Abstract
To investigate condition factors for selecting of material source supplies, recognition of domestic
timber, and its competitiveness, a questionnaire was mailed to wood- and bamboo-based
product manufacturers in Taiwan. The results from 147 valid respondents showed that the main
purchase pathways of logs, lumber, veneer, plywood, and fiberboard were directly through importers
and agents; the pathway of charcoal and particle board was self-purchased domestic raw materials,
and pathways of chips were mainly by middlemen and retailers. When determining the wood
raw material supply, factors of “stability of supply”, “reasonable price”, and “sufficient supply
quantities” were important concerns. That means a stable material source is a ubiquitous concern
of manufacturers. However, the main reasons that manufacturers produce items using domestic
timber as material sources were to meet customers’ special needs and customization. Most respondents thought that significant obstacles to promoting domestic timber use were timber supply
sources and serious shortages. In addition, regarding the cognition of domestic timber, most manufacturers generally responded that “domestic timber sources and quantities are insufficient”, “three are logging prohibitions on domestic old-growth forests”, “annual logging amounts from domestic forests were controlled”, and “domestic timber has a relatively higher price”. However,
they disagreed with the following statement: “the quality of domestic timber is insufficient”.
Therefore, to increase domestic timber use, most manufacturers considered feasible strategies
such as “promoting timber as green products and connecting to governmental green priority procurement policies”, “building a domestic timber industry chain”, “promoting wood product certification”, and “developing diverse use of domestic timber” should be done by the concerned authorities.