The purpose of this paper is to investigate the composition of services and firms in a wood industrial cluster based on members' interests and examine the differences among the groups. Since firms ...have very different interests when joining the cluster, this paper develops the taxonomy of cluster members based on their expectations regarding services and investigates the differences and similarities among groups in firms' characteristics, their resources, innovative activities, the performance of firms, and perceived cluster performance. The data collected from members of the Croatian wood cluster were explored using factor and cluster analyses. The results revealed three categories of services that the cluster should provide: 1) lobbying; 2) facilitation of networking and cooperation; and 3) supporting joint logistics and joint access to the market. Four groups of members were identified, named as 1) cooperation and lobbying-oriented; 2) market oriented; 3) purely lobbying-oriented; 4) purely networking and cooperation-oriented. Group 1 (44% of the sample) scores high on all categories of services. It contains more firms that innovate and more high-growth firms. Members in this group evaluate the effects of the cluster better than the other two groups. The study offers new evidence on the alignment of cluster services with the interests of cluster members, indicating different levels of performance among groups in a small cluster in traditional forest-based industries. The findings can help managers not only in the Croatian wood cluster but also in other similar small cluster organisations in Central Eastern and South-Eastern Europe to use their limited resources more efficiently and enhance the competitiveness and performance of the firms/sector.
To determine the strategic directions of development of the woodworking industry of the country, a structural-logical scheme of scientific research is proposed, which includes the following stages: ...identification of the main substantive determinants of ensuring the development of the woodworking industry of the countries over the world; assessment of raw material potential and competitiveness of the woodworking industry of the world countries; modeling the impact of raw materials potential on the competitiveness of the woodworking industry in the countries of the world; determination of priority directions of development of the woodworking industry of these countries. An integral assessment of the raw material potential of the woodworking industry of the world countries was carried out by the following components: forest cover of the territory, reserves of the forest stand, the total volume of wood production, the volume of production of business wood, which made it possible to determine the level and disproportions of the development of raw materials for the woodworking industry of the countries of the world. According to the value of the integral indicator of the raw material potential of the woodworking industry in 2020, from 36 countries chosen, Finland, Canada, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia were included in countries with a high level of raw material potential of the woodworking industry, while the countries with the lowest level were Greece, Mexico, Italy, China, the Netherlands, and Ukraine. The level of competitiveness of the woodworking industry of Ukraine and the world countries is assessed. The leading countries in terms of competitiveness of the woodworking industry in 2020 included Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, Canada, Finland, while the countries with a low level of competitiveness of the woodworking industry included the Netherlands, Greece, Great Britain, Korea, Japan, and Italy. The carried out analysis allows to recommend for the group of leading countries in terms of competitiveness of the woodworking industry (including Ukraine) to focus on increasing exports of woodworking goods with high added value, such as sheet wood materials. A modeling of the influence of raw material potential on the level of competitiveness of the woodworking industry of the world countries is fulfilled. It is determined that the strategic directions of development of the woodworking industry of the countries of the world are to increase the output of products with high added value and the introduction of measures for the rational use of forest resources.
Fractures in esthetic ceramic veneering are one of the potential failure modes during prosthetic treatment. Depending on the type of chipping fracture, there are three possible outcomes: replacement, ...restoration repair, or polishing of the fractured area. Computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technologies provide new methods to the maintenance and repair of fixed metal-ceramic restorations. Here, we report the case of a 68-year-old patient who came to the dentist with comcerns about his appearance due to spontaneous gingival bleeding and a fracture in the ceramic veneering of a metal-ceramic restoration. The patient reported occurrences of bruxism. The proposed treatment plan included consultation with a cardiologist, periodontal treatment, polishing of the chipped areas, repair of the fractured zone with an exposed metal core, and fabrication of a mouth guard. Once the ceramic veneering on the palatal and buccal sides of the retainers had been completely removed, a digital impression was obtained and sent to the dental lab so that milled zirconium veneer could be manufactured. The veneering was cemented the next day using the standard prosthetic field preparation process and resin-modified glass ionomer cement. In conclusion, fixed metal-ceramic restorations that have fractured can be successfully repaired using CAD/CAM methods and materials.
