The furniture-manufacturing industry is pressured to improve quality, productivity, and profitability, particularly within increasingly volatile market conditions. This study is focused on the development of methods for optimizing production processes in a furniture-manufacturing company through the application of an integrated risk management framework. By integrating Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) with advanced multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques, specifically fuzzy AHP, fuzzy TOPSIS, and fuzzy WINGS, a hybrid model is developed to identify, prioritize, and address critical failure points while accounting for complex interdependencies. Significant failure modes, such as order inaccuracies and delivery delays, are revealed as key findings and are found to notably affect productivity and customer satisfaction. The proposed model’s ability to capture cascading effects and a nuanced prioritization enables a more precise risk assessment, thereby supporting resilience and process efficiency in the furniture-manufacturing sector. This approach is shown to not only optimize production but also provide a foundation for applying such hybrid models in other industries to manage sector-specific interdependencies effectively.

Forests are crucial in sustaining life on Earth and are at the core of global sustainability efforts, to which Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification makes a significant contribution. Changes in motivations, benefits, and challenges associated with FSC certification among Croatian companies, particularly in light of recent market fluctuations and global sustainability trends, have been examined in this study. The research was conducted in 2015 and 2023 using a survey method among FSC chain of custody (CoC) certificate holders in Croatia. A statistically significant decline in the proportion of companies citing customer demands and company image as the main reasons for FSC certification was observed, while environmental awareness became a more prominent motivation. Additionally, although key benefits such as retaining existing customers and attracting new ones remain important, a significant decline in the proportion of companies reporting increased profits as a benefit was noted. Challenges related to extensive documentation and frequent changes in standards also significantly increased. This study suggests that FSC certification remains crucial for maintaining competitiveness in the Croatian wood industry, especially as environmental concerns gain importance. Given that FSC standards help enforce European sustainability regulations, FSC certification is important for ensuring long-term resilience and success in an unstable market environment.

The significance of Total Quality Management (TQM) lies in its ability to enhance organizational efficiency, foster continuous improvement, and cultivate a culture of quality, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and sustained success. Conducted within the context of the Croatian furniture industry, this research aims to analyze and understand TQM, identify key implementation factors, and formulate a tailored assessment model. The methodology involves a literature review, the integration of relevant TQM factors, and empirical research using a structured questionnaire distributed among a representative sample of Croatian furniture companies. The resulting model encompasses Supplier Quality Management, Engagement of People, Employee Education, Continuous Improvement, Process Management, Company Strategy, Introduction of New Products, Customer Orientation, and Leadership Involvement. Empirical validation demonstrates positive correlations and high reliability. Despite its industry- and country-specific focus, this research offers valuable insights for academics and managers, providing a foundational set of key TQM implementation factors that are applicable beyond the studied context. In addition, the furniture industry, relying on wood as its main raw material, significantly contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through sustainable manufacturing practices, with an emphasis on TQM in production.

Hydrothermal treatment of wood, particularly steaming with saturated water steam, is often used to achieve a more intensive and homogenous wood color or to vary its hue. However, information on pear wood (Pyrus communis L.) steaming is limited in the available literature. This paper investigates the influence of steaming on the color of pear wood. Green, water-saturated samples of pear wood heartwood and sapwood were steamed with saturated water steam for 24 h at 98 °C. The color of the heartwood and sapwood was assessed both visually and with a standard three-stimulus colorimeter using the CIEL*a*b* system, and compared to the natural color of pear-wood. Additionally, FT-IR spectrometry was employed to analyze chemical changes in the wood samples. The results showed that both heartwood and sapwood experienced a decrease in lightening (L*), an increase in redness (a*), and a decrease in yellowness (b*) during steaming. Furthermore, a trend toward the equalization of L*, a*, and b* parameters between heartwood and sapwood over time was observed. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed that the chemical changes during steaming were primarily related to extractives and hemicelluloses, with no significant changes in cellulose and lignin. The obtained results suggest that pear wood color can be equalized to some extent by steaming and that the extent of the color change to darker tones is dependent on steaming time.

Using the RadSawSim simulator for radial sawing, a simulation of the radial sawing technique was used to saw Pedunculata oak (Quercus robur L.) logs. Simulation was implemented with a view to producing as many radially sawn boards as possible and took into account the influences of increasing volume yield, lumber value yield, and log-value yield. The methods that were analyzed were live sawing and radial sawing of third sections, fourth sections, fifth sections, and sixth sections of the log. Live sawing achieved the best results of volume yield during simulation, which was followed by radial sawing into the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth sections. The difference in volume yield with live sawing compared to the radial-sawing method is very large for logs up to a diameter of 45 cm. It becomes smaller when the log diameter is greater than 45 cm. A comparison of the radial method shows that the share of radially sawn boards and lumber value yield increased when the number of log sections during sawing simulation increased. If log-value yield is assumed to be the main criterion, and given the conditions used in this simulation, there is no justified reason to saw logs using the radial technique when the diameter is less than 45 cm. The live sawing technique is more efficient for these diameters of logs, and, therefore, the radial sawing technique is more efficient for logs with a diameter greater than 45 cm.

This study examines the effects of temperature, relative humidity, moisture content, and density on the dielectric constant (ε′) and dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) of oak wood lamellae within a frequency range of 0.079 MHz to 25.1 MHz. The hypothesis tested was that increased temperature and moisture content enhance both dielectric polarization and loss, while density acts as a dominant structural determinant of dielectric behaviour. Oak lamellas were conditioned above saturated salt solutions at 20 °C and measured using an Agilent 4285A LCR meter according to ASTM D150-22. Multiple linear regression was used to demonstrate the statistically significant influence of temperature, relative humidity, moisture content, and density on the tested electrical properties of the lamellas. The results showed that the dielectric properties increase with higher sample density and higher air humidity. Temperature also had an influence, but it was significantly smaller, though still statistically significant (p < 0.05). Changes in dielectric properties were most pronounced at frequencies below 1 MHz, suggesting that dipolar and interfacial polarization are greater at lower frequencies. The findings in this paper provide a basis for optimizing the high frequency/dielectric heating process for heating before bending of oak and other similar hardwoods.