Future product design requires sustainable processes and eco-innovation in material development for engineering applications. The innovative approaches use new engineering materials - biocomposites – and their development has to be knowledge-based, whereas predominant issues are resource saving, variability in properties and functionality, light weight, low costs and eco-efficiency in all stages of the product life cycle.

Driving forces are SMEs from less RTD intensive branches currently producing raw materials of biomass, fibres, wood extraction constituents and biopolymers to supply branches of mass consumer goods, automotive and electronic industries in the future. These aim towards a zero-waste strategy in production and product responsibility at long term reliability to keep competitiveness in a global market. Their activities have to be efficiently supported by improved properties and reliable availability of raw materials and components, knowledge-based processing methods and conditions as well as material data of new developed materials. A sustainable breakthrough will only be gained if high tech materials are made in contrast to current existing low grade wood plastics and packaging materials providing substantial profits to raw material supplier and material developer.

 The main objective of this project is to obtain a breakthrough for SMEs on the development and use of engineering thermoplastic and thermosetting materials mainly from natural resources, like lignin from the paper industry and from the High Pressure Hydrothermolyses (HPH) process, other biopolymers (here referred as biopolymers: e.g. Polylactide, Polyhydroxy-butyrate, Starch), furan resins, woven and non-woven cellulose fibres and fibre mats to final model products.

The innovation will concern materials suitable for the following prototypes foreseen also for demonstration: The project starts with the specifications of planned demonstrators which are estimated on the current small basis of the known material data. 3 basic types of composite materials thermoplastic, lignin type and thermosetting ones including each one a broad variability concerning the types of polymers, the types of natural fibres and the use of additives are planned to be developed. These criteria will lead to the selection of the materials types, the related raw materials processing and control methods and additives to be finally developed and used in demonstrators.

After 1 year the investigation of the test samples should enable the estimation that the specifications of the demonstrators will be met.

After 2 years the properties of the model products should enable the estimation that the demonstrator specifications will be met.

After 3 years the properties of the prototype products enable the estimation that the demonstrators will meet the specifications.

The technical work programme will comprise the complete technical path from the input of natural raw materials (fibres, polymers and natural additives) to the output of final top quality engineering composite materials and model products (e.g. housings for electronic equipment, car front end parts, glass frames etc.) with an environmentally friendly life cycle. In parallel, there are activities concerning characterisation and test procedures and quality control.

Demonstration by model products supporting the dissemination and the exploitation of results will exhibit the benefits of the materials and deliver a first input to material data bases. An integrated concept of sustained skill and training of staff and students will provide routines and access to the material data. It includes the most interesting approaches of all current developments for engineering biocomposites. Innovative additives will provide flame retardancy and colouring.

Such a technical programme can only be achieved by SMEs if sharing knowledge and equipment assisted by research centres. The collaborating SMEs expect to increase their manufacturing capacity directly by the order of 10% to capitalise on the project, resulting in a corresponding increase in direct employment of a similar magnitude. The dissemination and exploitation of the technology will enable a similar expansion to be realised across the plastic processing industry in the EU. Integration of associations and industrial interest groups at a later stage will guarantee the spread of the new knowledge and a sustained economic success.