ThermoBoo

In Ethiopia, there are more than one million hectares of bamboo. Recognized as a fast-growing and largely sustainable raw material, there is an increasing global demand for bamboo as a wood substitute for a variety of construction and furnishing applications. However, bamboo resources are often poorly managed. Most in the industry have limited knowledge of modern value-added processing techniques, which limit their earning potential.

African Bamboo is developing an environmentally friendly bamboo thermal modification process called ThermoBoo. Through this chemical-free process, decay factors such as rot and insects are virtually eliminated, and the thermally-modified bamboo fiber can be further processed into sturdy panels that can be marketed to a range of domestic and international buyers. The ThermoBoo process involves the combustion of biomass dust. Through the successful implementation of a pilot processing facility, African Bamboo envisions developing a replicable model that can lead to prospective business opportunities throughout the region.

African Bamboo completed system design, engineering, remote-sensing technology for stock taking, established thirty farmer cooperatives with 2200 farmers, constructed three factory halls, and made the commercial factory operational by 2017. Five contracts were issued for the final phase of testing and certification at a commercial scale.