While Accoya siding has historically had a Class C fire rating under the U.S. system, we’re thrilled to announce that Accoya wood siding can now be used on buildings in designated Wild Urban Interface (WUI) areas! This is significant as WUI areas are expanding rapidly across the United States.

WUI compliance is generally associated with a specific construction assembly, which includes a variety of materials incorporated in a wall structure. For more information on the approved assembly tested with Accoya, see the link below to the Fire Behavior flier.

Fire Behavior Flier

The market opportunities of this WUI compliance are huge, offering solutions for architects, builders and designers with Accoya as a material option for their projects in FHSZ (Fire Hazard Severity Zone) applications.

These updates are reflected in the following documents:

Accoya-Data-Sheet_NA.pdf

WoodInfoGuide_US.pdf

Accsys-US-Siding-Guidelines.pdf

Accoya Insights – our newsletter bringing you relevant company updates and key developments from around the world.

This edition includes:

• • Kingsport Production Underway
  • Operation Improvements
  • New Faces in Sales & Marketing
  • New Projects- Silt Casino, Elegant Accoya Decking in Germany, Forskaren Innovation Centre
  • Sustainability Certifications
  • Fire Behavior & WUI
  • Where To Buy Updates

We are pleased to share that Accoya USA, the first-ever U.S. manufacturing site, is now commercially operational.  The production facility, a joint venture between Accsys and Eastman Chemical Company, replicates the design and technology of Accsys’ established production facility in the Netherlands and has an initial capacity of 463,000 square feet. The site created 46 skilled new jobs in the area.

As part of the joint venture, Accsys leverages Eastman’s world-class acetyl production capabilities to produce its Accoya wood products. This supports the recycling of acetyls and enables a closed-loop system, reducing emissions and ensuring circularity. This adds to Accoya’s strong environmental credentials, which are Cradle to Cradle Certified^® Gold.

Accoya wood brings unprecedented reliability to timber. It is manufactured and tested not to visibly swell, shrink, or distort, making it ideal for windows, doors, decking, and siding. Accoya offers an unrivaled 50-year above-ground and 25-year in-ground and freshwater warranty.

Accsys, the fast-growing company that enhances the natural properties of wood to create high-performance, sustainable building products, announces the addition of two U.S. distribution partners: Keim and Saroyan Hardwoods. Enlarging its geographic footprint is essential in preparation for the expected summer launch of the Accoya production facility in Kingsport.

• Keim, based in Charm, Ohio, was founded in 1911. With 600 employees, Keim is a fourth-generation family business providing home, building, and woodworking supplies to professionals. The company has extensive wood remanufacturing facilities and an extensive inventory of domestic and imported lumber to supply its customer base across Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
• Saroyan Hardwoods, based in California and was founded in 1947 on three principles—quality, integrity, and personal service—Saroyan now has over 25,000 clients, 200 employees, and three service facilities across California. In addition, Saroyan has extensive milling and manufacturing capabilities out of its two production plants located in Huntington Park, California, and Glasgow, Kentucky. This fourth-generation family business prides itself on manufacturing products to the highest industry standards while fulfilling the toughest material requests.

Accoya wood and distribution partner Sierra Forest Products team up to debut the award-winning Accoya^® Color Grey decking product at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, February 27 through 29 at booth SU1679. Accoya Color brings Accoya wood’s unique performance and sustainability benefits in a stunning color-through grey.

Accoya Color is the next generation of high-performance wood with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC^®), Declare labeled, and Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold certifications. The wood is transformed into a uniquely durable, nontoxic exterior solution for decking and siding profiles, playgrounds, and landscaping designs through a modification process called acetylation.

“Accoya Color delivers a premium, minimal movement decking product that is highly durable, non-toxic, and long-lasting,” said Laura Keily, head of marketing at Accsys. “Because it is colored completely through to the core, it requires less maintenance, saving time and money.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Accoya at the builders’ show and showcase the latest innovation in wood advancement,” said Mark Warne, vice president of sales-exterior at Sierra Forest Products. “We’ve valued our partnership with Accoya wood for over a decade and look forward to growing Accoya Color as a sustainable and innovative decking option for our customers.”

As awareness of mental health issues grows, the demand for incorporating well-being into architectural design will continue to be a significant trend in 2024. Research has shown that biophilic design — connecting people with nature within the built environment — can strengthen the immune system, reduce stress levels, improve mood, and boost cognitive function. These are all great benefits for an employee’s productivity and morale at the office.

Integrating nature into buildings through natural light, ventilation, greenery, and natural organic materials like wood will be an architectural trend for 2024.

• This Marion, Iowa fire station is clad with charred Accoya wood and was featured in Architectural Record in March of 2023, and OPN Architects created a sustainable building design. An example of a building focused on biophilic design — connecting nature with building occupants to “ease the physical and mental trauma that they [we] experience in these jobs.” Charred wood is created by using the Japanese technique of Shou sugi ban.

