Preferences of furniture manufacturers for using lightweight wood-based panels as eco-friendly products

Lightweight panels, as an eco-friendly element for furniture manufacturing, offer several potential market and production opportunities for many secondary woodworking companies. In this study, the perceptions of Iranian furniture manufacturers were evaluated by means of ANP-based multi-type questionnaires, regarding the conditions and requisite features of lightweight panels in furniture manufacturing. The ANP results revealed that product design, quality and price were effective sub-criteria for furniture manufacturers. The most important attributes for choosing panels during the manufacturing process were: lack of panel warping, product abundance in the market, and withdrawal resistance of connectors. Manufacturers indicated that they were aware of the advantages lightweight panels would bring them, but they were still in need of further persuasion concerning the quality and workability of lightweight panels. Combining lightweight and conventional panels for furniture manufacturing could lead to an increased interest in assuring furniture quality. In addition, further development of lightweight panels is necessary to increase the variation in the market.