Stora Enso to build a granulation and packing plant for lignin

Stora Enso to build a granulation and packing plant for lignin

(PRESS RELEASE) HELSINKI, 4-Dec-2020 — /EuropaWire/ — Leading provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper, Stora Enso announces its investment of EUR 14 million for the construction of a granulation and packing plant for lignin at its Sunila Mill in Finland. According to Stora Enso’s strategy, lignin is one of the key innovation areas for delivering growth on new applications, such as energy storage, binders and carbon fiber.

Lignin is one of the main building blocks of a tree. Today, the lignin produced at Sunila Mill, Lineo™ by Stora Enso, is delivered as a dusty powder or as wet lignin. It is used, for example, as a phenol replacement in adhesives, as a bio-based natural binder replacing bitumen in asphalt, and in bioplastics. In the future, it can be used as a source of biocarbon in energy storage systems such as batteries for electric vehicles, as bio-based binders in plywood and as material for carbon fiber.

Producing lignin in granulated form enables more effective handling and packing of the product. This further strengthens Stora Enso’s capabilities in replacing fossil-based raw materials, while supporting a more sustainable supply chain.

“This investment helps us in providing our customers with a more efficient way of handling dry lignin and delivering it in bulk containers. In addition to reducing both packaging and transportation costs, packing granulated lignin will be easier and faster compared to the dry powder used today, which requires special equipment,” says Markus Mannström, Executive Vice President of Stora Enso’s Biomaterials division.

The construction of the granulation plant is estimated to begin by the end of the second quarter of 2021 and to be complete in the second quarter of 2022.

Stora Enso has been producing lignin industrially at its Sunila Mill in Finland since 2015. The annual production capacity is 50 000 tonnes, making Stora Enso the largest kraft lignin producer in the world.

For further information, please contact:
Ingrid Peura
SVP, Communications, Biomaterials
tel. +358 50 307 0026

Investor enquiries:
Ulla Paajanen
SVP, Investor Relations
tel. +358 40 763 8767

Part of the bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has some 25 000 employees in over 30 countries. Our sales in 2019 were EUR 10.1 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY). storaenso.com

SOURCE: STORA ENSO OYJ