications are constantly  evolving, with  significant interest  coming  from  the  Asian  market of  late.

Asian composite wood panel producers are  becoming  more  and  more  open  to MDI  technology and much of  the  focus for  Huntsman  is  ensuring  we  nurture interest and cultivate an open dialogue.

Part  of  this  dialogue  needs  to  be about educating the industry on what MDI resins are, how they can be utilised and the long-term benefits; once this message gets through, we are confident that MDI will  become  the  resin  of  choice  for  the majority as the practical application results really do speak  for  themselves. FDM

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Technology

A combination of several factors help maximise fingerjoint quality.

By Jerome Lim

By far the most common reason for employing fingerjointing has been economic; several lumber  pieces  that  would  otherwise 

have  ended  up  in  garbage  dumps  can,  with fingerjointing, be put together to form a longer, usable piece. Lumbers of  low-grade stock can be cleared out, at the same time maximise the yield of  longer pieces of wood. 

Though it may occasionally appear disorienting as compared  to  seeing a  long piece of wood, it can also serve an aesthetic purpose in cases of wooden furniture. But, just how can one get the most out of fingerjoints?

Fingerjointing,  a  process  that  is  believed to  have  been  used  in  woodworking  since  the days  of  the  Roman  Empire,  is  done  by  gluing together two separate pieces of wood via cut-out complementary  rectangular or  triangular cuts. 

Fingerjointing is traditionally carried out using saws and chisels to carve out rectangular holes in  wood  edges,  with  carpenters  sometimes experimenting  with  different  variations.  Today, this process can be done en masse in different variations using  industrial machinery.

Non-structural  fingerjointing  is  usually  less strong than structural ones. Often seen in rails, molding stock, sidings, and fascia boards, non-structural fingerjoints generally have shorter and blunter  ‘fingers,’  and  is  often  used  for  short wood pieces that need to be joined with others in order  to be of any use. 

Meanwhile, structural fingerjointing, classified into  vertical,  horizontal,  or  inclined,  is  usually employed  in  large  lumber  pieces  such  as structural  beams  where  strength  is  a  major concern. Hence they possess generally sharper tips  that  resemble  the  edges  of  a  saw.  Other classifications based on the shoulder configuration of a structural fingerjoint is used, and are worth mentioning despite possessing minimal effect on actual performance.

Vital ConsiderationsDepending on how  they are made, fingerjoints vary  in  strength,  but  proper  safeguards  can help make fingerjoints less vulnerable to Before carrying  out  a  fingerjoint,  one  should  keep  in mind what  the purpose  is  for. 

Making

Dav

id N

uman

Fingerjoints Stick

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Technology

Proper EquipmentFinally,  speaking  of  machines,  obtaining  the  right  equipment for  fingerjointing  cannot  be  understated.  Fortunately,  modern technology  has  made  available  machines  that  are  specifically cut out  for  the  task. 

Woodworking machinery manufacturers such as Weinig have both vertical and horizontal fingerjointing lines that can process wood  entry  lengths  of  up  to  300  cm,  as  well  as  heavy  duty machines  that  process  at  speeds  of  180  parts  per  minute  in continuous run and 12 press cycles. 

Elsewhere,  businesses  considering  wood  processing versatility  might  want  to  check  out  Italian  manufacturer  Bacci's CNC machines that can do fingerjointing in combination with  other  woodworking  processes  such  as  drilling,  tenoning, milling, and contouring. 

For  veneers,  Marnate,  Italy-based  Casati  Macchine  offers fingerjointers  that  uses  knives  and  counter-knives  driven  by hydraulic cylinders  that can process  two veneer strips.  

Ultimately,  other  factors  come  to  play  in  the  quality  of  a fingerjoint, but getting the right machine for the job, the proper adhesive  application,  as  well  as  determining  the  proper  form helps ensure  the durability of fingerjoints.      FDM

Wood’s moisture content can affect adhesive effectiveness EN

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Chisels are sometimes used to do non-structural fingerjoints at home or in a workshop.

As  mentioned,  if  the  long-term  strength  of  the  wood  is  a vital  consideration,  then  a  structural  fingerjoint  is  probably  the best  option,  since  thinner  tips  fare  stronger  than  blunt  ones  in transmitting stress. 

A  2008  study  by  Forintek  on  fingerjointing  processes  also notes  that vertical profiles are  relatively stronger  than horizontal ones under normal production conditions. 

Another thing to be considered is the application and use of adhesive.  While  adhesives  certainly  play  a  part  in  the  strength of  a  fingerjoint, most  fingerjoint  failures are due  to  flaws  in  the fingerjointing  itself  rather  than  the adhesive used. 

Nevertheless, adhesive manufacturers are advised to  inform customers on the proper conditions and application necessary to maximise the glue. Otherwise, customers may end up blaming the adhesive even if the fault could have been in the fingerjointing itself.

Moisture ContentThe same study cites two possible reasons for the poor performance of aqueous adhesives on wood with high moisture content (MC). 

First, high MC wood tends to absorb less water and adhesive, leading  to excessive adhesive mobility  that gets squeezed out with  end  pressure  and  results  in  a  thin  glue  line.  The  other reason  involves  dilution  of  adhesive,  as  wood  with  high  MC tends  to absorb adhesives  remaining  in  the glue  line,  resulting in a starved  joint.

Non-structural  fingerjoints  often  employ  adhesives  such as melamine-urea, urea, and PVA  (polyvinyl acetate, otherwise known as 'white glue'), while structural fingerjoints often include the use of phenol-resorcinol, resorcinol, and melamine adhesives, among others. 

One adhesive company, Franklin Adhesives, cite lack of glue penetration  into  the wood or  temperatures that are  too  low as one of the main reasons for fingerjoint blanks that fall apart, and recommends using wood which has a moisture content of less 

than 15 percent. Ideally,  fingerjoints 

should have no gaps  for excess  glue  to  settle  in, and making this possible is  largely  determined  by the amount of wood that the  machine  or  cutting saw removes.

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The wood industry faces significant challenges. For many companies and  industries  –  including  the 

wood sector – the rules of  international competition have changed. Accelerated by the ongoing global economic crisis, the struggle for market shares has become increasingly more intense, particularly in the standard sector. 

Veneer  producers  from  Europe  and North America in particular are feeling the effects  of  this  development.  Producers that want to remain in a market against low-wage countries must invest in modern machinery  so  productivity  increases  to an  internationally  competitive  level  and product quality  improves. 

In  Danzer,  for  instance,    facilities have  been  upgraded  as  part  of  a modernisation program. These investments in manufacturing  technology halve per-unit  costs  and  raise  productivity  to  a competitive  level.

Veneer Quality Assured Ease  of  use  is  the  all-important  motto among  companies  competing  for  new customers  and  market  share.  Veneer producers  must  emphasise  customer benefits, such as ease of further processing and higher monetary value. 

Consistent  product  quality  through further  development  of  manufacturing techniques  is  important.  In  doing  so, every  sheet  is  usable  and  falls  within certain quality parameters. This can be achieved only when automatic, high-tech quality  control  systems  are  in  place  to check  all  sheets  during  the  production process. These quality control measures are a  top priority  for engineering  teams because customers require consistency of thickness in the veneers. Veneer sheets with  differing  thicknesses  can  present serious problems  for users. 

With  machinery,  one  must  achieve consistency  within  the  tolerance  limits 

set  forth  in  DIN  and  ISO  standards.  In any bundle, flitch or production run, each sheet has precisely the same thickness. Customers  benefit  from  these  high standards  in a variety of ways. 

First,  users  need  not  worry  about delays  when  splicing  veneer,  because all  sheets match one another precisely. Second, optimal utilisation ensures cost-efficient  production.  Finally,  consistent thickness  of  the  veneer  guarantees smooth processing when surfaces have to be sanded.

During the drying phase, technologies  that make this process less stressful on the  veneer  are  employed.  The  result  is less waviness, a constant moisture content and higher elasticity. Because conventional moisture meters are not designed for the sophisticated  measurement  of  veneers and  do  not  function  accurately  with these products, new measuring devices are developed  to guarantee  the correct 

Veneer Production:

OvercomingChallenges

The Veneer industry is facing changing market conditions due to increased globalisation and the world economic crisis. Because of this changing landscape, veneer manufacturers must constantly reinvent themselves to remain competitive. By Malte Herrmann, head of marketing, Danzer Group

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Panels

amount of residual moisture for trouble-free processing.

User-friendly preparation of all products must be included in customisation during veneer production. Industrial customers, for  example,  require  that  suppliers  not only  deliver  veneer  in  large  quantities with uniform surface quality, lengths and widths,  but  also  offer  precise  sorting. This creates less waste, ensures optimal utilisation and reduces processing costs for customers. 

Innovative Products & Customer Service But lower costs and higher product quality alone  will  not  give  veneer  companies the  desired  competitive  edge.  Success will  depend  on  how  well  premium manufacturers  can  meet  customer 

demands  for  innovative  products  and services while also focusing on the need to find new customers.

Recent years have seen a dramatic decline in genuine wooden surfaces for mass-produced furniture. While veneers are  widely  used  as  decorative  wooden surfaces,  approximately  three-quarters of  the  visible  and  invisible  surfaces  in mass-produced furniture are now made from  cheap  wood  imitations  produced from petroleum-based plastics. Even the constantly improving prints and designs of these substitute products cannot replace the  warm  feeling,  and  lasting  value  of genuine wooden surfaces. Nevertheless, these  substitutes  continue  to  represent a  threat  for  the veneer  industry.

So how should the wood processing industry  move  forward?  We  believe 

there  are  significant  opportunities  for wood-based  products  in  fields  that have  historically  been  dominated  by energy-intensive,  non-sustainable  and mass-produced materials. These materials have  succeeded  because  they  have overcome  some  limitations  of  wood. The  challenge  for  veneer  processors  is to  alter  the  properties  of  wood  so  that they  can  compete  with  these  materials and capitalise on wood’s true potential.

With  innovative  products  and  new developments in surface technology, the veneer industry is opening up promising prospects  beyond  the  mass  market  in the  discerning  fields  of  interior  design and  commercial  construction  projects. Architects  and  designers  are  once again  becoming  increasingly  interested in the properties of wood as a material. 

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ENQUIRY NO. 4301

Manufacturers  that  want  to  increase demand  among  these  target  groups must enhance veneer as a material and extend user opportunities for processing and designing the real wooden surface. 

Historically, veneer has been used on purely flat surfaces, especially for doors and panels. However, 3D-veneer opens many opportunities for applications and designs. This represents a considerable increase in user benefits when compared to  conventional  wooden  surfaces. Customers can use the wooden surfaces to  produce  high-grade  and  quality products.

