Project

DURAWOOD is a 2 year R&D Project that is being funded by EC´s Seventh Framework Programme and more specifically under the “Research for SMEs” sub-programme. The European wood processing industry is a vital contributor to the sustainability of the European forest cluster that gives employment to some 3.5 million people and generates an annual turnover in the region of €400 billion.
However, despite its importance, wood processing faces tough competition from other materials such as astics that typically require less maintenance and offer superior durability.
In order to sustain the use of wood in the face of growing competition from other materials, a clear need exists for cost-effective wood protection methods that do not contain the toxic preservatives that have been used in the past, but which are capable of offering comparable performance and durability.
In order to meet this need, the DURAWOOD project  aims to develop a cost-effective, ecological and durable wood coating system that will significantly improve the performance of water-borne coatings for outdoor wood preservation purposes.
The DURAWOOD consortium is composed of 6 industry partners and 3 research centres from 4 European Member States and Turkey.