Andrew Fernandes

The Natural Resin Sector faces a key moment

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If no changes are made in the Natural Resin sector, it risks becoming residual in the near future. Professionals believe that this is a key moment to decide whether to make a serious investment in the sector or to continue as things are. Professionals from the Natural Resin sector met this afternoon in a workshop of the RN21 Integrated Project, organized by CoLAB ForestWISE®, where concerns about the future were expressed, and several measures were suggested to develop this area. In the 1970s, Portugal became the second-largest resin exporter in the world. Since then, this activity has experienced a drastic decline, with currently around 500 resin workers in the country, according to Marco Ribeiro, president of Resipinus – Association of Distillers and Resin Explorers, one of the partners of this consortium. This sector faces several constraints, namely the fact that production costs are higher than revenue, the lack of forest management in the national territory, the uncontrolled growth of pine forests, the average age of resin workers being around 60 years, and the lack of information on the number of resinable hectares in Portugal. With the RN21 Integrated Project, which brings together, for the first time, the entire value chain of the country’s Natural Resin sector in an integrated and research-driven consortium promoting innovation, the conditions are created to boost this sector by modernizing and revitalizing one of the most traditional areas of the national economy. “This is a key moment to decide the future. Whether we want to invest in resin extraction or not,” emphasizes Marco Ribeiro, president of Resipinus. According to the president of Resipinus, the way forward involves genetic improvement, training and professionalization of resin workers, mechanization of the activity, creation of adapted stimulant pastes, use of closed containers, remuneration for positive externalities, traceability, certification, valorization of the raw material, and implementation of a joint strategy. Carlos Fonseca, Chief Technology Officer of CoLAB ForestWISE®, considers the RN21 Integrated Project a “unique opportunity” to transform the Natural Resin sector in Portugal. “The aim is for Natural Resin to regain a central role in land management,” he emphasizes, considering it necessary “for the sector to organize so that, at the end of this process, a resin cluster exists, representing the sector and ensuring the continuity of the RN21 consortium’s momentum, maximizing everything this project brings positively to the country.” Natural Resin is used in the composition of several products, including paints, varnishes, chewing gum, hot glue, rubber, adhesive tapes, among others.

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Natural Resin: Sustainable Innovation in Diverse Industries

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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: 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 Learn more here

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