Cork

With a history of manufacturing cork products dating back over 140 years, Beach Bros Ltd is the leading UK manufacturer & distributor of cork products. Our wealth of knowledge, built up over five generations, has enabled us to produce some of the most advanced cork products available today.

Our purpose built 4,500m² manufacturing facility contains the latest machining technology to enable us to produce virtually any product or component out of cork.

Beach Bros Ltd is also the proud distributor for MURATTO® Cork Wall Coverings and Wicanders Cork Flooring.

Case Studies

Champion Hill Residence

Champion Hill Residence
King's College London

Material: Micro Agglomerated Cork - 6mm

Finish: Bespoke Off White with Self Adhesive

Client: Haas Group Ltd

Wahaca Restaurant Chain
London

Material: Natural Cork Blocks

Finish: Woca Matt Lacquer

Client: Softroom Architects

What is Cork

Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus Suber L.) which means that it is 100% natural plant tissue. As the tree is not cut down to obtain the bark it is arguably one of the most sustainable materials available to man.

Its unique structure consisting of a honeycomb of microscopic cells, filled with an air-like gas and coated mainly with suberin and lignin, gives cork its unique properties that technology is yet to emulate.

The characteristics of this material are prized by designers, architects, and engineers from all over the world in sectors as diverse as construction, fashion, design, health, energy production, and the aerospace industry.

Characteristics of Cork

VERY LIGHT	Over 50% of its volume is air, which makes it very light - it weighs just 0.16 grams per cubic centimetre and can float in water.
ELASTIC AND COMPRESSIBLE	It is the only solid which, when compressed on one side, does not increase in volume on another. As a result of its elasticity it is able to adapt to variations in temperature and pressure without suffering alterations or distortions.
IMPERMEABLE TO LIQUIDS AND GASES	Thanks to the suberin and ceroids contained in the cell walls, cork is practically impermeable to liquids and gases. Its resistance to moisture enables it to age without deteriorating.
THERMAL AND ACOUSTIC INSULATOR	Cork has low conductivity to heat, noise, and vibration. This is because the gaseous components contained in cork are enclosed in small impermeable compartments, isolated from each other by a moisture-resistant substance.
FIRE RETARDANT	Cork is also a natural fire retardant, it burns without a flame and does not emit toxic gases during combustion.
HIGHLY ABRASION RESISTANT	Cork is extremely resistant to abrasion and has a high friction coefficient. Thanks to its honeycomb structure its resistance to impact or friction is greater than that of other hard surfaces.
HYPOALLERGENIC	Because cork does not absorb dust it helps protect against allergies and does not pose a risk to asthma sufferers.
NATURAL TOUCH	The natural texture of cork combines softness and flexibility to the touch with a naturally uneven surface. The variable degree of irregularity is given by the type of cork used and the finish chosen.

Types of Cork Stoppers

Agglomerated & Micro Agglomerated	Agglomerated cork stoppers are manufactured from natural cork granules of high quality, through an extrusion or single moulding process that allows for greater levels of mechanical, sensorial, and microbiological consistency. Perfect for sealing fast consumption wines and other beverages for between 6 and 18 months.
Technical 1+1	Technical cork stoppers are manufactured from an agglomerated cylindrical cork body with a disc of natural cork on each edge, making sure the liquid inside the bottle only has contact with high quality natural cork. Suitable for storing wines for between 2 and 3 years.
Colmated	Colmated corks undergo a specialist sealing process to fill the natural pores or lenticels of medium quality natural corks. Designed for sealing fast consumption wines and other beverages for between 1 and 2 years.
Natural	Natural cork stoppers are 100% natural and are obtained from the best Portuguese cork. To protect its natural structure and ensure the technical performance the latest technology is used in the sterilisation, cleaning, and refinement. The ultimate stopper for both the short and long term bottling of wine.