The Brazilian bio‑economy depends on high-quality products from lignocellulosic raw materials (wood, bamboo, palm, sugar cane). The production of engineered high‑value products and high‑performance composites in Brazil is emerging but needs a strong push.

One well‑known example is the industrial bamboo sector in Brazil. Only a few manufacturers process bamboo to toothpicks, chopsticks, curtains, pulp and charcoal. Most of these products are of low value and exports are relatively rare. University of Hamburg, Fraunhofer WKI as well as the University of São Paulo showed that bamboo is suitable for industrial panel materials such as medium-density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard (PB), oriented strand boards (OSB) and long-strand bamboo composites (also known as scrimber) as well as firbe‑matrix composites. Technical, economic and ecological feasibility are proven but not yet applied to a broad extent

The obstacles to a successful implementation and the great opportunities of such raw materials requires investigation and action. BRALECOMP, the “1st Brazilian-German Workshop on Composite Products from Alternative Lignocellulosic Resources” shall promote a vertically and horizontally integrated R&D network. We are willing to form long‑term consortium of industrial, academic and public partners from Brazil and Germany and seek motivated contributors, creative participants and experienced partners.

As a result, we are seeking a bilateral research consortium of research institutes and industrial partners. The development, characterization and application of a scrimber composite material based on alternative lignocellulose and biogenic binders will be the focus of this collaboration. The combination of South American semi-finished products from agricultural sources and European processing technology shall lead to a prototype production plant

In his lecture “Hardwood processing in Germany-Challenges and opportunities for the WBP industry”, Dr. Dirk Berthold, Head of department Raw material, Wood-based materials, Press formed parts of Fraunhofer WKI, will address key aspects in wood processing.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research specializes in process technology, natural-fiber composites, wood protection and emission control, quality assurance of wood products, recycling procedures and the use of organic building materials and wood in construction. Almost all the procedures and materials which result from the research activities at the Institute are used industrially. We operate worldwide and work project-related with research institutions and industrial partners, e. g. with companies from the wood and furniture industries, the construction industry, the chemical and the automotive industry.

In addition to the lectures of the organizing institutions, the workshop will also feature representatives from UNICAMP (Brazil), University of Bath (England), Thünen Institute (Germany), UTP (Colombia), UNESP (Brazil) and PUC Rio (Brazil).

For more information and registration:

http://www.growme.de/bralecomp.html

With information: Fraunhofer WKI and University of Hamburg