Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) industry in Malaysia / Mohd Iznil Mohammad

Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) is one of the wood product that produces by the plywood mills. Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) is a layered composite of wood veneers and adhesive. It is made by laminating wood veneer with wood grain running in the same direction. LVL is made up of parallel laminations of veneer, glued and processed together to form material of thickness similar to sawn timber. The difference between LVL and plywood is the orientation of the veneer layers. This study was conducted to know about the raw materials and wood species that can be used to produce LVL such as Sesenduk, Pulai, Terentang and Kembang semangkuk. In addition, tests and studies are made on some plantation specieses such as Acacia mangium, Gmelina arborea, Eucalyptus deglupta, Paraserianthes falcataria and Heaveawood have shown that these species are also can be use to produce LVL. From the study, LVL has an advantage compared to Stress Graded Sawn Timber and Glulam based on it properties such as bending strength, shearing strength and MOE (Modulus of Elasticity). From this overview study, LVL has a relationship with plywood especially their mills. Total number of plywood mill/veneer declined from 39 in 1990 to 34 in 1999. Nevertheless, in the 1994 the plywood mills increase to 44 and declined to 42 in 1995. From the overview or study, according to Malaysia Timber Industry Board (MTIB), LVL in Malaysia is not exported as a wood base panel product. LVL is export in form of finish products such as parts and components of furniture. The process on how to produce LVL is almost similar to Plywood based on the facilities, machine and raw materials.