Cooperation with Namibia underway
Natural resources as a basis for new materials
INM
The two-day long workshop, which was held at the INM, was the inaugural event for building this cooperation. Further multi-day workshops, reciprocal visits by experts, field surveys and learning cafés are set to follow.
“We’re delighted that this collaborative effort is now gaining pace,” says Günter Weber, INM’s Business Director. “Many different skills are needed to transform a natural product into a commercially profitable material. This starts with the analysis of the different types of wood, and includes the actual material and product development right through to the marketing of potential products.”
The example of acacia trees and shrubs should be highlighted to demonstrate how this biomass can be used to produce sustainable, fire resistant building materials for use in cost-effective housing construction. The large number of acacia bush-invader in Namibia has now become an environmental issue.
Kenneth Kamwi Matengu, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Namibia explains: “We have found a strong German partner in INM. This partnership will allow us to further our University’s research mission and to contribute to a commercial solution for the further processing of acacia wood into a variety of commercial products. Now that this project is underway, we have the opportunity to bring our joint vision a step closer to reality.”
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