WITC develops smoke dryer

25-10-08
Page 18

THE Wood Industries Training Centre (WITC) has developed a smoke dryer facility that uses saw dust for the drying of wood products instead of electricity.
The facility, which is suitable for small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), is affordable and easy to use.
“The smoke dryer is user-friendly and does not pollute the environment, Mr George Zowonu, Public Relations Office of the WITC, told the Daily Graphic at the 2008 Ghana International Furniture and Woodworking Exhibition (GIFEX) at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra.
He noted that SMEs spent a lot of money in drying their wood and that “we have developed this facility to cut cost”.
He said the centre was holding workshops with SMEs to educate them on the use and manufacture of the facility to enable them to reduce their (SMEs) operational costs.
“This facility would go a long way to help reduce the operational costs of SMEs,” he emphasised.
According to him, every wood species had its moisture content and that the wood was supposed to be dry to meet the appropriate moisture content depending on its use.
Mr Zowonu indicated that the centre provided technical training to people irrespective of their category in the wood industry, and that in addition to the provision of training, the centre, among others, manufactured tongue and groove (T&G) wood products for panels and ceilings things.
He disclosed that the name of the centre would be changed to Timber Technology Centre as a result of changes in technology so as to bring it up to the expected standard.
With its primary focus on capacity building, human resource development and institutional strengthening, the centre offers a wide range of supporting services to those involved in downstream wood processing.
In addition to its core activities, Mr Zowonu said the centre provided extension and consultancy to the timber industry in sawdoctoring and wood processing, among other services.
Over the last 12 years, WITC had earned a reputation as a centre of excellence for training, consultancy in the timber industry, as well as other timber-related sectors in the country.
It is staffed with highly experienced and committed people, who share the core belief that progress in the timber industry can only be achieved through capacity building and by working in partnership with clients and stakeholders.