People have started believing that plywood demand is getting hit due to the rising presence of other panel products. The other engineered panel products e.g MDF, Particle Board etc have a higher global share than Plywood, but this perception does not apply to India so far. Here the consumers are deeply acquainted with plywood due to durability, strength, acceptance, and support from the carpentry-based furniture-making fraternity. The missing factor is push and education from dealer fraternity among consumers. Indeed, the plywood is really a good product, has bright future but to maintain the growth and goodwill, the plywood industry also need to offer genuine, high-quality products to their customers.
During last 5-7 years, there has been a radical change in the plywood industry. Now applications of panel products have changed with the increasing use of machines in furniture manufacturing. Carpentry is reducing whereas machine adoption is pushing up the demand for calibrated plywood. With time and adoption of new machines the need for smooth surface is must. On the contrary shortage of timber and labour force, the use of technology has become mandatory to obtain fine quality, especially, if the plants can make really good products like calibrated plywood using even small girth timber.
Sadly, most of the calibrated plywood offered is found to be a stamping act as they are made without using technology for calibration. After a deeper sanding to make it little even surface and calling it calibrated plywood is blatantly done. It is to be noted that the calibration of plywood can be achieved only by using the right process with technological application where there is a need for making matt plywood and then re-facing in 4 pressing cycles lead to fineness. So, for making good-quality calibrated plywood, the use of technology and a genuine manufacturing process play an important role. The furniture-making industry, specially OEMs and ready-made furniture makers, prefer calibrated plywood, so dealers have responsibility to educate more on genuine calibrated plywood in shoulder to shoulder with plywood brands.
In the market, the dealers’ community plays an important role, as they are the torchbearers for quality panel products and they are the one who convince buyers about product performance. With their action, communication, and commitment, the calibrated plywood demand will increase that will not only save their retail counter future but also sustain the entire wood panel trade product chain. The trade fraternity has a great responsibility to offer genuine products to their customers at their actual price and also create awareness about quality among them.
In this March issue, the changing scenario of timber in the country, and the government initiatives being taken for it has been discussed in length. Besides, the industry scenario news regarding MDF, particle board, laminate, etc., and several new launches, events will help you understand the industry's move in a new direction. The interaction with Mr. Kunal Jain and Mr. Amit Kulkarni, directors of Mapple Stainless Processing, and Mr. Lalit Gupta, Director, Pioneer Panel Product, will be a guide for related industry sector.
Keep reading Ply reporter.
Rajiv Parashar
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