A local furniture maker in Bohol is now reaping the rewards of using the DOST-FPRDI’s Furnace-Type Lumber Dryer (FTLD), catering mostly to resort owners and hotels in Bohol.
The Total Woodkraft adopted the 3,000 bd. ft. FTLD in 2004, with assistance from the Bohol Provincial Science and Technology Center and the DOST- Small Technology Upgrading Program (DOST-SET UP). According to Mr. Anthony Lacaran, owner of Total Woodkraft, the company now earns a gross income of Php 1 million a month, and helps the community by hiring local workers and operators.
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| Total WoodKraft’s product line widened after using the FTLD. Besides doors, it now customizes other furniture such as tables, cabinets and bar counter, among others (above photos). |
“Pre-FTLD, clients would return our products as these usually warped and cracked. The unreliable sun and air-drying left the wood with high moisture content, thus the warping. This would cost us at least Php 5,000 per returned item,” said Lacaran.
Acknowledging FPRDI’s help in raising their products’ quality, he added, “We are now more confident in selling our furniture as we know that they have been properly dried. The lumber dryer has also shortened the drying time of our raw materials — from 2-3 months to about 28 days for two-inch-thick gmelina wood. This means an increase in production and income!”
Relatively cheap and efficient, the FTLD is one of the most sought technologies of DOST-FPRDI. It enables small and medium wood-based enterprises to make products that meet importing countries’ moisture level requirements. Wood trimmings are used to fuel the lumber dryer, thus saving on electricity.
For inquiries on the FTLD, interested parties may contact (049) 536-2586 or 536-2377, or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. ### (Apple Jean Martin- de Leon & Anita A. Decena, 06 October 2017)
