IPB and ULM Design the Future of Oil Palm Trunks – Unveiling Their Astonishing Economic Potential

The potential of oil palm trunks (OPT) as a sustainable industrial resource with high economic value is once again in the spotlight. IPB University, in collaboration with Wageningen University (Netherlands) and Lambung Mangkurat University, held a workshop titled “From Waste to Wealth: Sustainable and Profitable Utilisation of Oil Palm Trunks” at the IPB International Convention Center, Bogor, last Monday.

This event is part of the Indonesia–Netherlands collaborative program SustainPalm, which aims to advance environmentally friendly oil palm plantation practices that deliver social benefits while supporting regional economic growth.

The workshop was officially opened by Iskandar Siregar, Vice Rector for Global Connectivity, Collaboration, and Alumni Affairs at IPB University, who also serves on the Executive Board of SustainPalm.

He stated that the forum brings together researchers, industry players, associations, and stakeholders to discuss the potential of utilizing OPT as an alternative raw material for the furniture and light construction industries—reducing reliance on conventional hardwood.

“The discussion focused on OPT availability, drying and densification technologies, economic added value, and the challenges of standardization and product commercialization,” Iskandar explained in a written statement on Sunday (Jan 27).

Iskandar further noted that the Indonesian Furniture and Craft Industry Association (HIMKI), in its presentation, emphasized the crucial need for raw material availability in the sector. The furniture industry, he said, requires around 12 million cubic meters of roundwood and 67 thousand tons of rattan annually.

“HIMKI hopes that research findings on OPT can soon be implemented as a concrete solution to the increasingly pressing raw material deficit,” Iskandar added.

During a session featuring industry representatives, Malaysia’s green technology company Weng Meng Greentech Sdn Bhd shared its success story in processing oil palm trunks into door materials for export to various countries. The main challenges faced, they said, are maintaining material stability and addressing the natural variability of OPT—issues that demand technological innovation and deep material understanding.

Mojtaba Soltani of Weng Meng Greentech Malaysia highlighted Indonesia’s vast potential: “This is a paradise of raw materials. In other countries, like those in the Arab region, planting even a small tree comes at a high cost,” he said.

Here in Indonesia, Mojtaba added, nature provides an abundant supply of oil palm trunks.

“This is a high-value raw material that deserves attention and joint investment. The key now is collaboration among academia, industry, and government to transform this sustainable opportunity into commercial reality,” he emphasized.

Echoing this, Wolter Elbersen, a bio-based economy expert from Wageningen University, remarked, “The potential of oil palm trunks is not only about availability, but also about the opportunity to build a circular green industry that supports rural economies and reduces waste. We need an integrated value chain approach—from plantation to product—backed by research, policy, and investment.”

The workshop also featured a roundtable discussion moderated by Dr. Lukmanul Hakim Zaidi from the Department of Forest Products Technology, IPB University. The discussion aimed to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to using OPT as an alternative raw material in the furniture and light construction sectors.

The event concluded with a set of formulated recommendations, coordinated by Prof. Arya Hadi Dharmawan of IPB University.

Key recommendations included the development of efficient and affordable logistics infrastructure, investment in processing technologies to improve OPT product quality, the establishment of credible sustainability standards and certification systems, and the implementation of consistent government policies and incentives. Additionally, a product design competition themed “From Waste to Wealth: Unlocking the Potential of OPT” was launched during the event.

Source: https://www.indonesiaupdate.id/2025/04/27/ipb-ulm-rancang-masa-depan-batang-sawit-potensi-ekonominya-mencengangkan/