KUCHING: China’s rubberwood imports have increased steadily in recent years, with the bulk of the imports coming from Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
As one of the world’s largest rubberwood consumers, China is importing a large volume yearly as the domestic rubberwood production cannot meet market demand.
“Thailand is one of the main sources of China’s rubberwood imports, and the value of trade in rubberwood and products between China and Thailand has stabilised at about US$2 billion over the past five years. China also imports some rubberwood from Indonesia and Malaysia.
“China’s rubberwood imports have steadily increased in recent years and it has become the largest single category of imported sawn hardwood, accounting for nearly 50%. From January to September 2024, China imported 3.83 million cubic metres of sawn rubberwood, an increase of 16% over the same period of 2023. Imports of rubberwood veneer was about 128,000 tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 85%,” according to a report in International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Tropical Timber Market publication (December 1-15, 2024).
The scale of domestic rubberwood market is increasing year by year, according to the China Report Hall Network News. And by 2027, the expanding global rubberwood market is expected to be worth billions of dollars.
The growth of the global rubberwood market is attributable to the advancement of urbanisation and the improvement of residents’ living standard, resulting in the increasing demand of furniture, flooring, doors and windows as well as other home building materials, driving the rapid development of the rubberwood market.
In order to develop the rubberwood industry, China established the “Rubberwood and Products Innovation Alliance” in 2023, and the alliance currently has more than 100 enterprise members. The alliance recently released the “Rubberwood Industry Chain Development Report 2024.”
The development of the rubberwood industry, innovations and related issues were discussed at the recent 2024 annual meeting of the National Innovation Alliance of Rubberwood and Products under the Chinese National Forestry and Grassland Administration. Also held simultaneously was the “2024 Rubberwood Global Industry Chain Innovation and Development Matching Conference” in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning.
Innovations, new technologies and equipment developed in China have greatly improved the utilisation rate and added value to rubberwood.
“Innovations in processing technology, such as CNC engraving and laser cutting, are widely used in the production of rubberwood products, leading to improved production efficiency and offering opportunities for unique designs. In addition, the surface of rubberwood veneer has been enhanced through the use of coatings and UV isobaric paste processes.
“Today, rubberwood can be made more durable with technology that is more environmentally friendly and safer. Heat treatment technology, resin impregnation technology, compaction technology and modification technology of rubberwood have improved product performance and expand possible applications,” said the report.
(CNC engraving is a computer-controlled machining process that utilises a high-speed rotating tool to remove materials from a workpiece, leaving behind a desired design or pattern).
An analysis of the market application status and future development trend of the rubber wood industry was contained in the “2024-2029 China Rubber Wood Industry Market In-depth Research and Investment Strategy Report” produced by the China Research Institute of Puhua Research Institute.
The report said because of its excellent material and unique texture, rubberwood (the trunk of the rubber tree) is widely used in furniture, flooring, wood core board and other fields
“With the continuous growth of the real estate industry, the demand for construction timber has increased, and rubberwood is favoured by architects because of its excellent material and unique texture.
“At the same time, with the improvement of people’s living standards, the requirements for furniture are getting higher and higher, and rubberwood has become the preferred material for furniture manufacturers because of its soft colour, delicate texture, durability and wear-resistance. Rubberwood is widely used to make a variety of furniture, such as dining tables, chairs, bed frames and cabinets. Its natural texture and warm tones make it popular choice in modern home design.”
The report said rubberwood flooring is gradually gaining traction among consumers due to its wear-resistant, scratch-resistant and easy-to-maintain properties. In additional, rubberwood can also be used to make wall panels, ceilings and other decorative materials.
For the construction industry, the report said with the development of the real estate industry, the demand for construction wood has increased, and rubberwood is favoured by architects because of its excellent materials and unique texture.
For industrial applications, the strength and stability of rubberwood make it suitable for some industrial uses, such as making pellets, packing boxes and industrial moulds.
On the development trend of the rubberwood industry, the report said with the increasing global environmental awareness and the concept of sustainable development, the rubberwood industry is actively seeking innovation in environmentally friendly materials and technologies.
“Through the research and development and application of environmentally friendly materials and technologies, we can reduce pollution emissions and resource consumption in the production process and achieve sustainable development of the industry.”
Added the report: “As consumers have higher and higher requirements for home quality, the quality requirements for rubberwood furniture and flooring products are also increasing. This requires rubberwood industry to strengthen the quality control and technological innovation to improve the quality and performance of the products.
“With the development of science and technology, and the change of the people’s lifestyle, application field of rubberwood is also expanding. For example, rubberwood has gradually entered the field of personalised whole-house customisation, providing consumers with more diversified home choices.”
The report said with the deepening of globalisation, China’s rubberwood industry is actively seeking opportunities for expansion and cooperation in the international market. It said through cooperation with internationally renowned enterprises, “we will jointly develop new products and technologies and expand a broader market space.”
