Jhada Shao
ADRIANA SANTACRUZ
Reguis Suncion
Bianca Grobe
Santiago Salinas
Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL
Jorge Rodriguez Rodriguez
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Resumen
Baú Madeiras es una empresa que se desarrolló a partir de la actividad maderera y se dedica a producir madera aserrada y otros productos de construcción. La empresa se dio cuenta de que gran parte de su materia prima se desperdiciaba durante la fabricación de tableros de madera, generando una gran cantidad de residuos insostenibles.
En una entrevista realizada a Auri Marcel Baú, propietario de Baú Madeiras explico explicó cómo más del 70% de la materia prima original se convertía en desperdicio durante la fabricación de productos madereros. Esta situación llevó a la idea de convertir los residuos en un producto energético eficiente y encontrar un destino económicamente sostenible. La solución fue fabricar gránulos de madera (pellets), un biocombustible granulado y ecológicamente sostenible.
El impacto general de la empresa ha sido significativo, la incorporación de la línea de producción de pellets permitió a Baú Madeiras diversificar sus fuentes de ingresos, fortalecer su posición económica, contribuir a la no deforestación de árboles mediante la reforestación con pino reforestado y aprovechar el creciente mercado de energías renovables.
La empresa ha logrado expandir su alcance al mercado europeo a través de exportaciones. Además, que la producción de pellets contribuye a la conservación de los bosques y la reducción de la deforestación, promoviendo prácticas más sostenibles y responsables con el medio ambiente.
En términos de beneficios ambientales, la producción de pellets de Bau Madeiras ha contribuido al uso sostenible de los recursos forestales, promoviendo los ODS 11 y 13. Ofrecen una fuente de energía limpia y renovable, según el propietario “La empresa fabrica pellets de primera calidad, donde la ceniza generada por la combustión debe ser como máximo el 0,7% de la masa del producto. Es decir, 15 kg de pellet generan 100 g de ceniza”. Además, se ha logrado diversificar la matriz energética (ODS 7) y ha tenido un impacto positivo en la gestión sostenible de los desechos, contribuyendo al ODS 12.
Baú Madeiras se ha convertido en una referencia en el mercado de pellets de madera, con una perspectiva audaz y una estrategia planificada que ha llevado al crecimiento económico y al desarrollo de la comunidad local. Su enfoque en la sostenibilidad y la producción de energía renovable ha generado un impacto positivo tanto a nivel económico como medioambiental, posicionándolos como un actor relevante en el mercado global de pellets.
Summary
Baú Madeiras is a company that develops lumber activity and is dedicated to producing sawn timber and other construction products. The company realized that much of its raw material was wasted during the manufacturing of wood panels, creating a large amount of unsustainable waste.
In an interview with Auri Marcel Baú, owner of Baú Madeiras, he explained how more than 70% of the original raw material became wasted during the manufacture of wood products. This situation led to the idea of turning waste into an efficient energy product and finding an economically sustainable destination. The solution was to manufacture wood granules (pellets), an ecologically sustainable granulated biofuel.
The general impact of the company has been significant. The incorporation of the pellet production line allowed Baú Madeiras to diversify its sources of income, strengthen its economic position, contribute to the non-deforestation of trees through reforestation with reforested pine and take advantage of the growing market for renewable energy.
The company has managed to expand its reach on the European market through exports. In addition, the production of pellets contributes to the conservation of forests and the reduction of deforestation, promoting more sustainable and responsible practices for the environment.
In terms of environmental benefits, the production of Bau Madeiras pellets has contributed to the sustainable use of forest resources, promoting SDGs 11 and 13. They offer a clean and renewable source of energy. According to the owner “The company manufactures top quality pellets, where the ash generated by combustion must be a maximum of 0.7% of the mass of the product. In other words, 15 kg of pellets generate 100 g of ash”. In addition, the energy matrix has been diversified (SDG 7) and has had a positive impact on sustainable waste management, contributing to SDG 12.
