Wood plastic composites in the form of kitchen cabinets, bathroom and balcony doors are slowly gaining popularity in Bangladesh for being an alternative to wood, according to industry insiders and realtors.

The composites are a combination of wood particles or fibres and thermoplastics, meaning those that are mouldable at a certain elevated temperature and solidify upon cooling, offering a durable and low-maintenance alternative.

There is no credible data on the annual market sales of such composites.

However, the manufacturers believe it crossed Tk 250 crore over the last decade whereas annual sales of doors made of all types of materials stands at around Tk 3,000 crore.

The products have been witnessing a double-digit growth in sales on being introduced to the market just a decade ago although the use of such products started in developed countries many years ago, they said.

Now, there are at least three manufacturers in the country -- Pran-RFL Group, N Mohammad Group, and National Polymer Group.

National Polymer Group recently made a fresh investment of Tk 80 crore in the manufacturing of wood plastic composites.

"We started commercial production just three weeks ago at our factory in Tongi's Cherag Ali area," said Riad Mahmud, managing director of National Polymer Group.

"We had a target to start commercial production earlier but postponed it due to the general elections," he added.

Currently, the wood plastic composite market is almost wholly dependent on imports as manufacturers cater to a fraction of the market and that is why National Polymer Group wants to grab a bigger portion of the sales.

Wood plastic composites look like natural wood but absorb very little moisture while the price is almost 50 percent less than that of teak, a good option for those seeking the looks but not the high price tag.

Each door, priced at around Tk 14,000, is very durable and can last a long time. Besides, they are environmentally friendly for being made from recycled materials and for being recyclable, Ali claimed.

It is one of the most dynamic sectors in the plastic industry in Bangladesh and may altogether replace wood meant for the manufacture of doors, he said.

The sales are increasing steadily as they are a good alternative to wood while being more durable than plastic.

According to him, their new production line is churning out nearly 8,000 doors a month and the output will gradually increase in the future.

According to their market assessment, the annual sale of wood plastic composite doors amounts to around Tk 240 crore to Tk 250 crore.

Besides, they are producing wood plastic composite sheets of 180 tonnes per month.

Mohammad Plastic Industries, a concern of Chattogram-based N Mohammed Group, has been manufacturing wood plastic composites on a limited scale for around a decade.

Mohammad Nazrul Hoque, managing director of the group, said they manufacture 120 doors per day and mainly cater to the port city market while the doors were gaining more popularity than non-plasticised polyvinyl chloride or UPVC doors.

"We are supplying wood plastic composites to renowned real estate companies across the country, including bti, and retailing them in the market," he claimed.

Ayesha Siddika, executive director (brand and communications) at real estate developer Building Technology and Ideas (bti), said they use wood plastic composites in bathrooms, kitchens and balconies as it is a waterproof, durable and environmentally friendly material.

However, she said the attraction for natural wooden doors will never die down.

Kamruzzaman Kamal, marketing director of Pran-RFL Group, said they entered the wood plastic composite market a few years ago as they understood that its demand would grow as an alternative to wood.

Besides, it is durable and since it resembles original wood, it looks better than plastic, he said.

He believes it is just a matter of time before wood plastic composites gradually dominate the market for doors.