Pulping

ESPOO, Finland, Feb. 13, 2020 (Press Release) -Metsä Group’s innovation company Metsä Spring and Valmet have initiated a joint project for the development of a novel wood-based 3D product to replace similar products made out of fossil resources, especially in consumer products like packaging.

The joint project focuses on fine-tuning properties of the new environmentally-friendly material and on developing a highly automated and digitalized manufacturing technology. Utilising Metsä Group’s current industrial side streams as the raw material of the new product will also be assessed. The aim of the project is to jointly analyse the technical and economic performance of the new concept and evaluate the prerequisites to build, in a potential next phase, a pilot plant integrated to existing pulp or board production in Finland.

“Our new product would be of high quality, safe, easily recycled and based on sustainably grown, renewable Northern wood. Should material recycling, for some reason, not be an option, the product is also biodegradable. Moreover, its manufacturing would be fully fossil free. We aim at large scale market segments, and our ambition level is high. Hence, we are optimistic about the potential of creating a new important value-add product for the Finnish forest industry,” says Metsä Spring’s project lead Jarkko Tuominen.

“Valmet is strongly committed to the development of solutions that support sustainability. As a technology leader, we are in a first-class position to utilise our existing, unique technology and product development capabilities for the benefit of projects like this. A collaborative project with our customer is an excellent way of advancing development in concrete steps,” says Petri Rasinmäki, head of the Board and Paper Machines Technology Unit at Valmet.

The start-up of a potential pilot plant could take place in 2021. If the pilot plant phase proofs the concept viable, then the next step would be to construct a first commercial manufacturing line in the years ahead.

Metsä Spring was established in the spring of 2018. The development project with Valmet is the third investment made by Metsä Spring. The 40 MEUR textile fibre demo plant in Äänekoski, Finland, owned jointly by Metsä Spring and Japanese ITOCHU, is currently in the beginning of the start-up phase. Last July, Metsä Spring made an equity investment in Woodio Oy – a company which develops and manufactures fully waterproof wood composite material.

Metsä Spring

Metsä Spring is the venture capital arm of Metsä Group. Metsä Spring invests worldwide in promising startups as well as spinout and early-stage companies with a visible path to the Metsä Group business ecosystem. In addition to financing, Metsä Spring also provides access to Metsä Group’s global network and expertise.

Metsä Group

Metsä Group is a forerunner in responsible bioeconomy, utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, timber products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards, and tissue and greaseproof papers.

Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.5 billion in 2019, and it employs approximately 9,300 people. The Group operates in some 30 countries. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 103,000 Finnish forest owners.

Valmet

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.

Valmet's net sales in 2019 were approximately EUR 3.5 billion. Our more than 13,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

PARIS, Feb. 12, 2020 (Press Release) -Veolia Water Technologies ​will support a major expansion of a mill in Brazil by providing a turnkey chloride removal system designed to optimize the processing of wood-derived pulp used in the making of cellulose fibers.

Eucalyptus forests grow faster in Brazil than in almost any other region of the world. Many of these national wood resources are increasingly used for dissolving wood production that meets the fast-growing demand from apparel brands for making textiles with renewable fibers instead of synthetic ones. On the back of this trend, one of the world’s largest pulp producers is expanding its dissolving wood pulp operations in Brazil to convert the cellulose of hardwood forests into the raw material to produce not only staple fibers (rayon-grade) or viscose filament yarns but also specialty fibers used in the manufacturing of a wide variety of pharmaceutical and food products.

The pulping production uses a washing and cleaning process to increase the purity of the pulp. The resulting product of this process is a liquid stream that is rich in organics for energy production. This liquor, however, requires careful management and removal of chemicals to avoid the undesired build-up of chloride and potassium in the recovery cycle, which if left uncontrolled, can create corrosion and boiler fouling.

To prevent significant boiler capacity losses and increased operating costs, Veolia will treat 650 tons per day of precipitator ash. Based on advanced crystallization technology, HPD Enhanced Chloride Removal Process (ECRP) will be integrated into the project to yield the best control of sodium recovery and chloride removal steps.