Baú Madeiras has become a reference in the wood pellet market, with a bold perspective and a planned strategy that has led to economic growth and development of the local community. Their focus on sustainability and the production of renewable energy has generated a positive impact both economically and environmentally, positioning them as a relevant player in the global pellet market.
In an interview with Auri Marcel Baú, owner of Baú Madeiras, he explained how more than 70% of the original raw material became wasted during the manufacture of wood products. This situation led to the idea of turning waste into an efficient energy product and finding an economically sustainable destination. The solution was to manufacture wood granules (pellets), an ecologically sustainable granulated biofuel.
Baú Madeiras developed through the logging activity, which due to the various pauses during its production process, generates a large amount of waste. According to the owner, around 70% of the original raw material ends up being discarded during the manufacturing of the boards, often in an unsustainable way. “With this account here, we thought: ‘But our factory is a waste factory, not a product factory! What are we going to do to improve the yield, without increasing the volume of raw material?', the solution was obvious: let's improve the yield of the residue.”
However, it was not enough to find some destination for the waste, it also had to be in such a way that it could bring an economic return to the company. Above all, it needed to be a sustainable product that did not generate more material for disposal and they arrived at the solution: granules.
The current management structure of Baú Madeiras is focused on achieving even better results for future times. After some time having manufactured wooden boxes and toys, they made improvements to the company, making it more modern and focused on the exploitation of reforested pine wood. Wood has a significant impact on the environment.
Today the company's production is aimed at providing supplies of certified processed wood in the forms of jambs, panels, sawn timber, and pellets. As Auri mentions: “The company has FSC forest certification; also the certification of the company in chain of custody, which uses products from forests with traceability... our clients know that it came from a managed forest and was processed within a company with traceability to deliver it with a certified forest and follow-up. In addition, there is the pellet certificate that is very specific to the product, it is the ENplus.”
The pellets have a great impact since they are a granulated biofuel, based on crushed and compacted vegetable biomass at high pressure. Therefore, it becomes a dense product, with high calorific value, good mechanical resistance, and low ash emission. The main source of raw material for the manufacturing of pellets comes from forestry, with the reuse of low-value by-products derived from the wood transformation process, which makes pellets an alternative source of ecologically sustainable fuel.
The world is seeking to reduce CO2 emissions released by companies and inhabitants of all countries. It is for this reason that different governments are promoting new measures for the use of biofuels. The growing trend of wood pellet consumption in the world is due to the increase in the use of renewable energy, either for heating or electricity generation. However, with the pressure for the use of renewable energy sources, coming from countries like Germany, Austria, Holland, Denmark and Italy, there was a considerable increase in the international production of wood pellets, mainly due to European consumption.
The wood pellets produced by Baú Madeiras are made from vegetable biomass, that is, from the cleaning of forests and residues from the wood industry. In this sense, the production of wood pellets is ecological and sustainable, and the final product can offer a high calorific value (more than double that of firewood and charcoal), low humidity, low smoke emission and high performance.
According to the World Bioenergy Association, wood pellets have the potential to replace coal in power generation facilities. With technological development in recent years, wood pellets have undergone thermal enhancement through various processes such as roasting, hydrothermal carbonization, and steam explosion. Thermal upgrading allows wood pellets to act as a fuel with carbon properties. The Asia-Pacific region with the largest number of coal-fired power plants in the world is expected to be an opportunity for the market to grow soon.
Baú Madeiras has alternative solutions for different industrial sectors. Its line of wood pellets has an eye on renewable energy and is committed to biomass as a sustainable energy source.
The introduction of the pellet production line has been a significant milestone for Baú Medeiras since it has allowed them to diversify their sources of income remarkably. Prior to this addition, the company was primarily focused on the production and sale of wood products. However, by starting to manufacture and market pellets, new doors were opened to the growing energy market. This strategic approach has strengthened its economic position and has generated several promising business opportunities.
The pellet market has experienced impressive exponential growth due to its attractiveness as a low-cost and renewable energy source. The pellets produced by Baú Madeiras stand out for their high efficiency and low ash levels, which makes them a highly valued option among consumers. This growing demand has been a key factor in significantly improving the profitability of the company, generating a positive economic return in a brief period.
