Why do we use it?
I discovered Accoya back in 2017 while searching for a material to use when I was redesigning what a charger could be at my old company Andersen EV. I hopped on the Overground and headed to the Surface and Design Show at London Design Centre inIslington. There it was, on a stand: “No-rot. 50-year guarantee.” I grabbed a leaflet, and that’s how it began.
How could we source this? Experiment with it? Adapt it to perform in an EV charger?
Months of prototyping followed, working alongside carpenters and wood mills to test finishes and select the right coatings. We settled on four translucent shades that honoured the wood’s natural beauty, but it demanded extreme precision and care to meet its long-term performance guarantees.
When I left Andersen, (that’s a long story, ‘my own company’ made me redundant). I took my hard-won knowledge of Accoya with me. I’m proud to have discovered this incredible material, it’s part of my origin story, even if Andersen is now a competitor. The original carpenter, whose prices “didn’t work” for the new owner, had been let go. Over time, I noticed changes in how their wood was being finished: deeper, less refined colours with a plastic-sheen look. The original craftsmanship was lost.
How we craft with Accoya at Simpson & Partners
Today, at Simpson & Partners, my love affair with Accoya continues. I brought back that same expert carpenter (a childhood friend of David’s) who now hand-finishes our lids in his workshop with a coating that allows the grain to shine through.
Four beautiful translucent shades, each coated with care and technical precision. It’s a complex and delicate process, but worth it. I could never bear to cover this wood in a heavy solid coat. It would look plastic. Too fake. Too clumsy. I always think that if you’re looking at your charger everyday, it needs to look relaxed, part of the building and thoughtfully undesigned.
As we know nature isn't uniform and our wooden lids reflect this. We celebrate the slight natural variations that nature intended and all lids are passed by our quality team.
