Unilin Group presents a global innovation with the recycling of MDF and HDF panels

Until now, it was technically impossible to recycle, once at the end of its life, the 100 million m3 of MDF and HDF panels which are produced each year around the world. Unilin Group, headquartered in Flanders, has today developed a unique innovative technology to recycle the wood fibers from these panels and reuse them for the production of quality fiberboards on an industrial scale. .

The missing link in a lasting story

MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) and HDF (High Density Fibreboard) are commonly used in the furniture industry, interior design and for the production of laminate floors. Unilin Panels, the division of Unilin Group responsible for the manufacture of panels, is embarking on the use of so-called “re-used” wood for its production. This is wood that is no longer usable or wood waste intended for incineration. In this way, Unilin Group avoids the felling of trees for its production and gives new life to scrap wood through another application. Today, the group is therefore going even further.

Véronique Hoflack, president of Unilin Panels, who is herself the originator of the new recycling technology, explains: “Due to the use of glue as a binder for wood fibers, there was not yet an industrially feasible method to recycle the fibers from waste panels at the end of their life. Most of it was therefore burnt after use (on average 14 to 20 years). We have now succeeded in developing an innovative process to recycle these wood fibers and reuse them to produce new panels. Think for example of our decorative Evola panels or laminate floors from Quick-Step. We thus double the lifespan of wood fibers! An extended lifespan that allows, in the meantime, new trees to grow and in turn store CO2. It is therefore a big step forward towards circularity. "

The circular economy and sustainability as DNA

The development of this revolutionary technology fits perfectly with Unilin Group's sustainability strategy. In this context, the company undertakes to contribute to the objective of the Paris Agreement on the climate of limiting global warming to 1,5 C. Unilin Group sees its sense of innovation as an important condition. to achieve these ambitious goals. In the next two years, it plans to invest a further 160 million euros in Belgium, in research and development, among others.

Bernard Thiers, CEO of Unilin Group: “The circular economy and sustainability are integral parts of Unilin Group's DNA. We started our activities in 1960 as a manufacturer of flax chipboard and found a solution for the waste from the local flax industry. At the time, we saw the challenges of reusing materials as an opportunity. And this is still the case today. Our new technology now allows us to come full circle for our MDF and HDF panels (the basis of Quick-Step laminate). This development is in line with our strategy for sustainable raw materials, in which we only use re-used or recycled wood and extend the lifespan of this material as much as possible. "

In a first phase, Unilin Group will employ the technique for the recycling of material used internally at the Bazeilles production site, where the company has been investing for years in cutting-edge technology for the production of MDF panels and HDF. During a later phase, the recycling capacity will be increased in order to also be able to recycle fiber boards and laminate floors from other players in the sector. This technology, which has since been patented, is truly a world exclusive. By 2030, at least 25% of Unilin Group's raw material mix is ​​expected to be replaced by recycled fibers. In this way, 380 tonnes of CO000 will remain stored in the wood fibers each year, which will be given new life by means of this technology.