A recycled plastic building panel manufacturer has secured a hoarding supply agreement with Bovis Lend Lease and will go into full production in January as it seeks to make inroads into plywood’s market.
Luton-based 2k Manufacturing, which bills its EcoSheet product as a plywood alternative, has signed a national business framework agreement with Bovis to become “preferred hoarding solution” supplier for construction projects, replacing imported plywood.
The agreement follows earlier agreements between 2K Manufacturing and ISG Pearce and the Apollo Group, who have used Ecosheet on Asda and M&S development sites. Morgan Sindell and Wates have also trialled the product, which can be made using contaminated waste.
It is also being used as formwork.
The manufacturer has also confirmed it is in negotiation with distributors to make EcoSheet an off-the-shelf product available at merchants, as well as seeing potential for use in other applications such as kitchen doors as it can be laminated. A long-term aim is to set up production facilities around the country, utilising locally-sourced waste plastic.
Mike Cater, president of the Plywood Club of London, admitted that it was difficult to knock a product that was made of waste plastic, but he took issues with 2K Manufacturing’s claims that the 25 million + plywood sheets used annually in the UK were not recyclable and “have to be landfilled”.
“I do not see it as a major threat to the plywood industry because I think the volumes will be small,” said Mr Cater. “But it could have some impact on higher end panels.”
He also wanted to know how EcoSheet performed structurally.
Ecosheet’s quoted benefits include standard sizes (2440x1220m), a similar price to plywood but lighter and impervious to rain.
