Implementation of an innovative technological process of preparing the raw material for furniture production with simultaneous waste recycling

Project description

Drewdom is the only Polish manufacturer of furniture made of alder wood. The project stems from the company’s need to automate its production process and to reduce the large amount of technological waste which reaches 30% of the processed wood mass. Under the project we implemented a new technological process of wood preparation for furniture production, and introduced a new product of wood chips for mulch and cellulose production. The project involved the purchase of 10 machines forming a technological line for preparing raw material for furniture production, the purchase of a 50 kW photovoltaic installation, and consultancy services of a research unit that developed the technology of the new process, and defined the parameters of the cellulose chips of alder wood generated at various settings of the machines.

Environment-wise -  we have achieved a total recycling of production waste into wood chips in the amount of 1,725 tons per year, and eliminated petrol consumption (no more combustion saws). The PV panels ensure energy savings very significant for production profitability, and the company's CO₂ emissions have been reduced by 36.31 tons per year.

The project has been extremely important at our current scale of production, because the full automation limited the number of people needed to operate this section of production. They have now been shifted to processes that cannot be automated, and with the current lack of employees on the market, it turned out to be more important than we had planned. Increasing the capacity of the initial technological process in furniture production, i.e. the preparation of raw material, allowed us to increase the production volume, as it is no longer limited by the availability of semi-finished products (friezes), which can now be manufactured without restrictions. We can even deliver the semi-finished products to companies that have to purchase friezies and ready-made boards for their production. We offer those at a competitive price because the automation has reduced our running costs.

An unplanned result of the project is a very high interest of recipients in wood chips. At the planning stage, we just wanted to solve the problem of waste, and then it has turned out that the market needs such a product, which translates into a satisfactory income from this activity. In addition, many companies visit us to see the operation of the new line, because Drewdom is the only company in Poland that has such a comprehensive line processing hardwood.