Accsys Tech Regulatory News (AXS)

10 Jan 2007 07:01

Accsys Technologies PLC10 January 2007 10 January 2007 AIM: AXS Accsys Develops New Business with Wooden Bridges Contract from Dutch Government Accsys Technologies PLC ("Accsys" or "the Company") announces that its 100%owned subsidiary, Titan Wood (www.titanwood.com) has secured a sizeable orderfor AccoyaTM from the Dutch government in the Province of Friesland.Approximately 1,200 m3 of AccoyaTM wood (www.accoya.info) will be used as themain construction material for two unique heavy traffic road bridges across theA7 at the city of Sneek. The contract is a further boost for Titan Wood's new30,000 m3 production facility in the Netherlands. Sneek's prestigious new bridges, each measuring twenty metres high by fortymetres long, are due for completion by 2009. They mark a breakthrough in the useof durable modified wood in heavy traffic road bridge construction and will bethe first of their kind in the world. AccoyaTM, with its outstanding dimensionalstability, reliability and durability credentials, was the natural choice forthe project. Project Manager for Sneek Bridge, Sieds Hoitinga, said: "Several independentEuropean research institutes were contracted to test Accoya's suitability forthis project. After rigorous testing, we found that its dimensional stabilityand incredible durability put it head and shoulders above other wood species andshowed that it is suitable for laminating in large sections measuring 1080 x1400 mm. Other key considerations were AccoyaTM wood's superior UV resistanceand its environmental credentials, in that it is non-toxic and made fromsustainably grown timber. AccoyaTM is made through Titan Wood's proprietary process for the acetylation ofwood. This process increases the amount of 'acetyl' molecules (which arenaturally present in all species of wood) delivering exceptional performanceattributes without damaging the wood. The process protects wood from rot bymaking it inedible to most micro-organisms and insects without making it toxic,unlike many conventional treatments. AccoyaTM benefits from almost total dimensional stability: swelling andshrinkage are virtually eliminated and the wood is therefore far less prone tocracking or warping. In addition, AccoyaTM wood is more resistant to UVdegradation, meaning that it retains its natural appearance longer and, whencoated, requires less frequent maintenance than unacetylated wood. Eddie Pratt, Chief Executive of Accsys, commented: "This represents a reallandmark for Accsys as AccoyaTM will be the first ever modified wood used forheavy traffic bridges, replacing materials such as steel and concrete. To datethe principle focus of Titan Wood's business development has been onnon-structural applications, such as joinery. This order from the provincialDutch government creates an entirely new market category for AccoyaTM, in asegment which not only values the durability and dimensional stability of thewood but also its excellent strength-to-weight ratio - a property which hasspecial significance in civil engineering projects. We fully expect interest instructural uses of AccoyaTM to grow rapidly. We are already in discussions withthe Government in Chile, where a substantial programme to build more than 50bridges in the Interlagos region is being planned." ACCOYA is a registered trademark owned by Titan Wood Limited ENDS For further information, please contact: Accsys Technologies PLC William Paterson-Brown, +44 (0) 20 8122 9191www.accsysplc.com Executive Chairman Collins Stewart Limited Tim Mickley / Michael O'Brien +44 (0) 20 7523 8000Parkgreen Communications Justine Howarth / Clare Irvine +44 (0) 20 7851 7480 Notes to Editors Titan Wood Limited (www.titanwood.com) is wholly owned subsidiary of the AccsysTechnologies PLC (www.accsysplc.com) group of companies. Accsys Technologies PLCis listed on the London Stock Exchange AiM market under the symbol 'AXS'. Wood Acetylation is a process, which increases the amount of 'acetyl' moleculesin wood, thereby changing its physical properties. The process protects woodfrom rot by making it "inedible" to most micro-organisms and insects, without - unlike conventional treatments - making it toxic. It also greatly reduces thewood's tendency to swell and shrink, making it less prone to cracking andensuring that when painted it requires dramatically reduced maintenance. AccoyaTM wood (www.accoya.info) is produced using a patented process thateffectively converts sustainably grown softwoods and non-durable hardwoods intowhat is best described as a 'new wood species'. Distinguished by its durability,dimensional stability and, perhaps most importantly of all, its reliability (interms of consistency of both supply and quality), AccoyaTM wood is particularlysuited to exterior applications where performance and appearance are valued.Unlike most tropical and European hardwoods, its colour does not degrade whenexposed to ultraviolet light. Moreover, the AccoyaTM wood production processdoes not compromise the wood's strength or machinability. The combination of UVresistance, dimensional stability, durability and retained strength means thatAccoyaTM wood offers a wealth of new opportunities to architects, designers andspecifiers. For marine uses where weight is also important, AccoyaTM wood forthe first time provides boat builders with a wood that is strong, lightweight,durable and which retains its natural beauty for far longer. END This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange