Onderzoek naar de vooruitzichten van de houtverkolingsindustrie in Nederlandsch-Indie

Despite the increase in substitutes for wood the world consumption of wood had increased. The principal timber-producing countries could not raise their production so that tropical forests would have to supply more of the world's timber. Tropical exploitation of timber however involved many difficulties and the supply may be more suitable for pulping or processing into wood cellulose, acetic acid, methanol, tar and charcoal.

The charcoal industry in the Netherlands East Indies would be most successful if there was a ready market for the charcoal, as for tin-smelting or blast furnaces. The sale of other products such as acetic acid for coagulation of latex could help to promote the industry. Decline of the United States charcoal industry by competition with synthetic methanol might improve the market in countries where methanol was not a principal product. In the Netherlands East Indies the sale of acetic acid, wood tar and charcoal seemed secure for the charcoal industry and perhaps there was scope for export.