There are investors who venture into the industry to solve the waste disposal problem for their related wood industries and there are also investors who venture into the industry lured by the lucrative (only moderate) project paper from some machine vendors. In either case, the failure rate is very high as recorded in the present producing countries. The common problem faced by the manufacturers are lack of technical backup/know-how, marketing, unexpected financial investment and raw materials.
Those who have visited a similar industry will be convinced for his/her confidence at the first glance, unfortunately all manufacturers suffered from heavy losses when they first venture into the business. Even those who owns a similar plant when expanding into a new plant differently located, suffered from operation losses when the raw material changes. They take a long time, months or years perhaps, to perfect the operation. Those who are new to the industry, usually will takes many years to get the operation right. There is no complete researches done on the industry by any non-profit organisation, the know-how are developed in-house individually with trial and error method, a very expensive way of learning. Most give up their business when facing excessive unsolved technical problems and unexpected financial expenditure beyond their means.
Many investors are only quoted for the cost of the machineries (by vendors) without realising other expenditures such as kilns, infra structure, pollution control and other incidental cost that may cost three to fivefold of the initial machineries investment.
The market for the product has not appreciably increased since the last decade. Despite of that, the market is saturated at the moment by excessive supply with the increasing number of producers.
The author is not detering any enthusiastic venturer into the business, instead providing the true information to those who are eager to share the responsibility to preserve the green and at the same time make a moderate living for themselve. There are many successful producers who are enjoying their fruit after all their hard work and unpleasant experiences. Today they are even recognised for the status as "King Producer" for the product. This page in solely intended for the purpose of sharing experiences and highlighting the worst possibility in the industry you may avoid and the author has no desire to provide technical know-how or assistance in any form to anyone who are already/planned in the business. Good luck!!