Woodworking industry

Russia occupies one of the leading positions in timber reserves. Taking into account the qualitative and quantitative varieties of raw materials, an important place in the economy of the country is acquired by such a branch as the woodworking industry.

It is very difficult at least briefly to list all the products produced at its enterprises: matches, furniture, sleepers, wooden utensils, skis, musical instruments, lumber and much more. In short, the woodworking industry produces everything that can be obtained from wood through production or processing. These are glued plywood, fibreboard, various joiner's products , etc.

The wood industry of Russia has a long history. Its roots are from the time of subsistence farming. Gradually handicraft begins to grow into production. And already in the beginning of the 18th century the first enterprises appeared in the sphere of woodworking: sawmills, furniture factories, production of matches, etc.

In the USSR, the woodworking industry begins its active growth in the first five-year plan period . On the whole of its vast territory, enterprises are being set up, concentrating in the areas of the main raw materials bases, along the banks of large rivers and in the points of rafting. This is how gigantic factories were built in Yeniseysk, Karelia, the Far East, etc.

Today, the scientific approach is applied to the processing of wood, numerous scientific research institutes are being established that study the properties of wood, optimize the conditions for its storage, and develop new processing and drying technologies. A simple mechanical treatment is now completely replaced by chemico-mechanical treatment.

About a third of all wood produced in Russia is exported. In recent years, the government has been attempting to stimulate the deep processing of this raw material within the country, thereby achieving a reduction in the export of roundwood, an unprocessed forest. That is why export duties for each cubic meter have been increased several times.

And this policy soon gave its results. The woodworking industry is experiencing a new growth: domestic enterprises began processing the material, which should positively affect the country's economy: tax revenues are increasing, new jobs are created, etc.

The export of already processed sawn timber is growing, the main consumers of which are those countries that, due to their geographical location, do not have large forest reserves: China, Japan, Egypt, Iran, etc.

Along with paper pulp, the woodworking industry itself is a structural subdivision or branch of light industry.

The paper industry is the production of paper, cellulose, cardboard, and also products made from them.

This industry is quite material-intensive, because For one ton of cellulose, about 5-6 cubic meters of wood is needed. In addition, its production uses a lot of water. That's why the paper industry is located near large water sources.

They are mostly oriented in the European part of Russia. These are the Kondopoga and Serzhsky Combine in Karelia, Pravdinsky and Mari Pulp and Paper Mill and others.

Despite the fact that our country has the largest forest resource in the world - about 80 billion cubic meters, and its pulp and paper industry should be the locomotive of the economy, the technical condition of this industry, its specific weight on the farm leave much to be desired. For example, production capacity is used up to a maximum of 50%.

That is why the state is interested in the development of this industry, and the programs it develops are designed to stimulate its growth.