The sawdust is dried (typical moisture content as
received is about 45%). Sawdust before being
processed is dried in rotary dryers bring down the moisture content of about
45% down to about 5%.
These are basically sawdust briquettes which are carbonized right after briquetting. Right after coming out of the briquetting
machine (screw type with heated dies - about 300 degrees C) the briquettes
are cut into pieces with a length of about 40-45 cm. The cut lenghts fall
onto conveyorbelts which transport the briquettes to the loading stations.The briquettes are  stacked in double rows on a kind of open container with the
bottom and the two end sides being protected by refractory bricks. This
container, once loaded with the briquettes is moved by forklift to the
charcoal making section.

Charcoal kilns are built in batteries side by side and the container is
pushed in the kiln and sealed with clay/mud. The charring process starts by
dropping in a few burning pieces of wood (briquettes) at least that's what I
was told (I did not see this). The charcoaling process is controlled
(manual) by experienced operators.

This picture shows the cart just being pulled
out of the charcoal kiln whereafter a metal hood is placed over it.

When the charring process is finished
(efficiency about 20-25%), the containers are pulled out and covered with
the metal hood and sealed with sand .
After the briquettes are
cold, they are packed directly in boxes which go straight into containers
for shipment to Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc.

The factory requires about 600 cubic meters of sawdust a day which after
drying, briquetting, conversion, etc. would result in an output of about 15
tons of high grade charcaol briquettes. Selling price in 1995/96 was about
1.2 Malaysian Ringgit per kg. (about 0.5 US$ at that time) versus 0.30
Ringgit for ordinary wood charcoal. In Thailand, under different conditions,
the price of charcoal at that time was about 4-5 Baht (about 0.4-0.5 Ringit)
versus 7 Baht for carbonized sawdust briquettes which were sold in the local
market. However, at present due to the adverse economic conditions the
export market has virtially collapsed.