JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #41 - June 2008 - 28

INTERVIEW WITH MR. HARRY DUAN, MANAGER DIRECTOR LESCO TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL GROUP JEC Composites Magazine: What other markets besides the building & construction industry are you planning on developing? HARRY DUAN: There is already a vast area for development in the building & construction industry, from internal panelling, flooring, and furniture to external cladding, blind shades, shutters, decking and garden accessories including garden fencing, door and window frames, etc. Other options we plan to develop are consumer items like telecommunication components, sanitary items, furniture parts, etc. The automatic industries are also an area that we are going to explore in the near future. JCM: What are the trends in the wood composite market in the Asia-Pacific region? H. D.: Wood plastic composite materials were introduced in the Asia-Pacific region in the 90s. Most WPC products came from North America. They belonged to the socalled first generation of WPC products. These products neither looked like wood nor had a wood grain appearance. They were widely used in structural applications. In the 21st century, WPC evolved to a second generation of products that look more like natural timber with a wood grain effect. Lesco products offer this unique surface finish that provides the warmth and feel of natural timber, which is their main attraction. JCM: Which countries seem to hold potential for your business? H. D.: We hope to make inroads into India and the Middle East countries in the Asia region. Otherwise, other countries on the African continent besides West and South Africa would be worth exploring, and Europe may also be a future prospect. JCM: Are you planning on investing? H. D.: We will be investing in new pelletizing equipment in 2008 to double our plant capacity and we hope to reach 10 times our present capacity by 2010. JCM: R&D is a central element in your strategy. What are your current areas of research? H. D.: Our pellets are currently formulated for the extrusion process. We are conducting research to formulate a material suitable for injection and pressing processes. Although our products have reached an acceptable standard in terms of weathering and colourfastness requirements, we are still constantly carrying out research and development to improve in these areas. and feel of timber is an attractive feature. Compared to plastic products, Lesco’s composite material is UV stable, water resistant, recyclable, and highly thermally insulating, among others. The products derived from standard formulated pellets feature a high level of mechanical performance with fasteners, and high tensile and flexural strength. Special properties such as fire retardancy and extreme mechanical performance may be compounded upon request. A variety of applications Using the proprietary extrusion process, the pellets can be transformed into various home improvement products. By the end of 2007, the company had launched some 300 different profiles to the market, such as DIY mouldings, Venetian-blind slats, door frames, window frames, cladding panels, deckings, flooring, etc. All pellets are manufactured under stringent quality control to achieve consistent specifications. Depending on the desired end application, the pellets can be formulated to offer enhanced properties such as fire retardancy, UV stability, weathering resistance and high impact strength. The wood composite is engineered with superior qualities compared to timber and plastic products, and the physical appearance of the products is by far the most appealing feature in comparison with similar wood-grain products. In addition to the above attributes, the manufacture of Lesco products offers absolute versatility in terms of design, dimensions and shapes. Colours simulating the warmth and aesthetics of natural timber are also available. Lesco profiles have been used in many landmark projects such as the Sydney Darling Harbour (Australia), the Macao Imperial Crown Hotel (Macao), the new Jiangwan Arts Centre in Shanghai (China), and the defence department building in the Democratic Republic of Yemen, among others. In 2008, Lesco was appointed sole supplier of wood plastic composite products for the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games and secured several contracts, especially for the construction of the Beijing Olympics Athlete Activity Centre and Beijing Olympics Forest Park. More informations: www.lescotechnology.com One of Lesco’s products JEC Composites Magazine / No41 June 2008

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #41 - June 2008

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