TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY MODEL BAMBOO TOOTHPICKS MANUFACTURING UNIT

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TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY MODELBAMBOO
TOOTHPICKS MANUFACTURING UNIT

• INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR BAMBOO AND RATTAN

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Why bamboo?

• Bamboos grow more rapidly than trees and start to
  yield within three or four years of planting.
• Plantation establishment requires minimal capital
  investment and builds upon the inherent
  plant-cultivation skills of local farmers and
  foresters.
• Bamboos can be harvested annually and
  non-destructively.
• Bamboos are excellent for rejuvenating degraded
  lands and protecting against soil erosion.
• Bamboos may easily be intercropped with
  shallow-rooted crops.
• As well as the culms, all other parts of the
  bamboo plant can be used in rural livelihoods -
  shoots for food, leaves for fodder, and branches
  for items such as brooms and for firewood.

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Why make toothpicks from bamboo?

• Bamboo wood is ideal for making toothpicks as it
  is relatively soft. Toothpicks are low-value
  products and the additional value imparted by
  processing into toothpicks is less than for many
  other products, such as woven items or flooring
  boards. The relatively cheap bamboo wood is
  therefore ideal.
• The market for toothpicks is very large and they
  are widely used throughout the world.
• Substituting bamboo wood for tree-wood is
  environmentally desirable and can help reduce the
  pressure on timber forests.

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How are toothpicks produced?

• 1. Bamboos are split 2. Splits are further split
  3. Rods are dried
• into thin splits into 2mm-diameter
  rods in the sun
• 
  
• 4. Rods are cut to length 5. The ends are
  6. Toothpicks are
• sharpened packaged for
  sale

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Requirements for success

• Sustained supply of bamboos suitable for
  toothpick production. Species with long
  internodes are preferred.
• Some technically-trained personnel to manage and
  maintain the unit.
• Start up capital.
• Access to markets and an innovative approach to
  packaging and marketing.

Photo End-sharpening machine
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Financial aspects of establishing a toothpick
manufacturing unit

• Capital costs for machines 13, 000
• Other start up costs 12 - 17, 000
• TOTAL 25, - 30, 000

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For further information

• See
• TOTEMs
• Bamboo toothpicks TOTEM
• Splitting and slivering unit TOTEM
• Website
• INBAR yellow pages for machinery
• manufacturers.
• http//www.inbar.int/yellowpages/default.asp

• Contact
• INBAR, Beijing 100101-80, China
• Bamboo Engineering and Research Centre, Nanjing
  Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu province,
  210037, China