Resysta of Germany was billing its rice-based composite at Ecobuild as a “better wood”, particularly for outdoor applications and wet interior uses.
A Malaysian-developed product, Resysta is based on 60% rice husk waste, and 40% mineral oil and salt. Components are made with it by extrusion, “similar to PVCu”, said sales manager Carsten Winke.
“It’s very durable and can be stained in a range of finishes,” he said. “We see it particularly as an alternative for species such as bankgirai, leche and teak in applications such as decking and flooring. In fact one flooring customer has switched two-thirds of his previous bankgirai production to Resysta.”
Its water resistance, he added, made it particularly suited for bathrooms and kitchens.
Currently, Resysta is on average 20% more expensive than wood plastic composites, but that could change with economies of production scale, said Mr Finke.
Having previously focused on finished components and products, also including window frames, Resysta sees growing potential for customers to make their own.
