About a decade ago, the Northlandia Furniture Enterprises he owns only produced wood, storage, nail, battery boxes and pallets.
Now, he is in for the big time–producing home and office furniture, school tables, chairs and armchairs.
Things began to change for the better when he availed himself of technology interventions provided by the Los Baños-based DOST-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI).
The DOST-Region 2-coordinated project, titled "Upgrading of Product and Production Skills of Northlandia Furniture Enterprises" aimed to develop the firm’s furniture products and expand its product line through the acquisition of a lumber kiln drier installed by FPRDI experts and conduct of training on wood bending and finishing.
The remarkable results of the project were witnessed by DOST officials and staff and journalists who composed the third "DOST Technology Transfer Roadshow" that covered Cagayan Valley last March 26-28.
Tan told his firm’s visitors that aside from selling his furniture to local buyers, he is also now exporting, in limited volume, doors to Filipinos in Hawaii and cribs to Taiwan.
Where before, he added, some of the pieces of furniture he had earlier produced were rejected owing to cracks, now all his finished products are accepted, thanks to the kiln dryer technology introduced to his firm by FPRDI.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has also been of big help to him in the marketing of his products. – Rudy A. Fernandez