Autex Leads The Industrial Re-Evolution With The Launch Of The Regenerative Autex Future Lab

Autex, market-leading producer of modern acoustic panels and insulation products, has unveiled its groundbreaking Autex Future Lab (AFL) - a new home for research and development (R&D) that provides a clear pathway to developing high-performance materials, products and solutions that respect and preserve our natural resources.

With a 58-year history in New Zealand, Autex now has a global presence, supplying a diverse and sophisticated range of products to the architecture, design, and building industries.

AFL will serve as a revolutionary new platform to progress the adaptation and innovation that have been hard-baked into Autex’s culture from the very beginning. With firmly backed science and revolutionary new manufacturing and agriculture systems, Autex is leading an industrial re-evolution from the front.

Jonathan Mountfort, Creative Director at Autex, says, "From our inception, we’ve been driven by a commitment to leaving our planet better than we found it. Our PET products, which are staple in the market, already have carefully considered systems around them to close the technical loop and reduce waste – because at the end of the day, a material can’t be sustainable on its own, it’s the systems that surround it.

“That’s why we’re so excited to unveil AFL and apply this philosophy to natural fibres, creating the blueprint for how we work in partnership with the natural world to responsibly use both biological and technical resources – something that the industry has struggled to do for a long time.”

All innovations emerging from AFL strive to move beyond Carbon Zero and achieve NaturePositive+ Certification, by creating products that enrich biodiversity, and benefit the health of generations to come. They are walking the walk, with tangible metrics to reach these ambitious sustainability goals.

"NaturePositive+" is a world-first benchmark for environmental standards by the world’s most trusted and widely recognised eco-label - Global GreenTag International.

Collaboration to drive industry-wide change

Autex is collaborating with scientists, primary producers, product designers, architects, advocacy groups, government and industry representatives to bring AFL to life. Making fundamental and transformational change takes committed collaboration, and this has the potential to push multiple industries forward while also enhancing New Zealand’s reputation for leading-edge innovation.

AFL was officially launched at an event on Wednesday night where a room of key partners, industry representatives, designers, and architects heard about AFL’s vision for the future.

Hon. Mark Patterson, Minister for Rural Communities and Associate Minister of Agriculture, spoke at the evening about how AFL can lead the way for a more sustainable Aotearoa.

“When it comes to our country’s agriculture industry, we must set ambitious targets for the future to ensure future generations can thrive. It’s encouraging to see companies like Autex pushing forward with innovative solutions that recognise the power of working together across industries to drive real change for our farming and manufacturing sectors.”

Wool product as the first proof point of AFL

The first innovation to emerge from AFL is Autex’s very first wool-fibre product, Embrace – an architectural surface that combines tactile warmth with all the high-performance qualities Autex is known for.

In line with AFL’s philosophy, Embrace considers every part of the closed loop system to ensure it’s truly regenerative, and this includes the farming practices. This was conducted with the support of key collaborator, Rubisco.

Guy Wills, CEO of Rubisco, says “We’ve been working in partnership with Autex for 4 years, delivering the New Zealand strong wool used in the Embrace product system from a single-source farm, we take the fleece from farm to yarn. We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments to date and have some exciting developments on the way. Rubisco is a next-generation natural fibre innovation company, and we believe deeply in natural materials done right. We see Autex Future Lab as an exciting step forward.”

And this is just the beginning. AFL is set to continue growing and paving the way for more innovations that enrich biodiversity, store carbon and provide other benefits crucial to the health of generations to come.

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