In addition to developing innovative products,  it  is fundamentally  important that veneer producers provide services to 

simplify the entire purchasing procedure – all to reduce time and costs for customers. Specifically,  this  means  fulfilling  key customer demands for efficient selection of veneer, easier procurement of goods and shorter delivery  times.

Use  of  veneered  surfaces  for decorative purposes begins with the all-important selection process. If choosing veneer had once been a time-consuming task, the group’s Virtual Veneer Warehouse 

and  its  standardised  selection  process simplify  this process considerably. 

This  eliminates  the  need  for  time-consuming  business  trips,  which, particularly in view of the world economic crisis  and  heightened  cost  awareness among many companies, brings benefit. Thanks to additional functionality, the online tool not only reduces the cost of veneer selection, but also helps users customise the surfaces they want to purchase. Users can  virtually  splice  sheets  or  a  section of  the sheet  from a veneer package  to create an individual surface. Photos from these joint veneers can be downloaded and  integrated  into  architects’  drawing programs, giving  them a  real additional advantage  in  their daily work.

Certified Timber & Timber ProductsIn addition to cost optimisation, product quality and customer service, sustainable and legal timber procurement is a matter of growing importance for the timber industry and will greatly influence markets in the future. Demand  is  increasing  for  timber products originating from environmentally and  legally certified  forests. 

FSC certificates attesting to responsible 

and legal timber procurement are becoming increasingly important for many customers. Architects and increasingly as well furniture manufacturers demand such proof.  FSC certificates are very often required when companies bid for governmental buildings or  in  the  public  procurement  of  timber and  timber products. 

It is interesting to note that the most increasing  demand  for  FSC-certified veneer  is  currently  coming  from  China, surpassing  even  North  America  and Europe. What may appear surprising at first sight becomes clear when examined in more detail. 

For  a  long  time  now,  furniture producers,  architects  and  designers have been producing wooden products for commercial construction and interior design  projects  in  China.  This  trend to  make  products  intended  for  North American  and  European  projects  in Chinese production facilities is expected to  increase  in  the  coming  years.  As  a result, FSC certification of timber products is  becoming  an  increasingly  powerful sales argument.

If veneer producers wish to exploit this competitive benefit and meet the demand for  FSC-certified  timber  products,  they must have Chain of Custody certification before  they  sell  and  market  products with  the FSC  label.   

Sustainable  use  of  the  high-quality, raw  material  wood  is  crucial  for  the  wood processing industry. Only in this way can it be ensured that future generations will have access to plentiful and healthy stocks of timber. The timber industry has a pioneering role to play in the future of our  forests  by  implementing  measures and  systems  offering  a  high  degree  of reliability  and  transparency  with  a  view to  responsible procurement. FDM

ENQUIRY NO. 016

34 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Surfaces and Flooring

Hotmelts:

Take a closer look at flat lamination technology and the specific properties

of the adhesives system employed. By Andrew Nixon, technical customer

service, Henkel AG & Co KGaA

IdentityBondThe

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Surfaces and Flooring

Figure 1: Examples of high gloss laminated panels made with Purmelt adhesives.

The lamination of panels with a wide range of substrates including  wood,  wood-derived  materials,  metals  and plastics,  using  a  hot  melt  is  commonly  known  as  flat 

lamination. In  this  application,  a  heated  roller  coater  is  used  to  apply 

the hotmelt to the panel. A second panel or foil is then placed onto  the  coated  panel  and  passed  through  a  roller  press  or static press. 

The  applied  hot  melts  normally  have  a  low  viscosity,  high initial  tack,  and  long open  time which allows  the assembly of larger panels  to be made. Common  for  this application  is  the use  of  reactive  polyurethane  hotmelts,  although  for  certain applications a standard low viscosity EVA or pressure sensitive hot melt can be used. 

This  application  of  applying  hot  melts  via  a  heated  roller coater provides possibilities to rationalise production, and solve problems seen  in using traditional adhesives.

Flat  lamination  of  panel  substrates  is  a  well-established bonding technique. What is new is the use of hotmelt adhesives for  such  applications.  In  recent  years,  the  adhesives  industry has developed a number of adhesives that have been tailored to  the special needs of flat  lamination. 

Generally  speaking,  the  term  ‘flat  lamination’  refers  to  the full-surface bonding of different kinds of  substrates by means of a hotmelt. 

Roller coaters with heated  rollers are used  for  this  task as shown  in  figure  2.  Basically,  the  entire  surface  of  a  panel  is coated with adhesive, and a second substrate in the form of a panel or film/foil is placed onto the first and pressed against it. 

A  wide  range  of  materials  can  be  bonded,  depending  on the adhesives employed. These  include chipboard, MDF, HDF, plywood, pressboard, honeycomb panels, expanded foams of 

all kinds and various plastics, as well as metals such as aluminium, steel and  lead.

Adhesive SystemsThe classic adhesives for flat lamination are principally urea-formaldehyde  (UF),  melamine  formaldehyde (MF)  glues  and  PVAC  dispersion  glues.  While  UF and  MF  glues  are  hot  curing  reactive  adhesives, 

PVAC glues set physically and can also be processed in  their cold state. 

Another  group  of adhesives  used  for  flat lamination  is  1K  and  2K polyurethane  liquid  glues. These  reactive  adhesives are also processed in their 

cold state. Typical of these adhesives systems is that they require a relatively long setting or reaction time, which means that static presses  with  long  pressing  times  are  required,  thus  ruling  out high throughput speeds. 

The  big  advantage  of  hotmelts  is  their  high  setting  speed. Setting time can be adjusted to anything from tenths of a second (eg:  for  edgebanding  hotmelts)  to  about  60  minutes.  As  such, the availability of hotmelts for flat lamination primarily accelerates throughput speed  in continuous production processes. 

Other advantages include the absence of water in the adhesive, rapid setting upon cooling, and curing at room temperature. Table 1  summarises  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  adhesive systems used for flat  lamination.

Hotmelt SystemsLike most of the above-mentioned adhesives systems, hot melt systems  are  normally  applied  with  heated  roller  coaters.  This already defines a number of requirements that hotmelts have to fulfill  for use  in flat  lamination,  for example:

•  low melt viscosity• high thermal stability of  the melt•  long to medium open time• good adhesion to a wide range of substrates

Although thermoplastic hotmelts with the above properties can be used in principle for flat lamination, novel reactive polyurethane hotmelts have truly  ideal properties  for such applications.

In  addition  to  the  processing  properties  mentioned,  these polyurethane  hotmelts  display  high  initial  tack  and  react  with moisture  to  yield  a  crosslinked  adhesive.  Table  2  compares the  properties  of  various  thermoplastic  hotmelts  with  those  of polyurethane hotmelts.

36 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Surfaces and Flooring

The basic principle of polyurethane hotmelts  is  that  they  cure  in  two stages.  Physical  setting,  similar  to that of thermoplastic hotmelts, takes place in the first stage, while the second stage involves chemical crosslinking due to  the adhesive’s  reaction with moisture. 

Chemically, polyurethane hotmelts consist of NCO-terminated polyester/polyether  prepolymers.  The  NCO  groups  of  these prepolymers  react  readily  with  water  molecules,  resulting  in high  molecular  and  crosslinked  adhesive  molecules  as  shown in figure 3.

The crosslinked adhesives film cannot be melted again (unlike that  of  a  thermoplastic  hotmelt)  and  displays  high  strength, thermal stability and moisture resistance. The moisture-induced reaction is accompanied by further chemical reactions with the NCO groups at  the processing  temperature  in  the melt  of  the polyurethane hotmelt adhesive.

This  means  that  the  viscosity  of  the  polyurethane  hotmelt melt slowly increases on the roller. The open time of the hotmelt without  adhesives  take-off  is  about  one  to  two  hours.  During continuous production processes,  this  is not a problem. 

However, in discontinuous processes with longer periods of inactivity, the adhesive should be removed from the rollers and the rollers cleaned with a suitable cleaner. 

After  application  of  the  adhesive  to  the  substrate,  the adhesive  has  an  open  time  during  which  the  substrates  have to be joined. It may be possible to extend open time by heating the substrates  (a). 

After the joining and pressing of the coated substrates, the adhesive  sets  and  builds  up  its  initial  strength  (b).  This  bond strength  is  usually  sufficiently  high  that  the  bonded  parts  can be transported, sawn, milled or worked  in other ways. 

Bond  strength  then  increases  further  due  to  the  chemical curing of the adhesive (c), which can take anything from six to three  days,  depending  on  the  adhesives  system.  This  period depends on other factors as well, such as substrate and ambient temperature, humidity and substrate surface strength.

Practical ExperienceThe  working  principle  of  a  process  for  flat  lamination  with  a polyurethane  hotmelt  is  shown  in  figure  4.  As  is  usual  with bonding  processes,  the  panel  materials  undergo  pre-cleaning. Depending  on  local  conditions,  preheating  of  the  panels  may then be necessary. 

The adhesive is then applied with a roller coater. The rollers are supplied with adhesive from a separate pre-melter. Pre-melter systems commonly have volumes of 20 or 200  ltr. 

In  these  systems,  a  drum-melter  is  used,  so  that  only  as much  polyurethane  hotmelt  is  melted  and  pumped  through heated lines to the applicator rollers as is currently needed. This method  is  ideal  polyurethane  hotmelts,  which  are  sensitive  to both temperature and moisture-sensitive. Tank systems in which the adhesive  is often exposed to high  temperatures  for a  long time are unsuitable.

When  coating  the  substrate,  it  is  important  to  apply  the optimal amount of adhesive to the surface. The rate of application is set by adjusting the doctor roller/application roller gap, while the adhesive’s delivery  rate  is simply measured gravimetrically. 

Other  factors  affecting  adhesives  application  are  the  line 

Surfaces and Flooring

Table 1: Advantages and drawbacks of classic adhesives compared to hotmelts for flat lamination

Adhesive Advantages Drawbacks

UF, MF resinsInexpensive, reactive, high thermal stability

Hot curing necessary, long pressing time, presence of water

PVAC glues Cold processing, high thermal stabilityPresence of water, long pressing time

1K, 2K PU glues

Reactive, high thermal stability, cold processing, broad adhesion range

Limited open time, long setting time and pressing time

HotmeltsHigh processing speed, continuous processing

Limited thermal stability, high processing temperature

Reactive hotmelts

Reactive, continuous and high processing speed, high thermal stability, broad adhesion range

High processing temperature

Figure 2: Principle of a roller coater for flat lamination.

Traces of moisture are sufficient.Moisture from the air and from the substrates normally is enough for curing. In extreme cases like metal/metal bonding hummidity can be easily adjusted.

