Isle of Man based businessman Roy Tilleard is putting a groundbreaking firm on the Alternative Investment Market.
The Kurawood company is hoping the ?17 million flotation will raise ?4.5 million to help develop the commercial applications of its product.
Kurawood has patented a timber treatment process that produces a hardwood substitute, which the firm has dubbed Vecowood, from softwood trees such as pine.
The growth in the use of hardwoods in areas such as flooring has caused a sharp drain on resources. and there has been a race to come up with environmentally sound alternatives.
Firms such as Argos, Homebase and B&Q have been testing Vecowood in their products and Kurawood is also in talks with other chains over potential trials.
(Image: A Kurawood product, from the company's website, kurawood.com).
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