Lambu timber has been emerging as a good proposition for West Bengal based Plywood manufacturing because of its availability and affordability. As per report, more than 150 plywood manufacturing units situated surrounding Kolkata have been using Lambu Timber based Core Veneer for its plywood manufacturing. Talking with the Ply Reporter correspondent, they say that it is suitable timber for plywood manufacturing because the quality, density, strength and prices are as good as Eucalyptus and Poplar. They also view that they were dependent on Semul, Kadab, Eucalyptus core veneer, which they got from UP and Bihar, but now they have been getting sufficient quantities locally.
Plantation of Lambu trees has been growing rapidly in the Eastern and North East states of India. It is called medium hardwood and its plant rotation is also kept for 6 to 8 years for good growth like Poplar and Eucalyptus. Timber obtained in such a long period is very much suitable for the Plywood and Panel industry. If it is kept for a longer period of time, it is converted into hardwood and that is very much suitable for furniture and interior decorative wood panel industry. This wood is very strong and there is no lump in it. Due to its mechanical properties, it is completely resistant to termites and borers.
It is being used extensively in plywood factories in eastern India. This wood is very useful, and its demand is increasing day by day due to good finishing and being easy to machine. Its tree does not have twigs and because of its straight length, its peeling is also done easily. Due to its reddish color, it does not require coloring, hence the Lambu tree is also very suitable for face veneer also.
The owners of the nursery located in 24 Parganas district of West Bengal say that this Lambu tree is being liked very much these days, so it is being done in almost all the nurseries located here. According to an estimate, plantation is taking place rapidly in some districts of states other than West Bengal like Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana. According to the nursery owners, about 40,0000 trees are being sent daily from 24 Parganas district of West Bengal to different states and the demand has increased in the last four to five years,
Plywood owners located in West Bengal have been satisfied with the grains and strength of Lumbu tree, and say that it will emerge as the suitable and sustainable raw material of plywood making. The prices come under comfort zone, hence it has been reducing their dependency on Eucalyptus and Poplar Core Veneer.