Figure 3: Cross linking principle from PUR-Hotmelt

Urea Urea Urea Urea

H2O NCO NCOPUR CO2

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Surfaces and Flooring

speed of the adhesives rollers, as well as the temperature and viscosity of the adhesive. After the adhesive has been applied, the panels are  joined or  the film/foil  is  laminated by means of a  roller press system. 

Bonding has to take place within the adhesive’s open time and depends on temperature and ambient conditions (eg: drafts). 

Table 2: Comparison of the properties of hotmelt systems for flat lamination

Hotmelt type Processing temperature

Processing viscosity Open time Substrate materials

Bond thermal stability

Moisture resistance Cost

EVA 180-200°C MediumShort 

(reactivation)Limited (wood, CB, MDF, decor paper)

70-120°C Low Low

Polyolefin 180-200°C MediumShort 

(reactivation)Limited (wood, CB, MDF, decor paper)

120-140°C Medium Low

PSA 150-170°CMedium to 

lowLong

Limited (wood, CB, MDF, decor paper, 

polystyrene)80-110°C Low Medium

Reactive polyurethane

120-140°C LowShort

MediumLong

Very wide range (wood, CB, MDF, 

plastics, foils/films, aluminum, many 

metals etc.)

120-150°C Very high High

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

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To extend open  time,  the adhesive can be additionally heated with IR heaters. The substrates are usually laminated with roller presses, although much better bonding results are achieved with belt presses and short-cycle static presses. 

The  latter presses are strongly advised  for difficult-to-bond substrates with high memory forces. As mentioned before, there 

38 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Surfaces and Flooring

is a need to clean the rollers after prolonged periods of inactivity and before  the machine  is switched off. 

Health & Safety At WorkReactive  polyurethane  hotmelts  normally  contain  a  certain percentage of monomeric diisocyanate.  These monomers can become volatile at processing  temperatures, which may be as high as 170 deg C. 

These polyurethane hotmelts are subject to mandatory hazard labeling. Since hazards may arise during use of the adhesives, it  is always advisable  to  install suitable extractor systems.

During the curing of the adhesive, the isocyanate molecules react  completely  with  water  to  form  urethane  or  urea  groups, and  by  doing  so  excludes  risks  due  to  isocyanate  emissions from the cured adhesive. 

Polyurethane hotmelts can thus be used safely  in furniture, home interiors and vehicles. To minimise hazard potential during 

Surfaces and Flooring

Cleaning the adhesives roller

ENQUIRY NO. 4401

Table 3: Polyurethane hotmelts for different applications

QR and ME* Purmelt types Field of application Viscosity Open time Cohesion build-up

Standard productFor universal applications, very broad range of substrates

MediumApproximately 10,000/130 deg C

2-4 min Fast

Very high initial strength Materials with high memory forcesHighApproximately 18,000/170 deg C

Up to 10 min Very fast

Product for long assembly times

Material with low memory forces, long pressing time necessary

LowApproximately 4,000/130 deg C

45 min Very slow

UV-stable productBonding of glass, Plexiglas and other laminates exposed to light

MediumApproximately 9,000/130 deg C

2-4 min Medium

Product for thermal reactivation

Wooden furniture industry, materials with high memory forces, thermal reactivation necessary

HighApproximately 60,000/130 deg C

10 s Very fast

Conductive hotmelt Computer floors and the likeMediumApproximately 17,000/130 deg C

2-4 min Medium

Cleaner Cleaning agent for roller coaters - - -

application at high temperatures and  possibly  during  open processing,  the  ME  (Micro Emission) polyurethane hotmelts with  a  residual  monomeric isocyanate  content  of  <  0.1 percent has been developed. 

Comparative measurements by  independent  bodies  have confirmed that, when correctly processed, ME products release up to 90 percent less isocyanate vapors  than conventional PUR hotmelts.  

Reactive Polyurethane Hotmelt TypesFor  the  many  different  applications  in  the  market,  there  is  a broad  range  of  reactive  polyurethane  hotmelt  types.  Table  3 presents an overview of  them. 

The  main  applications  are  covered  by  standard  products. For  bonding  problems  involving  high  memory  forces  arising immediately after lamination, high-viscosity adhesives that have to be applied with preheating or  thermal reactivation are used. 

The Round UpHotmelts,  and  particularly  polyurethane  hotmelts,  for  the  flat lamination bonding process have been introduced to the market over  the  last  two years. 

The technical advantages of reactive polyurethane hotmelts lie in their fast setting and in the possibility of achieving laminate bond strengths comparable to those of reactive adhesives.  FDM

Figure 4: The working principle of a process for flat lamination with a polyurethane hotmelt

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40 FDM AsiA  May/Jun 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

&DesignDecor

Walls  are  crucial  components  of  any  building.  They serve as a solid boundary between the interior and exterior of buildings, provide a platform to support 

roofs and ceilings, and organise  the space within buildings. Besides  providing  the  buildings  blocks  to  structural 

integrity,  walls  are  one  of  the  main  elements  to  consider when determining  the  look and  feel of  the building’s  interior and exterior.

Wainscoting Wall paneling is a decorative method to improve the aesthetics of  a wall.  It  involves covering  the wall with  either  semi-rigid or  rigid components.

One kind of paneling is wainscoting, which is usually installed on  the  lower  part  of  walls  and  often  reach  up  halfway  up  a wall. Originally, wainscoting was conceptualised as a means of protecting  the  room  from rising dampness. 

Today,  besides  providing  visual  appeal  to  an  otherwise empty wall, their purpose can be to shelter the wall beneath it  and provide a  surface  that  is  easy  to clean and maintain. High  traffic  areas  are  therefore  a  favourite  spot  to  deploy wainscoting. Compared to paint or wallpaper, wainscoting is generally more hardy.

The three common styles of wainscoting are raised panel wainscoting,  recessed panels and beadboard wainscoting.

Up AgainstThe Wall

Wainscoting is a popular method of giving life to an otherwise dull looking wall. By Frank De Marcus

Raised PanelsTracing back to 17th century England, raised panel wainscoting is  a  formal  style  of  wainscoting.  It  is  often  used  in  formal home  environments  such  as  living  rooms,  dining  rooms, foyers, home offices and private dens, studies or  libraries.

Much of  the  time,  raised panel wainscoting are a simple affair, with strips of vertical wood set in rows. More complex designs  such  as  those  with  carved  moulding  can  also  be found however.

Recessed PanelsRecessed  (or  flat)  panels,  on  the  other  hand,  date  back  to 19th century america. used mostly  in  family-oriented, home environments such as living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens and family  rooms,  it  is a  less  formal alternative  to  raised panels.

In  recessed  wainscot  paneling,  the  individual  panels  are set further in than the stiles and rails. It also features straight edges,  in contrast  to  the beveled edges  in  raised panels.

Beadboard Wainscotinga popular paneling style in the 1920s, beadboard wainscoting is beadboard that is installed on a wall to wainscoting height. Beadboards are often  installed so  that  the beaded  lines  run vertically. However,  they are sometimes  installed horizontally for a different effect. Commonly found in less formal gathering 

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  May/Jun 2010 41

&DesignDecor

ENQUIRY NO. 4501

places,  they  are  often  painted  in  colours,  adding  to  their informal nature. 

Traditionally,  beadboard  wainscoting  is  edged  matched; each  strip  connects  to  the  next  via  a  tongue  and  groove arrangement. The strips will expand and contract in response 

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• Wood-Based Plate Hot Press • Secondary processing press series • Collage hot press series • Parquet Production Line • Wooden door hot press • Furniture pressing machine series • Other special pressing machine

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to changes  in moisture  in  the environment,  so sometimes a slight gap  is visible between  the strips. 

In the past, the strips were variable in width, typically from 2 - 3  inches wide, and less than 1  inch thick. an installation could have uniformly sized strips or strips with varying widths.

42 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Wood & Sustainability

Hardwood Associations:

FDM Asia talks to National Hardwood Lumber Association certified association executive and

executive director Mark Barford about the impact of hardwood associations. By Jerome Lim

A s  rising  temperatures  have  made  sustainability  and green technologies the buzzword of the latter half of the decade, consumers have had an increased awareness 

on the effect of man-made products on the environment. Wood products did not have it any easier, as environmentalists and promoters of sustainability called for alternatives to anything wood  from  tissue papers  to hardwood floors.

In this regard, tree harvesting has been generally associated with  environmental  destruction,  as  these precious  soakers of heat-trapping carbon dioxide tumble under the chainsaw from forests  and  tree  plantations  around  the  world.  Contrary  to popular opinion, however, hardwood associations who are on the forefront of tree harvesting have taken the lead in ensuring that  these carbon dioxide gobblers keep flourishing. 

FDM  Asia  talks  to  Mark  Barford,  certified  association executive  and  executive  director  of  the  National  Hardwood Lumber  Association  on  how  hardwood  associations  are managing sustainability.

FDM: Could you summarise the steps that the NHLA and hardwood associations in general are making to ensure the sustainability of hardwoods, both in North America and Asia?MB: Hardwood Associations have advocated sound forestry practices and wise use of the forest for decades. The hardwood industry understands that proper forest management will result in  healthier  forest  and  forest  growth  rate  will  easily  exceed the  rate of  tree  removal.   

Without  healthy,  sustainable  forests  the  industry  which employees hundreds of  thousands of people would cease  to exist. The hardwood industry places value on forest  land and encourages landowners to use their property wisely and keep it  in a  forested state.  

TakingLead

The

Mark Barford

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Wood & Sustainability

Specific  activities  by  NHLA  include:  sponsoring  a  detailed program for NHLA members to illustrate to the people within their community about  the value of  trees and a membership category for foresters and large landowners who work together to maintain the health of  the  forest. These groups also work with  lawmakers to encourage laws that protect forests from fire and insects, along with  tax  incentives  to encourage good  forest management. 

FDM: What are the biggest challenges you face in promoting hardwood sustainability? MB: The biggest challenge is educating the public or end user. To produce hardwood lumber products, it is necessary to disturb the forest and cut trees but most people do not understand that when a hardwood  tree  is cut another  tree grows  in  its place.  Instead, they assume  that hardwood  trees are  like coal or metals which are mined and depleted. We must be able to show the consumer that  it  is  okay  to  harvest  a  hardwood  tree  just  as  it  is  okay  to harvest wheat or corn.     

The US hardwood  inventory now stands  in excess of 10,000 million  cubic metres  and  is  growing at  a  rate of  40 million  cubic metres per year after harvesting.

FDM: What factors do you think have contributed to a shift in emphasis to hardwood sustainability? MB: The world is beginning to understand that increased population puts  a  strain  on  the  Earth’s  resources  and  due  care  should  be taken to protect the Earth. As such, more people are demanding that products be made  from materials  that are sustainable.   

There  is  also  a  realisation  that  forest  management practices  vary  from  country  to  country,  and  consumers would  prefer  that  wood  used  to  create  products  come  from areas  where  sustainable  forestry  practices  are  in  place.        

