Presentation
In March 1991 African Timber Guru Sarl was officially born. It is involved in logging, wood processing and trading. It started with 15 forestry employees under the itinerant management of one woman, Ngum Flora. The company acquires forests as a subcontractor, which enables it to produce 2,500 m3 of wood per month in the first year. It obtained its first sale of cut in 1992. That year, its turnover reached 250 million CFA francs by selling its production exclusively to the local market.
Today, African Timber Guru Sarl has 800 employees in its ranks, divided between the 7 farms it owns in the South Cameroon region (5 in its own right, 2 in partnership), the Ebolowa industrial sawmill and the Management, located in Douala. In 2017, the “ATG” produced 220,000 m3 of logs. Its turnover exceeds 16 billion CFA francs.
Below is a walkthrough on how we operate:
1) Exploitation
African Timber Guru (ATG) owns 5 Forest Management Units (UFA) located in the South Cameroon region. To these are added two other concessions, the fruit of a partnership.
Out of 352,534 hectares in area, approximately 10,500 hectares are harvested each year.
ATG produces an average of 18,000 m 3 of logs per month, 60% of which are processed in the Ebolowa sawmill. The remaining part is exported in the form of logs or delivered locally to partner companies. In 2017, ATG produced 220,146 m3 of wood.
2) Transport
39 trucks take care of delivering the logs either to the factory or to the ports of Douala and Kribi.
African Timber Guru has its own technical workshop in its premises in Bonapriso, and therefore ensures the systematic maintenance of the trucks between trips.
The Technical Department takes care of the logistics and the follow-up of the trucks in all the forestry sites as well as at the Ebolowa plant.
3) Transformation
ATG has 3 sawing lines in its Ebolowa sawmill, the last having been installed in June 2016. Its production capacity can thus reach 5000m3 of cuts per month. 80% is for export.
400 people work on the transformation of the 42 species of wood exploited. The wood is cut into planks or dried and planed to be ready for the construction of terraces, saunas…
ATG’s largest market is Asia, with Vietnam, India and China. Then comes Europe, with outlets in France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium. Finally, North America and the Middle East. The ATG achieves around 95% of its turnover from exports.
Competitive equipment
African Timber Guru has a 2nd transformation unit which allows the production of finished products such as decking boards (Deck) and planed S4S and E4E joists which serve as support for parquet floors, terraces, etc.
ATG also has six drying cells, three of which were commissioned in July 2016. The drying cells have a capacity of approximately 600 m 3 of KD (Kiln Dried) or cycle-dried wood, i.e. 1500 m 3 per month.
The sawmill has its own stuffing service before transport to the Autonomous Port of Douala. This provision helps to speed up the procedures for exporting and delivering customer orders.
4) Trading
On the international market, African Timber Guru (ATG) works with more than 120 companies, the main ones being:
- BATIPLUS
- EXOTIC TIMBER
- F JAMMES
- INTERHOLCO
- KNOW GLOBAL
- NHG TIMBER
- SANGIORGI LEGNAMI
- TIMBERLINK
- 3T TROPICAL TIMBER TRADING
- TRABOIS
- GIVE IT
- Etc…
The main buyers in the local market are:
- ALPICAM
- PROPALM
- SN COCAM
Wood Boards
Wood chips are small or mid-sized wood pieces that are formed by cutting wood slabs or logs into smaller pieces generally using a machine called a wood chipper.
