WOOD PLASTIC COMPOSITES | APPLICATIONS
WPC growth continues
Made from recycled plastics and wood waste, WPCs appeal for their sustainability but rely on different additives for their durability. Jennifer Markarian looks into the growing US market
There is much talk today about improving product sustainability by using recycled plastic content and bio-based materials. Well, wood-plastic composites (WPCs) have been quietly doing just that since the 1990s.
WPCs are typically made from post-consumer
recycled plastic – such as polyethylene from grocery bags or milk jugs although PP and PVC is also used – compounded with wood fibre or wood flour (a waste product). They are most widely used in building and construction products such as decking and railing, but are increasingly finding roles in furniture, flooring, automotive, and even consumer goods. One of the most recent applica- tions for WPC is as a backing or cushioning material for luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring. Natural fibre composites (NFC) are similar to WPC and are also used in a variety of applications. However, as the name implies, NFC products use various types of natural fibres in place of wood fibre in their formulations. The “eco-friendly” message of WPC and its benefit of low maintenance (along with quality that has improved over the past decades) are helping drive growth of composite decking and related products in the US in particular. The ongoing trend of building “outdoor living spaces” is another factor in that growth, as is the move on the part of several manufacturers to introduce WPC decking that is closer to the price of pressure-treated lumber. US-based WPC manufacturer Fiberon, for
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example, introduced its lower-priced Good Life decking line in 2014. The profiles have a WPC core with a protective HDPE cap on three sides (the company claims that the capped WPC market segment is growing at nearly 10% annually). “WPC based building products, such as com- posite decking specifically, continue to convert market share in North America, Europe and Asian markets due to their durability and sustainability characteristics versus real wood,” says Fiberon Vice President Innovation Peter D Kotiadis. However, he points to significant differences in formulation in these different regions. “Leading manufacturers in the United States and Canada rely on a deck core formula which is primarily recycled polyethylene, whereas Europe leans more towards the use of polypropylene based streams. Fillers can also vary, with rice-hulls and bamboo flour being very common in Asia, versus hardwoods and softwood fillers elsewhere.” Kotiadis also highlights the different geometric and aesthetic requirements. “Streaked co-extruded ‘solid’ rectangle boards prevail in North America as compared to uncapped hollow-cored boards which are more popular in foreign markets,” he says.
Planning growth The Enhance Basic line from Trex was also intro- duced as a lower-cost option and is expected to play a part in its ambitious growth plans. “Demand trends indicate the conversion from wood has
August 2019 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 45
Main image: Improved performance and keener prices are ensuring growth for WPCs in North America
PHOTO: AMERICHEM
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