Reference FSDP
(EC-ASEAN COGEN Programme Phase II)
Kiln drying through wood waste energy in Thailand
AT A GLANCE
 Laem Chabang Industry, Chonburi, Thailand is a wood processing company manufacturing top quality frames for export. The company decided to invest in a dust extraction and storage system and use their wood residues as a source of energy for kiln drying. The residues are being combusted in a hot water boiler with a total capacity of 400,000 kcal/hr.
BACKGROUND
Laem Chabang Industry Co., Ltd., a wooden frame manufacturer was established in 1992.
As the production of top export quality frames can only be obtained in a dust-free environment, the management of the company decided to invest in a sawdust and wood shaving collection plant. As they have some energy requirement for wood drying, they also decided to utilize part of their residues in a boiler to produce hot water for kiln driers. The dust collection, combustion and kiln drying equipment was supplied by Integrated Marketing and Supplies (IMS) Engineering Sdn. Bhd. Originating in the Netherlands, the IMS group of companies has been involved in the supply of services and machinery to the wood industry in South East Asia for more than 20 years. The group currently represents about 20 European equipment manufacturers. LOCATION
The plant is located in Laem Chabang, 125 km south-east of Bangkok (Thailand). TECHNOLOGY
The plant consists of :
- a wood waste collecting system;
- a silo with a capacity of 150 cu.m.;
- two kiln drying units of 40 cu.m. each;
- a hot water boiler with a thermal capacity of 400,000 kcal/hr.
SOME ECONOMICS
The total investment cost amounts to ECU 295,000 (USD 342,000), excluding civil works. Based on the normal electricity consumption of kiln driers, the annual savings of this project represent a total amount of about ECU 170,000 (USD200,000). Without taking into account the added value to the end products resulting from the dust collection system,the pay-back period is less than 3 years.
CONTACTS
Customer |
European Supplier |
Laem Chabang Industry Co., Ltd
Thailand
Tel: 66-2-3902852-3; Fax: 66-2-3812574 |
Integrated Marketing and Supplies (IMS)
Office in Thailand
Tel: 66-2-9544406-8; Fax: 66-2-5805097
Office in Singapore
Tel: 65-3681046; Fax: 65-3651302 |
"Our group is a pioneer in manufacturing wooden picture frames for export," comments Viwat ITTHIRATANAKOMOL, President of Laem Chabang Industry Co., Ltd. "We started this business 20 years ago. At that time, we had only 15 persons working at the frame production plant. Now, we have about 1,500 workers in our new factory in Laem Chabang where our production reaches 30,000 frames per day."
CUSTOMER'S VIEW POINT
 "To produce high quality wooden frames for export, we need both skilled workers and good equipment. We came to know IMS during a Wood Technology Fair in Singapore, a few years ago. We were interested in their know-how and by the fact that, as an engineering company, they could take responsibility for the whole system."
" They were not necessarily the cheapest but we realized that the higher quality technology was better adapted to our production requirements."
"Thanks to the dust collection system, our employees work in a much better environment and our products are of better quality," insists Viwat ITTHIRATANAKOMOL.. "The end result is that our overall efficiency is increased."
"We are very grateful to the COGEN Programme for the support and technical assistance they have given, and continue to give, to our company."
SUPPLIER'S VIEW POINT
 "The equipment that was supplied to Laem Chabang Industry is of the most advanced type of machinery available in the market, particularly the dust collecting system," comments Michael HERMENS, Managing Director, IMS Engineering.
"More and more Thai industries, being in their second stage of development, go for better technologies especially if their production is for export," explains Santhiti SIRICHEOWSAKUL, Manager of IMS Thailand, Co., Ltd. "Other wood industrialists have visited the plant in Laem Chabang. Some have already ordered the same kind of equipment."
"Our customers know that we always try to prepare the optimal turnkey solution for them," pursues Michael HERMENS.. "We have local teams working in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The Philippines will most likely be our next target."
Regarding our European partners, we always try to push them to delocalize their production to Asia. Some have done it very successfully but we would like to see more European companies involved in this region. To be successful, they need to do it with a long term view, making sure they can guarantee a good after sales service, using competent local partners such as us."
"The independent advisory and consultancy services offered by the COGEN Programme, through the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the Energy Conservation Center of Thailand (ECCT), certainly eased the contact with our customer. It is very important, not only for European suppliers, but also for their ASEAN customers to have a local Euro-ASEAN organization such as the COGEN Programme to facilitate their business relations," concludes Michael HERMENS.
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