Building towards a more sustainable future

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26 October 2021

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3 min read

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A technological breakthrough in green glueing produces a unique, eco-friendly plywood solution.

Specialist plywood supplier, Plytech, has updated its line of high-quality, furniture-grade plywood products. Plytech Green's introduction into the New Zealand market—a new range of environmentally friendly plywood—now offers architects and homeowners a more sustainable choice, which is better for us and ultimately better for our planet.

This groundbreaking product, unique to Plytech, utilises an ingenious innovation in plywood glueing technology that significantly reduces the carbon footprint of its plywood ranges—from production to final end-use applications—without compromising quality or technical performance.

Plytech Green products utilise bio-based, renewable lignin glues as a replacement for traditional fossil phenol glues for a healthier, more sustainable plywood product, as seen here in the Balmoral School gymnasium by RTA Studio.
Plytech Green products utilise bio-based, renewable lignin glues as a replacement for traditional fossil phenol glues for a healthier, more sustainable plywood product, as seen here in the Balmoral School gymnasium by RTA Studio.

Plytech Green: a healthier choice for the planet

“Plytech Green is a very exciting technological advancement in green glueing solutions that involves replacing traditional fossil-phenol with bio-based lignin," explains Noah Kamsteeg, Marketing Specialist at Plytech. “Lignin is the substance that gives trees their strong and rigid structure, which allows them to stand and grow upright.”

Architects and homeowners are rightly demanding safer, healthier and more sustainable products and materials. Plytech Green ticks all three of these boxes by offering a genuinely environmentally friendly product that is mindful of its carbon footprint and is building the future towards a new sustainable lifestyle.

“Wood is one of our most valuable natural resources, abundantly available in the entire world in trees and plants. Today, this new technology allows us to produce our plywood panels with wood-based non-toxic adhesives, minimising the amount of fossil-based materials we bring into our homes," explains Kamsteeg.

Extracted from sustainably sourced wood, Plytech Green's glues contribute to the sustainability of the plywood products, complying with the Living Building Challenge and counting towards Green Star credits.
Extracted from sustainably sourced wood, Plytech Green's glues contribute to the sustainability of the plywood products, complying with the Living Building Challenge and counting towards Green Star credits.

Plytech Green: a new take on a trusted range

Lignin glue technology has been regarded as the most significant innovation in plywood products for decades. It is set to change the game in New Zealand for architects, designers, and specifiers looking for a genuine environmentally responsible plywood solution.

“The Plytech Green products that contain Lignin glue are part of our already trusted range,” says Noah. “And while this is a new technology, Plytech Green has the same strength, durability, and performance as before – but what’s really exciting is that it’s now more eco-friendly and renewable.”

The improved environmental performance of Plytech Green over its fossil-glue rivals is significant. “Along with reduced formaldehyde emissions, the potential environmental impact is decreased by up to 49 per cent, including a fall in global warming potential by 26 per cent,” says Kamsteeg.

For architects and designers, the added bonus is that the whole range of Plytech Green counts towards credits for Green Star Certification (13.2 Engineered Wood Products, 20.2 Timber, and 21 Sustainable Materials) and complies with elements of The Living Building Challenge.

Plytech offers six plywood products in the Plytech Green range including Futura Matt high-pressure laminate, as seen here in Hamilton's Borman Village Kids childcare centre by Starex NZ.
Plytech offers six plywood products in the Plytech Green range including Futura Matt high-pressure laminate, as seen here in Hamilton's Borman Village Kids childcare centre by Starex NZ.

Plytech Green: naturally better

Plytech Green is manufactured as a collaboration between two leading European companies – sustainably sourced wood from Stora Enso, a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper, and Latvijas Finieris, a global leader of performance-oriented birch plywood-based product solutions. It is available in six product ranges: Birch Elite, Birch Décor Oak, Birch Décor Walnut, Polaris HPL - Matt, Futura HPL - Matt, Futura HPL.

"The reaction from the industry has been very positive. With architects and the market demanding more sustainable products, Plytech Green satisfies that need without losing out on quality or performance.

The new Plytech Green range was launched in New Zealand in March this year and is available directly through Plytech’s Auckland-based facility for nationwide distribution.

Learn more about the Plytech Green range.