Reflecting our diverse world and fostering social equality and connection will be increasingly important in 2024 and beyond. As a result, our architecture must reflect the different cultural traditions and aesthetics within our society to create a better sense of belonging for all. It includes accessible design — physical, cultural, and diverse needs — to ensure everyone can enjoy buildings and designing spaces to promote open interaction and exchanges to understand our differing communities better.

• One of our first projects in the United States (2010) was revitalizing a South Dallas, Texas, neighborhood community center revitalization — a communal hub for a historically underprivileged neighborhood. The Jubilee Park and Community Center catalyzes community renewal and enrichment, revitalizing and educating its children and adults. The center accommodates various needs — police department substation, senior citizen program space, and after-school care for children — while bridging the gap between old and new. Accoya wood blended with the homes in the neighborhood while creating a usable, lasting resource for the community.

While many trends are not new, they are evolving, and many are exploding rapidly — hello technology —it is a pivotal time for sustainable building design and architecture trends 2024 and beyond, paving the way for a more resilient future. At Accoya, we’re at the forefront of sustainable building design.

Accoya wood has garnered two prestigious awards, ending the year on a high note — Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold in product circularity, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness levels and platinum for material health by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. Accoya also brings home the top honor for People’s Choice in the Most Innovative Deck or Patio Product Award for Accoya Color Grey from the Pool, Spa, Patio (PSP)/Deck Expo 2023.

PSP/Deck Expo showcased the latest innovations and engaged attendees and industry professionals in a unique voting experience. The People’s Choice category resonated globally from on-site ballots to online participation.

“This achievement reflects the excellence of the Accoya Color Grey product and the collective acknowledgment of its impact within the industry,” said Laura Keily, head of marketing at Accsys. “We thank everyone who voted for Accoya Color Grey.”

Accoya is made from FSC® certified fast-growing pine from well-managed forests. Through a modification process, Accsys transforms the pine into Accoya, a highly durable and stable wood, reducing reliance on unsustainable and, often irresponsibly sourced, hardwoods. Accoya is entirely non-toxic and has a low lifetime carbon footprint.

Accoya Color Grey, a product of meticulous research and development, has redefined the possibilities of outdoor decking materials. Its success in securing the People’s Choice Award at the Innovative Product Showcase, hosted by PSP/Deck Expo, is a testament to its widespread acceptance and approval within the professional community and among the public.

This accolade is not just a recognition of Accoya Color Grey’s striking appearance but also of its commitment to sustainability. The product embodies a marriage of form and function, offering an exquisite grey finish that resonates with contemporary design trends while being sourced from sustainable, fast-growing wood. Accoya Color Grey stands as a shining example of how innovation can be seamlessly integrated with eco-conscious practices to create a product that transcends industry norms.

The Innovative Product Showcase at PSP/Deck Expo serves as a prominent platform for industry leaders and enthusiasts to discover groundbreaking products. Accoya Color Grey’s victory in the People’s Choice category reinforces its appeal and popularity among those who prioritize not only performance and aesthetics but also environmental responsibility.

This triumph positions Accoya Color Grey as a trailblazer in the decking materials landscape, setting new benchmarks for excellence and sustainability. As the industry continues to evolve, this accolade solidifies Accoya Color Grey’s role as a frontrunner, inspiring others to follow suit in the pursuit of innovation that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of both professionals and consumers alike.

Award: Most Innovative Deck or Patio Products

Hosted by: International Pool, Spa, Patio Expo and Deck Expo

There are many ways to use timber in landscape timber projects for residential and commercial designs. We’ve assembled some of our favorite landscape timber ideas for consideration below:

1. Decking, Bridges, and Walkways

It is still the most popular choice for decking, generally the focal point for the yard and extending the outdoor living areas. Timber can also be used for commercial boardwalks and larger marina projects. For instance, Accoya was chosen for a 1,300-foot-long boardwalk in Australia, home to some of the harshest weather conditions in the world.

Timber offers homeowners and commercial designers flexible and creative options regarding outdoor furniture and structures. It also provides warmth that can’t be matched with other materials like metal, plastic, and concrete. It is also a natural insulator, absorbing sound rather than bouncing off. In the middle of a city, where noise is a constant, the city of New Plymouth in New Zealand created an outdoor respite area showcasing seating and planters made of Accoya.

Add ambiance or blend into any outdoor space with wood-lighting structures. Timber lighting structures can soften and diffuse light or make an area bold and dramatic. The Pike, located along the shoreline in Long Beach, features timber light poles along the shoreline strip.

The groundbreaking comes on the heels of the completion of the fourth acetylation reactor at Arnhem, the Netherlands plant in September.  The fourth reactor increases Arnhem’s Accoya production capacity by 33% and the Kingsport facility will be an additional 67% increase in capacity from 2022 volumes.

The groundbreaking comes on the heels of the completion of the fourth acetylation reactor at Arnhem, the Netherlands plant in September.  The fourth reactor increases Arnhem’s Accoya production capacity by 33% and the Kingsport facility will be an additional 67% increase in capacity from 2022 volumes.

Since that very first batch in 2007, Accsys has expanded our offering in both availability and scope to give even greater choice and versatility to the construction industry. We’ve constantly refined and developed our Accoya production processes and buying options, and developed Tricoya®, many of the Accoya’s long list of benefits to the world in panel form, unlocking vast creative and functional potential for a more sustainable built environment. We’ll be opening the world’s first Tricoya plant this year, an exciting prospect and quite amazing in the context of Accoya’s 14^th ‘birthday’!

As we’re celebrating Accoya today though, we shouldn’t forget to also mention that the new www.accoya.com launched recently, with updated branding and a whole new way to see and showcase the product and its uses in stunning detail – as well as simplifying the path to purchase.

So, maybe the question isn’t ‘why is Accoya still a favorite after 14 years’, but ‘why would you want to choose anything else?’

From the world’s largest covered mangrove to the park restaurant furniture and the window frames and facade of the gift shop, Accoya wood is loved by the Arnhem zoo:

“By choosing Accoya you make a sustainable choice. Because of our experience with the wood in previous projects in the park and because we are convinced of the quality, we do not hesitate to use the sustainable wood again”.

• Frank Simon, Technology Manager, Burgers’ Zoo

The  600m2 bistro bar and catering pavilion known as FortVier was created by four friends as a place to enjoy and celebrate life. Designed by H²A Architecture and Urban Planning, it features Accoya wood for the sidng, roof, and unique decorative logo.  With a largely open and free floor plan the building also has internal folding walls and can be rearranged inside into café, restaurant and party room areas.

“We deliberately chose Accoya because it is the ultimate sustainable product with a natural look.”

• Vivian Trienen, Director of the FortVier College Foundation

With the citizens’ initiative ‘Here once stood a church’, a long-held wish to return the old stained-glass windows of the Kleine Eusebiuskerk Church (demolished in 1990) to their original location in the Coehoornpark has been fulfilled.

Accsys was proud to support this by sponsoring the Accoya wood frames, working with local carpenters and craftsmen to create the unique, colorful and historic gate.

Café het Moortgat on the Ruiterstaart in Arnhem has commissioned Collectief Soepel from Arnhem to make a folding façade bench with weather-resistant wood. Offering an unexpected place to rest in front of the cafe, or enjoy a coffee in the sun, the bench can fold away at quiet times. Collectief Flexible chose Accoya because of the beautiful natural appearance of the wood combined with its durability for outdoor use.

Foodhall Arnhem, located on the Rijnkade in Arnhem, brings over a dozen world cuisines together in one place. The food hall hosts enthusiastic entrepreneurs and culinary talents providing a huge variety of the tastiest meals, snacks and drinks. Welcoming visitors is the beautiful entrance made of sustainable Accoya wood.

The walkway to the entrance of the Accsys offices is equipped with designer outdoor lighting: the STRADA by timberlab. It is a lamppost made of layers of Accoya wood, carefully curved into shape for a durable, elegant lighting solution that blends organic materials with modern techniques and aesthetics.  Left untreated, the wood will weather over time to a silvered color as the fixtures become part of the natural environment.

Complementing this, we’ve also made it much easier to buy Accoya® wood for your own project.  Our ‘Where to Buy’ section provides you with local and national listings for the distributors and trained manufacturers best placed to help you, no matter where you live or what you want to do!

With this new, more tailored and local focus, we are also now presenting a truly global brand for Accoya. When you first visit the site, you will be automatically routed to your local version of the website – in your local language and showing you the most relevant content.  We have started this off with five localised websites for our current largest geographic markets, and are set up to extend this further as we continue to grow.

The new Accoya® website is a big step forward for us as we grow and evolve Accoya® and its brand, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Mark Drury, Director, SPUD said:

“this is the culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work by all the team involved. The support from the local authorities, local businesses and individuals has been truly incredible and without it we could not have reached this point. It’s been a fantastic journey working with all the team and in particular the young people. SPUD believes passionately in enabling young people to make take an active role in their community and make a real difference.”

Heather Evans, Director, Bespoke Biking said:

“We are passionate about encouraging and helping everybody, no matter what their age or ability, to cycle.  After over five years of dreaming, planning and building, the Handlebar Café is now a reality.  We are so excited and proud to see it complete and open for business in its beautiful Winchester setting.  Alongside our main Bike Hub in the centre of town, we are delighted to offer the Handlebar Café as a fantastic destination to walk or ride to.  We can’t wait for people to come and taste our great coffee, cakes and locally sourced sausage rolls, pies and pastries.

“Our aspiration is for the Handlebar Café to become a focal point for the local community and visitors, helping everyone appreciate the area’s fantastic natural environment.  We are looking forward to continuing our partnership work with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to help enhance the area and encourage the public to come and enjoy everything that this wonderful beauty spot has to offer.”

Accsys is committed to sustainability for the built environment, and is pleased to support this unique project by some potential architects of the future.

Find out more about Accsys at www.accsysplc.com

Architects: architecturePLB

Construction Team: Bespoke Modular Developments and BlueFish Construction

Engineers: ARUP

Photos: Pulse8 / Julia Conway Photography