Technology transfer
After this success, the government researchers planned to transfer the technology to bamboo farmers. The Wuxiu Bamboo Charcoal Kiln in Nantou County was one of the earliest to adopt the new ideas. They built their kiln in 2002, and now the company’s management has passed on its skills to a second generation. The current manager of the kiln, Lin Jianxun, explains the complexities of the operation: “Making bamboo charcoal may appear simple enough. After all, we acquired the technology from the government. But in fact the success of our operation is the result of many intricate processes and a lot of accumulated experience: choosing the right type of bamboo at the right time, cutting it properly, and then bundling and stacking it in the right way.”
Much of Taiwan’s bamboo, like the moso variety (Phyllostachys edulis) grown in central Taiwan, has a thick trunk which is generally suitable for making charcoal—but only plants that are more than four years old can be used. It requires a great deal of experience to know how to cut the right poles of bamboo from a dense grove without affecting the growth of other stems and shoots.
Also located in Nantou is the Bamboo Paradise Resort, which now runs two kilns, a spin-off of the work done by the R&D team. Resort manager David Chen has previous experience with bamboo art and craft design. His original involvement with bamboo for his creative work led him to a deep understanding of the material and its qualities. He hated watching the slow decline of Taiwan’s bamboo industry, so he organized bamboo farmers to establish the Bamboo Paradise Resort in 1997, hoping to continue and sustain Taiwan’s bamboo culture in some form.
They grew over 100 varieties of bamboo at the resort, which is why the R&D team invited Chen to participate in the operation to transfer technology to the farmers. As a result of this collaboration, the resort built two bamboo charcoal kilns with updated technology and management skills.
In order to preserve bamboo culture, David Chen established Bamboo Paradise Resort and built two charcoal kilns, becoming one of the pioneer bamboo charcoal producers in Taiwan.