Monday, April 1, 2024
Apalachian Hardwood Manufacturers has recently organised their annual general meeting. Participants at this edition of annual meeting were briefed on important market trends and educational initiatives. This event took place from February 22 to 25 at The Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, FL, drawing in 135 members and guests. The program featured a mix of business and educational sessions, along with opportunities for networking.
The business sessions kicked off with an interesting presentation on InventWood. The Maryland company has designed a process to press Poplar and other lumber into a stiff building material. The company is a leader in cellulose-based material innovations.
InventWood Senior Process Engineer Charles Sturman said the advanced cellulose materials
have better performance, lower costs, and are far more sustainable than alternatives used in
contruction and other applications around the world in 2024. The company’s flagship product is called MettleWood and begins with kiln-dried poplar lumber. It is processed through lignin modification and densification.
The process breaks the lignin bonds and allows the cellulose fibers to move closer together
during densification. This forces the cellulose fibers of the wood to align far more closely with new hydrogen bonds formed and removing the inherent porosity found in regular wood. Sturman said the material combines the best of metal – strength and durability – with wood, which is lightweight, low-cost, and sustainable.
The product meets industrial demands:
The startup company developed out of the University of Maryland’s incubator program. Since
the founding in 2016, InventWood has received close to $25 million in federal awards including a $20M Award from the Department of Energy.
Read more news on: Hardwood News
Tags: apalachian hardwood, wood and panel, woodworking, woodworking industry, woodworking USA