44 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Wood & Sustainability

FDM: There is a perception that using hardwood or wood alternatives in general are better for the environment and more sustainable since it translates to less trees being cut down. How do you respond to this? In this and similar contexts, how is the NHLA promoting hardwood sustainability to the general public? MB: The  misconception  lies  in  the  idea  that  cutting  down hardwood  trees  is  bad.  Since  hardwood  trees  grow  back, they are often  the more sustainable solution  than  the use of alternatives, especially when compared to plastics and metal which are not  renewable.

NHLA  has  produced  an  informational  brochure  entitled ‘Why  North  American  Hardwoods’  designed  to  point  out  the sustainable  advantages  of  North  American  hardwoods.  The brochure is disseminated by NHLA members and staff as they travel  throughout  the  world  attending  various  trade  shows, meetings and conferences. 

FDM: Which regions/countries ‘set the pace’ in terms of sustainability management of hardwoods? Which one(s) need more improvement in terms of this area?MB: Temperate hardwoods grown in North America are naturally sustainable with nearly twice as much volume added to the forest each year as  is being removed.  Many  other  temperate  hardwood  areas are  being  cut  on  a  sustainable  basis  as  required by the laws governing the countries in which they grow. In areas where the government is less involved, and  the practice of  forestry has not been as well taught  to  the  industry,  improvement  is needed.   

FDM: Could you give us a few examples, if any, of an endangered hardwood specie(s)? What is being done to ensure sustainable supply (of the species)?MB: There are no endangered temperate hardwood species.  Although  there  are  literally  thousands  of species of  trees growing  in our  forests,  there  are really  only  a  few  hundred  that  are  harvested  for use  in  products.  None  of  these  is  being  cut  at  a level  to endanger  their  future existence.

FDM: Would you have examples of situations where activities/policies/actions have resulted in actual change? MB: Since the importance of healthy forests came to  the  public’s  attention  approximately  40  years ago,  a  number  of  regulatory  and  informational programs have been developed and implemented. 

These programs have encouraged private landowners* to better manage their forests for the many uses a forest can have. As a  result,  many  landowners  now  actively  manage  their  forest and place them in trusts to ensure that the land will continue as a working  forest,  forever.

(*There  are  approximately  10  million  non-industrial  private landowners  in  the  United  States.  These  landowners  hold  58 percent  or  291  million  acres  of  the  total  504  million  acres  of timberland.)

FDM: What needs to be improved in ensuring hardwood sustainability? What further steps should be taken? MB: The next step is more extensive and far reaching education and promotion efforts. The North American hardwood industry is working  together  to determine how this can best be done and  to be sure  it  is a worldwide effort. FDM  

ENQUIRY NO. 4601

ENQUIRY NO. 135

46 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

The Next Generation Alternative

Features

S carcity  of  natural  resources  has made  it  necessary  to  optimise their  use.  Today  more  than  95 

percent  of  harvested  trees  can  be  put to  good  use  –  thanks  in  great  part  to the increased deployment of engineered wood products. Among  these, medium density fibreboard, or MDF, has enjoyed remarkable  success  in  recent  years. 

It  first  made  its  mark  in  United States  in  the  mid-‘60s  and  became popular  due  to  its  versatility.  It  is  now used  worldwide  and  internationally traded. There are more than 100 plants producing  MDF  worldwide.  Among  its trend-setting by-products are wheat straw and post-consumer  recycled wood.

What is it?Medium  density  fibreboard  (MDF)  is  a composite  panel  product  consisting  of cellulose fibres combined with a synthetic resin or other suitable bonding system, and  joined  together  under  heat  and pressure. 

Additives  may  be  introduced  during manufacturing  to  impart  additional characteristics.  It  is  flat,  smooth,  and free of knots on the surface and the grain patterns are very minute. The density  is homogenous and intricate machining leads to superior finished products. 

There  is  minimum  wastage  when compared to other substrates. Stability and durability  are  its  important  aspects  and 

Enjoying success in recent years, MDF’s growing demand is attributed to its versatility. By Shobhan Mittal, executive director, Greenply Industries

MDF:

can be maneuvered into complex patterns. It also has a very high  tolerance  level. 

All Around The HouseMDF is widely used in the manufacturing of  furniture,  kitchen  cabinets,  door parts, mouldings, millwork and laminate flooring. MDF panels are manufactured with a variety of physical properties and dimensions  suited  to  the  design  of  the end product. 

Common end products include doors, jambs,  millwork,  edge  shaping  and machining, embossing, laminate flooring, laminating and finishing, moulding, office and  residential  furniture,  panelling  and store fixtures, among others.

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 47

Features

Moving To AsiaExperts  paint  an  optimistic  outlook on  the  growth  of  key  end-use  sectors for  MDF  –  housing  construction  and furniture  manufacturing.  MDF  markets have become more mature over the years, and are now more price-competitive; these factors are driving producers to improve quality and develop new products and markets. Production, which used to be the domain of North America and Europe, has  now  shifted  significantly  to  Asia  and China.

The past few years have seen a wide range  of  changes  in  the  MDF  category. Japan has always been innovative in using MDF; other countries are also following suit, while the European countries lead the way in the development of  laminate flooring. 

Growing PotentialThere  is  growing  potential  for  MDF to  be  used  more  extensively  in  many 

applications  such  as flooring,  zero-rated formaldehyde emission MDF,  MDF  panels  in place  of  plywood panels, and applications requiring fire and water rated MDF.

By 2013, North Asia will be producing 45 per cent of the world’s MDF, and China alone will be producing 41 per cent.

The  engineered panel  industry  in  India 

has  been  growing  at  20-25  per  cent largely due shifting consumer preference which is witnessing increasing demand for ready-made furniture made on machines, using MDF and particle boards. 

Today,  the demand  for MDF  in  the subcontinent  is  roughly  1600-1800 cbm  per  day,  which  is  growing  at  25 percent  per  annum.  The  domestic installed  capacity  is  only  1100-1200 cbm  per  day,  which  has  not  grown. This  demand-supply  gap  is  managed through  imports. 

The interior infrastructure industry is making rapid strides with modernisation and capacity expansion world over. The amazing versatility and growing demand for  MDF  is  expected  to  change  the face of  the  industry. MDF  is surely here  to stay.        FDM

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ENQUIRY NO. 4701

48 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Features

FDM: CoulD you give us a brieF introDuCtion to sieMpelkaMp?RG: We are based  in Krefeld, Germany and are a  leader in manufacturing of machineries and plants for the production of  wood-based  panels  for  the  woodworking  industry,  such as particle boards, MDF and OSB boards, as well as boards made  from  rubber,  mineral  aggregates  and  plastics.  In  the 

Ready, Set, Growth!Speaking to FDM, Ralf Griesche, director of marketing and public relations for Siempelkamp, shares the reasons behind the company’s success.

metal  forming section, we design and produce presses for a wide  range of applications  in  industry.

Our group was established in 1883. In 2008, we celebrated our 125th anniversary. The three key businesses of Siempelkamp are mechanical and plant engineering, nuclear technology, and foundry  technology. 

Among them, the mechanical and plant division contributes 

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN  2010 49

Features

70 percent of the total turnover for our group, while the nuclear and  foundry  divisions  take  up  20  percent  and  10  percent respectively. 

We  have  22  subsidiaries  and  over  10  sales  and service  companies  located  in  different  countries  worldwide. 

FDM: What is your global Marketing strategy? RG: Siempelkamp has established an extensive sales network worldwide, we have set up many subsidiaries and sales offices in North America, South America, Europe, East Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia, Australia and other countries and regions. 

In  our  headquarters,  we  have  invested  a  lot  in  R&D  to continuously  enhance  the  quality  and  performance  of  our products  in  the past several years. 

Meanwhile, we have also made sustained improvements and updates to the modules of our equipments upon their specific application and condition  in different markets. 

The  market  share  held  by  Siempelkamp’s  machineries  in countries like North America, China and East Asia, etc is huge. Our business performance in 2009 was satisfiying, with all our national and  international production  facilities at  full capacity. 

The Machinery and Plants division of Siempelkamp received new orders amounted to e200 million (US$272 million) in 2009, including  four  large ContiRoll press  lines and four 4’ ContiRoll press  lines  which  were  specifically  designed  for  China.  At present, our capacities and delivery schedule are already  fully booked  into  the year 2011.

FDM: hoW Does sieMpelkaMp position itselF in China? RG:  China  remains  one  of  the  most  important  markets  for us,  and  we  have  showed  continued  growth  over  the  years. As  early  as  1957,  we  delivered  first  press  to  China.  Since 1988,  more  than  30  lines  using  ContiRoll  technology  have been sold  in China.

The introduction of 4’ ContiRoll is based on our knowledge of  the  Chinese  market  and  its  production  environment.  At present,  the MDF markets  face  some major  challenges  such as a  raw materials shortage and financing difficulties. 

The  demand  of  Chinese  fu  rniture  industry  with  high quality MDF boards  is on the rise, our product can provide a solution  to  those enterprises by means of  its high usage and low maintenance cost. 

With  our  machine,  our  Chinese  customers  can  cater directly  to  the  popular  Asian  board  sizes  of  4’  x  8’  and  4’  x 9’  without  the  need  for  expensive  cut-to-size  lines.  Although the presses sold  in China might be comparatively small,  they pack  just as much punch as their bigger counterparts,  the 8’ and 12’ presses. 

In 2004, Siempelkamp set up a production facility in Wuxi, Jiangsu  Province  with  200  employees  and  a  sales  office  in Beijing.  The  Wuxi  facility  manufactures  parts  of  the  forming and press  lines with ContiRoll  for  the Asian market. 

Here, our know-how and quality management combines Chinese  manufacturing  skill  to  fulfill  the  Chinese  market requirements  for  innovative products.  In 2010, with a  further e1 million (US$1.36 million) to be invested for new precision machinery in Wuxi, Siempelkamp China is geared for ongoing growth. 

FDM: What’s your take on the trenD oF the Chinese WooD-baseD panel inDustry?RG:  After  years  of  unremitting  efforts,  China’s  wood-based panel  industry  has  progressed  considerably  and  has established a strong foothold, while becoming the top MDF producer globally. 

Since  the  first  double  steel-belt  continuous  press manufactured in Germany in the 80’s, continuous press has become the mainstream hot press equipment for wood-based panel manufacturing industry. At present, almost 85 percent of  large  wood-based  panel  production  lines  are  equipped with  those press  lines. 

