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V O L . X X V N O. X X I I S E P T E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 9 20 A disruptor P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY ainebiz: 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 prod- uct there and we don't have it in the U.S. I brought the sample to people who specialize in wood composites. at 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 GO Lab's wood-fiber products could jolt the insulation market 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 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. Joshua Henry President/Co-founder GO Lab Inc., Belfast B y l a u r i e S c H r e i B e r A disruptor

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