Accsys Tech Regulatory News (AXS)

19 Mar 2007 07:02

Accsys Technologies PLC19 March 2007 19th March 2007 AIM: AXS Accsys announces commercial production of AccoyaTM wood Accsys Technologies PLC ("Accsys" or "the Company") announces that Titan Wood(www.titanwood.com), its 100% owned subsidiary, has successfully commenced thecommercial production of AccoyaTM wood in the Netherlands. Following the completion of construction at the end of last year, the eagerlyanticipated first batch of AccoyaTM rolled smoothly off the production line atTitan Wood's new 30,000 m3 Arnhem facility earlier this month. Quality testinghas shown that the material significantly exceeded the Company's key minimumquality standards and as a result the first material produced has been acceptedfor use in one of the most demanding exterior applications: sheet piling forDutch canals. Accoya's exceptional durability and dimensional stability makesit the ideal material to withstand exposure to extreme weather conditions. In the coming weeks the company will focus on optimising the process and beginprocessing even higher grades of material for use in premium applications suchas windows, doors and cladding to meet the demands of its customers, includingBSW Timber in UK. Eddie Pratt, Chief Executive of Accsys, commented: "This is a great milestonefor our company and, with construction and commissioning completed in onlyeleven months, a significant achievement for our team. Our order books arecompletely solid for the next six months, with sales confirmed in applicationsincluding cladding, siding, windows, doors, canal linings and civilconstruction. Eventually we hope to see AccoyaTM used in an even wider range ofapplications, replacing many other less effective and, equally importantly, lesssustainable materials. We are already looking forward to the expansion of ourplant which last year's move to the new, larger site has made possible." With commercial production underway at Arnhem, the Company is now in a positionto solidify licence negotiations and fully expects to be in a position to makeannouncements of Licence agreements during the second quarter. 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. BSW is the UK's largest sawmilling group which will be the exclusive supplier ofAccoyaTM in the UK and Ireland. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange