Testing labs support forest-based and related industries

The country’s furniture, pulp and paper, and plywood industries have found a partner in their bid to make it in the world market – the FTL or FPRDI Testing Laboratories of the Department of Science and Technology’s Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI).

Certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) thru the Philippine Accreditation Bureau, the three laboratories (one each for furniture, pulp and paper, and plywood) conducted 1,394 tests for 515 customers last year, and earned an income of about P4.07 million.

According to the FTLs’ quality manager Adela Torres, “having products tested by an ISO-certified lab ensures our clients that they get consistently valid results, and gives them the credibility they need to access new markets overseas, maintain their presence in old markets, and meet the demands of certain government agencies.”

Customers who had their products assessed by an ISO certified lab no longer need to have them re-tested since the standards used by these facilities are globally recognized. This saves time and money for exporters.

“One of the FTLs’ long-time clients is the government’s Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service,” Torres said. “The service requires all its suppliers to submit samples of their paper products to DOST-FPRDI. Only those companies that pass the tests will qualify for public bidding. This centralized and direct purchase by the PS saves the government about 30 percent in the cost of its paper supplies.”

For furniture products, on the other hand, only firms that meet the FTL’s evaluation can take part in the public bidding process of the Department of Education.