However,  in China,  the main press used  in wood-based panel  production  is  still  multi-layer  hot  press.  Continuous press  has  many  advantages:  high  yield,  good  quality,  raw materials and energy optimisation, 

With  the  international competitiveness of China’s wood-based  manufacturers  continuously  increasing  and  the demand for strengthening economic interest while expanding production  scale  and  varieties  surging  up,  the  international market  prospects  and  potential  for  continuous  press  will present a new scene. 

FDM: What kinD oF iMportanCe Does your CoMpany plaCe on r&D? RG:  Our  technical  and  technological  expertise  has  been  a crucial  factor  in  the ongoing development of our company since  1883.  This  expertise  was  created  out  of  a  principle of  innovation  which  is  particularly  reflected  in  our  own research and development centre, one of  the  largest  in  the timber  industry. 

Our  R&D  centre  operates  with  the  goal  of  achieving higher  quality  and  capacity  based  on  the  optimisation  of resource and energy saving areas.

With mechanical technology becoming more complex day by day, we formed an interdisciplinary team of technologists, chemists, physicists and process engineers and researchers who  engage  in  optimising  new  processes,  products  and 

50 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Features

ENQUIRY NO. 4702

equipment. The main activities of our R&D centre is divided into three areas: customer-specific investigations on existing plants, further  development  of  existing  machinery  and  development of new  technologies, processes and machinery. 

FDM: What is your Corporate philosophy? RG:  Our  group  advocates  four  corporate  philosophies.  One -  Advanced  technology:  we  are  constantly  improving  the performance  and  potential  of  our  existing  products  and  win a  leading  edge  in  the  development  of  new  techniques  and procedures. 

Two - Competent  employees:  we  always  provide  regular training  to  our  employees  while  motivating  them  by  setting up objectives and  fair conduct principles. 

Three  - Sound  business  practice:  this  is  based  on  the credibility of our attitude and actions both within the company and  towards our customers. 

Four - Customer satisfaction: we offer innovative technology and comprehensive services at competitive prices which make our products offer maximum availability and cost-effectiveness. 

FDM: What is sieMpelkaMp’s Core CoMpetitive eDge? RG: The machines and service from Siempelkamp are reliable, those 220 continuous  lines  that have been  installed and are running worldwide are a clear  testament. 

We are dedicated  to providing customers with  the most suitable  solution;  we  can  build  particleboards,  MDF,  HDF and  moulded  door  lines  according  to  key  parameters  like the wood type and sheet size of  the panel  that you want  to make. What we offer is an all-round service where everything comes  from one source.

In cooperation with our subsidiaries, we provide a series 

of  services  including  project  management,  engineering, construction  of  machinery,  manufacture  and  assembly  of plant on site, automation of plants, etc. 

FDM: What are the speCial Features oF your key proDuCt—Contiroll?RG:  The  unique  selling  feature  of  ContiRoll  is  the  patented flexible  press  infeed  section.  It  is  suited  for  the  production of  particleboards,  MDF/HDF,  OSB  as  well  as  CSL  which boasts  many  advantages  like  cost-effectiveness,  precision, security,  reliability, etc.

We  believe  a  flexible  solution  will  be  the  focal  point  for the  wood-based  panel  industry.  In  this  way,  our  innovative 4’  ContiRoll  plant  concept  for  MDF  can  achieve  the  target for  reducing  investment and production cost. 

The  line  speed  is  1,200  mm/s  with  a  daily  capacity  of 350  –  610  m³.  Meanwhile,  the  4’  ContiRoll  can  produce  a variety  of  products  with  different  specifications,  from  thin MDF of 2.5 mm to LDF with density down to 500 kg/m3.  In the  long  run,  a  reduction  in  the  panel  cutting  and  sanding loss  will  greatly  increase  the  revenue  of  those  wood-based panel manufacturers.

FDM: tell us More about the ‘eColine’ ConCept that is applieD in Contiroll.RG: Our ContiRoll  lines have gone through several cycles of development, and their design has gained market acceptance for a wide range of requirements. In 2009’s Ligna exhibition, we  displayed  the  ‘Ecoline’,  a  range  of  products  consisting of five modifications to continuous forming - and presselines that can help  to save up  to 20 percent  in material costs.

The package consists of the ‘Ecochanger’, which makes sequential product changeovers possible without production interruption,  then material  losses are  reduced and  lines can be smoothly adjusted  from one product  to  the next. 

In connection with the thin board technology, the ‘Ecoscalper’ levels out differences formed in older lines during mat forming. The  ‘Ecopilot’  increases  the  performance  of  existing  plants by  improving  the  thickness  tolerances.  The  ‘Ecocalibrator’ provides an evenly distributed pressure so that the adhesive bonds  are  less  stressed  during  pressing  and  the  curing  of the glue occurs homogeneously. 

This package contains another featured product: Prod-IQ is a modular software and a production management system tailored to the specific requirements of the wood-based panel industry. It is based on a wide range of modules which have been developed in close collaboration with users in the wood industry. FDM  

Visitors check out Siempelkamp’s innovations at WMF 2010

Meeting Your Business needs!

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

We show the future of Batch-size 1

MARCH 2010

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Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986

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Furniture Design And Manufacturing Asia Established Since 1986

Forest Management-Beyond the Red Tape

Techie Furniture: CADCAM does it

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Photo credit: Eran Sandler, Tel Aviv, Israel & Brian Lary, Madison, US

52 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Exhibition Preview

2010

ENQUIRY NO. 4801

Despite  last  year’s  global  financial crisis,  China  Furniture  and Woodworking Machinery Exhibition 

was  a  complete  success.  Four  hundred and fifty-four exhibitors from 17 countries gathered at the fair, spanning from furniture manufacture,  woodworking  machinery and  technology,  components  and  raw material supply.

Among  international  exhibitors,  106 of  them  made  contact  with  15,000 buyers—12,000 of them from China alone. Buyers from the second and third market increased by 22.6 percent compared to 2008.

Export-OrientedAs  one  of  the  biggest  international furniture trade fairs in northern China, this year’s  China  Furniture  &  Woodworking Machinery Exhibition sticks to the slogan “Export-oriented, combined with developing domestic market.” Key trends for this year’s exhibition include scale maximising, high-speed  automation,  energy  conversation, sustainability, and branding.

Furniture  and  components  suppliers from  14  countries  and  20  provinces  are participating  in the show to be held from June 10 – 13.

Japanese MarketAs the only trade fair in China targeted at the Japanese market, China International Woodworking  Machinery  Exhibition  was 14 years in the making, offering platforms for Japanese furniture players to penetrate the  Chinese  market,  while  at  the  same 

time boosting Chinese enterprises with Japanese buyers. 

A Japanese Premier Furniture Pavilion will showcase more than 20 manufacturing enterprises from top Japanese furniture brands  in  a  2,000  sq  m  area.  More Japanese furniture dealers are expected to visit  the  fair,  creating more business opportunities for Chinese and Japanese industry players.  

More In StoreAs  with  other  overseas  and  domestic furniture  trade  fairs,  the  exhibition underwent  massive  promotional  and advertising  campaign  in  magazines, newspapers,  the  internet,  and  radio. Preparations  included  personal  visits to key markets at home and overseas 

China InternationalWoodworking Machinery Exhibition

such  as  Japan,  South  Korea,  Germany, Italy,  the USA, Guangzhou, Shanghai,  to further promote show awareness. Tickets and flyers to be distributed take advantage of the organiser’s base of potential buyers, providing backup for exhibitors to develop the domestic market.

Most exhibitors would agree with  the observation that visitor quality and quantity have  been  rising  every  year.  Indeed,  this exhibition  may  now  have  come  into  its own as a brand show  in northern China. 

It  remains  to  be  seen,  but  it  is  likely that, with the resurgence brought about by a  rebounding global economy,  this  show has more things in store to wow exhibitors and visitors alike.  FDM

June 10-13, 2010 • Dalian, ChinaDalian World Expo Plaza & Dalian Star-Sea Convention & Exhibition Center

www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA  MAY/JUN 2010 53

Exhibition Preview

2010

ENQUIRY NO. 4802

In the previous year, the conglomeration of  global  economic  expansion  and soaring income in real estates showed 

a  promising  sign  of  ascending  income in  the  furniture  industry.  As  a  result,  the construction and building materials industry enjoyed a 108 percent growth rate, while the real estate industry had a 21 percent growth  rate  in 2009.

As  for  this  year,  both  industries  are growing  perpetually,  attracting  investors and  entrepreneurs  throughout  the  world to establishing more business in Thailand. Therefore,  in  healthy  competition,  it  is important to find new industrial opportunities to stay inside the game, especially before a corporate  titan could even set  foot.

In  response  to  economic  expansion, Reed Tradex and Thai Furniture Association (TFA)  will  organise  Furnitech  Asia  2010, a  series  of  Furnitech  Woodtech.  This exhibition  is scheduled for June 24 to 27 in BITEC, Bangkok.

Furniture Doctor Is InFurnitech Asia 2010 is housing a ‘Furniture Design & Production Clinic’ kiosk, which provides  suggestions  and  solutions  to furniture  industrialists  facing  business challenges.  In  addition,  Furnitech  Asia 2010  is also holding  ‘Furniture Technical Forum’  to  share  and  discuss new  possibilities  to  perfecting furniture manufacturing.

The upcoming show empha-sises  its  exhibition  in  furniture manufacturing machineries and technologies, as well as furniture fittings, parts, components, and materials for producing furniture, as to welcome constantly sprouting economic developments.

Furnitech

With  the  theme  ‘Fulfilling  Furniture Solution. Furthering Regional Success,’ Furnitech  Asia  2010  aims  to  be  a furniture manufacturer rendezvous where entrepreneurs can network and exchange new  ideas,  information,  and  discuss the  possibility  of  significant  furniture production. Moreover, the exhibition will also showcase new furniture-producing machineries and technologies as well as the  aforementioned  fittings,  parts,  and materials. Products and services comprise of  150  brands  from  10  countries,  with 15,000 visitors expected to come to an exhibition will provide new opportunities to key demands.

BITEC Bangkok • June 24-27, 2010 • Bangkok, Thailand

Opportunities For Furniture ManufacturersBeing  the  only  furniture  equipment production  and  technology  show  in Thailand,  visitors  benefit  from  meeting  new furniture manufacturing machineries and technologies as well as furniture parts, fittings, equipments, and materials; all from 150  leading  brands,  from  10  countries. Furthermore,  aside  from  showcasing products  and  services,  Furnitech  Asia 2010 also holds conferences and activities such  as  the  Furniture  Technical  Forum, and  Furniture  Design  and  Production Clinic. FDM

Asia

54 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Event Review

Ending  on  March  23,  the  World Flooring Forum  (WFF)  attracted more  than  500  attendees  from 

over  10  countries  around  the  world. There were 54 speakers  from the five continents who presented and shared their  experience.  The  event  also  saw 100 global media.

