Malaysian timber industry affected by raw material shortages and labour shortages

Raw material shortages present a significant obstacle for the country’s timber industry, particularly the downstream sector, according to the chairman of the Malaysian Panel Products Manufacturers’ Association (MPMA), Sheikh Othman Rahman. He added that Malaysia has the potential to produce high-value wood products but efforts are needed to address raw material supplies. He said the scarcity of raw materials is hindering production and affecting key products such as plywood, MDF and particleboard. Plywood is ranked as the second largest wood exported, after wooden furniture. The plywood industry has been looking into alternative raw materials such ...