Despite not being able to spell, Accsys (pronounced Access) Technologies is a company on the march.

The Aim-listed company has developed a very clever technique, sold under the trade name Accoya, that toughens softwood enabling it to be used as a substitute for hardwood.

So what? Well, hardwood takes much longer to grow, is more expensive and much rarer than the soft varieties. So Accoya not only gives Accsys's clients a cheaper alternative to an expensive commodity but also gives the environment a breather too.

Accsys has developed various tests showing that its treated soft wood can survive for several years submerged in water. In the Netherlands, where the company has its factory, a road bridge has been built using only Accoya, which it has guaranteed for 90 years.