1st International Conference on Processing Technologies for the Forest and Bio-based Products Industries. Salzburg/Kuchl, Austria, 07-08 October 2010

Markets, Applications, and ProcessesMarkets, Applications, and Processes, pp ,, pp ,for Wood Polymer Composites (WPC) for Wood Polymer Composites (WPC)

in Europein Europein Europein Europe

d id 1 d 2Andreas Haider1, Asta Eder2

1 Competence Centre for wood composites and wood chemistryWood K plus, email: andreas.haider@wood-kplus.at

2 Expert for innovative wood products, email: asta.eder@gmx.at

ContentContent

• Wood K plusMarket s r e 2009• Market survey 2009

– actors– market growth / outlook– market growth / outlook– raw materials– market & technology development – applications– production figures– trends

• Characterization of the commercial product decking• Characterization of the commercial product decking• Aspects for end user

Conclusions• Conclusions– outdoor applications– market

2

– market

Wood K plusWood K plus

• R&D Institute

• Founded 2001

by the Austrian Government

Solid Wood andWood

Composites

Wood Polymer Compositesy

80 scientific employees

Composites

• 80 scientific employees

• 50 projects Surface technology and Wood and Pulp

• Budget: 7.0 million p.a.

• 4 business units and

technology and logistics

pChemistry

one cross sectional field Market Analysis &Innovation research

3

European Market Survey in June 2009European Market Survey in June 2009

Wood K plus carried out a survey among the WPC actors in the European market in June 2009.

Th lt f thi t ib t d t lti li t t dThe results of this survey contributed to a multi-client study „Market Information on Wood-Plastic Composite Decking and Siding in Europe 2009”in Europe, 2009 .

Please find someresults of the studyin following!

4

Survey 2009Survey 2009

121 European WPC companies and 59 research institutes in13 countries were approached by an email survey.An answer rate of 18% (19 companies and 14 R&D institutes) was achieved.

5

WPCWPC--actors in Europe in 2009actors in Europe in 2009

n = 124

Production figures and numbers of actors:Germany – 30 % / Benelux – 12 % / Austria – 10 % / France – 6 %.

6Scandinavia – 12 % of European actors – more tradition for decking and siding than in central Europe especially for solid wood.

Development of WPC production 2000 Development of WPC production 2000 -- 20092009

Market growth stage:Market growth stage:Growth rate North America 22 %

Market intro stage:Market intro stage:Growth rate Europe 51 %

Sources: nova, 2009; Milacron, 2009; Hackwell Group, 2006; own compilation

7

Outlook WPC Decking in EuropeOutlook WPC Decking in Europe

8

Polymers used in 2007 / 2009Polymers used in 2007 / 2009

PP-rWhich

l d

PE-r

PP-v polymers do you use for your

PE-v

PE rproduction?

(multiple

PVC

PVC-r

( panswers were possible)

other-r

PVC-v2009 / n = 25

2007 / n = 22

other-v

/

v = virginr = recycled

90 % 20 % 40 % 60 % 80 % 100 %

Worldwide Market Report on WPC revised edition 2007 includingWorldwide Market Report on WPC, revised edition 2007, including results from the European decking market survey conducted in June 2009. Own compilation.

Natural fibres used in 2007Natural fibres used in 2007 / 2009/ 2009

Softwood-r Which fibres do you use for

Hardwood-r

Softwood-vdo you use for your production?

Hardwood-v(multiple answers were

ibl )

N t l fib

Natural fiber-rpossible)

other-r

Natural fiber-v

2009 / n = 25v = virgin

other-v

2007 / n = 22g

r = recycled

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Worldwide Market Report on WPC revised edition 2007 including

0 % 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 %

Worldwide Market Report on WPC, revised edition 2007, including results from the European decking market survey conducted in June 2009. Own compilation.

Market & Technology Development Market & Technology Development -- II

Interior, exterior

Others; 15% D ki

European Applications of WPC in 2003

Furniture; 5% Others; 15% Decking; 23%

European Applications of

Fencing, railing noise

Door, windows

application; Cl ddi

WPC presented in Homepages 2008

Railing3%

Others27%

D ki

railing, noise reduction

panels; 15%

application; 22%

Cladding, siding; 20%

based on a survey of Hackwell Group

Fencing2%

Decking17%

Exterior Furniture

11%

based on a survey of Hackwell Group in 2003, n companies = 25, Production 30,000 t

Window application

Siding7%

Door li ti

Roofing2%

2%

Interior Furniture

15%

based on nova institute and own compilation, n companies = 61, n

11

application8%

application8%

2%15%p papplications = 168, Production 70,000

– 100,000 t in 2007

Market & Technology Development Market & Technology Development -- IIII

Werzalit, 2008

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IKEA, 2008Mehrwerk design, 2007

Market & Technology Development Market & Technology Development --WPC in exterior Furniture in EuropeWPC in exterior Furniture in Europe

There is replacement potential of wood but also of aluminum andplastics in garden furniture

IKEA, 2008ARTEK, 10 Unit System

13

ymaterial UPM, 2010

Market & Technology Development Market & Technology Development --WPC in exterior sidingWPC in exterior siding

Kovalex from Kosche, 2008

Twinson-face, Deceuninck, 2008

Tech-wood, 2008

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2008

Niche ApplicationsNiche Applications

Hiendl NFC®

T d b G i ECO PUMP 2010Babel Pico, 2010

Tecnaro used by Gucci, ECO PUMP, 2010

GRENADILL-COMPOSITE

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COMPOSITEFa. Rödel, 2010

F l it dKareline Composite Fasal composite usede.g. by Rödel and Babel

Kareline Compositeused e.g. by Kupilka,Flaxwood and Fenron

European WPC Production FiguresEuropean WPC Production Figures

• The European WPC-decking market currently amounts to aboutThe European WPC decking market currently amounts to about68,000 t, which amounts to 57 % of the total market.