In the context of low provision of Ukraine with forests, its uneven distribution and low level of forest cover of the territory, and, as a result, forestry reserves, it seems promising to determine ...the priority areas for the development of the forest industry and mechanisms for effective management of the modern forestry industry complex, taking into account the experience of the structural policy of the countries with the forest fund that is similar in terms of extent. The aim of the article is to provide an in-depth analysis of the status and tendencies in the development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the pre-war period, taking into account its integral components. The article analyzes the status and tendencies in the development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the context of uneven distribution of forests and the extent of the forest fund in different regions of Ukraine. An in-depth analysis of the components of the forestry industry complex in the pre-war period is carried out, in particular, such as: woodworking industry, production of paper and paper products, furniture production. At presence, the woodworking industry of Ukraine has a low level of provision of mainly coniferous wood for forest consumers and the needs of the domestic market, which, in turn, leads to inefficient use of wood resources in conditions of low rates of reproduction of forest plantations. It is determined that the woodworking industry is a priority industry for most of the western regions of Ukraine and can further become a driving force for the intensive development of their economy. The activity of enterprises of the woodworking industry is also characterized from the standpoint of their number, net profit (loss) and profitability. An analysis of the foreign economic component of the development of the woodworking industry of Ukraine is carried out. It is proved that the prerequisite for the further development of the forestry industry complex of Ukraine in the post-war recovery period is its existing potential, which, under the conditions of an effective and systematic State policy in the field of forest management, will achieve an increase in competitiveness and growth of production at the regional level.
Woodworking industry is one of the important components of the forestry complex of Ukraine and countries of the world. The article is aimed at substantiating the methodological approach to the ...assessment of the raw material potential of the woodworking industry of the country. It is proposed to carry out an integral assessment of the raw material potential of the woodworking industry of the country according to the following components: forest-land percentage of the territory, reserves of forest stand, the total volume of wood production, the volume of production of commercial wood. The matrix of positioning of Ukraine and countries of the world in the plane of coordinates «Forest area – forest-land percentage of the territory» is formed. The level of integral indicator of the state of raw material potential of the woodworking industry of Ukraine and the countries of the world is most influenced by the component of «forest-land percentage», and among partial indicators are the following: production of commercial wood per resident, area of forests per resident, and forest stand per resident. Using cluster analysis (k-means), three clusters of countries of the world are allocated according to the integrated assessment of the raw material potential of the woodworking industry of the world countries. Calculations of the raw material potential of the woodworking industry of Ukraine showed the following: according to the integrated indicator of the state of raw material potential of the woodworking industry in 2019 (0.0847), Ukraine took 31st place among 36 countries of the world. The carried out cluster analysis showed that Ukraine in terms of integral components joined the group of countries with a low level of raw material potential of the woodworking industry; according to the comprehensive assessment of the component «forest-land percentage» (0.0365) Ukraine took the 32nd place; according to the comprehensive assessment of the component «timber resources» (0.1887) – 17th place; according to the comprehensive assessment of the component «wood production» (0.0445) – 33rd place; according to the comprehensive assessment of the component «commercial wood production» (0.0949) – 29th place.
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood is desired in woodworking industries due to its favorable timber characteristics and natural durability that is contributed by heartwood extractives. It has been ...discussed whether the Scots pine heartwood extractives (mainly stilbenes and resin acids) are synthesized in the cells of the transition zone between sapwood and heartwood, or if they are transported from the sapwood. Timing of heartwood formation during the yearly cycle has also not been unambiguously defined. We measured steady-state mRNA levels in Scots pine transition zone and sapwood using RNA sequencing. Year-round expression profiles of selected transcripts were further investigated by quantitative RT-PCR. Differentially accumulating transcripts suggest that, of the Scots pine heartwood extractives, stilbenes are synthesized in situ in the transition zone and gain their carbon-skeletons from Suc and triglycerides. Resin acids, on the other hand, are synthesized early in the spring mainly in the sapwood, meaning that they must be transported to the heartwood transition zone. Heartwood formation is marked by programmed cell death that occurs during the summer months in the transition zone.
•A mechanical model to predict the strength of LVL beams is developed.•The model is calibrated and validated against experimental tests.•The model accurately predicts test results with a low CoV of ...0.10.•The application of the model is illustrated on new juvenile hardwood LVL beams.•New LVL beams have design strengths superior to commercially available LVL beams.
