​​​It was great hosting the delegation from NTE who visited the department for an afternoon of intensive discussions, ranging from appropriate technologies for small growers through to wood processing and wood chemistry. NTE are based in the KZN midlands and are one of the world's largest producers of extracts, primarily vegetable tannins, from wattle (Acacia mearnsii). They manufacture powdered products for a number of industries including leather, timber, mining, water treatment and agricultural. Their Bondtite green adhesives are natural products that are in increasingly high demand for use in products that we are all in contact with in our day to day lives, including plywood, particleboard, and corrugated cardboard. The Department of Forest and Wood Science carries out research in all areas correlating to NTEs own value chain, which is why the lively and informative discussions continued into the early evening.  ​