Innovation Award 'Biocomposite of the Year 2019'
The Innovation Award highlights products that entered the market in 2019 or are just about to launch. On 14 – 15 November 2019, the largest conference on Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) and Natural Fibre Composites (NFC) worldwide will take place in Cologne: the 8th Biocomposites Conference Cologne. 
Producers and inventors of innovative, new applications for WPC and NFC were invited to hand in their applications for the Innovation Award “Biocomposite of the Year 2019'.
The Innovation Award “Biocomposite of the Year 2019” is sponsored by Coperion.
Read more about the Winners of the innovation award here.
Nominees of the Innovation Award
Bcomp (CH): PowerRibs™– Sustainable Lightweighting
The Swiss company Bcomp has developed proprietary light-weighting solutions for high performance applications by applying the latest composites knowledge to natural fibres. Thanks to powerRibs™ technology, a reinforcing grid inspired by the thin veins in leaves that provides maximum stiffness at minimum weight, natural fibres can achieve the performance of carbon fibres in a motorsport body and thus replace them. The result is a 75% lower CO2 footprint, 30% lower costs and improved safety without toxic dust and sharp shattering, as well as viable end-of-life options. The powerRibs™ are also used to make automotive interior panels up to 40% lighter. More information: www.bcomp.ch
Golden Compound (DE): HOMEcap – Home Compostable Coffee Capsules
HOMEcap is the world’s first and only home compostable capsule successfully introduced in the market that is ‘OK compost HOME’ certified. Biodegradation in home compost avoids considerable waste streams. The capsule was successfully launched on the market in the spring of this year. It is made from a unique compound comprising PTTMCCs PBS and PBSA mixed with sunflower seed shells and inorganic fillers. It comes with a paper and cellulose based lid, sealable to the capsule without additional glue, home compostable as well. The material composition results in low oxygen transmission rates, which allows to avoid additional barrier packaging and is therefore saving waste. A VDI 4605 sustainability assessment showed that this capsule outperforms current state of the art capsules, like deep-drawn PP EVOH multilayer capsules, in terms of sustainability. More information: www.golden-compound.com
Lingrove (US): Lingrove Ekoa® Veneer
Lingrove builds high-performance veneers for composites - such as the Ekoa® product line with flax fibres and vegetable resins. The veneer has a higher stiffness/weight ratio than steel, is lighter than carbon fibre and has the look of vintage wood. Accordingly, Luttwak guitars made of Ekoa® look like wood, but are not made of wood – they are even better than wood. Lingrove is currently scaling veneer and panel production to meet demand from commercial and residential real estate markets. More information: www.lingrove.com
OrganoClick (SE): A Burial Coffin made with OrganoComp® and 3D Fibre Moulding
A burial coffin Saga made of Swedish company OrganoClick’s biocomposite, was launched in May 2019. OrganoComp® is a patented, 100% bio-based material made of Swedish wood fibres. The binder is based on biopolymers from side streams in the food and pulp industry, such as orange peels and shrimp shells. OrganoComp® is produced with a patented production technology for 3D fibre moulding and is replacing particle boards used in burial coffins that contain synthetic glues. The strength of OrganoComp® enables 50% raw material reduction of the coffin while maintaining the appearance of traditional coffins. OrganoComp® is also used to replace fossil-based plastics and other applications include containers, acoustic panels, and furniture. More information: www.organoclick.com
KNN Cellulose (NL): Recell® Biocomposite – The Competitive Alternative
Recell® biocomposite is a granulate at competitive pricing and with low environmental impact. The biocomposite is made from recovered toilet paper (a tertiary cellulose source) mixed with a variety of polymers like bio-resins, PLA or PHA. So, the cellulose-based product therefore fits ideally in the circular economy. The granulate is suitable for standard injection moulding and extrusion operations. Current applications are e.g. flowerpots, cladding, fencing, decking and crates. The product taking part in the competition is a picnic table produced by Ecodek. The Recell® cellulose fibres are efficiently produced from Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) with Cellvation® technology. STPs thereby benefit from lower operational cost, an increase in processing capacity and the fibres are reused instead of incinerated, benefiting their environmental impact dramatically. More information: www.recell.eu
Trifilon (SE) –Trifilon BioLite - Market-tested biocomposites made with Hemp Fibres
With BioLite, Trifilon offers a green alternative to plastics. BioLite is a polypropylene reinforced up to 30% hemp fibres. Trifilon BioLite is a hemp fibre, polypropylene composite that is delivered in granulates for injection moulding machines. Hemp is one of the strongest natural fibres in the world, which makes BioLite products strong, light and durable. The use of hemp fibres in BioLite optimises the material properties for many applications – The DOMETIC COOLFUN SC 30B thermoelectric cooler is just one example. This technology gives manufacturers the opportunity to make sensible use of renewable raw materials, and an excellent one is hemp. The cooler housing is the world's first to be manufactured with biocomposite material. More information: www.trifilon.com
Procedure
First stage: From now until end of September 2019
Producers and inventors of innovative materials are invited to hand in a completed application form (closed!) and a leaflet or a two-page PDF about the product in English including printable digital pictures (300 dpi), which are free of use in our subsequent media publicity. The documents should explain the particular aspects of the innovation and when it was launched on the market. It is also necessary to submit a sample of the product (or a small material sample if the product is too unhandy).
Delivery address: nova-Institut GmbH, z.Hd. Dr. Asta Partanen, Chemiepark Knapsack, Gebaeude 0611, Industriestraße 300, 50354 Huerth, Germany
Second stage: Mid-October 2019
A jury consisting of representatives of the nova-Institute, the advisory board and sponsors of the conference will nominate the outstanding “Top 6” applicants prior to the conference.
After the jury has selected the “Top 6” candidates among the applicants, their application documents will be made available for download from the conference website to provide our audience and other interested individuals a first glimpse of these innovations.
Third stage: At the conference (14-15 November 2019)
In a short 10-minute presentation, each of the six companies will introduce their innovation on the first day of the conference (November 14, 2019). Following the presentations, the audience will choose the three winners, who will be presented with their awards at the Innovation Award Ceremony (likewise on 14 November 2019, in the evening).
The “Top 6” will present their innovations in a shared exhibition space provided by the nova-Institute. Additionally there is the option to book your own exhibition space (For information, click here).
All winners and their innovations will be highlighted in the subsequent media coverage.
An overview of all winners of the past conferences is available for download here (PDF).
Please note that it is obligatory for the chosen “Top 6” candidates to be physically present on 14 November 2019 at the event in Cologne in order to present their product to our audience. Each “Top 6” candidate will get one free 2-day ticket and further tickets at a discount rate.