SIBU: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has described the setting up of the Centre of Excellence in Wood Engineered Products (CeWEP) at the University of College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) here as timely.
As the supplies of timber from the natural forests were declining, he said the state government was seriously encouraging timber industries to venture into planted forests.
“In line with the government policy now, we are embarking on downstream and value added timber products by utilising the planted timber. As the timber obtained from planted forests is different from that in the natural forests in terms of its properties, there will be a need to undertake research and development work to engineer the timber so that it can be used in the downstream industries.
“Sustainable design advocates recommend using engineered wood which can be produced from relatively small trees rather than large pieces of solid dimensional lumber, which require cutting a large tree. This is where our planted timber species will come into play,” explained Tengah.
At UCTS, the CeWEP, which had been set up in collaboration with the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and the Sarawak Timber Association (STA), would focus on R&D of engineered wood from planted species, said the Minister.
Speaking at the launching of the Bachelor of Technology (Hons) in Wood Products Processing programme and the Centre of Excellence in Wood Engineered Products as well as the exchange of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UCTS, STIDC and STA, Tengah explained that engineered wood included a range of derivative wood products manufactured by binding the strands, particles, fibres, or veneers or boards of wood, together with adhesives to form composite materials.
“These products are engineered to precise design specifications which are tested to meet national or international standards,” he said.
