Agência Sebrae*
Cuiabá – Environmental management at a furniture industry may represent a great benefit to the company and also to the environment. This is the experience of Mauro Feronato, chairman of the Furniture Industry Union of Northern Mato Grosso, and owner of Móveis Amazônia furniture factory, based in the city of Alta Floresta (in the midwestern Brazilian state of Mato Grosso), 800 kilometres away from state capital Cuiabá.
"Out of every two cubic metres that we used to discard, we now make use of pieces with volumes as small as 10 cubic centimetres, representing a great economy and environmental benefit," pointed out Feronato, who, since January, practices environmental management at his furniture factory using the discarded wood.
Feronato uses a milling cutter and one of the bits of a mortiser (equipment used for fitting the wood when it is cut), making it possible to use their tips – which are fitted and glued to each other and used in furniture production.
According to the businessman, the cubic metre in Alta Floresta costs between 600 Brazilian reals (US$ 355) and 900 reals (US$ 535) depending on the wood used, Teak, Marupa or Angelim. He adds that one cubic metre can be used to produce three wardrobes and up to 20 beds.
The first wardrobes produced using the technique developed by the factory were put on the market in January and, according to the businessman, 20 units have already been sold. Although the cost is smaller for producers, the retail price remains the same, between 500 reals (US$ 300) and 1,200 reals (US$ 710), due to the more intensive labour required.
"This way of making furniture is still new, it is in the acceptance phase, so the technique is used for the inside parts, like drawers," he explained. "It is the job of the partners to decide whether they will help the environment and reduce company expenses or not," he added.
The idea for the project was elaborated in 2007 by the micro-company after meeting with the Mato Grosso state branch of the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae).
*Translated by Mark Ament
