InventWood’s Superwood represents a breakthrough material that transforms ordinary wood into a substance stronger than steel through molecular restructuring and densification[1]. The company is launching a 90,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Frederick, Maryland in Q3 2025 to begin commercial production[2].
Key features of Superwood:
- 50% more tensile strength than steel with 10x better strength-to-weight ratio[3]
- Fire-resistant, rot-resistant, and pest-resistant while maintaining wood’s natural appearance[2:1]
- Created through a two-step process involving chemical treatment and hot-pressing[4]
- Can be produced in hours rather than weeks using “food industry” chemicals[3:1]
Environmental Impact:
- Could replace up to 80% of global steel and concrete use[5]
- Potential to reduce carbon emissions by 37.2 gigatons over 30 years[5:1]
- Trees act as carbon stores: steel produces 1.85 kg CO2 per kilogram, while wood removes 1.8 kg CO2[5:2]
Business Development:
I assume it’s talking about high rise and commercial buildings. You don’t want a 50 story building catching fire like a roman candle because somebody dropped a ciggie in the wrong spot. Most such buildings currently use steel cladding for that reason.
That makes sense, but it’s at least not what they currently advertise on their homepage.
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenfell_Tower_fire