A disruptor: GO Lab’s wood-fiber products could jolt the insulation market
Photo / Tim Greenway
Joshua Henry, co-founder and president of GO Lab Inc.
Joshua Henry is co-founder and president of GO Lab Inc., founded in 2017 to develop and manufacture innovative, environmentally responsible, wood fiber insulation as a renewable alternative to polystyrene insulation and fiberglass insulation. Made from softwood chips, the product will be renewable, recyclable and nontoxic, and is expected to perform as well or better than products currently on the market. A former paper mill in Madison is being refurbished for production, which is expected to start next fall. It will create 120 jobs and generate an estimated $90 million in annual revenue. GO Lab received $2.4 million from a consortium of state and local entities to complete the deal. Henry has a doctorate in materials chemistry and taught for 10 years at Bates College and the University of Maine at Orono. In 2016, a pivotal moment came when he was consulting for Matt O’Malia and Alan Gibson, 2014 NEXT honorees and founders of GO Logic, a Belfast energy-efficient design/build firm. A partnership was formed.
Mainebiz: How did you get onto wood-fiber insulation?
Joshua Henry: We were visited by someone selling a European wood-fiber insulation board. It’s a big product there and we don’t have it in the U.S. I brought the sample to people who specialize in wood composites. That kicked things off. We thought this was a great fit for Maine.
MB: What’s gone into development?
JH: We wanted to understand the product at a micro level. How do you bring additional value, like a non-fossil-fuel binder? How do you treat the wood chips to turn them into fiber, how do you dry the fiber, how do you apply the adhesives, how do you package and transport the finished product? With our product, you know what it is — 90% wood, a little bit of glue and, depending on the application, a little bit of added chemicals like fire retardant or waterproofing. It’s a simple and elegant approach to completing the building envelope.
MB: What does your partnership with the forest industry look like?
JH: That’s what allowed us to get a leg up on the rest of North America. We’ve talked with many people in Maine’s forest products industry. There’s a huge number of dimensional lumber manufacturers in Maine; they all produce residuals. We have a process that’s species agnostic.
MB: How will mill operations roll out?
JH: We have a phased ramp-up. First, at this time next year, is loose-fill insulation. That can be produced by getting the wood handling and fiber drying process going, then packaging that product. We intend to produce boards and ‘batts’ by spring or summer the following year.
MB: How many homes does 180,000 tons of chips insulate?
JH: About 10,000 individual homes, although the product is applicable to multi-family and large projects.
MB: Competitive value?
JH: Our product is competitive in terms of energy conservation. Other advantages include vapor permeability and better soundproofing than other products on the U.S. market.
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Very grounded and environmentally responsible new company with great insight and vision both for Maine and the insulation product sector. A win-win.
Frank Conte
Insurance Consultant
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