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Core Materials

Endgrain Panels

Endgrain Balsa Panels

Gen-Eco Ultra-light Balsa end-grain panels are produced from certified plantation grown Balsa (the world’s lightest commercially grown tree). These panels are an ideal core material resulting in an extremely light and strong product. Balsa’s end-grain configuration creates optimal physical properties due to the honeycomb like structure of this unique tree. The Balsa tree can grow from a tiny seedling to an adult 90 feet high in about 5-7 years. The fast growth of Balsa trees makes them a unique environmentally friendly building material.

Balsa End-Grain panels are also used in the construction of wind turbine blades, transportation, and marine industries.

Our Balsa panels are available as both a standard end-grain panel or more typically with a MDF skin applied to both sides of the sheet.

Applications:

  • Lightweight ceiling beams and vertical fins
  • Shelving
  • Core material for large door construction
  • Luxury Motor Yachts

 

Sustainable Resource

  • Glue Bond - D4, no added formaldehyde (NAF)
  • Density – 150kg/m³
  • Excellent sound absorption and thermal insulation
  • High strength and stiffness to weight ratio
2440 x 1220 x 10mm 60 3.6kg
2440 x 1220 x 12mm 50 4.3kg
2440 x 1220 x 15mm 45 5.4kg
2440 x 1220 x 18mm 40 6.4kg
2440 x 1220 x 25mm 25 8.9kg
2440 x 1220 x 32mm 20 11.4kg
2440 x 1220 x 35mm 20 12.5kg
2440 x 1220 x 40mm 15 14.3kg
2440 x 1220 x 44mm 15 15.7kg
2440 x 1220 x 50mm 10 17.9kg
2440 x 1220 x 64mm 10 26.8kg
2440 x 1220 x 69mm 5 35.7kg

Composite Panels

Composite Panels – Balsa/MDF

Gen-Eco Composite Panels are a combination of end-grain Balsa core with MDF skins on both sides of the panels. The MDF skin would typically be 4.75mm.

The MDF skin provides the perfect substrate for overlaying with the following:
Digital Print / Natural Timber Veneer / Laminate / Decorative Paper & Foils / Paint

Gen-Eco have an extensive range of lightweight ceiling beams constructed with our composite panel as the core material and finished in either digital print or timber veneer.

Applications:

  • Lightweight ceiling beams and vertical fins
  • Shelving
  • Core material for large door construction
  • Available in lengths up to 3600mm

 

Sustainable Resource

  • Glue Bond - D4, no added formaldehyde (NAF)
  • Density – 285kg/m³
  • Excellent sound absorption and thermal insulation
  • High strength and stiffness to weight ratio
2440 x 1220 x 15mm 75 24.7kg
2440 x 1220 x 18mm 60 25.9kg
2440 x 1220 x 25mm 40 21.1kg
2440 x 1220 x 31mm 40 23.2kg
2440 x 1220 x 35mm 25 24.7kg
3660 x 1220 x 35mm 25 47.7kg
2440 x 1220 x 50mm 15 29.8kg
3660 x 1220 x 50mm 15 55.3kg
2440 x 1220 x 75mm 10 38.7kg
3660 x 1220 x 75mm 10 69.1kg
2440 x 1220 x 81mm 10 41.1kg
2440 x 1220 x 100mm 5 48.0kg

Composite Panel Falcata/MDF 

Gen-Eco Falcata panels are made from edge glued Falcata lumber. The Falcata tree is fast growing with a harvest typically occurring between 7 to 10 years. The base sheet of Falcata has a nominal density of 330kg/m³, Falcata is less than half the weight of MDF and has excellent screw holding.

Falcata is an ideal substrate as the core material for ceiling beams/fins, overlaid panels, and benchtop substrate. With 3mm MDF skins applied it can be painted and overlaid with laminate, timber veneer, paper foil and digital printing. Standard panels are available in 3600 x 38/50mm sizes.