WFF was held at the crossroad of low carbon economy and post financial crisis. With  the principle of promoting the  coordination  and  cooperation among  the  nations,  the  conference was  pushed  further  from  ‘Sino-US-European  Wood  Flooring  Summit’ to  deepen  the  understanding  and 

cooperation among the governments, associations and companies in a high level communication platform across the nations and  regions. 

Compared  to  its  precedents, the  WFF  expands  horizontally  by having more representatives from the developing  countries  and  emerging markets  and  extends  vertically  to cover  the whole  industry chain. 

Themed ‘Low Carbon and Global Opportunities’,  the  conference discussed  the  key  issues  of  wood flooring industry in trade, standards, technology, product, marketing, and so on. 

Government SupportWFF was organised by China National Forest  Products  Industry  Association (CNFPIA),Chinese Academy of Forestry, and  hosted  by  Flooring  Board  Special Committee of CNFPIA, Research Institute of Wood  Industry and VNU Exhibitions Asia.  WFF  also  gets  official  support from State Forestry Administration and Shanghai Municipal Government.

The  industry  development  and especially the low carbon industry need the support from government. The positive attitude  and  strong  support  from  the Chinese government at this conference shows  a  solid  foundation  for  all  the 

ForumMarch 22 – 23, 2010 • Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park • Shanghai, China

World Flooring

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Event Review

ENQUIRY NO. 4803

flooring professionals to explore the massive opportunities in this country.  Through  this  platform, the government was also able to interact with the industry people in order to make better policies.

Global ViewsOne of the highlights of the conference was the global market overview presented by  six  keynote  speakers  from  Europe, US, Brazil, South Africa, India and China. On behalf of the most  influential wood flooring  associations  in  those  regions, they shared their in-depth perspectives of  the current status and prospects of the wood flooring markets respectively. 

According  to  the  analysis  of  Mark Elwell, the board of directors of NWFA, optimism  has  emerged  because  of the  30  percent  increase  in  property sales  in  the  second  season  of  2009. He  estimates  that  we  can  see  a  long term  steady  growth  for  the  US  wood flooring market. 

Marco  Antonio  Beirao,  board  of 

directors from ANPM saw great potential in  Brazilian  hardwood  flooring  market, and therefore encouraged the Chinese manufacturers  to  pay  more  attention to Brazil. 

Regarding  the  Chinese  flooring industry,  Ye  Kelin,  the  director  of Research  Institute  of  Wood  Industry, China Academy of Forestry, shared his opinion  that  Chinese  flooring  industry has  to  change  from  cost  oriented  to value added technology oriented growth. 

After  that,  Juergen  Fruechtenicht, the  president  of  EFPI  looked  into  the future  of  the  European  wood  flooring market,  and  stated  that  the  products with more complex look in  texture  and  colorful wood panels will be the trend  in Europe. 

The  speaker  from another  BRIC  country India,  Deepak  Dahlowt, the  honorary  convener  of CCPS, was very optimistic about  the  Indian  wood flooring  market  with  the strong growth in real estate market. 

Steven  Suntup,  the vice chairman of SAWLFA analysed  the  market potential  in  South  Africa and  stated  that  the  main 

wood flooring consumers are the relatively wealthly people who make up 6 million out of 48 million. Due to the high cost performance  of  Chinese  wood  floors, they are very popular  in South Africa. 

The  conference  heated  up  in  the afternoon as the six consecutive panel discussions  kicked  off.  More  than  40 top  leaders  from  the  biggest  Chinese manufacturers  and  global  distributors got  together  to  discuss  the  market trend,  technology  innovation,  material applications, distribution, branding and so on. FDM

56 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Exhibition Review

ENQUIRY NO. 4804

Playing  host  to  20,179  visitors, including  6,823  international buyers, the Malaysian International 

Furniture  Fair  2010  (MIFF  2010)  ran from  March  2  –  6  at  the  Putra  World Trade  Centre  (PWTC),  Kuala  Lumpur Convention  Centre  (KLCC)  and  the Matrade  Exhibition  and  Convention Centre  (MECC). 

International  visitors  from  140 countries  and  region  consisted  of those  from  the  ASEAN  region  (19.7 percent),  Europe  (16.3  percent),  the Far  East  (11.5  percent),  other  Asian countries  (11.3  percent),  the  Middle East (12.6 percent), followed by Africa (10.6  percent),  America  (8.3  percent) and Australasia  (9.7 percent). 

Exciting Exhibits‘Green’ was certainly a buzzword among the  571  exhibitors  at  MIFF  2010  and ID Trends, as visitors were the first few to  witness  some  exciting  new  trends and materials showcased at  the  fair. 

Among the ground breaking designs and  materials  shown  were  the  Firefly Folding Table from TAZ Open Systems, which  is  made  out  of  a  revolutionary new  MDF  material  that  is  recyclable and have  the potential  to change  the industry. The table won the Gold Award in the MIFF Furniture Excellence Award. 

Elsewhere, Kitapanel Wood Product’s Binary  Stool  used  waste  MDF-board materials  from  their  kitchen  cabinets, winning  the  Occasional  Category  in the Furniture Excellence Award. Other ‘green’  materials  seen  at  MIFF  2010 

P included  parallel  oil  palm  strands (POPS), which was developed by Blue Mountain  Resources  in  collaboration with  the  Forest  Research  Institute  of Malaysia  (FRIM).

Meanwhile, the new segment titled ID  Trends  in  conjunction  with  MIFF 2010  at  MECC  brought  unexpected surprises  for  both  its  exhibitors  and buyers.  Many  ID  Trends  exhibitors managed to secure export deals for the first  time as  international buyers saw some new and interesting products, and proceeded to place orders at the fair. 

Competitions & SeminarsAmong  the  highlights  at  MIFF  2010 were  the  three  competitions  held in  conjunction  with  the  exhibition –  Furniture  Excellence  Award,  Best Presentation Award and The  Ideation Award. A panel of local and international judges  was  elected  to  sift  through numerous  entries  and  emerge  with deserving  winners  who  showed innovativeness and creativity in product designs and booth displays.   

In  addition,  seminar  speakers  Dr Tan  Yu  Eng,  Jennifer  Curtis  and  Dr Jegatheswaran  Ratnasingam  gave useful  insights  to  industry players on what  is  ‘green’  furniture,  and  how maximising this trend can be beneficial to all  furniture manufacturers.

MIFF  2011  will  take  place  from March  1-  5,  2011  in  Kuala  Lumpur, Malaysia. FDM  

March 2 – 6, 2010 • PWTC/KLCC/MECC • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

MIFF2010

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Exhibition Review

T he  13th  International  Exhibition on Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Manufacturing Equipment 

(WMF2010)  and  The  13th  International Exhibition  on  Furniture  accessories, Materials and Wood Products (FaM2010) closed on March 13, 2010. This four-day event  attracted  trade  visitors  from  73 countries and regions, reaching a visitor attendance of 26,018.

Through the display of cost-effective woodworking machinery, equipment and materials, the shows have been drawing the  attention  of  global  trade  visitors in  every  edition  and  this  year  was  no exception.  Many  Chinese  associations had confirmed their visit almost half year before  the show opened. 

The  response  of  overseas  buyers was encouraging too. Buyer groups from algeria, Bosnia, japan, South Korea, India, 

Indonesia, Iran, Lithuania, Romania, Russia and  Turkey  had  come  and  supported the  fair.

Concurrent ActivitiesSeries of  concurrent events were held during  the  show.  Over  200  exhibitors had  joined  the  ‘Booth  Special  Design Competition’ and visitors voted for ‘The Most  Creative  Booth  Design  award’, ‘The Most Contemporary Booth Design award’ and  ‘The Best Display award’. 

In  addition,  technical  seminars including  ‘The  application  of  Electrical / Thermal Energy Plant in OSB / MDF / PB Industry’, ‘FCS (Full Control System) for Wood Based Panel Sanding Machine’ and  ‘PIM  all-Carbide  Wood-working Drill and application’, provided valuable opportunities to all industrial players for learning  up-to-date  technical  skills  and 

attaining  the  latest market  information.

International EventThe exhibiting area of WMF2010 andM2010 reached 60,000 sq m, occupying all halls in  CIEC.  The  shows  received  enormous support  by  583  renowned  exhibitors from  14  countries  and  regions,  together with  seven  pavilions  including  Taiwan association of Machinery Industry (TaMI), Taiwan Woodworking Machinery association (TWMa), Qingdao, Shanghai and Lunjiao Woodworking  Machinery,  showcasing the  latest  machinery  and  technology to  the  industry,  demonstrating  2,000 latest  machines  and  equipment,  related technologies and products at the fairground.

The next edition will be staged in Beijing in March 2012. FDM

& WMF

FAM2010

2010

ENQUIRY NO. 4805

March 10 – 13, 2010 • China International Exhibition Center (CIEC) • Beijing, China

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 61

Enquiry No: 4913 Enquiry No: 4914

SCM: Boring & Routing Centre

A  Computer  Numerical  Control  (CNC)  boring  and  routing centre  for  nesting  operations,  the  Pratix  N12  has  a  four by eight  feet table and CNC controller with a high density, multilayer  phenolic  worktable.  For  maximum  integration, the  Pratix  has  an  electrical  cabinet  and  vacuum  pump incorporated  into  the  machine  base,  and  a  control  panel with Xilog software. 

The  N12  is  available  with  a  rake system, increasing production of cabinet parts, MDF doors and store fixtures. Other product features include vacuum areas with a  patented  mag-netic  system,  a  digital inverter-controlled  routing  speed,  and  a safety system with protective  cage and  photocells for  loading  and unloading.

CDM Décor Papers: Watertight Decorative Overlay

AquaSeal from CDM Décor Papers is the decorative overlay that  has  the  flexibility  to  support  flat  lamination,  profile wrapping, membrane pressing, slatwall grooving, V-grooving and post-forming.  It offers the  industry a durable, practical and cost efficient option for the majority of commercial and residential applications. 

The  product  is  manufactured  using  an  eco-friendly, formaldehyde-free process that limits the emission of greenhouse gases,  saving  about  20,000  tonnes  of  CO2  emissions.  In addition,  it  is  recyclable,  adding  to  reusable  fibre  resources and  can  be  safely  burned  for  energy  production,  making  it an environmentally sound choice.

Wintersteiger: Thin-Cutting Frame Saw

The DSG Notum thin-cutting frame saw from Wintersteiger employs an electronically controlled servo feed for the machine's feed  rollers,  allowing  measured  amounts  of  material  to  be removed per each saw tooth. The symmetrically constructed saw  frame  allows  continuously  even  tension  on  the  saw blades to improve cutting accuracy and sawblade lifespan. 

