Tropical wood is facing growing demand worldwide which is unsustainable in the long-term. The project developed a bio-based wood treatment process to replace tropical wood with wood of European origin in construction. The resulting enhanced timber possesses the look and durability of tropical hardwood.
The project aimed to produce a bio-based modified wood, an eco-friendly alternative to environmentally unsound construction materials.
The result was achieved through In-Situ Wood Bio- Polymerization. Fast growing softwood is impregnated with a water-soluble thermoset resin which is produced from agricultural crop waste. The product is marketed as NobelWood®. It has penetrated the more environmentally friendly markets of Benelux and Scandinavia and is spreading further.
The Consortium, led by Foreco B.V. and further comprised of Trans Furans Chemicals and Kärnsund Wood Link, received EU funding between 2013–2016 in order to break through market barriers and commercialise this environmentally friendly solution.
- Project locations
- NetherlandsDenmarkSwedenNorway
- Project website
- Foreco