Stora Enso invests in biocomposite granules

GreenPrint

Stora Enso is investing €12 million in a new production line that will manufacture biocomposite granules at Hylte Mill in Sweden. Biocomposite granules enable the use of renewable wood to substitute a large portion of the fossil based materials in products typically produced in plastics.

Production is scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2018. The annual capacity will be approximately 15 000 tonnes per year. The ramp up of the new production line and a new type of manufacturing is expected to take two to three years.

‘This investment is part of Stora Enso’s transformation into a renewable materials company and demonstrates our ability to provide an innovative and more sustainable alternative to plastics. With this new biocomposite production line, we are well positioned to capture growth opportunities in climate and environmental friendly materials,’ said Jari Suominen, executive vice president, head of Stora Enso’s Wood Products division.

At Hylte Mill, Stora Enso can make best use of the resources available: an industrial infrastructure, the local supply of raw material and a highly competent workforce.

Biocomposite granules are a mix of wood fibres, polymers and additives and are used as raw material for injection moulding and the extrusion of products traditionally manufactured solely from plastic. The material can be used in a wide range of products from consumer goods to industrial applications, such as pallets or load bearing structures reinforced by glass fibre.