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Demand for WPC as a sustainable bioproduct will grow steadily, especially outside of the mature North American market. The WPC market is exciting with rapid innovations in material recycling and extrusion technologies, as well as growing demand for new geographic and end-use applications.
 
Wood-plastic composites (WPC) blend natural wood fibers and plastic polymers to create versatile materials with many end uses. Typically, WPC combines sawdust or wood flour with various plastic polymer types and other fillers. Compared to traditional wood, composites offer better mechanical properties than traditional products, such as rigidity and strength compared to other plastic materials, as well as improved weathering and lower maintenance requirements.WPC is often more cost competitive than other materials, such as pressure-treated wood, and can be made from recycled materials.
 
Wood for biocomposites is often obtained from sidestream and pulp production of wood products, making it a low-cost feedstock and monetizing wood that might otherwise be wasted. Wood waste from the production of wood products (e.g., paper, cardboard, crates, pallets, furniture and textile industry by-products) can also be used as reinforcement for plastic composite matrices, depending on the availability and suitability of these recycled materials. Wood fibers can also be in the form of fines, which are formed as residues during the transportation phase of industrial bioenergy pellets, which are often exported overseas.