The structure and problems of Turkey?s wood veneer and plywood industry, and solution proposals

In this study, the number of firms, their manufacture capacities and capacity utilization rates, and structural properties like manufacture, foreign trade and employment were analysed for those two sectors. Besides, the problems of these sectors were investigated, and solution proposals were made. A SWOT analysis was also made for these sectors. For this purpose, the executed questionnaire was applied to these firms by face-to-face method. In the commercial classification, veneers were identified with 4408, and plywoods with 4412 GTIP codes, and were detailed by 12 digits expansions. It was found that, 70 firms (27 in veneer and 43 in plywood sectors) operate in the sector and most of the firms (64,4%) were placed in Marmara Region. The annual capacity was found to be 110 million m2 and the annual production was found to be 75 million m2 in the veneer industry. These amounts were found to be 191 000 m3 and 158 512 m3 respectively for the plywood industry. Capacity utilization rates were determined as 69% in veneer and 83% in plywood industries. Small scale firms operate with a rate of 65% in both sectors. 60% of the firms in veneer industry defined that they have been making factory type production, whereas this rate was found to be 72% in plywood industry. It was determined that 66% of the total production in veneer was supplied by small and medium scale firms, whereas this rate was found to be 72% in plywood. Problems in accessing raw material, lack of qualified staff and financing were determined as the main problems of these sectors.