In El Tarf, Algeria, the first continuous wood-based materials production plant in North Africa is being built. The Bigstar subsidiary Panneaux d’Algérie had commissioned Dieffenbacher to build the complete MDF plant. The installation work is currently entering the decisive phase. The first board is to be produced in August 2020.

The complete plant project includes all the trades from the woodyard and the “CPS+” continuous press to the short-cycle press for coating the finished boards. The plant concept is specially designed for smaller capacities. This shows that the “CPS+” is also suitable as an ideal entry-level system for newcomers to the wood-based panel market and, as an economical alternative, can easily replace older single or multi-daylight presses in existing plants with smaller capacities.

Guelai Mohamed Chiheb, CEO at Bigstar, is extremely satisfied with the project schedule: “The cooperation with Dieffenbacher has worked excellently right from the start. We have been confirmed 100 percent in our confidence in the company and especially in its employees”. Looking ahead to the next few months, he adds: “There is still a lot of work ahead of us, but we can’t wait to start production. With our new Dieffenbacher line, we will be able to offer our customers high-quality MDF panels at fair prices”.

Dieffenbacher’s concepts, which are precisely tailored to the needs of African wood-based material manufacturers, also impressed Ghamoud, also from Algeria, and the Egyptian Egypt Kuwait Holding subsidiary Nile Wood, among others. Ghamoud ordered a complete particleboard line from Dieffenbacher in October 2019. The project – similar to BIGSTAR/Panneaux d’Algérie – is being implemented together with the Chinese Dieffenbacher subsidiary Shanghai Wood-based Panel Machinery (SWPM). The order from Nile Wood dates back to 2018 and the complete MDF system will be supplied by Dieffenbacher headquarters in Eppingen. Nile Wood will use around 70 percent locally grown wood as raw material.

In order to overcome the shortage of wood in some regions of Africa, Dieffenbacher offers various solutions for using alternative raw materials in panel production. These include rice, millet and wheat straw, which would otherwise be largely burned in the fields. Processing them into material boards also makes a major contribution to environmental and climate protection. Jute and cotton stalks, palm fronds, bamboo and bagasse – a waste product of sugar cane – are other common substitutes for which Dieffenbacher provides its customers with plant concepts. In addition, the company also develops customized solutions for other fast-growing woods and annual plants.