The Municipality of Cantanhede hosted the second workshop of the RN21 Integrated Project, organized by CoLAB ForestWISE, bringing together professionals from the Natural Resin sector to discuss how this raw material is revolutionizing various industries — from food preservation to fashion, and from the automotive to the footwear industry.

Carlos Fonseca, Chief Technology Officer at CoLAB ForestWISE, used the opening session to challenge participants:

“It is essential for the sector to reorganize so that, by the end of this Consortium, there is an entity capable of ensuring the continuity of current and future initiatives related to resin in the Iberian Peninsula. We have about a year and a half to make this change.”

Representing the Coimbra Region Intermunicipal Community (CIM Região de Coimbra) was Engineer José Lopes, who shared some of the initiatives currently underway:

“We are fortunate to be involved with CoLAB ForestWISE and other entities in several related projects. We are also part of RN21 and the transForm Agenda, where we are developing the process of enhancing forest biomass, as well as in the RESIST project.”

António Mendes Ferreira, President of United Resins, provided an overview of this partner company of the RN21 consortium and presented on the Second Transformation process; Natural Resin derivatives (colophony, derivatives, and common application products); and the use of resin in new sectors such as digitalization and Resfinas/Resetfibas. He also highlighted innovative and differentiating solutions in the footwear, textile, automotive, and food industries, emphasizing that the main goals are “achieving a sustainable economy, valorizing and revitalizing sectors.”

Participants had the opportunity to visit interactive thematic stations organized by several partners of the Integrated Project, such as:

  • Food Industry – “Natural Preservation”, represented by TECMEAT;
  • Automotive Industry – “Innovation on Wheels”, represented by SIMOLDES;
  • Textile Industry – “Weaving the Future”, represented by TINTEX;
  • Footwear Industry – “Sustainable Steps”, represented by CTCP.

At these stations, participants discovered how colophony and its derivatives can revolutionize sustainability in the packaging industry; how biopolymers and colophony-based additives are transforming automotive component manufacturing, making them lighter and more sustainable; and how adhesive systems and sole materials based on colophony are revolutionizing the footwear sector.

The workshop concluded with a presentation by Anabela Carvalho and Lorena Coelho from CENTI – Centre for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, who, in addition to their work in the four areas featured in this workshop, are also active in fields such as Health and Well-being, and Electronics, contributing greater knowledge, differentiation, and expertise to the development of this raw material.

The two CENTI specialists noted that several solutions are being developed incorporating colophony and its derivatives for diversified sectors, following a circular economy approach. The valorization of this local product strengthens the potential of this raw material and broadens its applicability. They also emphasized that resin and its derivatives not only increase the bio-based content of products but also improve certain technical properties of the final materials.

This workshop series aims to foster an open debate on the different perspectives of the Natural Resin value chain — from production to the final application of derivative products.

Led by CoLAB ForestWISE, the RN21 project brings together, for the first time, the entire Natural Resin value chain in Portugal within an integrated and mobilizing research and innovation consortium. The project promotes the modernization and revitalization of one of the country’s most traditional economic sectors, enhancing the value of Natural Resin as a “bio” product and unlocking its vast potential in the market.

Source: CoLAB ForestWISE

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