A Swiss winner of the "Biocomposite of the Year 2019" innovation award
Six candidates have been nominated for the innovation award "Biocomposite of the Year 2019″. Bcomp from Switzerland came third with powerRibs™, a composite material made of natural fibers for high-performance applications in lightweight construction.
Winners of the 2019 Biocomposite of the Year Innovation Award show the amazing versatility of commercially available biocomposites: Golden Compound from Germany won the race with their certified home-compostable coffee capsules. Second place went to KNN Cellulose from the Netherlands with their biocomposite granules made from recycled toilet paper.
Bcomp from Switzerland came third with powerRibs™, a composite material made of natural fibers for high-performance applications in lightweight construction.
Using the latest knowledge of natural fiber composites, Swiss company Bcomp has developed its own lightweight solutions for high-performance applications. The powerRibs™ technology is inspired by the thin veins in leaves, allowing the reinforcement mesh to achieve maximum stiffness with minimum weight. This allows natural fibers to match and even replace the performance of carbon fibers in a motorsport body. The result is a 75 % lower carbon footprint, 30 % lower cost, and improved product safety without toxic dust and sharp splinters, as well as viable end-of-life options. Most importantly, powerRibs™ make automotive interior trim up to 40 % lighter. (More information: www.bcomp.ch)
Good times for biocomposites
Never before has the demand for alternatives to classic plastic products been greater. Up to 80 % of plastics can already be replaced by biogenic fillers such as wood flour and cork, or by natural fibers for reinforcement. Biocomposites are now available for almost every application: packaging, consumer goods, toys, handles, footwear, facade and decking elements, flooring, car parts and even furniture. The companies nominated this year provided a good overview of the growing fields of application for biocomposites: Automotive, packaging, consumer goods, cladding, musical instruments, and facade elements.
For the seventh year in a row, the "Biocomposite of the Year" innovation award was presented to producers and developers of innovative and new applications for biocomposites. The award ceremony was held at the world's largest conference on biocomposites: The 8th Biocomposites Conference Cologne" (www.biocompositescc.com). With 200 participants, mainly from industry, and 30 exhibitors, the conference was once again the meeting place for developers, producers and potential users worldwide.
