Wood to replace teak
The embargo on Burmese teak has had a strong impact on the yachting industry. Faced with synthetic alternatives derived from petroleum, Ratheau and its brand Charles, renowned in the boating industry, capitalize on their knowledge of wood to offer alternative woods on the market, rather than turning to synthetic products.
Some exotic species, such as Doussié, meet the needs of the construction sites. By observing the global market, Ratheau has also identified new wood treatment methods to meet the demands of the marine industry. Eric Dequatre, head of Ratheau's Challans branch, explains: "With Fabienne Sguario, head of our Six-Fours-les-plages agency, we are experimenting with thermo-heated wood such as Black Maple. It has already been used for several years in South Africa on boats
Identical to teak in terms of implementation
Although the species and its initial treatment change, its implementation by the site is identical. Ratheau is committed to offering the same technical solutions to the construction site. These alternatives to teak are available both in small slats for traditional decking and in ready-to-install jointed panels, under the Poyopont brand, originally developed in teak.
Poyopont Black Maple panels are offered in 8 mm thick jointed slats, 3 meters long and 1.24 meters wide.
A complete wood offer
While the supply of teak has been a major marker of recent activity, Ratheau is still very present in its historical core market of plywood, accompanying manufacturers. Here too, the supplier is constantly working on species to best meet its customers' needs.
