BUSINESS

Accuflex introduces new plastic product

PETER ROOSEN, a focal

mechanical engineer with a

chemistry background, has
no stomach for the meat
industry — but he does eat
plastic.

Michael

actin

HIGH TECH

Earlier this week, in an astoun-
ding demonstration of product
faith, Roosen. slathered liquid
plastic on a piece of bread,
sprinkled it with alfalfa sprouts
and tucked in with relish.

Confided Roosen, “I don’t
think it will make a very good deli
item though.’*

-Yet he does make a point.
Plastics are generally considered
environmentally offensive materi-

exci

NEWS photo Miko Wak:

PETER ROOSEN puts plastic to bread to prove that the vegetable oil-based product is non-toxic.
Roosen is one of three North Vancouver partners who are producing Accutiex, a plastic developed
by the group and used to flexibly solve construction problems encountered in homes and boats.

Roosen and partners Frank Pap
and Gerard Koldyk have invented
an ‘‘idiot-proof’’ recipe for
plastic. They call it Accufiex.

The product is now primarily

_ used in the form of mouldings to

shop on the North Vancouver
waterfront in March.

The company produces an
assortment of mouldings for the
construction industry and also
supplies tnarine contractors with

low-tech as possible — maximum
simplicity, minimum toxicity.’
Said Roosen, ‘‘Frank started
this ail off by asking a question.
The question was, ‘Can you give
me some kind of a plastic that wil!

take a piece of wood, cut it into
pieces or back-cut it or in some
cases steam it — anywhere you see
a curved stairwell or foyer. The
architects are getting a little more
d about curves,’’ he added.

The plastic sticks to most any-

44 The idea was
to make this as
low-tech as —
possible —
maximum
simplicity. 99

- Peter Roosen, Accuflex -

thing, is fire-resistant, non-toxic,
takes well to paint and staia, cuts
cleanly, insulates and is water-
proof and shock-absorbent. When
mixed from scratch it can set in a
span of 17 seconds to three days.

Accuflex is mostly made: of ~
vegetable oil and gypsum. There
are also some ‘‘secret _ingre-
dients.”’ ee .

Said Roosen, ‘‘The idea here is
that the percentages and ratios of
the. ingredients are not that.
precise. This is as crude as it gets.
What we're doing here is taking. ©
plastics to the realm of the cottage
industry. A lot of the work was
simplifying the formula.”

Roosen anticipates the - plastic

als. A vegetable oil-based plastic
has a place in this newly green tackle curved architecture.
world. : : Accuflex, the company, set up

will be available in kit form at the

go around the corner for .
retail level early next year.

product.
baseboards?’ Traditionally they

“The idea was to make this as

from Greek to Italian to Vietnamese.

On the second floor, we have an authentic

pub-sryle restaurant, The Cheshire Cheese

Inn, and there's fine dining at

Loops Restaurant on the third floor.
Check the calendar for

times and dates. Then join us.
Welll have a great evening.

Well, at least until 9 p.m., thanks to our
late-night shopping hours.

Drop in for a little after-dinner
Christmas shopping. Better yet, why not
have dinner here with us? We have
plenty of great places to eat at the

MAINT CLOSED ; .
International Food Court, with everything

- i
GHESTIAS & NEW YEARS DAY