Source: radionz.co.nz
Scion says its wood plastic pellet technology has the potential to revolutionise the composition of plastics.
The institute has negotiated a licensing agreement with Portuguese-based wood processing company Sonae Industria to commercialise the technology in Europe.
Scion business development manager Jeremy Warnes, who has seen the project through from its start, says other natural fibres such as hemp, flax, and sisal are used to reinforce plastics, but have supply, quality and processing disadvantages.
Scion's breakthrough has been finding a way of processing the wood fibre into a form that can be easily incorporated into plastics.
Mr Warnes says there's a wide range of applications, including for furniture components and in the automotive industry.
The institute developed and patented the technology under its biofibre research programme funded by the former Foundation of Research Science and Technology, now part of the Science Ministry.
Mr Warnes says the agreement with Sonae Industria in Europe leaves scope for New Zealand processors to use the technology to develop wood reinforced plastic products to export to other parts of the world.
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