Other wood products
Wood for the packaging industry
The majority of the timber consumed by manufacturers is used for wood packaging. 17% of the timber produced by sawmills is supplied to the packaging industry. Pallets, pallet collars and cable drums are major products, along with crates for various purposes and quality needs.
Fig. 96 Examples of wood packaging
Wood packaging is a common way to protect goods in transit, using either standardised pallets or cable drums, or bespoke packaging solutions.
Insulation material
Wood has a long history of use as thermal insulation in buildings. Traditional fillings, such as wood shavings or sawdust have many good properties, including serving as a moisture buffer due to the hygroscopic properties of wood. Today’s equivalent is loose-fill cellulose insulation, made from either wood fibre or newsprint. The material has good thermal insulation properties and can be treated to resist both fire and microbial growth. Breathable soft fibreboard can also be used as sheet insulation.
Fig. 97 Loose-fill insulation with cellulose fibre