India poised to be a manufacturing hub based on wooden products
· Seminar held on the topic, ‘Wood in Manufacturing’ in Bengaluru put forth interesting insights on wooden products and industry in India
· There is an increasing trend in the country for manufacturing based on wooden products
· India is poised to be global hub for wood-based manufacturing and furniture industry
· India’s woodwork industry is highly versatile, specialises in architecture and manufactures furniture in traditional and ultramodern styles
Bengaluru, 16th December 2022: The British Columbia (B.C.) provincial government’s crown corporation, Forestry Innovation Consulting India Pvt Ltd, popularly known as Canadian Wood, hosted a seminar on ‘Wood in Manufacturing’ in Bengaluru on 15th December 2022. The seminar put forth insights on the growth of India as a manufacturing hub for woodworking industry and also the possibilities for bespoke furniture with sustainable wood.
The session began with a welcome note and message by Mr. Pranesh Chhibber, Country Director of Canadian Wood, and followed by presentations from distinguished speakers.
Mr. Bram Rouws of Bram Woodcrafting Studio, Mysore spoke about his experiences in creating bespoke furniture with Canadian Wood. Mr. Thomas Markose, Kelachandra Veneer Industries, Bangalore spoke about climate change and how we should be more responsible, and Anil Tiwari, of Tec Workshop Interiors, showcased some of his past projects of ITC hotels, and Taj Hotels and an ongoing project of Wood NIIDO with Canadian wood. The Seminar was moderated by Dr. Jimmy Thomas, Assistant Director, Technical Services, and was closed by Mr. Ritesh Kumar, Assistant Director Business Development.
Speaking about wood in manufacturing, Mr. Pranesh Chhibber, Country Director, Canadian Wood, said: “Wood industry in India was highly fragmented and unorganized. Fortunately, things are evolving now at a fast pace and it’s getting more organized as people have become conscious of the application of legally harvested wood from certified forests. As of today, the wood industry is in the process of moving from a small and medium scale to an organized manufacturing sector. It will probably take another 5-10 years for the industry to commence on its own and be able to compete with other large furniture manufacturing nations such as China and Malaysia. It requires a catalyst from the government to help the industry and SOPs to prepare the industry to create world-class cost-effective products. India has the talent and workforce to deliver, all that requires is a bit of the catalyst to make this happen.”
Bram Rouws of Bram Woodcrafting Studio said, “The species of Canadian Wood are very functional, sustainable, and certified. It also imparts an elegant and natural finish to the end product. Additionally, it is easy to maintain and long-lasting.”
Thomas Markose, of Kelachandra Veneer Industries said, “Sustainable timber is one of the most important species of wood in the industry. Owing to climate change, we need to be more responsible from our end to ensure that this industry sustains for the next 100 years.”
Anil Tiwari, of Tec Workshop Interiors, said, “Though we have light metals such as aluminium and PVC that are cheaper than wood, the latter is more durable, eco-friendly, and sustainable. It also adds panache and looks elegant.”
FII largely promotes 5 wood species in India that are sourced from the sustainably managed forests of B.C., Canada. These five species, namely Douglas, Western Hemlock, Western Red Cedar, Yellow Cedar and Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF), are recommended for different applications each. Through a strong network of 40+ stockists, these species are available in 23 cities across India.
