Brazil is one of the largest producers of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) in the world, and also the MDF has the highest domestic consumption and production rate in the country. MDF applications are ...highlighted into residential and commercial furniture design and also a wide participation in the building sector. This study aimed to propose ways of improving the environmental cradle-to-gate life-cycle of one cubic meter MDF panel by means of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) study. Complying with requirements of ISO 14040 and 14,044 standards, different MDF manufacturing scenarios were modelled using Umberto® v.5.6 software and the Ecoinvent v.2.2 life-cycle inventory (LCI) database for the Brazilian context. Environmental and human health impacts were assessed by using the CML (2001) and USEtox (2008) methods. The evaluated impact categories were: acidification, global warming, ozone layer depletion, abiotic resource depletion, photochemical formation of tropospheric ozone, ecotoxicity, eutrophication and human toxicity. Results identified the following hotspots: gas consumption at the thermal plant, urea-formaldehyde resin, power consumption, wood chip consumption and wood chip transportation to the plant. The improvement scenario proposals comprised the following actions: eliminate natural gas consumption at the thermal plant, reduce electrical power consumption, reduce or replace urea-formaldehyde resin consumption, reduce wood consumption and minimize the distance to wood chip suppliers. The proposed actions were analysed to verify the influence of each action on the set of impact categories. Among the results, it can be noted that a joint action of the proposed improvements can result in a total reduction of up to 38.5% of impacts to OD, 34.4% to AD, 31.2% to ET, and 30.4% to HT. Finally, MDF was compared with particleboard production in Brazil, and additional opportunities to improve the MDF environmental profile were identified.
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•We analysed an LCA case study of MDF panel production in Brazil.•The main environmental hotspots were identified and discussed.•Five alternative improvement scenarios were proposed.•It was performed a comparative LCA of MDF with particleboard.
The demand for wood has increased in recent years due to new technical possibilities and environmental concerns. This paper provides an analysis of the factors that affect the use of wood in the ...construction sector, and an assessment of their importance in individual countries and for groups of stakeholders. The study covers the technical, societal, political, economic, and gender aspects of wood construction, with the aim of increasing global understanding regarding national differences, the current situation, and the potential for further development. The subject was investigated using a survey, and the most important opportunities for and barriers to growth in the use of wood in the construction sector were selected, following a statistical analysis. The results indicate strong regional and cultural differences regarding the acceptance of some of the opportunities and barriers related to the development of wood construction. The findings indicate that there is a need to promote wood construction based on its technical and economic benefits rather than its societal ones. On the other hand, the current societal barriers should be addressed as a priority, together with the establishment of common and harmonized policies. The results of this study, therefore, will contribute to the generation of regional-sensitive information that can be useful for policymakers when updating the building codes in their individual countries.
In the last three decades forecasting bankruptcy of enterprises has been an important and difficult problem, used as an impulse for many research projects (Ribeiro et al. 2012). At present many ...methods of bankruptcy prediction are available. In view of the specific character of economic activity in individual sectors, specialised methods adapted to a given branch of industry are being used increasingly often. For this reason an important scientific problem is related with the indication of an appropriate model or group of models to prepare forecasts for a given branch of industry. Thus research has been conducted to select an appropriate model of Multiple Discriminant Analysis (MDA), best adapted to forecasting changes in the wood industry. This study analyses 10 prediction models popular in Poland. Effectiveness of the model proposed by Jagiełło, developed for all industrial enterprises, may be labelled accidental. That model is not adapted to predict financial changes in wood sector companies in Poland.
The generally known Altman model showed the greatest effectiveness in the identification of enterprises at risk of bankruptcy. However, that model was burdened with one of the greatest errors in the classification of healthy enterprises as sick. The best effectiveness in the identification of enterprises not threatened with bankruptcy was found for forecasts prepared using the Prusak 2 model. However, forecasts based on those models were characterised by erroneous classification of sick companies as healthy. The model best fit to predict the financial situation of Polish wood sector companies was the Poznań model
Pz = 3.562 · X
+ 1.588 · X
+ 4.288 · X
+ 6.719 · X
- 2.368
where:
- net income / total assets;
- (current assets - stock) / current liabilities;
- fixed capital / total assets
- income from sales / sales revenue).
