UPM Biochemicals and Södra accelerate commercialization of new lignin-based products – Chemical Engineering

September 23, 2024 | By Mary Bailey

UPM Biochemicals will be one of the first customers to receive kraft lignin South when the forest owners’ association’s Mönsterås plant starts operating in 2027. The new Södry plant will be the first commercial kraft lignin production plant in Sweden and the largest of its kind in the world.

UPM has been innovating a range of products made from kraft lignin and has successfully launched this growing portfolio of sustainable lignin solutions in recent years. UPM BioPiva is a range of cost-effective, non-toxic and highly pure kraft lignin products used in renewable adhesives and binders as a replacement for fossil-based chemicals. UPM Solargo plant biostimulants derived from kraft lignin are ideally suited to support the agricultural sector’s commitment to reducing the use of classic fertilizers while increasing soil health and are proven to increase soil productivity.

The above solutions were developed using market-leading kraft lignin. UPM has also invested in lignin extraction and is innovating the use of lignin in industrial applications beyond kraft lignin solutions. At its first-of-its-kind biorefinery in Leuna, Saxony-Anhalt, the company will produce carbon-negative renewable functional fillers (RFF) made from lignin from sustainably sourced hardwood. RFF is an important innovation for the global rubber and plastics industry, as it is intended to replace highly toxic, CO2-intensive carbon black and precipitated silica.

“Kraft lignin is a key raw material for UPM to provide commercially viable decarbonisation solutions for industrial and consumer markets. Kraft lignin applications are rapidly expanding and offer growing markets. We are pleased that Södra is taking the step to scale up kraft lignin extraction from its pulp mills and believe that Södra is the ideal partner for UPM to support our own growth ambitions by delivering high-quality kraft lignin with an unquestionable sustainability footprint,” he comments. Winfried SchaurExecutive Vice President, UPM Technology and Biorefining at UPM.

“From 2027, Södra will play an important role in the development of kraft lignin as a renewable and sustainable substitute for fossil-based materials,” said Södra Bioproducts Vice President Jan Bogren“With UPM as a customer, we will be part of a value chain that can deliver climate-friendly solutions for the green transition. UPM, in turn, can trust our responsible forestry and the low carbon footprint of our pulp mills. UPM’s experience and knowledge in this sector make them an ideal customer and we look forward to a fruitful collaboration.”

Södra has access to forest raw material through more than 50,000 forest family members. Its Mönsterås mill includes a sawmill, a competitive pulp mill, wind farms and its own port. The surplus energy from the pulp mill will result in a low-carbon kraft lignin product.

Södra’s investment in kraft lignin at its Mönsterås plant represents a significant increase in global kraft lignin production capacity and is a breakthrough in the widespread use of kraft lignin-based products and solutions. Södra continues to strengthen its position as a growing supplier of greener alternatives to fossil-based solutions, following the completion of the world’s first commercial biomethanol plant at the plant in 2020.

Lignin is found in the cell walls of all plants, especially trees, and is the second most abundant polymer in nature after cellulose. The non-toxic biomaterial can help significantly reduce dependence on fossil raw materials in many applications. It offers the possibility of creating valuable, sustainable chemicals with renewable content and a significantly reduced carbon footprint. Its naturally occurring strength and adhesive properties also enable the highest level of product performance.