Timber treatment company Osmose has undergone some changes in the past year – all in response to the growing demands of its customers and the renewed interest in all things timber.
Osmose’s core products remain its low and high pressure timber treatments – Protim Clearchoice and Osmose Naturewood – but it has diversified as its customers have added more value and responded to changes in treatment regulations.
“It’s a direct result of increased innovation from our customers,” said marketing director of Osmose Europe Andy Hodge.
In its discussions with customers, it has identified a trend of timber treaters looking at new opportunities and realising the versatility of wood – laying down the challenge to Osmose to develop new products.
“Their creative juices are flowing,” said Mr Hodge.
As timber’s versatility is recognised, he added, customers’ expectations go beyond durability to the appearance and enhancement of wood.
“If we can create materials that look better and are low maintenance we can increase the percentage of wood used in internal and external applications,” he said. “Our core business firmly remains high and low pressure treatments but the challenge is to build new products that will really enhance timber and add further value.”
Major developments
This is reflected in three major developments: the promotion of the Osmose Royale brand, the acquisition of the rights to Indurite and the sale of Solignum UK to Tor Coatings
The Osmose Royale process is a hot oil treatment, which Mr Hodge describes as “a process not unlike frying chips”.
The wet wood is put in a vacuum cylinder of oil which is heated to 80 degrees celsius under vacuum, which equates to boiling point. Put simply, the water in the timber is boiled out and replaced by a blended oil. The process continues until the desired moisture content is reached – taking up to 12-14 hours depending on how wet the timber is.
The result is a low maintenance, water repellent material with greater dimensional stability. And there are other benefits too. Osmose Royale oil puts a base coat onto wood, making it a “superb primer”, and Osmose has also developed a range of pigments, the most popular colours being red, yellow and brown.
“They add value by adding a finished colour in one process and preventing UV light from greying the natural timber, giving enhanced colour life,” said Mr Hodge.
Osmose Royale’s benefits are now being discussed in the UK, and Mr Hodge expects the first plant to be installed soon.
In Scandinavia Royale-treated timber is used mainly in cladding, while in France it has found ready markets in roadside barriers and decking, and it is starting to make inroads into high quality fencing.
In the UK, Mr Hodge identifies a likely customer in the decking sector and, with a rising interest in timber frame and timber in general, he predicts renewed demand for timber cladding.
In May, Osmose sold the UK arm of its Solignum coatings business to Tor Coatings, although the brand remains a strong force for Osmose in Asia and Africa.
Explaining the sale, Mr Hodge said: “It wasn’t part of our core business. Tor has the resources and the ability to take it forward as a brand in the UK market.”
Turning softwood into hardwood
Around the same time, Osmose acquired the rights to Indurite, a treatment that uses a cellulose-based solution principally to harden softwood.
“It makes a hardwood out of a softwood,” said Mr Hodge.
“It’s a system that has synergies with parts of our business; it uses an autoclave and pressure,” he added. “As a company we are keen to explore its potential. We have a trusted name and the facility to give it good technical back-up.”
In addition to hardness, Indurite provides fire resistance and durability and, because the process increases timber’s mass, it makes machining easier. Pigment can also be added so there is even colour throughout when it is machined.
While Osmose’s association with Indurite is still new, the company has identified the UK and France as its initial market opportunities. The company has no preconceptions as to which market segments will use the hardened wood but it has identified likely candidates in flooring, internal decorative, furniture, and even sporting market sectors. Its work with the BRE shows “favourable results” and it is now working with companies to develop products for the market.
For this, Osmose has built a technology and development centre, housing pilot plants for all its processes, at its Marlow headquarters.
While it’s been a year of change for the treatment industry – and for Osmose – Mr Hodge regards the developments as an opportunity for everyone.
“Industry gets what it wants, which is choice, and we get to be part of that,” he said.