• The European WPC-siding market currently amounts to about13,600 t (11 %) and is at its initial stage.

• The production of other WPC applications amounts to about38 400 t (32 %)38,400 t (32 %).

• Total European Production increased from 3,000 t up to 120,000 tp p ,(without automotive), which means an annual growth rate of 51 %

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European Trends on Products & TechnologiesEuropean Trends on Products & Technologies

• Trend into decking as a main product, all big producers produced ki lth h li ti t idecking although new applications are permanent coming up

• Exterior siding is also produced by all big producers

• Trend to injection molded products, e.g. furniture and furnitureparts

• Trend to consumer goods and music instruments

• Mainly virgin materials are used, but trend to use of recycledmaterial ongoing

• Trend to development of own technology, because of expensivelicenses

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Characterization of WPCCharacterization of WPC--deckingsdeckings

• Why would one invest so much research effort in a relativelyy ysimple product?

− Despite the interesting and promising properties of WPC-materials, decking (besides railing and fencing) is still the onlyapplication in which they have gained some market penetrationapplication in which they have gained some market penetration

Therefore, if one wants to know how real-world WPCs (producedoutside the lab) perform, one needs to look into deckings

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General informationGeneral information

• Numbers of brands and producers are permanently changing• Autumn 2008: ~ 35 brands from ~ 25 producers

• WPC is a complex composite material• Know-how is necessary for achieving good properties

→ a broad variance in quality has to be expected

• Motivation for attempting a comprehensive characterization:Basis for further research– Basis for further research

– Help to avoid dissatisfying consumers with undelivered promises

• Not all European products could be obtained – some are very difficult to get• Consultation generally insufficient

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Prices of WPC Prices of WPC in 2009in 2009

WPC are quite expensiveexpensive

Customers will expect betterexpect better properties !

20Prices do not include substructure

Composition Composition -- GeometryGeometry

Geometry

50

60

%] 50

60

%]Hollow

30

40

onte

nt[%

30

40

c fil

lers

[%Hollow

Polymer-Type

10

20

woo

d-co

10

20

norg

anic

39%

11%0 0

in

50% PE PP PVC

21

Component Component FmaxFmax -- bendingbending

3,00

3,50

17,5

20,0Fmax (kN)

b di t 500N [ ]

2,00

2,50

,

12,5

15,0

m]

N]

bending at 500N [mm]

1,00

1,50

5,0

7,5

10,0

[mm

[kN

0,00

0,50

0,0

2,5

5,0

• Some of the deckings show very high bending

full full LarchBangkirai

• Some of the deckings show very high bending at only 500 N → narrow-stepped support necessary

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y• As expected, bending is inv. proportional to Fmax

Xenon weatheringXenon weathering

0 h 500 h 1000 h

X t ti (1500 h) tifi i l• Xenon testing (1500 h) as artificial weathering

• Pictures taken before and after 500 and• Pictures taken before, and after 500 and 1000 h

• Total colour change less suitable to describe ageing than Lightness

some deckings get lighter some darker→ some deckings get lighter, some darker

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Advantages of WPC …Advantages of WPC …

… for the customers (“end user”) – no ranking

do not splinterdo not splinterdo not warp

low maintenancehigh dimensional stability

good weather resistancegood UV-resistancegood UV-resistance

free design and colorssimple to clean

…………made from wood

Open discussions are running in many diverse forums in the internet find topics for marketing and R&D and how to target the customers!!!

24(key words i.e.: “wpc” “splitterfrei”)

Market research: Market research: MultiMulti--client Studiesclient Studies

Consumer Perceptions of WPC Fencing, 2004

Consumer Perceptions on WPC Decking, 2004

++ durable + “warm“

++ innovative ‐ expensive

++ comfortable +/ elegant/exclusive

Wood Fiber Type

Surface

Color

Several statements at forums 2010

++ comfortable +/‐ elegant/exclusive

+/‐ natural

0 10 20 30 40

Plastics Type

Plastics Share

ypSeveral statements at forums, 2010covers at end of profiles - circular cut-outs problematic

Importance of WPC decking attributes in % (Conjoint Analysis)

problematicbreak through / hollow profilestouch and feeling of “plastic”warming of the surfacedo not splinter

lt ti25

consultationprice ………

Conclusions Conclusions –– applications / outdoorapplications / outdoor

• Complex composite material → Broad range of performances• High prices → need to deliver some outstanding propertiesg p g p p

– Point out the advantages !!!

• Wood is still superior for most mechanical properties• High weight, especially of full profiles, might be a disadvantage

for cons mersfor consumers

• Low HDT-A of some products might be problematic in the summer• WPC show very low water absorption → should alleviate microbial

decay

• Judged by OIT/Xenon results, some deckings might not last long enough → however, correlation with outdoor weathering trials

!26

necessary!

Conclusions Conclusions -- marketmarket

• At the moment, marketing is taking place at a low level, although Europeanpublic is very cautious toward new materials.

Large WPC producers could change this through jointmarketing activities!WPC is far too unknown among the decision makers as well asthe end consumers.

• The wood-working as well as the polymer industry lack adequate knowledgeabout the use of WPC (wood or plastic side) and vice versa.

Suitable Information is needed!• The prices of WPC licenses are high, and the alternative is to develop own

i I t t i d t d l t h ld i C ti ithrecipes. Investments in product development should increase. Cooperating withdifferent disciplines and companies is an appropriate tool for successful productdevelopment.

27Cooperate or loose!!!

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!

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