Woodworking Industry

Such raw material reserves contribute to the extensive development of the woodworking industry in the country.

About 50 Belarus’ largest producers of important wood and paper commodities make part of the country’s timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom, which coordinates the development of the national timber industry. Enterprises affiliated with Bellesbumprom represent the country’s three sectors: woodworking, furniture, and pulp and paper.

The industrial policy of Bellesbumprom and the country's forestry sector relies on the country’s own wood resources and seeks to ensure their rational, highly efficient use. The strategic goal of the industry is to process raw materials inside the country and to sell high value added products.

This can be achieved only through the assimilation of new technologies and the launch of advanced highly-efficient  production facilities.

In 2007, the head of state made a decision to upgrade Bellesbumprom’s major woodworking enterprises and to set up new advanced production facilities that will manufacture innovative and import-substituting products.

The state has invested more than $4 billion in the sector. The enterprises themselves also contributed to their technical re-equipment. Bellesbumprom companies were fitted with the equipment of the world's leading manufacturers. This enabled them to launch the production of a wide range of goods.

Virtually the entire lineup represents both import-substituting and also export-oriented products.

The lineup of products made by Bellesbumprom enterprises has doubled following the upgrade to include more than 80 commodities.

Bellesbumprom is the largest furniture manufacturer in Belarus. Over 70% of furniture made in the country is exported.

Thanks to technical revamp and the launch of new production facilities, Bellesbumprom enterprises have significantly expanded the geography of their exports. Today they sell to 70 countries.

The commissioning of new upgraded woodworking complexes has considerably increased the capabilities of domestic furniture manufacturers. Thanks to domestic materials such as wood boards (chipboard, fiberboard), furniture producers started making cost-effective furniture demanded on the market. The number of furniture manufacturers in Belarus is about 1,300 companies today.

Speaking about the economic benefits of the modernization, it should be noted that the upgraded companies ramped up the production more than 10 times from 2010 to 2020. The raw material processing depth reached almost 93% in 2019. This shows that Bellesbumprom enterprises have reached almost zero waste production. The companies receive energy from their own energy generation centers built as part of the modernization project (the share of wood fuel used in woodworking is over 95%).

At present, Bellesbumprom continues several more investment projects in pulp and paper production.

The industry has a huge potential for development. The demand for paper, cardboard and woodworking products is growing worldwide. Today the world is switching to eco-friendly packaging and Belarus has all the chances to win good positions in this promising sector.