Greenpanel MDF Growing Popularity

While the MDF is a highly used board in international markets, there is less awareness of its usage and benefits in India as it is a relatively new generation product here. Shekhar Sati, President - Sales (MDF & Flooring), Greenpanel Industries, is confident that there is a great potential for this product in India and foresees exponential growth and acceptance of MDF boards in the coming years

Uses, benefits and aesthetics
MDF is a high-density product as compared to the particle board and even plywood, with density ranging from 750-850 kg/M3, which makes it an extremely durable product. It has a high screw holding capacity, and great load bearing capacity as well.


MDF offers ease of application since it is very versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes such as for wall panelling, toy manufacturing, carving handicrafts and more. It can be carved, laser cut, and machined to achieve intricate designs with minimal wastage. The end-product achieved will be far superior to any other product as MDF brings better aesthetics and finish of the final product. It enables a uniform, smooth surface that is easy to paint. MDF is the most commonly used product for making modular furniture.


Another great benefit is that it is pocket-friendly: it is 20-25% cheaper than non-branded plywood and 40-50% cheaper than branded plywood. Using MDF is also time saving as it needs minimum sanding and finishing, which means less labour costs. Greenpanel MDF is available in different grades and in various thicknesses and sizes. Architects, designers, dealers, OEMs and other users can select from Club Grade, Exterior Grade, Industrial Grade, E1/ E0.5/ CARB P2 MDF, Pre-Laminated MDF or Veneered MDF, depending upon their application requirements.

We are seeing increasing use of MDF by architects and Interior designers. More knowledge about the product is now available on the internet. Consumers are also more aware of international trends in readymade furniture, besides which, the online furniture market and e-commerce companies are helping the end-users to better understand this product category

Shekhar Sati

All the products of Greenpanel are treated against termite, borers, and fungus. Though MDF doesn’t need any specific maintenance, precaution should be taken against their usage in wet areas where there are chances of seepage and moisture, plus, MDF should not be used for external applications. When applied in indoor spaces, an MDF-based product can last up to 15-20 years. You could say that MDF is as safe as plywood-based products and comes with a lot of other advantages.

Sustainable Manufacturing
Greenpanel is India’s largest manufacturer of wood panels. Its state-of-the-art manufacturing plants in Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh produce MDF, Plywood, Block Boards, Veneers, Flooring and Doors. The plants have a combined annual capacity of more than 550,000 cubic meters of MDF. Automated German technology machines ensure high production and international quality products while a world-class lab ensures quality control at every step of the manufacturing process.


Greenpanel MDF produced here is environment-friendly and sustainable. Our wood is sourced from Eucalyptus, Casuarina and Subabul agroforests. We use harvested timber and ensure replantation immediately after cutting the timber. We encourage agroforestry among farmers by giving them our saplings and in the process, generate a source of livelihood for them.

Our production processes do not harm the environment. We believe in minimum carbon emission and ensure all necessary measures to keep it under control. Our manufacturing plants operate on zero waste system. All wood scraps are used for fueling the power plant and the water treatment plant brings clean water. All the machineries are automated, so they emit less noise and dust. To ensure safe and environment-friendly finished products, we make emission-free products that are certified by several international agencies.


Expanding the brand
Today, the MDF category is growing at 20-25% year on year. In the last two years, with many small and mid-level players having ventured into the MDF business, the turnover of MDF has doubled. This year too, despite the pandemic lockdown impacting businesses badly, there is good growth in domestic demand and sales are picking up with 15-20% growth month on month.

Greenpanel has the largest production capacity in India and we export almost 25% of our production to different countries. To strengthen the Greenpanel brand recall and grow our MDF business, we are now focusing more on retail expansion. We aim to increase our reach and visibility across tier-3 and 4 towns. We have a state-wise plan to have a presence in each district level town, especially in rural markets, and are recruiting manpower to support our extensive marketing plan. We are also using social media, digital advertisements, and the print media, while undertaking BTL activities, and conducting training sessions for carpenters and contractors. We have an ATL advertisement plan lined up from FY21-22 to increase the awareness and acceptance of our MDF and Flooring products.

We have around 2500 direct billing points which are working in the capacity of dealers, distributors, and retailers across the country, and many OEMs are buying directly from us. Our strategically located plants in the North (Rudrapur) and South (Tirupati), along with our in-house teams are catering to these regions. To make best use of the locational advantage and less lead time, we are creating a wide network in the northern and southern regions. As regards our market expansion, around 400 new counters were added in 2019 alone, and we plan to add another 500 new billing points this year in different parts of the country.