Precision drying technology for cocowood

Precision drying technology for cocowood processors.

Forestry and timber specialists from Fiji and Samoa learned how to dry coconut stem ‘wood’ to produce high value ‘timber’ products in Brisbane, 3^rd-5^th November.

With appropriate processing, coconut palm stems (cocowood) potentially can produce a high quality flooring ‘timber’, adding value to the vast areas of coconut plantations in the Pacific region. Drying is the most critical stage in processing cocowood and the workshop participants learned drying technologies and operations appropriate for Pacific environments.

Funded by the Crawford Fund, the training course was presented by Forest Industries Training and Education Consortium (FITEC) and hosted by DPI&F at the Salisbury Research Centre, Brisbane.

Dr. Henri Bailleres (DPI&F), research leader of ACIAR’s project ‘Improving value and marketability of coconut wood’, said that it is “absolutely essential to take control of the drying process”. Green coconut wood is susceptible to fungal stain and decay but efficient, controlled drying will help protect the wood from the moisture-loving micro-organisms responsible for unattractive staining. Controlled drying is critical for cocowood boards intended for flooring, to minimise any movement once installed. Correct drying processes also make sure the cocowood boards are compatible with adhesives and coating materials.

Course participants Joe and George Strickland manage Strickland Brothers Ltd, the leading sawmilling and cocowood manufacturing business in Samoa, and are formal research and development partners in the ACIAR project.

Seva Tawake and Sailosi Kinivuai train forestry and sawmilling operatives in the Pacific in their positions with Fiji’s Department of Forests and will play a critical role in the uptake of appropriate cocowood drying processes in the region.

The trainees learned to control the drying process to avoid distortion, unsuitable moisture gradients, splitting and surface checking, over-drying and under-drying.

FITEC’s training course was coordinated by Chris Thomson and included important Occupational, Health and Safety procedures for operating a drying kiln as well as controlling kiln conditions, monitoring moisture content and quality, selecting and modifying a drying schedule and visually assessing the processed timber.

Timber processing scientist, Adam Redman (DPI&F) provided information about the specific conditions and processes needed for drying cocowood in the Pacific region. He said that the course focused on low-energy solutions for drying, like solar kilns in keeping with new and planned investments in kiln-drying facilities in the Pacific. The training will be immediately beneficial as an Australian gas-solar kiln will soon begin operating in Fiji.

The participants will take this knowledge to kiln operators in Fiji and Samoa, enabling them to run cost-effective drying schedules and produce higher recoveries of acceptable palm stem material, which will contribute to profitable cocowood industries in the Pacific.

Certificates were presented to the course members by Sally-Anne Atkinson, Chairperson of the Crawford Fund. Also present to support the presentation were Crawford Fund committee members Bob Dalgliesh, George Raymont, Janet Lawrence and Michelle Sinn, and Russell Haines, ACIAR’s Research Program Manager for Forestry.

Back row:
Gary Hopewell, Sevanaia Tewake, George Strickland, George Rayment, Joe Strickland, Sailosi Kinivuai, Henri Bailleres, Bob Dalgliesh.

Front row:
Janet Lawrence, Sally-Anne Atkinson, Michelle Sinn.

Certificate presentations by Crawford fund Chairperson, Sally-Anne Atkinson to: (left to right) Sailosi Kinivuai, Joe Strickland, George Strickland and Seva Tawake.