Trends in deep processing of forestry products

With nearly 650,000 hectares of production forest, Thanh Hoa province has abundant raw materials for developing the forest product processing industry. Recently, the province has attracted many projects with modern technology and production processes, helping to increase the value of forest products and create conditions to improve the income of forest growers.

Bamboo and rattan raw materials are processed into export products at the Bamboo King Vina Modified Bamboo and Wood Production Factory (Lang Chánh).

In December 2024, the Bamboo King Vina modified bamboo and wood processing plant, covering 15 hectares with a total investment of approximately 800 billion VND, officially commenced operations in the Bai Bui Industrial Cluster (Lang Chanh). With 12 production workshops, the plant has a processing capacity of 1,000 cubic meters of wood and bamboo raw materials per day, creating jobs for 1,500 direct factory workers and thousands of indirect workers in the raw material sourcing area.

With automated production lines from Germany and China, the factory utilizes modification technology. According to a representative of Bamboo King Vina Joint Stock Company, although this technology has existed for a long time worldwide , the difference at Bamboo King Vina's factory is that it does not use chemicals or carbonize cellulose, which enhances the resistance of bamboo and rattan materials to termites and wood borers. Through modification furnaces with autoclaving for 6 to 8 hours, the hardness of bamboo and rattan is increased. Excess materials are processed into activated charcoal using shredding machines, contributing to environmental protection.

Vietnam is currently the world's second-largest supplier of wood pellets for energy, after the United States. The majority of wood pellets produced in Vietnam are exported to South Korea and Japan as raw materials for electricity generation. With the growing market demand for renewable products, many businesses in Thanh Hoa province are also expanding their wood pellet production.

Since the beginning of 2022, Van Lang Yufukuya Co., Ltd. (Nghi Son Economic Zone) has invested over 50 billion VND to completely upgrade its production line and machinery with 6 modern pressing heads, increasing its pellet production capacity to 500,000 tons per year. 100% of the company's products are currently exported to markets such as South Korea, Japan, and the EU, with long-term contracts ranging from 1 to 5 years.

"Japan and other developed countries currently have a huge demand for renewable energy development to achieve emission reduction and environmental and climate protection goals. Therefore, we are continuing to research and apply new technologies in production, while focusing on clean input materials to further increase output. The company is also establishing links with satellite factories in various districts, and we plan for these satellite factories to cooperate with households to obtain certifications such as FSC and PTFC. This will not only benefit the people who plant trees but also the entire production system, as certified products are highly valued and command better prices," added Mr. Lang Van In, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Van Lang Yufukuya Co., Ltd.

In early 2025, Thanh Hoa Bioenergy Joint Stock Company commenced construction of a bioenergy wood pellet production plant in Thuong Xuan district with a total investment of 339 billion VND, a production capacity of 180,000 tons of product per year, primarily using acacia wood as raw material. The finished product will be exported to Japan, South Korea, and the EU, and also consumed domestically as fuel for thermal power plants and industrial steam industries.

Notably, among the 17 foreign direct investment projects approved in 2024, the staBOO Thanh Hoa OSB bamboo panel manufacturing plant project, located in Thiet Ong commune (Ba Thuoc district), is also expected to contribute significantly to the high-tech output of the forestry processing industry. This is considered a large and important project for the locality, with a total investment of approximately 3,200 billion VND, and the participation and cooperation from staBOO Holdings AG of Switzerland is expected to help bring Thanh Hoa bamboo products to the global market.

It is understood that staBOO Holdings AG will utilize modern technology to reduce carbon emissions, meeting Vietnam's green and sustainable development requirements and bringing Vietnamese bamboo products to the world. This is also the largest investment project by a European Union (EU) enterprise in Thanh Hoa province, opening up new horizons for cooperation between Thanh Hoa and major investors from the EU.

In Thanh Hoa province, there are currently over 350 businesses and establishments involved in the production and processing of forest products. However, only about 10 of them have invested in modern machinery and are engaged in deep processing. Furthermore, the raw material supply for the forest product processing industry, especially the wood industry, is limited and heavily dependent on imported materials; the linkages between processing plants and raw material sources are not yet strong. Attracting businesses with modern technology and development strategies linked to raw material sources will be an effective, sustainable, and high-value direction for the industry in the future.

Article and photos: Minh Hang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/xu-huong-che-bien-sau-nbsp-trong-lam-san-240902.htm