Business for Norway-based Kebony is definitely on the up, with a recorded 80% growth in global turnover last year.
Kebony is the result of Kebonisation, a process in which species such as maple, Scots pine, southern yellow pine and radiata pine are impregnated with a patented mixture based on furfuryl alcohol, a liquid produced from agricultural crop waste. It reacts with the wood fibres, strengthening and stabilising the wood and making it durable and resistant to decay.
Kebony is forecast to produce more than 15,000m³ this year and it anticipates continued growth as the product becomes more widely known. The factory is expected to be running at full capacity within the next two years and there are plans to license further factories, potentially in the US, Asia and Europe.
"We’re in discussion internationally with parties interested in licensing our technology," said international sales director Adrian Pye.
"Our main market is still the ‘home’ market of Scandinavia and our primary international markets are the UK, France, Germany, Korea and the US," said Mr Pye.
The US in particular is a major new market and has huge potential because of increasing governmental and societal pressure to find high performance alternatives to tropical hardwood, he said, adding that Kebony recently featured at the prestigious Hunter’s Point South Waterfront park in New York.
"Meanwhile, Europe is showing signs of economic recovery and the UK signs of growth, with many leading architects reporting high levels of activity. This has resulted in them considering alternative materials."
The product, which has found ready markets in the cladding and decking sectors, has benefited from the EUTR, although not has much as might have been expected.
"We have seen some increased activity but not as much as we would have thought, possibly due to large stocks of material being placed on the market prior to the legislation coming into effect," said Mr Pye.
What is driving interest, however, is a growing appreciation of whole life cycle costs.
"This is certainly true in government projects – schools, for instance – where maintenance costs are a big consideration."
Kebony won the TTJ Achievement in Engineered Timber Award in 2013.
