STC to meet increased demand for wall panelling, sawn timber

The production of wall panelling and sawn timber will be increased sharply by the State Timber Corporation (STC) to meet the demand of the housing and construction sector.

The production of wall panelling and sawn timber increased by 42% and 21% last year compared to 2005.

STC chairman S.A. Premaratna, an attorney-at-law said that there is a huge demand for panelling from house builders who prefer panelling walls, ceilings and wooden floors. "A large number of condominium housing complexes and development projects have been set up during the past few months. The STC has a duty to supply them with quality timber at reasonable prices, he said.

According to the chairman, the sale of small scale timber logs of teak, mahogany, palu and weera will be stopped in the near future. Those logs will be used to produce panelling. Already the sale of small scale micro, grandees and Kumbuk logs have been stopped.

At present a committee appointed by the chairman to study and prepare an action on panelling is now putting the final touches to their report.

The chairman said that there is a big demand for Sri Lankan traditional furniture - antique furniture in the export market. The production of such furniture commenced in the southern province and an "STC export furniture showroom" will be opened at Boossa before the end of August this year, he said.

The furniture manufactured at the three furniture factories at Ampara, Kaldemulla and Thalalla, worth Rs. 48.2 million were supplied mainly to government institutions last year. At present STC has thirteen regional offices and sixteen saw mills all over the island. A modernisation scheme for saw mills is being implemented and Keppetipola, Boralanda, Dale and Ampara mills have been modernised.

The State Timber Corporation which was incorporated in 1968 is the only state institution authorised to use state owned forests in Sri Lanka. It handles the felling and thinning of government forests land.

The STC is one of the few profit earning government corporations which paid Rs. 1031112365 as stumpage, BTT, GST and VAT to the treasury and government institutions in 2006. It is the major supplier of transmission poles to the Ceylon Electricity Board and the major supplier of sleepers to the Railway department.

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