Stora Enso has received regulatory approval from the EU Commission to proceed with the acquisition of De Jong Packaging Group, announced in September 2022. Closure of the transaction is still ongoing and expected to be finalised at the beginning of 2023. The Nordic company acquires De Jong Packaging Group, based in the Netherlands, for an enterprise value of approximately EUR 1,020 million. This acquisition will advance Stora Enso’s strategic direction, accelerate revenue growth and build market share in renewable packaging in Europe. De Jong Packaging Group is one of the largest corrugated packaging producers in the Benelux countries. Its product portfolio and geographic presence will complement and enhance Stora Enso’s offering, especially in fresh produce, e-commerce and industrial packaging.
biomaterials
Mogu launched the new biomaterial EPHEA, as part of Balenciaga’s Winter 2022 runway show
Mogu Srl, the Italian material innovation company that commercializes bio-fabricated and circular products for interior architecture and green building, launched EPHEA™️. The market launch took place last Sunday as part of Balenciaga’s Winter 2022 runway show, at Paris Fashion Week, during which the brand presented an unprecedented floor-length coat realised with EPHEA™️.
An interview with Stefano Babbini, CEO of the Italian SME Mogu
“I believe that EC and the Member States should really work with the aim of promoting such innovative and sustainable products, sustaining the market entry phase, especially in those market segments characterized by low margins and hard competition (such as building and textile sectors).” To say it – in this interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Stefano Babbini, co-founder and CEO of Mogu, an Italy-based SME which is exploring the potential of mycelium-based technologies in several application sectors. He talks with us about the company’s main business, the bioeconomy at European level and the BBI JU demo project Grace, where the Italian company is applying its technology to the hemp and miscanthus value chains.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
Ford and McDonald’s joined forces to give vehicles a caffeine boost
Ford Motor Company and McDonald’s USA joined forces to give vehicles a caffeine boost by using part of a familiar staple in the morning routine, coffee beans, in vehicle parts such as headlamp housing. Every year, millions of pounds of coffee chaff – the dried skin of the bean – naturally comes off during the roasting process. Together, Ford and McDonald’s can provide an innovative new home to a significant portion of that material. The companies found that chaff can be converted into a durable material to reinforce certain vehicle parts. By heating the chaff to high temperatures under low oxygen, mixing it with plastic and other additives and turning it into pellets, the material can be formed into various shapes.
Stora Enso and Cordenka joined forces to develop precursor for bio-based carbon fiber
Stora Enso and Cordenka, the leading producer of premium quality industrial rayon based in Germany, are developing precursors for bio-based carbon fiber, both driven by the need for high performance carbon fiber in transportation, construction and power generation.
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Sekab and Vertoro to build large-scale demo plant to produce a new platform for sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials
A new demo plant in Örnsköldsvik will be the first in the world to produce a 2G platform for sustainable fuels, chemicals and materials, coined GOLDILOCKS®, from pulp and paper industry residues. The plant will be built by the Swedish chemical and clean tech company Sekab together with the Dutch oil company Vertoro.
Covestro and Genomatica joined forces to reduce the use of fossil-based resources
German materials manufacturer Covestro and California-based biotechnology company Genomatica joined forces to research and develop high-performance materials based on renewable feedstocks. With their collaboration announced on March 27, both partners are aiming to reduce the use of fossil-based resources such as crude oil. These are today still the most common carbon and raw material sources of the chemical and plastics industries. Using carbon from plants instead would help reduce CO2 emissions and close the carbon loop in another move towards a circular economy.
Stora Enso partnered with H&M and IKEA to industrialize TreeToTextile
Stora Enso partnered with H&M group and Inter IKEA group to industrialize TreeToTextile. TreeToTextile AB is a joint venture between H&M group, Inter IKEA group and innovator Lars Stigsson since 2014, with the aim of developing new textile fibers in a sustainable way at attractive cost levels. Stora Enso will join this partnership, and also support the industrialization of TreeToTextile’s production process by setting up a demonstration plant at one of its Nordic facilities.
An interview with Markus Mannström, Executive VP, Stora Enso Biomaterials Division. “Anything made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow”
“At Stora Enso, we believe that anything made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Our work in the Biomaterials division strives to make this a reality as soon as possible”. To say it – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Markus Mannström, Executive VP at Stora Enso Biomaterials Division. The Nordic company is one of the main players of the bioeconomy at global bioeconomy. With Markus Mannström we talk about what Stora Enso is doing in the field, the role of pulp and paper industry and his expectations related to the announced new EU bioeconomy strategy.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
The Bio-based Material of the Year 2017 Award to Bio-lutions, Paptic and Phytowelt Green Tech
Bio-lutions, Paptic and Phytowelt GreenTechnologies. The Innovation Award “Bio-based Material of the Year 2017” was awarded to these three innovative companies for their materials in specific applications. The competition focused on new developments in the bio-based economy, which have had (or will have) a market launch in 2016 or 2017. The winners were elected by the participants of the 10th International Conference on Bio-based Materials in Cologne, Germany.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 