{"id":15195,"date":"2022-10-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lati.com\/hexagro-and-laticonther-innovative-plastic-materials-for-the-living-farming-tree\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T15:14:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T14:14:05","slug":"hexagro-and-laticonther-innovative-plastic-materials-for-the-living-farming-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lati.com\/en\/hexagro-and-laticonther-innovative-plastic-materials-for-the-living-farming-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"Hexagro and LATICONTHER: Innovative Plastic Materials for the Living Farming Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Living Farming Tree<\/strong> is the first vertical garden inspired by biophilic design<\/strong>, designed and developed by Hexagro<\/strong>.
Advanced ideas require materials and solutions that meet the challenge: this is why Hexagro chose LATI<\/strong> and its LATICONTHER thermally conductive compounds<\/strong> to create lightweight, high-performance, and sustainable heat sinks.<\/p>\n

Thanks to this collaboration, it was possible to reduce weight, complexity, and carbon footprint<\/strong> compared to traditional metal solutions, while maintaining maximum thermal efficiency for the LED lights necessary for plant growth.<\/p>\n

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A Green Dream: Vertical Farming According to Hexagro<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The mission of Hexagro<\/strong> is clear: to ensure access to healthy food for everyone, everywhere<\/strong>, thanks to vertical farming technologies<\/strong>.
The company envisions a future where it is possible to grow food even in cities<\/strong>, reconnecting people with nature through innovation.<\/p>\n

The Hexagro team is a mix of engineers, designers, and agronomists from more than six countries<\/strong>, united by a common vision.
Alongside technological innovation, Hexagro also pursues a strong social commitment: with the Hexagro Siembra Vertical Social<\/strong> project in Colombia, for every Poty<\/strong> garden sold, new modules are installed to support local communities.<\/p>\n

Thanks to this sustainable vision, Hexagro has received recognition from organizations such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation<\/strong> and the Solar Impulse Foundation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Living Farming Tree: the Vertical Garden of the Future<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Living Farming Tree<\/strong> allows nutritious plants to be grown indoors<\/strong> with a modular design suitable for any space, even in offices.
It uses aeroponic<\/strong> technology, which mists water and nutrients directly onto the roots, ensuring resource savings, automation, and optimized growth<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Thanks to smart LED lights<\/strong> and automatic irrigation, anyone can enjoy healthy, safe, and sustainable cultivation \u2014 even without a “green thumb.”<\/p>\n

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LATICONTHER Compounds for Thermal Management of the Living Farming Tree<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the key elements of the Living Farming Tree is the heat sink<\/strong> that houses electronics, lenses, and LED PCBs.
For this component, Hexagro was looking for a material that is lightweight, efficient, and has a lower environmental footprint<\/strong> compared to aluminum.<\/p>\n

With the support of the UK molder Protool Plastics<\/strong>, LATICONTHER 62 GR\/50<\/strong> was chosen, a thermally conductive<\/strong> compound formulated by LATI based on PA6 loaded with 50% graphite<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Advantages of LATI Material:<\/h3>\n
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    Weight halved<\/strong> compared to aluminum<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    High thermal conductivity<\/strong> (>10 W\/mK) for optimal heat management<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Design freedom<\/strong> and increased production efficiency<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Reduction in energy costs<\/strong> and no post-processing required<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Mold longevity<\/strong> and perfect production scalability<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    These features allowed Hexagro to improve thermal performance<\/strong> while simultaneously reducing weight, costs, and environmental impact<\/strong> of the product.<\/p>\n

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    LATI Technical Assistance: from Simulation to Success<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The LATI technical team supported Hexagro at every stage of the project:<\/p>\n

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      Selection of the most suitable material<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Geometric optimization of the heat sink<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      FEM simulations and molding analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Numerical checks confirmed the effectiveness of the cooling and mechanical coupling<\/strong> between the heat sink and LED PCB.
      After the prototyping phase, injection production<\/strong> fully validated the solution.<\/p>\n

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      A Greener and more Sustainable Future<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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      \u201cReplacing metal with plastic compounds is a challenge that requires vision and courage.
      Our greatest satisfaction is seeing intelligent, high-performance, and sustainable solutions come to life.\u201d
      \u2014 Luca Posca, Technical Assistance & Marketing Director LATI<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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      \u201cThanks to the collaboration between Hexagro, LATI, and Protool, we have improved performance, costs, and scalability, while maintaining the product’s aesthetics.\u201d
      \u2014 Team Hexagro<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

      Expertise, technology, and vision<\/strong>: three words that describe a collaboration capable of bringing innovation, well-being, and nature into urban spaces.
      Who wouldn’t want a Living Farming Tree<\/strong> in their daily life?<\/p>\n

      \ud83c\udfa5 Watch the video dedicated to the case study!<\/strong><\/p>\n