The advanced eco-technology manufacturing of materials as a way of competitiveness for Europe's industrial business

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EU furniture industry is facing enormous competition from countries having low production costs. China is now the largest furniture exporter to the EU, accounting already for over half of total furniture imports to the EU and growing rapidly. To avoid this, and keep added value, turnover, earnings and employment in Europe, production costs must be more competitive to continue producing high-quality furniture at competitive prices. Access to sourced raw materials, the cost and complications of harvesting wood in the EU affect all segments of the value chain of the furniture sector. Fluctuations in raw material prices and problems relating to availability of products respecting environmental, sustainability and technical standards and regulations are factors upstream the value chain that negatively impact furniture production. An innovative ecological materials and industrial company, Feltwood Ecomateriales, S.L., has developed the world´s first production technology able to get 100% vegetal fibre industrial raw material from agricultural organic waste and use it to produce panels for furniture industry. This novel material is a real alternative for wood-based panels used by furniture manufacturers nowadays. It is cheaper than wood, not subject to EU wood related directives and does not use any adhesive like wood-based panels. Feltwood´s initial commercialisation plan is based on four pillars: product, price, promotion and target countries (Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Italy). The amount of European furniture companies belonging to our target markets are 67,000 Italian, 14,000 Spanish, 52,000 German, 38,000 French and 2,072 Portuguese. This planning will be executed in collaboration with our key-stakeholders, knowing that Feltwood has protected it through an industrial patent proposal(nº. IRTA_R-12-00-01).