Particle board is defined as a panel product manufactured from lignocellulosic materials, primarily in the form of discrete particles, combined with a synthetic resin or other suitable binder and bonded together under heat and pressure. The primary difference between particle board and other reconstituted wood products, such as wafer board, oriented strand board, medium density fiber board, and hard board, is the material or particles used in its production. The major types of particles used to manufacture particle board include wood shavings, flakes, wafers, chips, sawdust, strands, slivers, and wood wool. The term particle board sometimes is used generically to include wafer board and oriented strand board, which are manufactured primarily with wood flakes and wafers. However, for the purposes of this report, particle board pertains only to panels manufactured from a mixture of wood particles or otherwise from wood particles other than wafers and flakes.
Particle board provide an ideal base for a wide variety of surface treatments. Apart from clear finishes and paints these include wood veneers, high and low pressure laminates, papers, PVC film and fabrics. Particle board is cheaper, denser and more uniform than conventional wood and plywood and is substituted for them when appearance and strength are less important than cost. However, particle board can be made more attractive by painting or the use of wood veneers onto surfaces that will be visible. Though it is denser than conventional wood, it is the lightest and weakest type of fiberboard, except for insulation board. Medium-density fiber board and hardboard, also called high-density fiberboard, are stronger and denser than particle board.
Few Indian Major Players are as under
• Archidply Industries Ltd.
• Bajaj Eco-Tec Products Ltd.
• Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar Ltd.
• Century Plyboards (India) Ltd.
• Ecoboard Industries Ltd.
• Feroke Boards Ltd.
• Genus Paper Products Ltd.
• Kitply Industries Ltd.
• Madras Chipboard Ltd.
• N C L Industries Ltd.
• Rushil Decor Ltd.
• Shirdi Industries Ltd.
• Western India Plywoods Ltd.