Bao Yen innovates wood processing technology, increasing economic value from planted forests

Having experienced many ups and downs in the wood processing industry, Mr. Mai Tien Thang in Thuong Ha commune is one of the pioneers who boldly changed the production mindset. Having been in the profession for more than 10 years, there was a time when he was forced to close his workshop because the consumption market was unstable, depending almost entirely on raw exports to China.

Not giving up in the face of difficulties, Mr. Thang decided to invest more than 10 billion VND to buy a modern production line, while also researching the market and reorienting his business strategy. In addition to traditional markets, he is targeting potential export markets such as the US, India, Japan and domestic localities.

Investing in new machinery has helped the facility make the most of raw materials, including the wood core, to produce plywood, not only reducing production costs but also improving product quality, increasing competitiveness in the market.

In 2024, Mr. Thang officially established Thanh Lam Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative, marking a step forward in production scale. Currently, the cooperative has 3 peeling wood workshops and 1 plywood workshop, consuming an average of 8,000 - 10,000 m³ of planted forest wood each year, creating jobs for nearly 60 local workers with an income of 8 - 9 million VND/person/month.

Mr. Chang Seo Củi, a worker at Thanh Lam Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative, said: I work as a board stacker and glue roller. Before, agricultural production had an unstable income, but now I have a more stable job and a higher income.

Not only limited to a few individual models, the trend of investing in modern technology is spreading in Bao Yen district. In Tan Duong commune, Mr. Nguyen Phuong Nam, the owner of a plywood production facility, has also proactively changed the production method.

According to local statistics, Bao Yen district currently has more than 40 forest product processing facilities, using raw materials mainly from planted forests with trees such as cinnamon, fat, tung, linden... Each year, the facilities consume from 25,000 - 30,000 m3 ^of round wood, creating jobs for hundreds of local workers and making an important contribution to rural economic growth.

Mr. Hoang Xuan Chung, Deputy Head of Bao Yen Forest Protection Department, said: In the past, facilities mainly peeled boards in one size, but now many facilities have invested in peeling machines with many different sizes. Some facilities have invested in pressing lines to produce large, thin, beautiful boards to serve the interior industry such as tables, chairs, ceilings, etc. This is a positive move to increase economic value instead of selling them raw as before.

With over 40,000 hectares of production forests, Bao Yen has a great advantage to develop the forestry industry in a modern, high-value direction. According to data from the district's Department of Agriculture and Environment, the local forestry production value in 2024 is estimated to reach over 500 billion VND, accounting for an important proportion in the local agricultural - forestry - fishery economic structure.

With the area of ​​planted forests expanding, the district clearly identifies that forestry development is not only about planting and exploiting forests, but must be associated with deep processing, creating a closed value chain and aiming for sustainability. Accordingly, the locality encourages forest product processing facilities to invest in high-tech machinery to improve product quality, increase competitiveness, thereby creating stable income for people.

Bao Yen district’s policy in the coming time is to continue attracting businesses to invest in deep processing of planted forest wood, supporting facilities to convert machinery, access preferential capital and build local forest product brands. The district also aims to develop high-value forestry crops such as cinnamon, fat, and linden... associated with concentrated raw material areas, while ensuring stable output for businesses and people.

From the advantage of forest area, combined with the determination of the people to innovate and the orientation of the local government, the forestry sector of Bao Yen district is gradually transforming strongly, creating an important foundation for the development of a green, circular and sustainable economy in the future.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/bao-yen-doi-moi-cong-nghe-che-bien-go-nang-cao-gia-tri-kinh-te-tu-rung-trong-post402074.html