The economic survival of certified companies in the Congo Basin and in the field depends on the sustainability of the concession model under responsible (sustainable) management according to the FSC® standards. Standards and technical justifications increasingly force the timber market. A promotional process undertaken by the CBG for five years has shown that Gombé has solid potential.
To this end, several specific objectives have been defined to frame the action strategically:
• Facilitate the marketing of Gombé, from sustainably managed forests and the resource of which is guaranteed in quantity and renewability.
• Communicate to manufacturers and consumers the real properties of Gombé;
• Improve the marketing approach of this material.
Therefore, the trade of this species can only increase if it is accompanied by optimized data on its characteristics, attested by recognized laboratories, or through use tests on which manufacturers can rely, in complete confidence.
• CIRAD (Center for International Cooperation in Agronomic Research for Development) is an organization that works on the characterization of forest species undertaken by the CTFT (Centre Technique Forestier Tropical) since 1924. It has a very rich and diversified database and recognized experts and consistent laboratory equipment. CIRAD will therefore carry out comparative tests between the three species.
• FCBA is the Industrial Technical Center for Wood in France. It contains the BNBA (Office for Standardization of Wood and Furniture), which sits on all European and international standardization committees. In this sense, it has equipped itself with suitable laboratory equipment to grant approvals or certifications specific to certain uses and internationally recognized. According to the XP CENT / TS 13307-2 standard, this laboratory will perform bonding tests to verify the suitability of Gombé for CTB LCA bonding certification.
• SHR laboratory (Stichting Hout Research) is engaged in applied scientific research on the use of wood and its transformation into other materials and products. In particular, it carries out tests allowing the SHK to grant KOMO certification for industrially bonded wooden elements based on the BRL - ERM 4000 / URL Historic carpentry 4001 standards.
• To finish, Termolegno has been assisting manufacturers located in more than 60 countries since 1994. It is specialized in the design, production, and installation of drying machines, vaporization, and heat treatment. Termolegno company is recognized worldwide as one of the largest manufacturers of dryers for the primary timber industry. This company will carry out drying tests.
By seeking to guarantee the economic viability of Gombé, the proposed activities aim at perpetuating the sustainable forest management system set up by CBG. This also implies securing jobs and socio-environmental benefits associated with these activities.
The promotion of an abundant tropical species at a modest (humble?) cost can also lead to developing a local processing sector.