Value Chain Analysis of Eucalyptus Wood Products in the Blue Nile Highlands of Northwestern Ethiopia

Eucalyptus wood products contribute significantly to the income of smallholder growers in many parts of Ethiopia. This has incentivized smallholders to convert arable lands to Eucalyptus plantation. Given the limited attention and availability of empirical evidence, this study examined the Eucalyptus wood products value chain in terms of the actors engaged, the type and importance of channels, margins analysis and the overall value chain governance in the main Eucalyptus growing areas of the Blue Nile highlands of Northwestern Ethiopia in 2019/2020. Sources of data were randomly selected 388 Eucalyptus grower households and 166 Eucalyptus wood traders, complemented by an interview with key informants, group discussions and direct observations. The results reveal that a total of 2,051,114.75 m3 of Eucalyptus wood was produced in the study area and Eucalyptus plantations are expanding over crop lands at a rate of 102.35 ha a year on average. Many actors involved handle a large volume of wood in eight main channels with a high disparity in the shares of the margins. We found that Eucalyptus is the main source of cash earning, contributing about 45.76% to the total annual income of smallholder growers. Little policy attention, a lack of sectoral integration, missing infrastructure and an absence of modern wood processing factories are among the key challenges impeding the performance of the wood sector value chain. There are however existing opportunities for the development of the wood sector value chain such as favorable growing conditions and the spectacular growing demand for wood products. The study provides valuable insights about the wood sector value chain and actions towards ensuring sustainable value chains and the commercialization of the sector.

Evaluation of Starch as an Environmental-Friendly Bioresource for the Development of Wood Bioadhesives

The environment is a very complex and fragile system in which multiple factors of different nature play an important role. Pollution, together with resource consumption, is one of the main causes of the environmental problems currently affecting the planet. In the search for alternative production processes, the use of renewable resources seeks a way to satisfy the demands of resource consumption based on the premises of lower environment impact and less damage to human health. In the wood sector, the panel manufacturing process is based on the use of formaldehyde-based resins. However, their poor moisture resistance leads to hydrolysis of amino-methylene bonds, which induces formaldehyde emissions throughout the lifetime of the wood panel. This manuscript investigates the environmental profile associated with different wood bioadhesives based on starch functionalization as a renewable alternative to formaldehyde resins. Considering that this is a process under development, the conceptual design of the full-scale process will be addressed by process modeling and the environmental profile will be assessed using life cycle assessment methodology. A comparative study with synthetic resins will provide useful information for modify their development to become real alternatives in the wood-based panel industry. The results obtained show the enormous potential of starch bioadhesives, as their environmental impact values are lower compared to those based on petrochemicals. However, certain improvements in the energy process requirements and in the chemical agents used could be developed to provide even better results.

Forecasting bankruptcy in the wood industry

The assessment of a company’s financial condition is an effective tool, which supports the management system. Nowadays a number of models are available, most often multi-branch ones, which are able to predict the financial situation of an enterprise. Models solely intended for just one line of business are a rarity. As far as the wood sector is concerned, no homogenous model suited to the sector has been created. The article aims to present the final stage of research dealing with predicting bankruptcy in the wood sector. The bankruptcy prediction model presented in this paper, called the model for forecasting bankruptcy of wood enterprises (FMWE), has been developed specifically for the wood sector. The process of model construction was presented and the correctness of forecasts built with the use of FMWE was verified. The predictions were based on 1-, 2- or 3-year periods. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the FMWE projections was compared to the 10 most popular bankruptcy prediction models used in Poland. It was observed that in comparison with other prediction models, FMWE predictions for this particular industry indicate greater credibility, up to 90%, for 1-year and 2-year predictions.

Wood Sector Media Budget Allocation

The aim of this paper is to analyse and compare the official media reports published in the Republic of North (RN) Macedonia and some other South-Eastern European Countries, such as Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Bulgaria. According to the official results from Nielsen Arianna, IPSOS, and Alma Quattro, Macedonian furniture companies mainly allocate their media budget to television channels with an amount of EUR 4.786.710, which is 6.7 times lower than the amount allocated by Croatian furniture companies to the same media (EUR 32.223.506). The conclusion is that the media budget of Macedonian furniture companies is on a very low level, compared to selected South-Eastern European Countries, mainly because 74 % of the total number of furniture companies are micro enterprises with up to ten employees, which affects the media budget.

Preferences of Different Target Groups of Consumers in Case of Furniture Purchase

In a market environment where changes are constant, understanding customer buying behaviour is crucial for companies in order to operate both successfully and effectively. We analysed how different age groups and net monthly incomes per household influence consumer decisions in Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia in the case of furniture purchases, when the three main factors are material, price and service. Each factor was further divided into three levels. In the case of material, the respondents could choose between solid wood, chipboard and fibreboard or other materials. In the case of price, they could choose between a low, middle or high price range, and in the case of services, they could choose between pre-sales, sales and after-sales services. With conjoint analysis, we analysed the markets in Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia. The important differences in consumer buying behaviour in these three countries were discovered. The results of the research will serve as a useful basis for wood sector companies to design more successful marketing strategies, which will help them to achieve their goals in different target markets.

Measuring the Effect of Human Capital as a Source of value in the Wood Sector of Galiza and Portugal (2002-2017)

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.

Auch bei internen Entscheiden an die gesamte Holzkette denken (Essay)

Think of the entire timber sector even for internal decisions (essay) Every year, the demand for wood from Swiss forests decreases, although wood consumption increases, partly due to the growth of wood construction. At the same time, the wood sector is changing: there are fewer and fewer wood processing companies, while the use of wood energy is increasing. To counteract this development, the Swiss forestry and timber industry must join forces through cooperation, networks, integration of research and development and digitisation. The result of this cooperation should be an increased use of wood as a raw material and construction material and, in particular, an increase in wood harvesting in Swiss forests.