Applications:

  • Core material for ceiling beams and vertical fins
  • Benchtop core
  • Shelving

 

Sustainable Resource

Glue Bond

2130 x 915 x 27.5mm 20 17.7kg
2130 x 915 x 33mm 20 20
2130 x 915 x 38mm 10 24.5kg
2130 x 1220 x 27.5mm 20 23.6kg
2130 x 1220 x 33mm 20 28.3kg
2130 x 1220 x 38mm 10 32.6kg
2440 x 1220 x 25mm 20 24.5kg
2440 x 1220 x 27.5mm 20 27.0kg
2440 x 1220 x 29mm 20 28.5kg
2440 x 1220 x 32mm 20 31.5kg
2440 x 1220 x 33mm 20 32.5kg
2440 x 1220 x 38mm 10 37.4kg
2440 x 1220 x 40mm 10 39.3kg
3050 x 1220 x 29mm 10 35.6kg
3050 x 1220 x 32mm 10 39.3kg
3660 x 1220 x 29mm 10 47.4kg
3660 x 1220 x 32mm 10 47.1kg
3660 x 1220 x 33mm 10 48.6kg
3660 x 1220 x 40mm 10 58.9kg

Lightweight Solid Core Doors

Lightweight Solid-Core Doors

Gen-Eco produce a range of lightweight solid core doors using Balsa end-grain as the core layer which reduces the overall weight. Doors can be manufactured up to 2700 x 1800mm in size (even larger if required). All doors are made to order and are suitable for being finished with paint, timber veneer, laminate, and digital printing. 

The door constructions use a 127mm internal Hoop Pine or MDF frame with MDF faces. 

Applications:

  • Lightweight doors with an emphasis on large sizes
  • Large Bi-Fold Doors
  • Doors for home theatre rooms

 

Sustainable Resource

  • Glue Bond - D4, no added formaldehyde (NAF)
  • Density – 285kg/m³
  • Excellent sound absorption and thermal insulation
  • High strength and stiffness to weight ratio
450mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
40mm X X X
600mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
44mm X X X
870mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
44mm X X X
920mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
44mm X X X
1000mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
44mm X X X
1200mm 40mm X X X
44mm X X X
1500mm 44mm X X X
1800mm 44mm X X X

Ecolite Beams

With Gen-Ecolite Beams, you are not confined by shape or even thickness.

We can produce structures with thicknesses of up to 98mm in varying shapes and lengths, which are all available in your choice of timber veneers, laminates, vinyls and digital print.

The use of timber in ceilings of restaurants, cafes and kitchens has been a popular trend for several years.

Falcata Edge Glued Core

Falcata edge glued door core is a lightweight panel for commercial door manufacture. Solid Falcata lumber is glued edge to edge to create a stable core product. The single layer version is 27.5mm thick, whilst the 33/38mm options are a 3 layer construction providing more stability.

Applications:

  • Lightweight doors with an emphasis on large sizes
  • Large Bi-Fold Doors
  • Commercial doors such as boardrooms etc

Sustainable Resource
Glue Bond

Falcata Edge Glued Core

Falcata Edge Glued Core

Falcata edge glued door core is a lightweight panel for commercial door manufacture. Solid Falcata lumber is glued edge to edge to create a stable core product. The single layer version is 27.5mm thick, whilst the 33/38mm options are a 3 layer construction providing more stability.

Applications:

  • Lightweight doors with an emphasis on large sizes
  • Large Bi-Fold Doors
  • Commercial doors such as boardrooms etc

 

Sustainable Resource

Glue Bond

Falcatta Edge Glued Core
2130 x 915 X X X
2130 x 1220 X X X
2440 x 1220 X X X X X X X
3050 x 1220 X X
3660 x 1220 X X X

Lightweight Solid Core Doors

Gen-Eco produce a range of lightweight solid core doors using Balsa end-grain as the core layer which reduces the overall weight. Doors can be manufactured up to 2700 x 1800mm in size (even larger if required). All doors are made to order and are suitable for being finished with paint, timber veneer, laminate, and digital printing. 

