How Kebony developed a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwoods

For Tom Paemeleire, CEO of Kebony: “For more than twenty-five years, continuous technological development has enabled Kebony to offer an exceptional range of responsible wood products, now leaders on the market. At the same time, the company has set a precedent for sustainable technologies that sets a new standard in the global construction industry. Strong persistence in promising scientific research is the basis of current ESG investing practices, and interest in this research will only grow among the international community as demand for sustainable technologies increases. »

Although the Kebony brand was founded in 1997, the scientific origins of its innovative Double Modification™ (Dually Modified™) technology go back much further, to the work of Canadian scientist Marc Schneider – a Ph.D. from the College of Forestry in at Syracuse University, in New York State, since 1978. Marc Schneider traces his remarkably contemporary motivations, which would inspire the future of this patented technology.

“The use of sustainable wood, with the aim of reducing deforestation and pressure on tropical woods, is the fundamental reason that pushed me to work on this technology,” Mark Schneider.

Marc Schneider began his scientific career researching technologies that could offer the world a sustainable – and industrially viable – substitute for tropical hardwood construction products. The aim was to reduce deforestation of the planet's precious carbon sinks and, thus, help the world limit its CO2 emissions.

In the late 80s, Marc Schneider discovered seemingly neglected work involving the treatment of sustainably sourced softwood species, such as pine, through a two-step polymerization process.

Marc Schneider explains that“By impregnating wood with renewable liquids, based on furfuryl alcohol, and heating it to solidify these liquids, the properties of softwoods were transformed to replicate the durability, dimensional stability and aesthetic qualities of tropical hardwoods. »

His first attempts to refine the process ran into the same technical problems as his predecessors, before he found success.

“The novel nature of this forgotten technology intrigued me. Producing wood with a rich color, like that of a tropical hardwood, but from renewable species, promised to result in a potentially valuable material. However, the heart of each piece of wood remained impenetrable. To try to remedy this inaccessibility, I developed a catalytic system more compatible with wood. The resulting formulation could be attenuated with water, allowing control of the final amount of polymer in the wood. These advances became the basis of what is, today, Kebony technology. »

Over the next ten years, in collaboration with a team of researchers from the University of New Brunswick in Canada, several companies were created to take this promising technology beyond the pilot stage. However, these first attempts failed due to insufficiencies in R&D investment and production and marketing capabilities.

“To fill this gap, we needed marketing, continued product development, and investment in production facilities,” summarizes Marc Schneider.

In 1997, he met Simen Gjolsjo, a visiting researcher from the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), who presented this promising technology to a group of Norwegian wood producers. The same year, Wood Polymer Technologies AS (WPT) was established to utilize this technology and, shortly after the start of the new millennium, WPT adopted its current name: Kebony – a trade name chosen for its uniqueness and proximity to that of 'a well-known tropical hardwood, dark in color.

Since then, the company has become the world's leading producer of sustainably sourced wood. It is committed to financing the R&D necessary, over the long term, to exploit Marc Schneider's idea, acquired in 2003. Kebony now has a world-class internal R&D department.

Today, Kebony holds approximately 60 active patents. Its cladding and decking products serve architectural projects in more than 100 countries around the world. Uses range from the renovation of private residences to major cultural rehabilitation projects, including the award-winning Battersea Power Station (London, UK), Tempelhof Airport (Berlin, Germany) and Pier 26 of the Hudson River Park (New York, United States).

Kebony opened its first factory in Skien, Norway, in 2009. A second European production site opened in Flanders, Belgium, in 2018, doubling the company's annual production capacity – from 20.000 m3 to 40.000 m3. Kebony estimates a reduction in CO2 emissions of 143.000 metric tons if its products had been substituted for all Ipe hardwood materials sold in the United States and the EU in 2022. At the same time, Kebony has dedicated 1,45 .XNUMX million euros for R&D to perfect its collection of world-class sustainable products.

Reflecting on the success of Kebony and the challenges now facing entrepreneurs seeking to introduce new responsible technologies in the context of the climate crisis, Marc Schneider highlights the fact that cooperation between international scientists and the continued confidence of major investors constitute the cornerstone of the company's success.

Marc Schneider explains: “My previous attempts to commercialize this technology had all failed, in particular due to the impatience of investors. They expected pilot-stage technologies to quickly generate significant profits. However, this was impossible until sufficient investment had been obtained to build a bridge between the pilot stage and the commercial stage. For Kebony, the crucial factor was probably the loyalty of investors and decision-makers, who continued to support the company throughout its journey. »

Tom Paemeleire, CEO of Kebony, agrees with Marc Schneider that a long-term vision for Kebony technology is a critical key to its current impact: “Without Marc's dedication to improving this technology and great confidence in investing and improving, Kebony would not be where it is today: leading a revolution for a construction industry greener and more sustainable world. We are extremely proud of Kebony technology and Marc has played an integral role as a visionary and scientist in creating something unique and timeless. At Kebony, we have developed a competent and well-equipped R&D department: we are constantly learning and remain committed to continuous research – fundamental to the success of our company and the future of the industry. »