New innovative technologies of Industry 4.0 are the key to the future development of the furniture industry, which is outdated because of its atypical production and small-series production. For ...applying the novel trends of Industry 4.0 to the furniture sector, the methodical support of managers, the key users of these technologies, is essential. As there is a lack of knowledge regarding implementation of Industry 4.0, this study focuses on the evaluation of the current status of furniture companies in terms of production structure and Industry 4.0 benefits/threats with the aim of proposing methodological solutions for the implementation of this trend across different-sized enterprises. Data are collected using conduct-structured interviews with project managers who describe their own experience with Industry 4.0 implementation in central Europe. All interviews are analyzed using qualitative content analysis. According to the stakeholders, innovative production and non-production technologies are essential for their enterprises. Application of such technologies increases the efficiency of the whole operation by 30%–50% over the five years since the first innovations were introduced, especially in enterprises with atypical production and large enterprises. This study should serve as the tool for adapting the environmental changes and promoting the innovation approaches of the Industry 4.0 strategies on the central European level.
Although micro-enterprises represent most of the enterprises across different sectors, they are excluded from official statistics on innovation activities. What we know about micro-enterprises is ...based on smaller quantitative and qualitative studies that are country- and sector-specific. To understand the innovation activities of Slovenian enterprises in the forest-wood sector, we conducted our own quantitative study in 2019 based on the Eurostat’s Community Innovation Survey (CIS) questionnaire. Based on responses from 294 enterprises, we compare how micro-enterprises and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) differ in innovation strategies, product, and process innovations, co-operation with other organisations, innovation activities, and innovations with environmental benefits. The results indicate that, in some respects, enterprises with two to nine employees are at least as innovative as small to medium enterprises, or even more so. We argue that innovation surveys should lower the employee count threshold to attain better representative insight into the innovation landscape.
While different approaches have been used to measure the human capital effect on company performance, it is less common testing the effects of the human capital as a source of value in a mostly ...unorganized sector like the wood and related industries in the Galicia (Spain) / Portugal region. The paper aims at measuring the effect of a single dimension of intellectual capital (human capital) and its value addition for the period of 2002-2017. The findings suggest that human capital is the main dimension that adds value to the wood sector, both in Portugal as well as in Galicia. This paper tests a new model to measure the effect of human capital to study its effects on the value addition to the wood sector.
Abstract
Wood industry enterprises are an important branch of the Polish economy. More and more companies in this sector starts to work on the basis of new technologies, standards and policies, such ...as the idea of sustainable development. An important factor that may accelerate the implementation of innovative solutions or their employees are slowing. Their commitment and belief in the validity of the changes will depend on whether the innovation desired effect. Article is to show the factors affecting the slow process of innovation in the company with particular emphasis on the role of workers
Proponents of natural resource-based development have argued that backward, forward and lateral linkages around natural resources can bring about structural change. However, there are very few ...studies on the development potential of natural resources in developing countries, specifically on non-petroleum related industries. This study examines linkages in the sawn wood sector of the Nigerian forest industry, in particular the saw mill and artisanal metal fabrication sectors which represent forward and backward linkages. Using a qualitative approach to obtain a detailed historical perspective, the study reveals that foreign inputs were gradually replaced by local inputs through the spontaneous efforts of artisans using the Doing, Utilising and Interacting (DUI) mode of learning and innovation to fabricate band saws and accoutrements used by the saw millers. Furthermore, problem solving skills have been acquired by the artisans over the years through the fabrication of these machines and interacting with the production activities of the millers. Export of machines by the artisans to regional low technology demanding countries were revealed. In addition, evidence of lateral linkages in form of movement of the fabricators to the manufacturing sector was also reported. While the sector shows promise for structural change, advances in technological competence of the sector is however being curtailed by a lack of access of the artisans to Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) based modes of learning and innovation and a vibrant iron and steel industry. In addition, production activities are being limited by an inadequate supply of timber due to the country's rapidly degrading forests. This in turn has restricted learning and competence building opportunities. For the industry to attain its full development potential, policy recommendations include revitalising the country's iron and steel sector, commencing the award of degrees in wood products engineering, fostering linkages between the artisans and formal knowledge infrastructure, initiating proper sustainable forest management practices and providing relevant physical infrastructure.
•The development potential of natural resources in developing countries has not been given due attention.•The study examines linkages in a cluster of the sawn wood sector of the Nigerian forest industry.•The study reveals an incipient cluster and lateral migration of skilled labour to the manufacturing sector.•The study recommends policy measures for enhancing the development potential of the sector.
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