Accoya USA LLC, is pleased to share that the construction of the 100,000-square-foot U.S. manufacturing facility is progressing well. Commercial operations are expected to commence in mid-2024. Progress to date includes completing ground works, ongoing steelwork, main warehouse construction, placement of multiple large sub-contracts, and procurement of more than 80 percent of major equipment.
The reactors, essential for the wood acetylation process, arrived in May and were successfully installed at the new Kingsport, Tenn., facility.
Accoya, the ultra-high performance sustainable wood, broke ground on its U.S. manufacturing facility in June 2022. The plant is a joint venture between Accsys, the only acetylated wood producer in the world, and Eastman, a global specialty materials company. As part of the joint venture, Accsys leverages Eastman’s world-class acetyl production capabilities to produce its Accoya wood products.
“The reactors represent a major milestone in our construction process here in the U.S.,” says Rod Graf, general manager of Accoya USA. “The arrival of the reactors was significant for the community, closing roads — due to the size — to make way to the facility’s location.”
North America represents the largest potential regional market for Accoya, and the new plant will ensure a ready supply of Accoya to the U.S. market. Once operational, the Kingsport facility will only supply the North American market, representing an additional 67 percent increase in capacity compared to 2022 volumes worldwide.
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