A Visit To The Kuala Sepetang Charcoal Factory.

Charcoal Factory, Part 1 - Inside the factory.

It took us about an hour to reach Kuala Sepetang. Surprisingly, there was no traffic jam on the expressway. Our first stop was at the Kuala Sepetang charcoal factory. None of us has been here before so this is our first visit. It was good that the rain stopped before we arrived and the ground was very wet.

[The Port Weld Mangrove forest is the largest single mangrove forest in Peninsular Malaysia and is acknowledged as the best managed mangrove forest in the country. The charcoal industry located here is recognised as a national asset and heritage.

A charcoal factory and kiln hailed as one of the biggest attractions in Matang Mangrove Forest is Khay Hor Holdings established in 1930. Chuah Chow Aun, the owner, is a passionate and active tourism player who is the driving force in promoting charcoal manufacturing as a tourist attraction.]

Photo #1

The Perak Tourism Appreciation Award 2009 is given to Chuah Chow Aun who has by his own initiative made a visit to a charcoal factory a must-see tourist attraction. He has managed to compliment the raw product of the mangrove forest and the end product - charcoal. 

Photo #2

 Welcome to the Charcoal Factory Kuala Sepetang.

Khay Hor Holdings Sdn Bhd

Photo #3

We joined the other visitors who came in cars and buses.

 Photo #4

Photo #5

We were given a brief talk on charcoal making.

Photo #6

Photo #7

Best quality charcoal is still processed traditionally from good quality mangrove wood. If you are interested to know more, you can click on this link to view the documentary video.

Photo #8

 An empty charcoal kiln.

Photo #9

Mangrove wood

Photo #10

 The kiln can be filled with about 40 tons or 1,500 pieces of mangrove wood.

Photo #11

A worker is sealing up the big hole with bricks and mud to leave behind a smaller hole. 

Photo #12

A big fire is lit through the hole.

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The fire is kept burning for 10 days to reach a temperature of 85 deg. C.

Photo #14

 The fire is not to burn the wood but to extract the 80 % of water found in the mangrove wood.

Photo #15

After the 10 days of big fire, the wood is left to steam for 14 days to further extract the remaining water content.

Photo #16

 Mud is used to hold the bricks together.

Photo #17

 Mud used as a sealing paste.

Photo #18

Water content is released as steam through the holes and collected in these blue containers and processed as by-products (in the next post, part 2).

 Photo #19

After the 14 days of steaming, the kiln is closed up and the charcoal is left to cool for 8 days, after which they will be taken out from the kiln to be packed for distribution.

Linking to Tuesday's Treasures & Image-in-ing.

 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

(Proverbs 26:21, New International Version-NIV)