Port based plywood manufacturing cluster Gandhidham is heavily dependent on imported logs supply, hence if logs supply improves at suitable and matching pricing structure, the industry in Kandla might see some happy spark. With increasing prices of poplar and safeda timber in North India, Kandla based plywood manufacturer are bullish about their viability in present times. With improved supplies of hardwood logs from Malaysia, Surinam, along with decreasing prices of Pine logs, the wood based industries have begun exploring dealers for matching the business equations. The core veneers from Vietnam and Poplar logs from Europe is opening a competitive option for 50 odd Kandla based plyboard manufacturing plants.
The Kandla plywood cluster is also noticing an upswing in keruing find that the industry has been receiving a small quantity of Keruing logs along with other hardwood logs from Malaysia at competitive price. Few of the face veneer manufacturing establishments have tried peeling Keruing face veneer but the timber availability is not that rosy that can sustain the face veneering base units.
In June month, Kandla port received 82, 758 cubic meters hardwood logs from Malaysia among 6, 529 cubic mtrs of Keruing logs. Although the shipment from Malaysia dropped in July month to 43719 cubic meters but it is reported to increase in August month. Overall Kandla Port received 2, 91, 401 cubic meter logs in June month, where as the shipment in July has increased by 15 % to 3, 37, 116 cubic meters.
Face producers said to the Ply Reporter that Keruing availability has improved marginally which is not very promising. They added that they need to peel it in good quantity or well above 1000 cbft a day to maintain the viability but it does not look possible. Of course, the captive consumption has started happening for plywood manufacturers laced with face peeling machines in Kandla. The affordability and availability in Mix hardwood timber is making a viable sense now, added a renowned plywood brand maker based at Gandhidham.