Century Plyboards doubles MDF capacity at Badvel plant

Century Plyboards has doubled its Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) manufacturing capacity at its Badvel plant in Kadapa district from 900 cubic metres to 1,900 cubic metres, the company’s Executive Director Keshav Bhajanka, said in a release.

He said commercial dispatches from the expanded facility had commenced and that the project had generated employment for about 2,200 people.

The company is procuring raw material directly from farmers in the Badvel region and, to meet its future requirements, plans to promote plantation of plywood-grade trees in 80,000 acres over the next eight years. As part of the initiative, about 1,000 farmers have already been encouraged to take up plantations in 5,000 acres by supplying saplings at subsidised prices.

Mr. Bhajanka, who is also the vice-president of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, said the MDF capacity expansion had further strengthened Century Plyboards’ association with Andhra Pradesh and reflected the State’s growing attractiveness as an investment destination.

He appreciated the efforts of IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh in attracting investments to Andhra Pradesh, stating that his outreach to prospective investors in Kolkata and the support extended to companies considering investments in the State had been encouraging.