How To Start A Business As A Woodpreneur With growing demands and trends in the industry, wood engineering as a profession will see a substantial rise

Starting any new business can always be tricky and comes with its own challenges. Every job or business requires hard work and a profound understanding of the industry and its environment. Besides strategizing and marketing, one's passion for their work is extremely essential for any level of success. Similarly, woodworking also requires immense dedication, passion, knowledge of wood along with experience which can only come with time.

Lessons To Start A Business In Wooden Industry:-

• Knowledge of wood, material and machinery – wood is a versatile product available in multiple species and has the ability to be used in different and unique ways. One must be well versed with the different machinery and tooling options for processing different woods.

• Skill Set- the wood industry is a skill-based profession as compared to other conventional professions. With the right knowledge and advances in technology (Machines & Tools) wood can be treated in many ways and it can be used across sectors such as automotive, packaging along with the usual interior and construction industry. So, the idea is to get the right training in woodworking before entering into it.

• Educating Customer- People are not aware of the whole wooden industry and also about the wood products and its application so woodworking is the solution or platform where the professional need to be experts who can then share an in-depth analysis of the industry.

Selection of the correct wood is imperative to the success of any wooden product. Wood, like any living thing, is accustomed to the climate it grows in. Hence, putting that wood in a different region will create complications and needs to be accounted for.

The average temperature in the Asia-pacific region is higher than the western world, thus hardwoods are used in this region. Wood reacts to variation in climatic conditions by expanding, contracting, cracking, etc. Therefore wood engineering is of paramount importance in order to counter the wood's reciprocation to the temperature. The wood in the Asia Pacific needs undivided attention and great care to ensure its durability.

Construction style in the Asia-Pacific region is focused on brick and mortar while in the western world, it is mainly drywall construction. Thus, the construction industry's requirements for wooden products greatly differ. Wooden door frames are a basic product seen in any home in south-east-Asia whereas the need for a door frame can be eliminated with drywall construction.

Wood is used extensively on the exterior of the houses in the western countries whereas, in Asia, the wood is mostly used in the interiors. Therefore, the demand for exotic/expensive species of wood is significantly higher in the Asia-pacific. These species are used to decorate the interiors of premium and luxury residences. Wood engineers are needed to ensure the optimal usage of these species and minimize any wastage of these expensive and exotic woods.

The modern wood industry of a region is influenced by the practices that have been followed for generations there. Thus, the current industry treats wood in different ways in different regions. The grading scale that is used in each country varies from country to country. These grading scales distinguish the top grade to the satisfactory quality of each specific species.

The wood industry follows an international standard FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) which means the wood used to make any product such as modular kitchen, tables etc are harvested from sustainable ecological wood. This wood doesn't have any adverse effect on our environment and ensures that deforestation is controlled.

Then there is Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification which is useful when you can't find FSC products. The Sustainable Forest Initiative is responsible for management of forest which includes:-

· Protecting ecosystems

· Illegal logging

· Cutting of trees and use of chemicals

Both the certification FSC and SFI were initiated back 90's with only one sole purpose which is to protect the trees and environment.

Even with an in-depth understanding of the industry, your entrepreneurial journey will still revolve around knowledge and passion for the wood. With growing demands and trends in the industry, wood engineering as a profession will see a substantial rise.