Another important step on the road to Stora Enso’s transformation into a renewable materials company. The pulp and paper manufacturer headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, inaugurated yesterday the new Innovation Centre for biomaterials in Stockholm, that will host research, application, business development and strategic marketing under one roof.
By creating renewable solutions and products from second-generation biomass, such as wood, in order to replace fossil-based products, the centre is addressing societal problems such as climate change, increased urbanisation as well as water and land use issues.
“The Innovation Centre in Stockholm is another important step on the road to Stora Enso’s transformation into a renewable materials company. It will help us build on our long, worldwide tradition in forestry, which – when coupled with access to sustainable raw materials and our expertise in fibres – gives us an excellent starting point for creating solutions that will benefit our customers and end-users in various industries and markets,” said Karl-Henrik Sundström, Ceo at Stora Enso.
“Specifically, the centre will help to boost innovation by identifying business opportunities in the markets for renewable materials and bio-based chemicals. We will link our own expertise with leading research centres, universities and business partners,” said Arno van de Ven, SVP, Head of Innovation in Stora Enso’s Biomaterials division.
Currently, there are 40 people working in the centre and it is estimated that by the end of 2017 it will employ around 100 people, recruited both from inside of the company as well as externally. The Innovation Centre covers 4 900 m2, with a state-of-the art laboratory area of 1 600 m2, and is located in the greater Stockholm area in Nacka, Sweden.
Stora Enso’s Biomaterials division is a provider of pulp grades to meet the demands of various paper, board and tissue producers. The offering also includes fluff for hygiene applications and dissolving pulp for the textile industry. The mission of the Biomaterials division is to find new, innovative ways to maximise the value extractable from wood, as well as other kind of ligno-cellulosic biomasses. Through innovation, the aim is to develop into a cost and performance differentiated renewable biochemical company offering drop-in and new materials to industries.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 