News

WORLD-FIRST TRICOYA® PLANT CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE: 9-STOREY ACETYLATION TOWER ASCENDS TO FULL HEIGHT

by Laura Ladd on 5 November 2020

Accsys (www.accsysplc.com), the fast-growing company that combines chemistry and technology to create high performance, sustainable wood building products, has reached a new milestone in the construction of its 30,000 tonne per annum Tricoya® acetylated wood chip facility in Hull, UK.

The final, top three levels of the acetylation tower were successfully lifted into place in October 2020 as the construction of the plant progresses towards planned completion in Q1 2021, with commissioning to follow thereafter. Weighing in at approximately 60 tonnes, the structure and equipment assembly of levels 7, 8 and 9 were placed onto the tower’s sixth level and secured, bringing the tower up to its full height of 56 metres (185 feet).

Rob Harris, Chief Executive Officer of Accsys, said:

“The execution of this stage of construction marks a significant step forward for the plant, and I want to thank everyone involved. Our Tricoya team has worked hard with our construction partners throughout the coronavirus pandemic to ensure the safety of workers whilst maintaining progress on the site.”

Panels made from Tricoya® wood chips (www.tricoya.com) by Accsys’ customers have unique properties and advantages: they can be used in situations and environments that are completely unsuitable for traditional wood panels, opening new design and construction possibilities. The enhanced durability and long life of Tricoya® panels also reduces the lifetime environmental footprint, storing the carbon for longer and avoiding the need for and resource costs embedded in frequent replacement. They are virtually immune to swelling, shrinking, warping or deterioration from water, and have a 50 year warranty for use above ground.

Accsys currently manufactures Accoya® (www.accoya.com) acetylated solid wood at its facility in Arnhem, the Netherlands, and produces Tricoya® elements by processing Accoya®.  The Hull plant will add the equivalent of over 60% of Accsys’ current total production capacity, as well as marking the company’s progress into a multi-site production operation. It forms a part of the business’ ambitious growth strategy that is targeting 200,000m3 per annum production capacity by 2025 (FY2020: ~60,000m3 p.a.), including the expansion of the Arnhem facility and plans for new plants in the USA and Malaysia.

Laura LaddWORLD-FIRST TRICOYA® PLANT CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE: 9-STOREY ACETYLATION TOWER ASCENDS TO FULL HEIGHT