An eco-innovative alternative to plywood
ECOSHEET-PRO is an eco-innovative and cost effective alternative to plywood made from mixed plastic waste, suitable for
high strength applications in the construction industry. This project will tackle two significant environmental challenges facing
Europe, whilst also offering added value to the construction industry.
The first issue addressed is that of mixed plastic waste. In Europe, in 2014, 18 million tonnes of post-consumer waste
plastics were landfilled or incinerated, as they could not be easily separated and recycled. Alternative uses for such waste
must be found.
The second issue is the growth in the use of plywood, typically manufactured from slow-growing, tropical hardwoods. This
material is a key, high volume commodity in construction industry formworks and an area the size of Madrid is deforested
each year to meet Europe’s demand.
ECOSHEET-PRO transforms mixed plastic that would otherwise be wasted into a competitive, reusable, plywood
replacement. Previous attempts to create such boards have failed to deliver the required strength or cost effectiveness
required by industry. We have overcome these barriers through an innovative manufacturing process, which will be scaled
up and refined during this project.
ECOSHEET-PRO has the potential to re-define the €1.8 billion European plywood industry and help Europe meet its
demanding plastic recycling targets, contributing to the circular economy. Our success stems from bringing together the
complementary expertise of two eco-innovative SMEs from Italy and the UK, both with a strong ambition to grow and
internationalise.
Across a network of 13 facilities in 2023, ECOSHEET-PRO will create 77 jobs, generate annual revenues of over €76.5
million, annual profits of €26.8 million, and transform >221,000 tonnes of waste into valuable products.