Lankan wood-work professionals seek to revive the industry
A group of Sri Lankan wood working professionals has stepped in to revive the industry infusing modern technical know-how with the assistance of German expertise.
The wood and wood-based industry of Sri Lanka is not performing up to standard and it has to be revived soon to produce goods in the modern age, a group of wood industrialists resolved at their inaugural forum held in Colombo this week.
Speakers at the event. Pic by Indika Handuwala
“We have decided to convene the forum at least once in two or three months and explore the possibility of forming an association of wood working community including industry professionals and carpenters to revive wood work for future generations, convener of the forum,” Sameera Smarakkody, General Manager- Häfele Sri Lanka told the Business Times.
Häfele is a German company for complete architecture hardware solutions, furniture fittings, kitchen fittings solutions and designs. Its worldwide penetration includes 50 subsidiaries across Europe, America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Mr. Samarakkody pointed out that their forum will formulate a plan to upgrade wood work training motivating school leavers to enter the profession by providing them with overseas training and well recognized professional certificate.
Over 9000 furniture and other wood working industrial plants are scattered in and around Colombo.
The sector comprises saw mills, furniture, construction, parquet flooring, wood-based panel products and carvings.
Speaking to the Business Times, Hafele South Asia Managing Director Jürgen Wolf noted that Sri Lanka should upgrade the wood and furniture industry with latest technology and machinery training as demand for wood and furniture has grown considerably with tourism growth, increase of construction in the housing sector and development growth in the country.
While stressing the need of improving the standard of wood and furniture industry workforce, he assured support of his company to create more and more skilled woodcraftsmen who can cater to the surging market needs. He said this forum should become a strong body to make representations on behalf of the industry to the government.
Häfele Sri Lanka is willing to provide wood working machinery and training for rural youth in modern wood crafting and it will help upgrading the country’s woodcraft skill-base.
Channa Wijesekera , Managing Director of Leema Interiors (PVT) Ltd, suggested changing the curriculum of wood work training institutes in the island providing more practical knowledge for trainees.
They should be taught wood technology, technical mathematics, and the principles of technical drawing as applied theory; practical skills taught include basic woodworking processes, metalwork, furniture making, joinery, and carpentry, with necessary drawings.
Sri Lanka should follow the German method of training, he said.
Local wood work factory managers are lacking the required knowledge and they depend on carpenters to carry out factory operations, he said.
Brigadier Madura Wijeyewickrema from the National Construction Association of Sri Lanka pointed out that many Sri Lankan skilled workers who received training at German Technical Training Institute are serving in foreign countries like Australia.
If similar training is given for youth in the field of wood work, more young men will enter into this industry, he said adding that this forum should lobby the government to set up a wood work training institute of international level with German assistance.
The industry is mostly concentrated in the Moratuwa area. It is estimated that production and sales of furniture and processed wood in Moratuwa area is around Rs. 2 million per day.