Vitebskdrev OJSC has developed a technology and launched the production of an innovative product – moisture-resistant MDF boards, as reported by the company's General Director, Yury Doylin.
Vitebskdрев OJSC has developed a technology and launched the production of an innovative product – moisture-resistant MDF boards, as reported by the company's General Director, Yury Doylin.
Unlike ordinary polished boards, moisture-resistant boards have a denser structure, thus they do not swell, and their surface is not damaged by condensate. The innovative product can be widely used in humid areas, for example, in the manufacturing of furniture for bathrooms, due to its ability to withstand accidental contact with water. "Today, Vitebskdrev is the sole producer of moisture-resistant boards in the post-Soviet space, including in Belarus, and is ready to replace similar imported products, mainly sourced from Belgium. At this stage, we are actively promoting the innovation, participating in exhibitions, and supplying trial batches to potential partners. The objective is to increase the share of this product to one-third or even half of the total output," noted Yury Doylin.
Under the sanctions pressure, under which woodworking enterprises have to operate, Vitebskdrev decided to focus on the production of goods with new qualities and, consequently, higher added value. Preliminary market research has shown that there is a demand for such products in Russia and in the Central Asian countries. "Of course, it is easier to sell raw or laminated boards; it is a completely different matter to achieve the characteristics required by the consumer for the manufacturing of their final products. The next innovation will be fire-resistant boards; we are currently completing the development of its production technology. We will continue research in this direction," said Yury Doylin. In addition, the company has completely switched to Russian chemical components (synthetic resins and additives) used in production, without compromising product quality.
The high innovative potential of "Vitebskdrev" is ensured by the presence of a central factory laboratory (CFL) within the enterprise's structure, which in 2017 became the basis for the creation of a testing center for board products. The laboratory holds the necessary accreditations for monitoring the quality and verification of wood-based panel materials for compliance with European and international standards, and remains the only one in the country with such a broad scope of accreditation.
The CFL's arsenal includes unique equipment that allows for tests, including those that no one else in Belarus performs, noted Yuri Doylin. Thanks to the cohesive team of laboratory specialists, led by Ivan Groshev, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, the enterprise is effectively creating new knowledge in the field of product standardization and certification, and research is being conducted on the development of board products with new qualities.
Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by