LONDON – Accsys Technologies, an environmental science and technology company, has entered into a license agreement with Rhodia Acetow GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of international specialty chemical and plastic company the Solvay Group, for exclusive rights to Accsys’ proprietary acetylation technology for a 15-year period.

Additionally, the conditional license agreement allows Rhodia Acetow to manufacture, distribute and sell Accoya® wood in more than 40 European countries with the exception of the UK, Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. The agreement also allows the construction of multiple Accoya wood production facilities in various locations over a period of 25 years.

The first Rhodia Acetow plant is projected to be in operation by the end of 2014 and will have an initial capacity of 2.2 million cubic feet (or 63,000m³) of finished Accoya wood output. Accsys’ first plant, based in The Netherlands, will continue to operate as a research and development unit in addition to its production of Accoya wood supplying the remaining European countries and the rest of the world.

Accsys uses proprietary acetylation technology, studied by scientists around the world for more than 80 years, to manufacture Accoya wood, the first commercially available acetylated wood in the world. The process alters the wood’s reaction with water by permanently replacing free hydroxyls within the wood with stable acetyl groups that will not bond with water. Acetyl groups are naturally present in all wood species, which means that nothing toxic is added into the wood. The altered cell structure of the wood makes it an unrecognizable food source, preventing fungal decay and insect attack, as well as increasing its strength and dimensional stability. The wood is sourced from FSC- and PEFC-certified forests and carries a Cradle to Cradle Gold certification. Accoya wood comes with a 50-year above-ground and 25-year below-ground warranty against rot, decay and dimensional stability.

"It is a pleasure to introduce Rhodia Acetow as our newest licensee with whom we have been working closely for some time,” said Paul Clegg, CEO for Accsys Technologies. “Rhodia is a leader in the production and sale of a wide range of performance materials sold into key market sectors of relevance to Accsys, including its use in buildings and the urban environment. As one of the world’s leading producers of cellulose acetate, a material that shares certain processing components with our acetylation technology, they also have the technical capabilities to make the license a success.”

“We are delighted with the license agreement that will allow us to build on our acetylation knowledge in the field of cellulose acetate,” said Gérard Collette, president of Rhodia Acetow. “While we will continue to develop our core businesses, cellulose acetate RHODIA® Filter Tow and RHODIA® Acetol flakes made from renewable resources, Accsys’ acetylation technology fits perfectly with our strategy of product portfolio diversification,” he added. “Moreover, combining a highly attractive ecological profile and excellent performance, the manufacturing of Accoya wood is in line with our ambition to become a leader in innovative and sustainable materials and to deliver returns to the Solvay Group.”

This new agreement follows many recent introductions and global growth announcements for Accsys Technologies, including the launch of Medite® Tricoya® with Coillte Panel Products in Europe, the subsequent Tricoya option license agreement in Latin America and the strategic collaborative relationship with BP.

Accsys Technologies PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market and on Euronext Amsterdam under the symbols 'AXS'. Its products are available throughout North America, Europe, Asia and many other part of the world through a network of distributors. For more information about Accsys Technologies and its products, visit www.accsysplc.com.

Source: Accsys Technologies