E2e launching line of office furniture

ITHACA — E2e Materials, a Cornell University spinoff, is rolling out its first commercial products.

The Ithaca–based company is introducing a line of office furniture it will market under the e2e Office name. The first product is a workstation made from the company’s proprietary biocomposite materials.

E2e develops replacements for materials like particleboard and other wood products using renewable, natural sources like soy flour and flax. The company says its materials take less energy to produce than traditional composites and production doesn’t require formaldehyde or other toxic chemicals.

The firm will target its office line at green building projects seeking certification in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, says Pat Govang, e2e CEO. It’s a good place to start because e2e’s materials contribute points toward projects seeking LEED certification in three separate categories.

The company is poised to establish a new production plant in the 183,000-square-foot HP Neun building at Gambee Road and Route 14 in the town of Geneva this year. The firm will at first occupy about 100,000 square feet with plans to expand into the remaining space in the future.

The company’s office furniture will be produced there.

E2e currently employs 30 people and is hiring, Govang says. The expansion in Geneva could support up to 200 jobs at the company over the next five years.

For more on this story, see Friday’s issue of The Central New York Business Journal.

Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com