Hemp flooring is already on sale in the US

At a time when signs of overproduction of raw materials are clearly visible on the market, the use of which is based on the therapeutic properties of the plant, a significant number of companies are switching their efforts to the manufacture of other types of products, which are based not only on the healing potential of the plant, but also on its mechanical and physical properties. First of all, this refers to the creation and development of production facilities aimed at processing hemp fiber.

A little over a year ago, on the pages of a specialized electronic edition of Ukrainian cannabis growers, it was described how “The American company plans to invest about $ 5.8 million in the production of hemp lumber ”. It is worth learning from our American colleagues on how, out of several promising areas of using hemp raw materials, one has chosen where the main efforts are invested, including financial resources. It is equally important to find partners who will not only scale the idea into a profitable business, but also help with its implementation and promotion.

Fibonacci LLC produces building blocks and “sawn timber” from hemp raw materials at the facilities launched into industrial production in August 2019. Just a few weeks after the launch of the hemp straw processing facility / trusts, a Tennessee Wood Flooring employee contacted the plant manager to find out if hemp flooring could be made. As it turned out, technologically, it is quite easy to make such products, and given the exclusivity of the product and its potential demand in the market, it was decided to launch a joint mass production of floor coverings from hemp raw materials.

According to the head of hemp primary processing facilities, “It made sense to join forces with a local family business specializing in flooring, because the synergies between the two companies provided the potential to bring to market a very promising new product.”

Responsibilities of the partners are distributed as follows - “Fibonacci LLC” makes a semi-finished product from hemp fiber, from which “Tennessee Wood Flooring” is already producing various types of hemp floor coverings. The production capacity of the joint project provides an opportunity to produce about 500 square meters of hemp flooring per week, however, the partners say that if potential buyers are interested in their products, they are ready to invest financial resources and significantly increase the production capacity of the joint venture.

In 2019, Fibonacci LLC entered into contracts with agricultural producers in the state of Kentucky to supply more than 2,000 tons of hemp stalks. These hemp raw materials were mainly leftovers from the cultivation of a hemp plant by farmers for the production of flowers or seeds. However, already in 2020, the company signed contracts with nearby farmers for the purchase of hemp fiber. Those. the technologies used in the production of products with high added value imply the use of special raw materials of such quality that cannot be provided by manufacturers of technical hemp with a therapeutic focus or agricultural enterprises specializing in the production of hemp seeds. Taking into account the peculiarities of the technological processes of the enterprise, as well as the list of the nomenclature of goods manufactured at the production facilities of “Fibonacci LLC”, the staff of the enterprise plans to process hemp straw / trust grown within a radius of 100 km from the primary processing facilities.

A certain achievement in the promotion of special hempa lumber, including hemp flooring in the US market, was the partnership with Reel Lumber Service (California), which, like Tennessee Wood Flooring, is engaged in the sale of this kind of hemp products through its own shops of building materials. 

Another important factor in the development of business associated with the production and sale of floor coverings made from hemp raw materials is the patenting of this type of product. In particular, representatives of "Fibonacci LLC" are currently negotiating with companies from Australia, Canada and individual EU countries that are interested in selling such products in their countries.

Commentary of experts of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

Fibonacci LLC is the originator of the technology as well as the HempWood trademark. HempWood “hemp floors” are made from compressed hemp stem derivatives and coated with soy-based glue. The material is designed to compete with comparable flooring on the market in terms of hardness, density and durability that should be similar to oak planks.

Tennessee Wood Flooring is a family owned company founded over two decades ago on a farm basis. The company specializes in the production of custom-made finished floors, both from wood obtained from "renewable forests" and from recycled lumber. 

I would like to draw your attention to several immutable factors that work effectively in any market. There is an iron rule of the market “we dance from the consumer”, ie immediately after a company specializing in the sale of floor coverings approached the manufacturers with the idea of ​​producing a product potentially in demand on the market, after assessing the risks, a joint project was created, the corresponding technology was developed, a test batch of products was made, and one of the participants in a joint project. Those. the calculated synergy of the invested efforts of the two companies operating in completely different markets has led to an effective partnership that allows developing a joint, extremely promising hemp business.

I would like to share one more key idea that has clearly manifested itself in the United States recently. At a time when signs of overproduction of raw materials are clearly visible on the market, the use of which is based on the therapeutic properties of the plant, a significant number of companies are switching their efforts to the manufacture of other types of products, which are based not only on the healing potential of the plant, but also on its mechanical and physical properties. First of all, this refers to the creation and development of production facilities aimed at processing hemp fiber.