The door constructions use a 127mm internal Hoop Pine or MDF frame with MDF faces. 

Applications:

  • Lightweight doors with an emphasis on large sizes
  • Large Bi-Fold Doors
  • Doors for home theatre rooms

Sustainable Resource

Glue Bond - D4, no added formaldehyde (NAF)

Density – 285kg/m3

Excellent sound absorption and thermal insulation

High strength and stiffness to weight ratio

450mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
40mm X X X
600mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
44mm X X X
870mm 35mm X X X
35mm X X X
44mm X X X
920mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
44mm X X X
1000mm 35mm X X X
40mm X X X
44mm X X X
1200mm 40mm X X X
44mm X X X
1500mm 44mm X X X
1800mm 44mm X X X

Falcata Edge Glued Core

Falcata edge glued door core is a lightweight panel for commercial door manufacture. Solid Falcata lumber is glued edge to edge to create a stable core product. The single layer version is 27.5mm thick, whilst the 33/38mm options are a 3 layer construction providing more stability.

Applications:

  • Lightweight doors with an emphasis on large sizes
  • Large Bi-Fold Doors
  • Commercial doors such as boardrooms etc

 

Sustainable Resource

Glue Bond

2130 x 915 X X
2130 x 1220 X X X
2440 x 1220 X X X X X X X
3050 x 1220 X X
3050 x 1220 X X X

The Balsa Story

The Balsa tree is the fastest growing tree in the world.

It can grow from a tiny seedling to an adult 90 feet high in about 5-7 years.

It grows straight and tall, with a trunk of about 18 inches in diameter, and is topped by a lush crown of very large leaves.

Each balsa tree produces hundreds of thousands of seeds. These are carefully culled, and only the fittest are germinated in nurseries and planted on the farms.

The other ingredients for rapid healthy growth are contributed by nature: the rich Ecuadorian soil, rainfall that averages 90 inches a year and hot tropical sunlight.

Balsa wood is cultivated on plantations in Ecuador and is not harvested from the rain forest. By cultivating seedlings ourselves, we can guarantee continuous reforestation and safeguard the high quality of our balsa forests. Certain parts of the plantation are left to nature, to conserve the natural habitat of many animal species. In this way we preserve biodiversity for the benefit of the environment and of the population that lives and works there.

To transform natural balsa into structural end-grain balsa remarkably small amounts of energy are required. Mature trees are harvested and milled to pieces of lumber before being kiln-dried. The quality, physical properties and density of the balsa are then closely graded and glued into large blocks.

balsa-seed
balsa-tree
farmer

These blocks are precision cut into end-grain sheets and further processed into the numerous available product configurations.

Due to the Australian Governments introduction of the Illegal Logging Prohibition act & Regulation 2012, as of August 2019 Ashden Trading & GEN-ECO EWP see no value in continuing industry recognized forestry certification.

The reporting and due diligence criteria under the regulation is far more thorough and enforceable in our view to ensure sustainable and legal sourcing of Timber and Timber based products.

Ashden Trading / Gen-Eco EWP will no longer be able to offer COC documentation, however we will be identifying all products that come from sources that have a Global forestry certification to ensure that our vision of Green and Clean continues.

Further information about the Act/regulation can be found here https://www.agriculture.gov.au/forestry/policies/illegal-logging

What does responsible forest management mean for us?

We have created a complete management system to nurture and care for thousands of trees at every stage of growth, from seedling to 90-foot adult trees. Climatic conditions are charted, soil is analyzed and trees are constantly examined and measured. Almost seventy years of experience of Baltek Corp. aid us in producing superior quality balsa crop after crop.

Additionally, we maintain an ongoing broad-based programme of research into the sustainability aspects of plantation management. For detailed information about plantation management, download our Sustainable Forestry Management Policy here.

We also have a special cooperation with Fundacion Chile (FC) which is a non-profit foundation that was established in 1976 by the Government of Chile and ITT Industries. They focus for example on innovative and renewable ways of forestry management.

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