The Malaysian furniture industry should explore new alternative raw material in view of the increasing shortage of timber supply as well as the need to inject uniqueness to its furniture exports.
The MIFF 2010 was launched by the Minister of International Trade and Industry, YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) on 2 March 2010.
At its exhibition booth in PWTC from 2 to 6 March 2010, FRIM will also highlight the various technologies and services it has to offer to help the industry add value or differentiation to their products and/or reduce production costs.
FRIM’s Advanced Processing & Design Programme Head Dr Tan Yu Eng said: “Furniture is one of the major exports of our wood-based sector. Over the years, there has been steady increase in our export value, to a tune of about RM 8 billion in 2008. Amidst the economic slowdown and stiffer competition in the global market due to emerging low-cost producers, efforts are being considered to upgrade the value chain.
“One possible way is by means of differentiation through the use of different materials or feedstock. This will also help to alleviate the material shortage problem encountered by the wood-based industries in general, furniture sector in particular.”
FRIM also welcomes interested parties to jointly evaluate the viability of these materials under commercial environments. Dr Tan will make a presentation titled, “Carving a Niche in New Input Material” during the MIFF 2010 at Perhentian Room, Level 3, PWTC at 10am on Thursday, 4 March 2010.
As a premier research institute in tropical forestry and forest products, FRIM has been exploring various alternative wood-based input materials for use by the furniture sector.
In conjunction with its 25th Anniversary celebration this year, FRIM is set to offer various alternative materials, be they in its raw form or as reconstituted products. Among the materials are plantation-grown sesendok, sawn timbers from oil palm trunk, Kiln-dried selected large dimension heavy hardwood, High-temperature treated rubberwood and Acacia mangium.
