The International Panel Products Symposium is the leading technical conference on wood based panels. It is an ideal networking opportunity for science and industry reporting developments in particleboard, OSB, MDF, plywood and fibreboard.

IPPS




Dr. Rob Elias, BC Director
Opening address

Dr. Adrian Higson, NNFCC

Prof. Mark Lawther, Danish Technological Insititute










 

25th Anniversary Lectures and Gala Dinner

On 16th September 2014 we held an evening of Anniversary Lectures and a Gala Dinner In celebration of our 25th Anniversary.

The event was held at Neuadd Reichel, Bangor University and was attended by over 70 people including past and present BC staff, invited guests and delegates from the IPPS Master Class.

The BioComposites Centre (BC) was established in 1989, by Dr .James Bolton, and has been at the forefront of research, development and the commercial application of bio-based alternatives to synthetic materials in manufacturing and industry for 25 years.

Dr. Rob Elias, Director of BC gave the opening address welcoming all the guests and thanking them for their help and support over past 25 years.
He also used the event was also used to launch the first ever Annual Report which details some of our current research and our new initiatives.

Adrian Higson, Lead Consultant Biobased Products, NNFCC, UK followed with his presentation on “Developing the Bio-based economy: The Bio Base NWE project and IB Catalyst Funding”. He talked about the bioeconomy and pointed out that the UK has technological advantage with a highly regarded research base and this will help economic growth based on key Industrial innovation. This will be done through networks such as Networks in Industrial Biotechnology & Bioenergy (NIBB), multi-funder collaboration eg.Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the Industrial Biotechnology Catalyst support for process development through projects like BEACON and Biobase NWE.

Mark Lawther, a past Deputy director of the BioComposties Centre, continued the lectures with a trip down memory lane with his fact filled presentation 'Overview of research at BC: from early days and into the future', in which he gave a brief history of BC, emphasising that the whole concept and ethos behind the work was well ahead of it's day. Early 'Link' projects involving wood modification and straw fractionation were pioneering in their research and are now being used in industrial processess today. Detailed, careful and systematic work on the characterisation of major and minor components of straws: extractives, polymers, fibres, by Prof. Runcang Sun, documented viable routes for wet-fractionation of straws and other non-wood, lignocellulose biomass. The results and findings are currently being used now by biorefiners world-wide.

Today BC is involved in three EU-FP7 projects and will focus on networking to bid for Horizon 2020 projects. The Biorefining Technology Transfer Centre is a major asset which offers up-scaling and product development specializing in bio-based materials and chemicals of benefit to the low carbon economy. New pilot scale equipment including a wet fractionation line, pulp molder and supercritical CO2 extraction facility have increased the potential and scope for processing and biomaterial development. Mark Lawther went on to describe his interest in wet fractionation and highlighted the economic significance of targeted fractionation of high value biological material constituents.

The Anniversary lectures were sponsored by BEACON and LIMNet and were followed by a wine reception, sponsored by CRC Chemicals, UK.

The Gala dinner started with a pre-dinner speech given by Andrew Carpenter of the Structural Timber Association, UK who discussed the construction sector and its importance to the economy. His insight into the industry is highly relevant as construction is a key research topic in H2020.

During the meal the usual, and much loved, IPPS quiz was taken seriously (by most) as at stake were two bottles of Champagne for the winning table.


BC Director, Rob Elias, wrapped up the evening with prize giving and grateful acknowledgement to all who attended, organised and sponsored the 25th Anniversary Celebrations and also to all who have contributed to and worked with the Centre since 1989.

**AGENDA for ANNIVERSARY LECTURES and GALA DINNER **