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| Sunday, 15 May 2005 |
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Rice straws to build prefabricated houses by Hiran H. Senewiratne Australian based Ortech Industries (Pvt) Ltd, manufacturers of Durra panel and building systems has entered into an agreement with Diesel and Motor Engineering Company Limited (DIMO) to introduce the technology to Sri Lanka. Under this technology it will process rice straws found in paddy fields into versatile and durable construction panels for the construction industry, its Managing Director Derek Layfield told a media conference. Layfield who was on an official visit to Sri Lanka to explore business opportunities said that these panels could be used for any construction and general building purposes including residential, commercial and industrial. The company hopes to set up a manufacturing plant with a capacity to facilitate 15,000 tonnes of raw material to produce up to 756,000 M-2 of finished products per annum, Layfield said. He said it will take only four to five days to construct a house with this technology and is durable, time saving, sound insulated, environmental friendly and has strong fire strength ratings. DIMO Chief Executive Officer Ranjith Pandithage said that the plant could generate direct and indirect employment opportunities for approximately 1,000 people, which includes gathering and baling of straw, hauling, processing and conversion of finished panel products into building structures. He said the collection of rice straw fibre after harvest will generate immediate employment opportunities for many while increasing the income of rice farmers in the country. Pandithage said that the company intends to popularise this house- building concept in tsunami affected areas in the country. The company is planning to encourage rice farmers to sell their paddy straw to them without burning them, he said. Pandithage said the company expects to set up paddy straw collecting centres in rice paddy growing areas to manufacture these panels at a competitive price. Initially they will import panels from Australia until the factory is set up. The company will set up the factory between Hambantota and Ampara to
obtain raw materials easily. Ortech Industries was recently a part of a
consortium invited to travel to Sri Lanka with the Master Builders
Association of Australia and the Victorian State government. The company
recently set up a manufacturing plant in the United States of America under
an exclusive and licensing agreement, which is now a highly successful
project in Texas. |
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