Objective This Stage 2 Craft-proposal is prepared with the help of an exploratory award (Project Ref. No. BEST-3163), which was rated as very good. Nowadays, ecological concern has resulted in a renewed interest in natural fibres based on lignocellulose, such as flax and hemp. These fibres are an interesting alternative for the use of glass fibres in engineering polymer composites. In contrast to glass fibres these vegetable fibres are renewable, nonabrasive to processing equipment, can be incinerated and show less concern with safety and health. In addition they exhibit excellent mechanical properties, especially when their low density and price in comparison to E glass fibres is taken into account. Unfortunately, up to now their high moisture absorption and poor dimensional stability (swelling), as well as their susceptibility to rotting has hindered the successful application of these fibres in high quality products. With a recently developed upgrading process for materials based on ligno cellulose these limiting properties can be significantly improved. The availability of this novel upgrading process for natural fibres could remove the main restriction for the successful application of I these fibres in high quality engineering composites with improved durability. The objective of this cooperative research project is to develop thermoplastic composite products based on upgraded flax fibres with optimized mechanical and physical properties, improved durability and a good processability. As a result these materials could compete with commercially available glass fibrereinforced thermoplastic products, anticipating on the growing demand for environmental friendly products, e.g. polymers reinforced with natural fibres, offering tremendous market opportunities for the SME proposers. In this cooperative research eleven SMEs, four non SMEs and four RTDs from six dfferent countries participate. The consortium comprises the complete chain of supply, including suppliers of raw materials, processors of semi finished products, manufacturers of plastic endproducts and end users. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcompositesnatural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturevegetable growing Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0201 - Materials engineering Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CRS - Cooperative research contracts Coordinator Atlas Acomfa B.V. EU contribution No data Address 43,Delfweg 2210 GG Noordwijkerhout Netherlands See on map Total cost No data Participants (18) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Ceres B.V. Netherlands EU contribution No data Address 1B,Wildekamp 6704 AT Wageningen See on map Total cost No data Controlled Curing Systems Ltd United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address St Peters Place FY6 8GD Poulton See on map Total cost No data DSM Nv Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Het Overloon 6411 TE Heerlen See on map Total cost No data Danflax AS Denmark EU contribution No data Address Jorgensmindevej 9270 Klarup See on map Total cost No data Eindhoven University of Technology Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Den Dolch 5600 MB Eindhoven See on map Total cost No data Flevovlas Loonwerk B.V. Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Vliegtuigweg 8308 PM Nagele See on map Total cost No data Fritz Himmermann GmbH & Co KG Germany EU contribution No data Address Trierer Strasse 53940 Hellenthal See on map Total cost No data IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Royal School of Mines, Prince Consort Road SW7 2BP LONDON See on map Total cost No data JB Plant Fibre Enterprises Limited United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Old School LL57 4UW Bangor - Gwynedd See on map Total cost No data LAURENCE PATRICK WETTERN TRADING AS AAV PLASTICS DESIGN United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Gore Cross Business Park DT6 3UX BRIDPORT See on map Total cost No data PTS Jena GmbH Germany EU contribution No data Address Göschnitzer Strasse 07745 Jena See on map Total cost No data Polynorm Plastics BV Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Borchwerf 4700 BG Roosendaal See on map Total cost No data Rover Group Ltd. United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Gaydon Test Centre Banbury Road Lighthorne CV34 0BL Warwick See on map Total cost No data Sandvik Process Systems GmbH Germany EU contribution No data Address Salierstrasse 70719 Fellbach - Stuttgart See on map Total cost No data THÜRINGISCHES INSTITUT FÜR TEXTIL- UND KUNSTSTOFF- FORSCHUNG E.V. Germany EU contribution No data Address Breitscheidstraße 97 07407 Rudolstadt-Schwarza See on map Total cost No data TIMMERIJE BV Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Schoolweg 29 7161 PK NEEDE See on map Total cost No data TRANSMARE COMPOUNDING BV Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Ringweg 7 Industriepark Roerstreek 6045 JL ROERMOND See on map Total cost No data Temafa Textilmaschinenfabrik Meissnermorgner &CO Gmbh Germany EU contribution No data Address 8,An de Zinhtte 51469 Bergisch Gladbach See on map Total cost No data