Cutting  height  is  standardised  to  266  mm  (101⁄2  inches), giving  the  basic  machine  capability  to  cut  lamellae  for  the production  of  extra  wide  multilayer  parquet,  door  elements and  panels.  The  machine  features  a  touchscreen  display  as well as a central operation cockpit  that  removes the need for a mechanical set-up work.

Renolit: Window Film Laminate

The  Exterior  film laminates from Renolit showcase  15  colour combinations  from metallic to wood grain effects.  With  nearly all  colours  fitting well against a white facade, the  Exterior  features wood  effects  that, instead of using actual photographs of wood, come  with  its  own original wood effects.

Effect  examples include  the Portuna Chocolate  effect  that mixes black,  red-violets, and silvers to mimic streaky coniferous wood; and the Wisconsin XD, an American walnut design that combines dark and  light  browns  with  silver  pigments  and  grey  undertones to accentuate  the detail of wood. 

Enquiry No: 4911 Enquiry No: 4912

58 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Enquiry No: 4903 Enquiry No: 4904

Hettich: Board Fastener

With its ‘hettinject’ connecting technology, Hettich’s lightweight board  fastener  ‘hettinject VB  insert’  completely disappears  in the lightweight board when attached, and can be used for very thin top and bottom panel  layers. 

Fittings  are  set  and  glued  into  the  rear  end  face  of the  shelf,  and  as  part  of  the improvement process are now available with a 3 or 5 mm hole for  fastening fittings. 

The  product  received  the 2009 iF Product Design award and  an  ‘Honorable  Mention’ from the 2009 Red Dot Design Award.  Meanwhile,  the  shelf support “hettinject Titan” makes it possible to construct shelves from  frameless  lightweight boards.

Witte: Milling Machine

Equipped with a flip pod vacuum system for fixation, Witte’s V22 Flip Pod milling machine is suitable for applications on large machines as well as for machining processes on wood and plastic work pieces. 

With  its seals designed and developed  to clamp natural fibre  materials  and  rough  or  uneven  surfaces,  the  outer workpiece contours remain free, allowing chamfers, radii, and undercuts on  the outside  to be milled. 

The  machine’s  six  flip  pod  chucks  have  a  regular  grid of  pockets  into  which  the  pods  are  inserted,  while  plates, operated  separately,  allow  for  the  milling  of  different  sized work pieces.

Altendorf: Sawing Machine

Altendorf’s WA 80X sawing machine boasts a motorised rise/fall  and  tilt  adjustment  of  the  main  saw  blade,  an  eye-level operating panel, as well as a sliding table length of 2000, 3000 or 3200 mm or others upon request.

 Its motorised rip fence features a low-maintenance, five-point  recirculating  ballspindle  system  that  is  well  protected by  its  integration  into  the aluminium profile.

The saw unit is electronically balanced as a fully assembled unit, with extensive use made of cast components. A crosscut-mitre  fence  does  both  crosscuts  and  mitre  cuts,  while  a Rapido scoring  tool  is capable of adjusting cutting width  to match that of the main blade in no more than three minutes. 

Weinig: Planing & Moulder Machine

The  planing  and  moulder  machine  Powermat  2500  from Weinig boasts feedspeeds of up to 200 m per minute and a touchscreen with additional flexibile control units inside the cabin. Feed rollers convert aggregates safely and precisely into  feed  performance,  while  a  feed  unit  is  slidable  and adjustable  to accommodate new widths. 

Tool  changes  can  be  done  via  a  lifting  system  that automatically places the tool in the right position. The product’s fully encased interior allows changeover work via a walk-in cab.

Enquiry No: 4901 Enquiry No: 4902

Product highlights

www.fdmasia.com | FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 59

Vectric: Modelling Software

The VCarve Pro 5.5 from Vectric picks up where version 5  left  off  with  its  enhanced  interactive  trimming  and support  for  wrapping  and  saving  toolpaths  for  rotary axis  machining.  With  a  scissor  trimming  tool  to  trim vectors to intersection points and automatically re-join them  where  possible,  the  product  also  allows  zoom pan  in  2D  view  that  is  useful  even  for  users  without  a  middle  buttom roller mouse. 

Other  product features  include enhanced  3D  view settings, OpenType fonts support, rapid plunge gap, as well as improvements to postprocessor.

Enquiry No: 4905 Enquiry No: 4906

KCD: Cabinet/Closet Software

KCD’s  version  9  software  has  a  3D  Express  View  for quick  3D  views  with  the  mouse,  as  well  as  a  change colour  group  that allows colour changing by  room.  Beading is  now  possible  on frame cabinets with the beaded  face  frames, while  screen  views can be saved in either Windows Bitmap (bmp) or Jpeg (jpeg). DXF mesh files can be  imported  to one’s  library,  along with  import drawing information that can be drawn from E Templates in KCD. 

The  product  includes  a  list  of  cabinets  with  hinging information,  a  library  of  Osborne  wood  products,  print preview that is available on cutlists and drawings, and new textures such as new wood grains and granites. 

ENQU

iRY

NO.

146

InnovationChangingCompact as never before

Precision, which leaves everything behind

Quality, which is more than convincing

Advantage - the next Generation - Now

Further information on www.ima.de

CPB Import-Export Woodworking Machinery CCPO Box 6089 Roggebaai l 8012 ZA-Cape TownPhone +27 21 426 141 5

2010_Anzeige_Advantage_CPB_EN.in1 1 20.04.2010 11:38:43

60 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

Product highlights

Enquiry No: 4909 Enquiry No: 4910

Makita: Orbit Sander

The  5-inch,  BO5041K  random  orbit  sander  model  from Makita  has  a  variable  speed  control  dial  (4,000  to  12,000 OPM) to match sanding speed to the material. An ergonomic rubberised palm grip and handle improves operator comfort and control, while adjustable front handles allow for sanding in corners and confined areas. 

With its 1/8-inch random orbit action, the product features a  pad  control  system  for  controlled  pad  speed  upon  start-up  as  well  as  a  pad  brake  designed  for  reduced  gouging. The sander, which has a dust collection system with built-in vacuum port adapter for dust collection, uses quick-change 5-inch  (8-hole)  look-and-loop abrasive paper.

Foamkore-Green  from  Kerfkore  is  an  environmentally  NAF (no added formaldehyde) product that provides a lightweight panel with structural integrity at a reduced weight. It consists of a Eucalyptus fibre hardboard face with a polystyrene foam core.  The  product  is  made  from  recovered  and  recycled materials  and  can  help  qualify  for  LEED  credit  points  for MR 4.1, MR 4.2, and EQ 4.4.

Foamkore-Green provides over 60 percent weight reduction when compared to particleboard and MDF in ¾ inch thickness, and provides the ability  to apply a variety of edging options including conventional hot melt edge-banding, internal material strips and external material bands. 

Felder: Sliding Table Panel Saw

Featuring  an  outrigger  table,  a  telescopic  crosscut  fence, and a 1,100 mm crosscut fence for crosscuts between +45 degrees and –45 degrees, Felder's K975 professional sliding table panel saw features a ‘precision mitre index system’ that enables users to select preset positioning stops at increments of five degrees as well as 22.5 degrees. Its Felder 900 cast iron  saw  unit  boasts  cutting  height  of  133  mm  with  a  400 mm saw blade, dimensioned saw arbor with double bearing sits, and electronic angle adjustment with digital LED display.

Other product features include a grooving cutter, scoring unit,  circular  saw  shaft,  as  well  as  an  automated  control panel  for adjusting sawblade height and angle.

Grass: Sub-Surface Guides System

Grass' Dynapro subsurface guide system allows guide rails to move without annoying noise or resistance. The system's abrasion-resistant  plastic  rollers  are  able  to  handle  loads of up  to 60 kg with  little problem while  running. 

With a soft-close cushioning system that enables gentle closing,  the  product,  being  the  world’s  first  sub-surface guide system with integrated, three-dimensional adjustment, allows an entire drawer to be tilted and adjusted vertically and horizontally. 

Its  mechanical  opening  system  makes  it  possible  to install  large,  handle-free  front panels  that open by a  light tap,  while  an  electro  mechanical  opening  system  allows doors  to open automatically.

Enquiry No: 4907 Enquiry No: 4908

Kerfkore: Lightweight Panel

Calendar of Events 2010

2-4 – IFFT Summer Edition 2010: Interior Lifestyle Living International Furniture Fair TokyoTokyo Big SightTokyo, JapanMesago Messe Frankfurt CorporationTel: +81 3 3262 8453 Fax. +81 3 3262 8442Email: [email protected] Website: www.interior-lifestyle.com

10-13 – China Furniture and WoodworksDalian Star-Sea Convention and Exhibition Centre (DSCEC) China National Furniture Association (CNFA) and Dalian Northern International Exhibition CompanyTel: +86 411 82538681Fax: +86 411 82538616Email: [email protected] Website: www.sinoexhibition.com

24-27 – Furnitech Woodtech 2010 - International Furniture Production & Woodworking Machinery, Equipment and Technology Trade Exhibition BITECBangkok, ThailandReed Tradex CompanyTel: +66 2686 7299 ext 7239Fax: +66 2686 7288 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.furnitechwoodtech.com

15-18 – Furnitex 2010Melbourne Exhibition CentreMelbourne, AustraliaAEC (Australian Exhibitions and Conferences Pty Ltd)Tel +61 3 9654 7773Fax +61 3 9654 5596Email: [email protected]: www.furnitex.com.au

22-24 – Woodmach CebuWaterfront Cebu City Hotel and CasinoCebu, PhilippinesGlobal-Link MP Events International IncTel: +63 27508588Fax: +63 27508585Email: [email protected]: www.globallinkmp.com

19-Sept 4 – Homes Middle East Furniture and Furnishings Show 2010Expo Center SharjahSharjah, United Arab EmiratesExpo Center SharjahTel: +971 6 5770000 Fax: +971 6 5770111 Email: [email protected]: www.homesmiddleeast.com

24-27 – Wood Products and Technology Tra & Teknik 2010Swedish Exhibition and Congress CentreGothenburg, SwedenElmia Fairs / Svenska MässanTel: +46 31 708 80 00Email: [email protected]: nemonet.swefair.se/templates/StartPageMain____1059.aspx or www.snipurl.com/vioy9

25-28 – IWF 2010: International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply FairGeorgia World Congress CentreAtlanta, Georgia, USTel: +1 404 693 8333 Fax: +1 404 693 8350Email: [email protected] Website: www.iwfatlanta.com Fax: + 852 2516 5024Email: [email protected] Website: www.woodworkfair.com/WMF10

SEPTEMBER1-5 – The 24th International Famous Furniture Fair 2010Guangdong Modern International

Exhibition CenterGuangdong, ChinaTel:+86 769 85900111Fax: +86 769 85585780 Email: [email protected]: www.3f.net.cn/e/index.asp

