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Title: | The Level of Utilization of Secondary Timber Species among Furniture Producers |
Authors: | Antwi-Boasiako, Charles Boadu, Kwadwo Boakye |
Keywords: | Furniture industry joinery production office furniture primary timber timber market wood technical data |
Issue Date: | 18-Apr-2016 |
Publisher: | SEEFOR |
Citation: | SEEFOR 7 (1): 39-47 |
Abstract: | Background and Purpose: Inadequate supply of wood raw material is one of the major obstacles for the global furniture
industry’s growth. Several secondary timbers/Lesser-Utilized-Species (LUS) that could substitute the scarce traditional
timbers for furniture production exist in tropical forests. However, the industry continuously faces persistent timber
shortages. The extent to which manufacturers utilize LUS as alternatives is unclear, which this study sought to ascertain.
Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 300 Timber Firms from Ghana primarily through questionnaires using
the stratified random sampling technique.
Results: Continuous decline and non-availability of preferred traditional timbers and competition from imported furniture
were the main challenges confronting the furniture industry. Data obtained indicated that most manufacturers (85%)
hardly use any LUS; 44% of these mentioned lack of information on their properties and prospective uses and 32%
attributed it to non-availability on the domestic timber markets. However, 22% of these producers rely on traditionally
‘well-known’ timbers (e.g. mixed red wood, Guarea cedrata and Tectona grandis) owing to their strength properties, 20%
due to their strength and durability and 14% because of their strength and aesthetic properties. Many LUS (with prospects
for furniture-making) available in great quantities in many tropical forests could substitute the over-dependent timbers.
However, information on their properties and uses are hardly available to local producers, which affects their popularity
among timber suppliers and manufacturers.
Conclusion: To improve on the level of utilization of secondary timbers, wood workers must be supplied with comprehensive
information about their properties and economic values. This will contribute to reducing pressure on the primary timbers,
ensuring consistent supply of timber and keeping the sector operational. |
Description: | This article has been published in SEEFOR and is also available at http://
dx.doi.org/10.15177/seefor.16-08 |
URI: | 10.15177/seefor.16-08 http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/13273 |
Appears in Collections: | College of Agric and Natural Resources
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