Process
Kebony was invented and developed in Canada by Dr. Marc Schneider at the University of New Brunswick, and then further refined and commercialized in Norway. From its production facilities located in Skien, Norway and Flanders, Belgium, Kebony redefines standards in the timber industry and new possibilities for wood as a sustainable construction material.
Kebony employs a patented technique to significantly enhance the wood’s strength and longevity. To achieve this, we use furfural alcohol — a bi-product from sugarcane manufacturing — to modify the wood. Two major actions are happening simultaneously in the wood cell:
Active modification: The bio-based liquid reacts with OH-groups present in wood and significantly reduces its natural hygroscopicity. This reaction increases the durability of the wood.
Passive modification: The bio-based liquid forms a polymer that reinforces the wood, which contributes directly to its strength and hardness and gives it its caramel brown colour.
The efficacy of the Kebonization process is what allows us to warranty the product for 25 years as decking and for 30 years as siding — and what led to the company to be recognized as Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, listed as a Global Cleantech 100 company, and ultimately embraced by leading architects and developers all over the world for a wide variety of applications.
Kebony’s history, and future, of innovation
Foundations and Innovations
Though Kebony was founded in 1997, its roots trace back to the pioneering work of Canadian scientist Marc Schneider. Awarded a PhD from the College of Forestry at Syracuse University in 1978, Schneider was motivated by a desire to reduce deforestation and the pressure on tropical woods. His early research aimed to develop a sustainable and industrially viable substitute for tropical hardwood building products, thus helping reduce carbon emissions.
Breakthroughs in Wood Polymerisation
In the late 1980s, Schneider revisited abandoned research on treating sustainably sourced softwood species through a two-stage wood polymerisation process. By impregnating wood with renewable, furfuryl-based liquids and heating it to solidify the liquids, Schneider transformed softwood properties to mimic the durability and aesthetics of tropical hardwoods. Despite initial challenges, Schneider’s development of a compatible catalyst system overcame penetration limitations, forming the basis of Kebony’s technology.
Present-Day Impact and Vision
Today, Kebony holds 50+ active patents, with products featured in architectural projects across over 100 countries. Kebony’s success is attributed to international scientific collaboration and the steadfast support of investors, emphasizing a long-term vision essential for impactful clean technologies. Under the new leadership of CEO Tom Paemeleire, Kebony aims to further its positive global impact, continuing a legacy of technological advancement and sustainability.
Commercialization and Growth
Collaborating with researchers at the University of New Brunswick, Schneider’s work faced hurdles due to insufficient investment. In 1997, a meeting with Simen Gjolsjo from the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research led to the formation of Wood Polymer Technologies AS (WPT). This entity later became Kebony, a name chosen to reflect the connection to tropical hardwood.
Kebony’s growth accelerated with substantial investment in R&D and production facilities. In 2009, Kebony opened its first factory in Skien, Norway, followed by a second facility in Flanders, Belgium, in 2018. These expansions doubled annual production capacity to 40,000 m³. The company estimates that substituting Kebony products for Ipe hardwood in 2022 sales could save 143,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
For more, read the full article in Azo.
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