KUALA LUMPUR: Samling Timber Sdn Bhd (Samling) continued to be recognised for diversifying its operations that prioritise high value-added production mainly for the export market.
The company came through with its high utilisation of raw materials from plantations in its downstream production activities, which currently stands at 90 per cent.
Chief executive officer Lawrence Chia said the company aimed to achieve 100 per cent utilisation within two years.
This is after the company registered total export earnings of RM544 million in 2022 from diversification measures, which included RM42 million in furniture exports.
"We have an ambitious plan towards carbon neutrality in the next couple of years and to achieve zero waste in our production processes.
"Basically, not only do we utilise resources from our plantations in our downstream production of plywood, furniture, and kitchen cabinets, we even utilise residual wood from the plantations to produce wood pellets and to manufacture door skins, ensuring that nothing is wasted," he added.
The company's efforts to diversify its operations are aligned with the Sarawak state government's aspirations to develop the timber industry further and achieve a total annual export earnings target of RM8 billion by 2030.
This translates to 75 per cent of Sarawak's total furniture exports of RM57 million.
The achievement is in line with the Sarawak state government's aspirations to enhance the development of the timber industry and achieve targeted total annual export earnings of RM8 billion by 2030.
Sarawak also recently awarded Samling the 'Most Diversified and Value-Adding Timber Manufacturer' award through the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) in conjunction with its 50th anniversary celebrations.
Under its Post-Covid Development Strategy 2030, the state government is intensifying efforts to transform the timber industry into a high-value-added and income-generating sector by producing wood panels, engineered wood, furniture and bamboo products.