In addition to the economic benefit, the manufacture of pellets has had a positive impact on the use of the company's forest resources. By converting a greater proportion of wood into high-value products, they achieve a more efficient use of its raw material. This not only reduces the amount of waste generated, but also helps to avoid unnecessary felling of trees, thus promoting more sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.
The success of Baú Madeiras has not been limited only to the local market in Brazil. With a bold vision and a well-planned strategy, the company has managed to expand its reach beyond national borders and has successfully entered the European market. Exports to retailers in Europe have provided exciting new business opportunities, further driving the company's economic growth, and reinforcing its position as a major player in the global pellet market.
In addition to the purpose of disposing of waste responsibly, the impetus behind the construction of the pellet mill was based on several motivations. Among them, the improvement in the company's profitability by the optimization and use of its raw material, which implied a significant cost from planting to production, and the search for more sustainable practices for the use of the forest and land stand out.
The impact of the pellet mill was notable both inside and outside the company. Internally, the change in mentality towards waste led to treating it more responsibly, ceasing to consider it a problem and turning it into part of the solution. At the regional level, the factory's entry into the market caused a significant increase in the price of raw materials in the region, since waste that was previously sold at a low price now has a higher market value.
The construction of the factory implied a growth in the structure of the company, including the implementation of two sheds, spaces to store waste, silos, hoppers, a loader, a forklift, and the factory itself. Although the factory is highly automated, it has allowed the creation of employment for eight people, which has contributed to economic and social development in the region.
Sustainability is one of the priorities of Baú Madeiras, the generation of energy and the transformation of waste into biomass.
As Marcelo mentions in his interview: “you begin to treat your waste more responsibly. You stop seeing your waste as a problem and end up thinking that it is part of the solution.”
The production of pellets has several social and environmental benefits:
• The reduction of deforestation allows reducing the pressure on the deforestation of natural forests, since wood residues are used. It is important to emphasize that forest crops are used for this purpose. Therefore, it contributes to the conservation of forests and biodiversity, focusing on SDG 15.
• Renewable energy and emission reduction. Pellets are a renewable and sustainable energy source. Their combustion makes it possible to produce heat or electricity with a low emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), which helps to reduce the carbon footprint and mitigate climate change, focusing on SDGs 11 and 13.
• Generation of local employment, the production of pellets promotes the creation of employment in rural or forest areas, providing job opportunities in the forestry industry, contributing to SDG 8.
• Social economic development promotes the development of communities that depend on forestry and the forestry industry, increasing added value to wood waste, creating new opportunities, and contributing to SDG 1.
• Waste reduction and waste management, makes it possible to effectively manage wood waste and other biomass materials, reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and contributes to sustainable management. SDG 12
Pellet processing has a positive impact on the local economy, environmental sustainability, and people's quality of life by providing a clean and renewable source of energy, while fostering the socio-economic development of communities.
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Auri Marcel Baú, Owner
Baú Madeiras is a family business, founded in 1951 by Mr. Hilário Baúand was initially called Hilário Baú & Cia Ltda. It is dedicated to the exploitation of native forests, producing rough sawn wood of various species, as well as floors, cladding, walls, and angles for civil construction.
The company covers all the productive chains through associated companies, from the preparation of the land with planting of seedlings, growth, processing, and reuse.
ENERBAU is a recent branch of Baú Madeiras, with only 12 months of history, it is already considered by its importers as the best pellet in Brazil. ENERBAU has already produced more than 8,000,000 kg of pellets. The production of this material is the result of all the residues that remains from the wood transformation process.
The group's current management configuration is focused on achieving even better results for the coming years, in the face of an increasingly global and competitive market. Currently, the extraction of planted forests represents 100% of the production, allocating its products to American and European civil engineering.
Currently, the production of this company is destined for the foreign market, with the supply of processed wood in the form of jambs, panels, sawn wood, and pellets.