Wednesday, November 27, 2019

UNIDO, GEF collaborate to grant first hi-tech bamboo board line to SL

Officials of UNIDO Focal Point Sri Lanka, IDB and staff of Dathri/Dowell Creations Display Systems in Kadirana look on during the introduction of glue laminated bamboo timber boards production machinery line on 25 November in Kadirana. A sample raw green bamboo that is fed to the machines and a strong finished laminated bamboo board are also on display.

UNIDO, with the public sector, has granted hi-tech machinery for the production of bamboo boards from within Sri Lanka for the first time. The first such hi-tech machinery series used for the production of bamboo boards to be set up in Sri Lanka, it greatly enhances creation of glue laminated timber boards based on local bamboo supplies.

The latest breakthrough is a part of ‘Bamboo Processing Sri Lanka - a project launched by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) and is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Industries & Supply Management of Sri Lanka. The objective of this project is to develop a bamboo supply chain and product industry in Sri Lanka. Bamboo is an exceptionally fast growing and resilient plant. Producing laminated boards from bamboo will reduce logging pressure on existing forests and therefore protect the environment.

Until now, glue laminated bamboo boards had to be imported to Sri Lanka from neighbouring countries. This machinery greatly enhances creation of glue laminated timber boards from bamboo within Sri Lanka for the first time, which can then be further processed with standard wood processing machinery into the full range of timber products, without depending on local timber supplies. By transferring advanced technology to the private sector in this way, UNIDO is improving the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises and greening of supply chains.

UNIDO, in collaboration with the public sector, has granted the line of equipment for the production of bamboo laminated boards to CEO of the Dathri/Dowell Creations Display Systems, Tyrone Fernando on November 25. The machinery is to be used in his bamboo processing facility in Negombo.

Transferring this equipment is a step towards developing a national bamboo supply chain and product industry, and will make investments towards commercial bamboo plantations on degraded land economically attractive.

A second bamboo production machinery line will be imported and set up at the Industrial Development Board of Ceylon (IDB) in Moratuwa early next year, to support local capacities for technology promotion and transfer of necessary soft skills. IDB is to establish a national bamboo training center and will promote the utilization of bamboo as a substitute for wood while tackling deforestation and creating innovative and sustainable products.

Author:

0 comments: