Industrial logging of the world's primary forests is rapidly destroying the habitats of thousands of animal and plant species, and depleting our planet of its oxygen reserves. The situation today is of concern to us all: we need to call a halt to the destructive exploitation of hardwoods responsible for this widespread desforestion.
WPC Corporation, invented and developed a substitute for Wood made from softwood waste and recycled polymer resins
This new material had the appearance and qualities of the rarest species of Wood While offering a truly; eco-friendly alternative, and met with instant success. The Extremely demanding Japanese market was won over by quality and exceptional lisfespan of this product, which followed the Shintoist tradition of respect for, and love of, nature. Wood Plastic Composite material is widely available today in Asia, and especially in Japan, where it holds a 60% market share in architectural landscaping in the public and private construction sectors.
Many entrepreneurs the world over have tried to imitate the original Japanese wood plastic composite. Whether imported, or produced locally, the equivalent products sold in Europe and the U.S. are of very varied quality. The manufacturing technology has to be so finely tuned and intricately controlled; both know-how and accumulated experience are keys to the fabrication of a high-quality, resilient wood plastic composite.
Nonetheless, in today's construction sector there are some very competitive solutions that fulfil green criteria. Our company, WPC Corparation, which offers worldwide customers both know-how and support, has selected and developed a full range of products conforming to rigorous standards.
Einwood®'s manufacturing process adheres strictly to the original Japanese technique, and is produced exclusively in Japan. It remains the leading global brand in the field, and undeniably offers the best guarantees available when it comes to durability, aesthetic appeal, and the use of eco-friendly technologies. The company is gaining recognition as one of the success stories of the green revolution: a material for the future of the construction sector in world markets.
EINWOOD®: a sustainable solution
A sustainable building material
Ten years before the concept of 'sustainable development' was even thought of, the invention of wood plastic composite in Japan was already fulfilling most of the criteria. Manufactured using processes designed to protect the environment, a board in wood plastic composite is ecologically sound. The wood fibres are mainly recycled pine. The resin component - recycled polypropylene - is a fully recyclable, environmentally-neutral plastic, widely recognised as a non-toxic substance. These raw materials - both wood and plasctic - are all sourced from the recycling industry, and using them ultimately means saving many valuable, and environmentally costly 'noble' materials. All of the EINWOOD® inputs are scrupulously examined and declared to be completely free of toxic substances before processing. Today, EINWOOD®'s composition is free of all solvents and chlorides: it will never release formaldehyde gases, and this means it is easily recycled itself, and is not harmful to human health. So each stage in the manufacture of EINWOOD® wood plastic composite fully complies with sustainable development criteria.
The real alternative to exotic hardwoods
Exposed to the elements, the lifecycle of wood, whether soft or hardwood, is limited. Wood is vulnerable to UV radiation, humidity, fungal growth of insect attack, and requires regular treatment to delay greying, splitting, splintering or the spread of rot. Wood plastic composite provides an applealing alternative: rot proof and durable, it is guaranteed splinter-free and non-slip, it will not split or crack, and is resistant to insects and fungal infection.High-quality products like EINWOOD® keep their original colour. The functional ingredients used, and the technical characteristics of the end products, guarantee unrivalled performance and durability. Unlike wood, the manufacture of EINWOOD® board does not require trees to be felled, and subsequent processing causing secondary pollution is unnecessary. Manufactured exclusively from recycled wood, and with the look and feel of natural hardwood, EINWOOD® today offers a viable alternative to exploiting the equatorial rainforests.
Japan Industrial Standard
ECO-MARK Label
Carbon Footprint
Made from recycled materials and itself recyclable, Einwood® is the one and only Wood Composite to have achieved the extremely challenging JIS A 5741 standard awarded by Japan's national laboratory qualifying recycled composite Woods and plastics. This certification guarantees that the product is free of toxic substances potentially harmful to health. JIS A 5741 is the standard for WPC in regard to recycled material content, quality, safety performance and environmental friendliness.
EINWOOD® Product have also been awarded Eco-Mark status, a prestige label that is not easy to obtian. Eco-Mark certification guarantees that a product is 'eco-friendly' and is only awarded when it has met rigorous criteria as judged by a committee of academics, government members, consumer associations and industrial experts in their field. Eco-Mark is a label awarded by the Japan Environment Association, which guarantees that our products, for both interior and exterior applications, are totally harmless to human health and are composed of at least 80% raw materials of recycled origin (wood and polymers). As a result, the EINWOOD® range of product is completely free of chorine, CFC or other solvents found in products such as PVC. The Japan Environment Association is a member of the Global Ecolabelling Network as well as the European Ecolabel scheme
When the earth friendliness of WPC is emphasized, the traceability of the input materials should be highlighted, as well as the carbon foot print of the manufacturing process of the product itself. Comparison tests are conducted to calculate the carbon footprint of EINWOOD® which uses recycled plastic, with other brands of other WPC products that use pure plastics. The calculation is done by Wood Plastic Recycled Composites Industrial Committee Japan, WG Research Feb 2008 of which WPC Corporation is acting as a committee board member. The calculation result is shown: LCC02 (KG - CO²) per decking 10m² (200kg EINWOOD/m² uses)
Infinitely versatile
Easy to install
Minimal maintenance
Suitable for any climate, and stunning to look at, Japanese Einwood® lends itselft to a multitude of different uses both outdoors and indoors: decking, pontoons, swimming pool surrounds, walkways, paths, steps, outdoor furniture or panelling, trellises, screens or louvered shutters, wood flooring or wall coverings, cladding, garden arbors or pergolas... Warm and natural looking, it mimics the look and feel of natural wood to perfection. From flooring to ceilings and walls, the scope is endless thanks to the special mix of components and the heat extrusion process. Although currently in Europe, Asia, Middle east and Russia the main application is for decking and cladding, a fundamental change is taking place in the market with a sharp increase in demand for Einwood® facades and a vast array of architectural features.
EINWOOD® is very easy to install: the calibrated boards, accessories and fixing clips reduce laying times to half those required when installing hardwood decking or support structures. Using standard tools, even the most inexperienced installer can produce straight, neat cuts without splintering, The boards are supplied with and ingenious system of invisible clips for easy laying and rapid dismantling, (if required) minimising the number of screws needed. These clip fasteners allow the structure to expand and shrink while maintaining firm but elastic contact between the boards and their supporting structure.
Guaranteed knot-free, splinter-free, warp-free and with its invisible fixing system, EINWOOD® offers a safe ,non-slip surface. The grained surface of the boards offers exceptional adherence. It requires no special maintenance and is easily cleaned using a high-pressure water jet or hose. The boards can be worked and sanded just like wood, but the toxic treatments and polyurethane varnish needed to maintain natural wood are totally superfluous. Accidental spills or stains can be removed, and the original surface restored by sanding lightly with a fine-grade sandpaper.