MAY12-15 – Interzum Moscow Crocus-Expo IECMoscow, RussiaKoelnmesse GmbHTel: +49 221 821 ext 820Fax: +49 221 821 2574Email: [email protected]: www.interzum-moscow.com

18-21 – Hanoiwood & Furnitec 2010: Vietnam International Wood & Wood Machinery ShowGiang Vo Exhibition and FairgroundHanoi, VietnamTel: +886 2 2659 6000 ext 322 Fax: +886 2 2659 7000E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.vietnamwoodexpo.com/hanoi

21-23 – Timber and Working With WoodRNA ShowgroundsBrisbane, AustraliaEverything Exhibtions and EventsTel: +61 2 9974 1393Fax: +61 2 9974 3426Email: [email protected]: www.eee.net.au

26-29 – Woodprocessing Ukraine 2010Palace of Sport “Spartak”Lviv, UkraineGal-ExpoTel: +380 32 297 06 28 Fax: +380 32 297 06 27E-Mail: [email protected]: www.galexpo.lviv.ua

JUNE2-4 – Furniture ShanghaiShanghai New International Expo CentreShanghai, ChinaShanghai Buying ExhibitionTel: +86 21 50552222 Fax: +86 21 50321966Email: [email protected] Website: www.furnitureshanghai.com

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

JULY

AUGUST

Calendar of Events 2010

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

3-6 – China International Home Furniture Fair 2010China Import and Export Fair Pazhou ComplexGuangzhou, ChinaChina Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition Corp & China Foreign Trade CentreTel: +86 20 26088888 Email: [email protected]: www.cftc.org.cn/cn

7-10 – Furniture China 2010Shanghai New International Expo CentreShanghai, ChinaShanghai UBM Sinoexpo International Exhibition Co. Ltd.Tel: +86 21 6437 1178Fax: +86 21 6437 0982Email: [email protected]: www.furniture-china.cn

8-11 – Woodpro Africa 2010Johannesburg, South AfricaSpecialised Exhibitions / Allworld ExhibitionsTel: +27 11 835 1565Fax: +27 11 496 1161E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.woodpro.co.za

3-6 – W10 Industrial Woodworking ExhibitionNational Exhibition Centre

Birmingham, UKHuddlestone LtdTel: +44 01629 530 998Fax: +44 01629 530 999Email: [email protected]: www.w10exhibition.co.uk

8-11 – Index Furniture 2010Bandra-Kurla Complex (MMRDA Grounds)Mumbai, IndiaUniversal Expositions LtdTel: +91 22 28302870 Fax: +91 22 8216140Email: [email protected]: www.indexfairs.com

To be considered for inclusion in the Calendar of Events, send details of event (name, date, venue, organiser contact) to:

The Editor FDM Asia. Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd. 1100 Lower Delta Road. EPL Building #04-02. Singapore 169206.

Tel: (65) 6379 2888 | Fax: (65) 6379 2805 | Email: [email protected]

13-16 – 2010 NHLA Annual Convention & Exhibit ShowcaseThe Fairmont Hotel/Hyatt Regency Vancouver, CanadaNational Hardwood Lumber AssociationTel: +1 901 399 7551Email: [email protected]: www.nhlaconvention.com

15-18 – Maison Bois 2010Angers Parc ExpoSaint Sylvain d'Anjou, FranceAtlanboisTel: +33 2 40 73 73 30Fax: +33 2 40 73 03 01Email: www.salon-maison-bois.com

19-20 – MTC Global Woodmart 2010Kuala Lumpur Convention CentreKuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMalaysian Timber CouncilTel: +603 7803 2276Fax: +603 7803 3276Email: [email protected] Website: www.globalwoodmart.my

16-19 – Wooden ConstructionKrasnoyarsk 2010Siberia International Exhibition Business CentreKrasnoyarsk City, RussiaRestec Exhibition / Krasnoyarsk Fair ExhibitionTel.: +7 812 320 6363Fax: +7 812 320 8090Email: [email protected]: www.restec.ru

4-12 – Bangkok Furniture FestivalImpact Exhibition and Convention CentreNonthaburi, ThailandTel: +66 2314 0855Fax: +66 2319 8337Email: [email protected] Website: www.unionpan.com

24-27 – Homex and Household Expo 2010Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition CentreHong Kong, ChinaHong Kong-Asia Exhibition (Holdings) LtdTel: +852 2591 9823 Fax: +852 2573 3311 Email: [email protected]: www.hka.com.hk

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

64 FDM AsiA  MAY/JUN 2010 | www.fdmasia.com

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

Advertising Index

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Head OfficeSiNGaPOReEAstErN trAdE MEdiA PtE Ltd1100 Lower delta road EPL Building #04-02 singapore 169206sim EricTel: (65) 6379 2888 fax: (65) 6379 2806email: [email protected]

ReGiONal SaleS RePReSeNTaTiveSTAiwAnrobert YuTel: 886-4-2325 1784Fax: 886-4-2325 2967

RePReSeNTaTive OfficeSHaNGHai, cHiNasHANGHAi NEW EAstErN MEdiA Co. Ltd15d Block B, Victoria Plaza, No.1068, Xikang rd, shanghai, P.r, China 200060ding Yong MeiTel: 86 21 6276 8394fax: 86 21 6276 4170email: [email protected]

JApAnted AsoshinaTel: 81-3-3263 5065Fax: 81-3-3234 2064

KoreAYoung-seoh ChinnTel: 822-481 3411/3Fax: 822-481 3414

ENQ. No AdvErtisErs / AgENcy Pg No.

150 AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL IFC

145 AMERICAN LUMBER CO 21

705 BAILLIE LUMBER CO 19

132 BECKER ACROMA THAILAND LTD 25

152 DIAMOND WOOD NANJING MANUFACTURING CO LTD 1

155 E-CHAIN MACHINERY CO LTD 31

083 FRENCH TIMBER 7

156 FRIEDRICH KLUMPP GMBH IBC

140 FULPOW INDUSTRIAL CORP 47

147 HEINRICH KUPER GMBH & CO KG 15

149 HOMAG ASIA PTE LTD 17

151 HUNTSMAN (BELGIUM) BVBA OBC

146 IMA AG ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD 59

143 IWF 2010 39

130 JAVA INCORPORATED BHD 27

129 JEFFER MACHINERY CO LTD 13

135 SHANGHAI UBM SINOEXPO INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION CO LTD (FMC 2010) 45

141 SHANGHAI QIULIN MACHINERY CO LTD 41

144 SIEMPELKAMP MASCHINEN- UND ANLAGENBAU GMBH & CO KG 3

108 TAIHAO WOODWORKING MACHINERY CO LTD 29

110 TECHNIK ASSOCIATES INC 23

153 TONG FONG CUTTERS CO LTD 64

154 WEN CHIH MACHINERY CO LTD 43

148 WEYERHAEUSER MARKETING 5

125 WILHELM ALTENDORF GMBH & CO KG MASCHINENBAU 37

016 WUXI KEMAR STAINLESS STEEL TREATMENT PLATE CO LTD 33

ENQU

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MY MAIN BUSINESS ACTIVITIES (Please check ✓ one)

m110 Mfgcomplete/RTAfurniture(wooden)m111 Mfgfurnitureparts/components/mouldings(wooden)m112 Mfgcabinetsforradio,stereo,TVs(wooden)m120 Mfgbuildingstructurals/prefabhouses(wooden)m121 Mfgdoors,windows,floors&interiors(wooden)m122 Mfgstore/shopwoodenparts/fixturesm124 Mfglaminatedwood/andwoodproductsm125 Mfgrattan&canefurniturem130 Sawmillingoflogs/sawntimber/lumberm131 Mfgplywood/veneerm132 Mfgparticleboard/MDF/OSB&otherboardsm135 Mfgotherwoodproducts-pallets,boxes,coffins, handicrafts,barrelsetc.m136 Tradingoffurniture/parts/components/mouldingsm137 Grading,inspection&testingcos.

m138 Machinery&Productssupplym140 Kilndrying&preservationservicesm142 Government/Institutions/Associationsm143 Consultancies/DesignHousesetcm144 Architects/Specifiersm190 Others(Pleasebespecific):_________________________

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MY JOB FUNCTION (Please check ✓ one)

m10 SeniorManagementm11 Technical/Engineering/Productionm12 Designing/QualityControlm13 Purchasingm14 Marketingm15 Others

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m 110 Mfgcomplete/RTAfurniture(wooden)m111 Mfgfurnitureparts/components/mouldings(wooden)m 112 Mfgcabinetsforradio,stereo,TVs(wooden)m 120 Mfgbuildingstructurals/prefabhouses(wooden)m 121 Mfgdoors,windows,floors&interiors(wooden)m 122 Mfgstore/shopwoodenparts/fixturesm 124 Mfglaminatedwood/andwoodproductsm 125 Mfgrattan&canefurniturem 130 Sawmillingoflogs/sawntimber/lumberm 131 Mfgplywood/veneerm 132 Mfgparticleboard/MDF/OSB&otherboardsm 135 Mfgotherwoodproducts-pallets,boxes,coffins, handicrafts,barrelsetc.m 136 Tradingoffurniture/parts/components/mouldingsm 137 Grading,inspection&testingcos.m 138 Machinery&Productssupplym 140 Kilndrying&preservationservicesm 142 Government/Institutions/Associationsm 143 Consultancies/DesignHousesetcm 144 Architects/Specifiersm 190 Others: Pleasespecify:________________________________

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PRODUCTS TO PURCHASE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS INClUDE:

mWoodworkingMachinery mMaterials&Components mTimber mSoftware&Applications

Direct Printing Technology from Klumpp Coatings...has opened up revolutionary new possibilities in surface design for laminate floor manufacturers.

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ENQUIRY NO. 156

No Added Formaldehyde –The Right Choice

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I-Bond resins, the family of no added formaldehyde MDI resins from Huntsman, are the naturalchoice when trying to satisfy emissions standards like CARB I and II, or the Japanese F****.

With over 25 years experience of supplying resins to the wood panel industry, Huntsman havedeveloped a range of products designed for the manufacture of Medium Density Fibreboardand Particleboard. I-Bond, no added formaldehyde resins provide a cost effective solutiontoday, whilst meeting the environmental challenges of tomorrow.

To find out more about the many benefits of the I-Bond range of no added formaldehyderesins, please contact us: Huntsman, No. 452 Wen Jing Road, Minhang Development Zone,Shanghai 200245. Email: [email protected]. Telephone: +86 21 6462 6868

I-BOND® is a registered trademark of Huntsman Corporation or an affiliate thereof in one or more, but not all, countries.

huntsman_fdm_asia_ad_Artwork 16/09/2009 11:21 Page 1

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