Stora Enso launches bio-based lignin as renewable replacement for oil-based phenolic materials
19 February 2018
Stora Enso launches bio-based lignin as renewable replacement for oil-based phenolic materials
The launch of Lineo by Stora Enso is another important step on the way to replacing fossil-based materials with renewable solutions. Lineo is available to companies seeking more sustainable, bio-based alternatives.
Lignin is a renewable replacement for oil-based phenolic materials which are used in resins for plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), laminated veneer lumber (LVL), paper lamination and insulation material.
Markus Mannström, Executive Vice President of the Stora Enso Biomaterials division, says, “Having increased our lignin focus in recent years, we’re delighted to launch Lineo. Lignin is a non-toxic raw material with traceable origin and stable cost structure, and bio-based Lineo is ideal for companies looking for alternatives to oil-based products. We believe that everything made from fossil-based materials today, can be made from a tree tomorrow.”
Stora Enso has been producing lignin at industrial scale since 2015 at its Sunila Mill in Finland. The mill’s capacity is 50 000 tonnes per year, making Stora Enso the largest kraft lignin producer in the world. Stora Enso is already selling Lineo to replace phenol, and the company is also looking at many other applications for this very versatile material.
A stable, free-flowing brown powder, Stora Enso’s lignin is separated during the Kraft pulping process of Nordic softwood. Lineo has a high dry content, superior dispersibility and long storage time. With a higher reactivity and purity, Lineo is consistent from batch to batch and Stora Enso can supply different levels of dryness, according to customer demand.
