The APICOFOM laboratory guarantees the quality analysis of the wood impregnation in 48 hours and strengthens confidence in the material

The entity indicated that this service represents a concrete benefit for member companies, professionals, builders and users in the region, mainly due to the reduction of time and costs in the analysis, since the results can be obtained in just 48 hours. The manager of APICOFOM, Cristina Ryndycz, explained that the launch of the laboratory represents a strategic step for the institution and for the forestry-industrial sector. Having the Laboratory operating today is a dream for us as an institution. It was an initial effort by the partners for the investment of the equipment, then we had support to complete all the infrastructure work and another part of the Laboratory equipment through the financing of the Forest Competitiveness and Sustainability Program (BID-AR) through the Undersecretary of Forest Development of the Ministry of Agriculture and Production of Misiones, he expressed about the initiative. On the other hand, through an agreement with Iprodha Misiones, another part of the equipment and the new building where a laboratory will operate were financed. physical-mechanical, another project to be carried out in the short term to analyze the resistance of multilaminated beams for construction, in order to guarantee quality, said the APICOFOM manager. Until the launch of this service in Posadas, the samples had to be sent to laboratories in Buenos Aires, which implied delays of up to three months to obtain the results. Certificate that guarantees the durability of the woodAPICOFOMs chemical analysis laboratory allows verifying whether the protective treatment applied to the wood is effective, safe and complies with the necessary technical standards for use both indoors and outdoors. In the forestry and wood construction industry, this control is essential to guarantee the quality of the material and contribute to overturning historical prejudices about its durability. Wood used outdoors - such as posts, decks, fences, homes or rural structures - is permanently exposed to factors that can deteriorate it, including:1. humidity2. mushrooms3. xylophagous insects (termites or drills)4. solar radiationImpregnation with preservatives allows the wood to be protected against these agents, but only a specialized laboratory can determine if the process was carried out correctly, evaluating aspects such as:• the amount of preservative used• the penetration of the product into the wood• the chemical retention according to technical standardsWithout this control, the wood could deteriorate prematurely.Latest technology equipmentThe laboratory has specialized equipment for the chemical analysis of wood, among which a Rigaku NEX-QC elemental analyzer, precision scales, moisture meters stand out. and temperature, mill, ovens, hand-held thermographic camera, thermohygrometer, medicinal sterilizing drying chamber, autoclave, distillers and computer equipment. It is so that professionals can have the quality guarantee, with the certificate that we grant after the analysis, of the use of that wood according to the destination that will be given to it, be it interior or exterior, ceilings with impregnated tongue-and-groove, floors, doors, or exterior fences, gates, with wood that is durable with adequate impregnation. Aesthetically, wood is highly chosen, but without adequate impregnation and the correct material, its durability varies. That is why we have to control, and that is why this laboratory is in Posadas, said the manager. The laboratory works under a specific protocol for receiving samples. Once the material is entered, the corresponding analysis is carried out, the wood is dried and the result is obtained within a minimum period of 48 hours. The service receives samples of different species suitable for impregnation, especially pine wood, and is available to both associated and non-associated companies, including builders, engineers, architects or anyone interested in certifying the concentration of CCA salts. This process allows the quality of the treatment applied to the commercialized wood to be technically supported and also to verify the state of the impregnating liquid used by the plants. impregnators. It is an advance for the sector to have the laboratory, since the preservative product is imported and sometimes may suffer delays in its entry into the country. The service operates from Monday to Friday and has a cost of 65,000 pesos per analysis, Ryndycz said. Certification with technical support The certificate issued by APICOFOM meets the requirements established by the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI) and by the companies supplying the equipment, which carry out periodic inspections to verify the correct operation of the equipment. In addition, it has the endorsement of state areas linked to the forestry sector, thus consolidating a tool that allows guaranteeing quality, transparency and trust in the use of impregnated wood in construction.