Conforce International Inc. (fka CFRI)

[charhorse]

Hamburg Sud Group

http://www.hamburg-sued.com/group/en/corporatehome/qualityenvironment/containerlogistics/drycontainers/drycontainers.html

Following extensive series of trials – which aimed at high quality, sustainability and economic viabilityin equal measure – Hamburg Süd has decided in favour of bamboo as the alternative.Unlike wood, bamboo does not require reforestation. The reason is that the root system remains inthe ground when bamboo is harvested, and newstems grow back in just four years.In advance of this decision, we sought out suppliers of bamboo floors and inspected their productionsites. In the process we found that expertise in working with bamboo is widespread in China.

The production method is as follows: First, the bamboo stems are split and cut into thin strips. Then the workers bind the strips together to form mats and compress several layers into large sheets with the application of heat.

Our firm target for the use of bamboo is to have an average of at least 80 per cent of our container newbuildings delivered with bamboo floors by 2015, at the latest. We are confident of hitting this target because we surpassed the 50 per cent mark for the first time in 2012. In concrete figures this means that, of our newly ordered 51,000 TEU standard containers, 39,000 had bamboo floors.