The story
Yamunanagar's timber trade began with logs floated down the Yamuna from the hills. When farmers in Haryana, Punjab and western UP planted poplar on farm boundaries from the 1980s, the town became the main buyer, and peeling, veneer and plywood units multiplied. Plywood from here goes to furniture makers and builders across India. Timber prices and wood supply now decide the cluster's profits.
In numbers
Yamunanagar has the highest market share, up to 48 to 50% of India's total plywood market.
Ply Reporter — Yamunanagar: Opportunities and Challenges Ahead · 2020There are around 350 plywood units in Yamunanagar with an annual turnover of ₹6,000–8,000 crore.
The Tribune — Plywood industry struggling hard for survival
Ways in for a newcomer
- Poplar sapling nurseries and farm-forestry contracts
- Trading plywood and doors to dealers in other states
- Making furniture or modular kitchen panels from local boards
- Resin, glue and hardware supply to plywood units
Problems the cluster faces
- High poplar prices and falling wood arrivals
- Licence limits on new wood-based units
- Pollution from boilers and resin
- Competition from MDF and particle board
Businesses to start here
Block Board and Flush Door Manufacturing →Wood Cutting (Sawing) Unit →Wooden Furniture Making →Computer Furniture (Tables and Chairs) →Plant Nursery (Fruit / Ornamental) →