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The first U.S. manufacturing site for modified wood producer Accoya USA is now commercially operational in Kingsport, TN. 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 18 million bd. ft. The site created 46 skilled new jobs in the area.
“This important international expansion is a huge milestone for Accsys and Accoya USA,” said Dr. Jelena Arsic van Os, CEO of Accsys Technologies PLC. “We have created a supply proximity to our North American customers, allowing us to efficiently serve the largest and most attractive wood market in the world, with the most durable and stable wood products available in the marketplace.”
“With the growing trends for timber in construction and the increasing demand for wood products, we are excited by the opportunities for Accoya USA,” said Brad Lich, executive VP and chief commercial officer of Eastman. “Accoya offers unrivaled performance in outdoor applications, providing sustainable and durable solutions that meet the evolving needs of consumers and builders alike.”
“We’re so excited for customers to start receiving Accoya batches manufactured in Tennessee, which allows us to provide faster delivery and enhance reliability and service,” said Rod Graf, general manager of Accoya USA. “The production team is well set to produce Accoya to the same high-performance standards the market is accustomed to.”
Accoya demand has been growing in North America, and the product has been specified for some high-profile projects, including the zero-carbon Marisol Malibu, the restoration of the Minnesota State Capitol, and the Rivington Hotel, Manhattan.
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.
About Accoya
Accoya USA, LLC is a joint venture between Accsys (60%) and Eastman Chemical Company (40%), taking advantage and benefitting from synergies between the two businesses’ respective strengths. Accsys is the only producer of acetylated wood in the world, with proprietary technology, processes and decades of know-how and proven success in the manufacturing, marketing, and sales of the sustainable, ultra-high-performance building material. Sustainably grown wood from FSC certified sources is one key raw material for Accoya production, and acetic anhydride is the other.
About Accsys
Accsys (Accsys Technologies PLC) is a fast-growing business with a purpose: changing wood to change the world. The company combines chemistry, technology, and ingenuity to make high performance wood products that are extremely durable and stable, opening new opportunities for the built environment and giving the world a choice to build sustainably. Accsys transforms fast-growing, certified sustainable wood into building materials with characteristics that match or better those of man-made, intensely resource-depleting and heavily carbon-polluting alternatives.
About Eastman
Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application.
