Finnish pulp and paper company Stora Enso is investing EUR 32m to build a world-class biorefinery at Sunila Mill in Finland containing lignin extraction plant and dryer, lignin dust burners in the lime kilns and a packing line. The company is aiming to set up a new business selling lignin extracted from the mill’s black liquor to external customers within specialty chemicals and high-tech materials industries.

Stora Enso said it is developing new applications in which lignin will provide added-value as a natural polymer. First applications will be in the building, construction and automotive sectors where lignin can substitute phenols in plywood glues and other wood-based panels, as well as polyols used in foams.

Production is scheduled to start up during the first quarter of 2015 and is expected to generate annual sales of EUR 80m in 2017. Sunila Mill has an annual capacity of 370,000 tonnes of softwood pulp. Stora Enso said their technology also has the potential for future scalability at other Group pulp mills.

Sunila Mill in Finland