Enhancing The Development Of Engineered Wood Products From Planted Timber Species In Sarawak

ABSTRACT

The Centre of Excellence in Wood Engineered Products (CeWEP) established in early 2017 aimed in making Sarawak the hup of the down-stream industry especially for the planted timber species. Wood engineered products generally produced by binding the strands, particles, fibres, veneers or boards of wood, together with adhesives to form composite materials. They are products precisely design with specifications and tested to meet national or international standards. Sarawak with land areas of 124,500 sq km, generated wood and timber products of more than 5 million metric tons since 2012 onward. These forest products catered mostly for the upstream industries such as sawn timbers, plywood, veneer, wood moulding, laminated boards, particleboards, MDF, woodchip, charcoal/briquette, laminated flooring and wood pellets. Advanced timber products have not been fully emphasized yet. It is high time for the Sarawak state to shift gear in the timber downstream industries focusing in wood engineered products from planted timber species. The state has for the past decade involved in timber plantation activities. Seven (7) timber species namely the Acacia mangium, Azadirachta excelsa, Kyaya ivorensis Neolamarckia cadamba, Octomeles sumatrana, Paraserianthes falcataria, and Tectona grandis have been planted in various location in the state. With an area of 2.8 million ha of planted forest, the state is seriously intended to increase the production of the downstream timber industry which is equivalent to the existing industry in Peninsular Malaysia. Timber downstream industries, such as laminated/composited furniture & construction materials that generate high income, are expected to be actively produce in 2030. The CeWEP is still at an early stage of its establishment. The occurrence of the Covid-19, especially from 2020 to 2022, has slowdown the progress pace of the centre. As of now, CeWEP has managed to reach stage 2 in the ten years of strategic planning. The repercussion progress will somehow be made to ensure the planning is completed successfully in 2030. With efforts being currently made by those involved in the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) and with close cooperation and support by other internal and external agencies/networking, the CeWEP will play an important in utilizing the planted timber species in generating income for the rural people and Sarawak state government