Accsys Technologies produces Accoya, a kind of wood that could be the world’s most durable. Longer lasting than teak, and with a stability and hardness that makes it ideal for windows, decking, building structures and bridges, Accoya is guaranteed by its makers to last 50 years. In fact independent tests project a lifespan of up to a hundred years. In the ground, in contact with water, whether salt water or sweet, Accoya is guaranteed to last 25 years thanks to its patented chemical transformation process.
How it works is that Accsys takes sustainably grown softwoods and non-durable hardwoods that would usually have a working life of only a few years. In its plant in Arnhem, the Netherlands, through a process known as acytelation, the wood is transformed into rock-hard, sustainable building materials that are resistant to rot and insect decay.
Wood contains chemical groups called “free hydroxyls” that absorb and release water and cause wood to shrink and swell. The Accsys process transforms these free hydroxyls into larger, stable acetyls to which water cannot bond. As a result, shrinkage is reduced by up to 75% and the wood is more accepting of paint and varnish.
Media Wise was asked by Accsys Technologies Plc to train the company’s sales force and management in presenting their story to key audiences.
The bridge in Sneek, Friesland, the Netherlands, made of Accoya is projected to last up to 100 years. Source: Wikipedia