This paper develops a mechanical model to accurately predict the strength of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) beams, and illustrates its applications to numerically predict the strength distribution of LVL beams manufactured from veneers rotary peeled from early to mid-rotation subtropical hardwood plantation logs. This resource is not traditionally used in the manufacturing of commercialised LVL beams. In the first part of the paper, the model is described, calibrated against experimental results performed on 8-ply LVL beams and then verified against experimental results performed on 13-ply LVL beams. Results show that the model is able to accurately reproduce the experimental results, both on flat and edge bending, with an average prediction-to-experiment ratio of 1.0 and a relatively low coefficient of variation of 0.10. A sound prediction of the non-linear behaviour of the beams before failure was also observed. In the second part of the paper illustrating the applications of the model, the mechanical properties of veneers analysed by the authors in a previous work are used as input values in the numerical model to predict the strength of six commercially available LVL beam sizes, manufactured from early to mid-rotation subtropical Gympie messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana), spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora) and southern blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantation veneers. The design strength (5th percentile) of the beams, obtained by Monte Carlo simulations, is reported and found to range from 32.3MPa to 97.2MPa, depending on the quality of the veneers used and the beam size. The LVL beams have design strengths comparable to, and in some cases up to 2.5 times higher than commercially available softwood LVL beams, making them attractive structural products. The strength variability is also reported in the paper for developing probability-based limit state design criteria in future studies.
The article analyzes the dynamics of both the global and Ukrainian markets of woodworking products. The commodity structure of trade in wood products is analyzed by the following types: roundwood, ...business roundwood, fuel wood, lumber, veneer, plywood, sheet materials, chipboards, particle boards, tentative chipboards, wood fiber boards, and solid wood boards. The dynamics of both the global and Ukrainian markets of woodworking industry products is compared by the following indicators: production volume, exports, imports, domestic consumption, export orientation, and import dependence. The comparative competitive advantages of Ukrainian woodworking products with those of other countries are identified. The carried out study has shown that the development of the Ukrainian woodworking industry markets is largely in line with global trends. Among the types of woodworking products in Ukraine, the following mainly correspond to global trends: lumber, veneer, wood-based panels, chipboards, wood-fiber boards and solid wood boards, with the growth rates of production and market capacity of these types of products exceeding the global-marketed ones. The types of woodworking products that did not fully meet global trends included roundwood, business roundwood, fuel wood, plywood, and oriented strand boards, which were characterized by a decline in exports and imports, as well as fluctuations in production and market capacity. Both the global and Ukrainian markets saw a decline in sales of low-value-added wood products and a moderate increase in high value-added products. In Ukraine, only two types of woodworking products – lumber and veneer – increased their export orientation, but these products also saw a significant increase in import dependence. The strongest rates of decline in export orientation were observed in the following types of woodworking products: business roundwood (86.6%), roundwood (48.5%), wood fiber boards (39.9%), fuel wood (36.2%), and solid wood boards (25.3%), while these products also saw a significant decrease in import dependence. Taking into account the trends in the global wood products market, the ways to ensure the development of the woodworking industry in Ukraine in the postwar period are allocated.
Abstract
Industry 4.0 (I 4.0) is a major transformation in manufacturing that is driven by the use of digital technologies. Furniture and board businesses are one of the subsectors of the forest ...products sector that can benefit from I 4.0. In this study, a survey was administered to 206 employees working in furniture and board businesses to understand their awareness of I 4.0, their perceptions regarding its obstacles and potential benefits and practices. The most widely recognized I 4.0 technology by employees is digital connectivity. Employees also see the potential for I 4.0 to help them implement new business models. However, the main obstacles to implementing I 4.0 are a lack of skilled workers and high costs. Employees of furniture businesses are less aware of I 4.0 than are employees of board businesses. Additionally, only a small percentage of businesses in both sectors have an I 4.0 or smart manufacturing strategy. The results of this study suggest that furniture and board businesses need to do more to raise awareness of I 4.0 and to develop strategies for implementing it. By doing so, they can improve their productivity and competitiveness in the global marketplace. This study was conducted on a relatively small sample in a limited area, so the generalizability of the results is low.
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