Public Funding for Solomon & WU Ltd

Resins are important chemicals in many manufacturing industries - usually oil based - they require lots of energy to manufacture and have a large carbon footprint. The BONDIFI project will introduce and scale up a green chemical replacement. Cambond has invented a plant-based resin system using by-products from the oldest foundation industry -- alcohol. Working with bioethanol producers we will manufacture of sustainable resins and introduce these into the manufacturing processes for casting metal and construction panels. Foundry and panels use more than 1.3M million tonnes of resin a year. This represents an oil-based carbon emission of \> 4.5MT CO2e. The BONDIFI project aims to introduce plant-based resin systems and industry waste (paper and brewing) into large scale manufacturing of wood panel construction products and the production of moulds for metal products. This will displace oil-based chemicals and upcycle wastes which can replace virgin wood, aid materials re-cycling from foundries producing substantial environmental and economic benefits. The wood panel sector in the UK uses 1 million tonnes of oil-based resins (UF, MUF, PF and MDI) a year. This represents annual oil-based carbon emissions of \> 3MT CO2e. Working with Bangor and Sheffield Hallam Universities, TransFIRe Hub, National Foundry Training Centre and the Cast Metals Federation will ensure rapid dissemination of technical how and the ready availability of knowledge transfer into industry practice. The second phase of the project will expand development of the bioresin systems technology to incorporate the use of paper wastes into the process of foundry mould manufacture and paper and brewery wastes into the materials for panel manufacture. The end aim will be to utilise low carbon resins and re-use wastes to deliver a 'best in class' method to manufacture construction products which combine circular economy and low carbon methods coupled to a green chemistry technology base. The UK market for foundry and construction products is more than £6Bn a year. The resin component is the single most expensive part of manufacturing due to high complexity, capital investment, energy and regulatory costs. The resin market in the UK is some £850M alone (approx. 1 million tonnes). The adoption of a plant based bioresin will have a significant impact on the sustainability and carbon footprint of the bulk chemical sector, whilst the use of waste materials from both the paper and chemical industries to achieve this will have a twofold benefit for the UK's foundation industries.

Our aim is to produce panels made from 100% waste stream materials that exemplify principles of circularity, low carbon manufacturing, and sustainability. These will be market leading for design led interior panels and be able to significantly contribute to LEED and BREEAM schemes. With only 50% of the world's building stock required by 2050 already built it is imperative that architectural projects, both new build and refit, find ways to store carbon and be carbon neutral or carbon negative. This has to be driven by material choices to offset the emissions of construction work. We are a design led company producing aesthetic panels for interior use from our factory in Birmingham, this project will allow us to adapt to the world post-covid and ensure we can return to growth.