A new study commissioned by Cepi shows rapid developments in Europe’s biorefinery sector, which holds the possibility to replace many fossil-based products with alternatives. The study, performed by nova-Institute, a German-based research institute, shows that biorefineries in the forest-based sector have more than doubled their turnover in just 3 years, reaching €6 billions. Biorefineries are facilities that convert biomass to a spectrum of beneficial byproducts. The new research covers the many biorefineries in Europe that are connected to the pulp and paper industry, which has been using similar processes for decades, mainly to power its own installations.
Today, a world without wet-laid nonwovens is impossible to imagine. Absorbent, tear-resistant and adaptable, wet-laid nonwovens are ideally suited for wound dressings, hygiene products and cosmetic items. They are also found in clothing, electronics, construction and agriculture. Primarily, these kinds of products are manufactured using a hydrodynamic process, which means they are first dispersed in water and then dried. In this case, the manufacturing process is similar to papermaking with long fibers. However, it also differs in crucial aspects.
Södra confirms UPM among the first customers for kraft lignin following the major investment announcement earlier this summer regarding kraft lignin production at Södra’s Mönsterås site. The plant is expected to be in operation in 2027, when it will be the first commercial kraft lignin production facility in Sweden and the largest of its type in the world.