“Veolia is proud of enabling substantial chemical savings at yet another world-class pulping project in Brazil. Recycling inputs and cutting waste while making pulping operations more productive and sustainable are at the heart of our technologies. We are pleased to make pulping processes more resource-efficient in Brazil and all over the world” ​stated Jim Brown, CEO, Veolia Water Technologies Americas.

The benefits of purging chloride and potassium residuals in the recovery cycle are not limited only to the economic boost of lower operating costs and improved steam generation in the recovery boiler. Equally important, ECRP’s recovery of soda chemicals from the mother liquor also makes environmental gains by protecting the health of wildlife and waterways through limited emissions of sulfur compounds and minimized losses of sulfate salts.

Through the continuous improvements in HPD evaporation and crystallization systems, Veolia helps global producers make pulping operations safer, cleaner and more efficient to further reduce their environmental impacts and create economic value through the responsible management of closed-loop industrial processes.

Veolia ​group ​is the global leader in optimized resource management. With over 171,000 employees worldwide, the Group designs and provides water, waste, and energy management solutions which contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them.

In 2018, the Veolia group supplied 95 million people with drinking water and 63 million people with wastewater service, produced nearly 56 million megawatt-hours of energy and converted 49 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia Environnement ​(listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) ​recorded consolidated revenue of USD 30.6 billion in 2018.

HELSINKI, Feb. 11, 2020 (Press Release) -INEOS and UPM Biofuels have today announced a long-term agreement to supply a renewable raw material for new and innovative bio-attributed polymers to be produced at INEOS Köln, Germany.

INEOS will use UPM BioVerno, a sustainable raw material from a renewable residue of wood pulp processing, to produce bio-attributed polyolefins.

These new sustainable materials will be used in a wide range of products from plastic food packaging to medical and pipes. Applications also include BIOVYNTM, the world’s first commercially available bio-attributed PVC, produced by INOVYN an INEOS Business.

The agreement supports INEOS plans to make plastic from renewable raw materials, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting a more circular approach to INEOS Olefins & Polymers production.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) has certified each step in the process, starting from UPM Biofuels converting the wood-based residue (crude tall oil) into hydrocarbons, through to the final polymer.

The result of UPM Biofuels’ production is a bio-based cracker feedstock that does not compete with food production. By replacing fossil based raw materials with UPM BioVerno in its cracker, INEOS products will contribute to a significant reduction in carbon emissions.

Maiju Helin, Head of Sustainability and Market Development at UPM Biofuels said, “The collaboration with INEOS is a great step forward in the bio-economy. UPM BioVerno products now help to reduce climate and environmental impacts in an even broader range of applications. INEOS’s and UPM Biofuels’ commitment to RSB certification creates a strong common ground to build on.”

UPM’s bio-based cracker feedstock will be used by INEOS to make drop-in products that have a proven positive environmental impact whilst retaining the same high performance and quality standards expected by customers. 

Rob Ingram, CEO INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe North said, “The agreement supports INEOS plans to make plastic from renewable raw materials, which contribute to a significant reduction in carbon emissions.”

"We are pleased to be working with UPM Biofuels. They place fundamental importance on commitment to innovation and resource efficiency as well as social and environmental responsibility. This partnership in combination with RSB certification gives customers the confidence that they are choosing a high quality, sustainable product."

Wood-based UPM BioVerno products can be used to replace fossil raw materials, generating a significant reduction in carbon footprint.

INEOSis a leading manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products. It has 34 businesses, with a production network spanning 183 manufacturing facilities in 26 countries. From paints to plastics, textiles to technology, medicines to mobile phones - chemicals manufactured by INEOS enhance almost every aspect of modern life. INEOS had sales in 2018 of around $60bn and EBITDA close to €6bn. Its products make a significant contribution to saving life, improving health and enhancing standards of living for people around the world.

UPM Biofuelsproduces renewable and sustainable products for the transport and petrochemical industries. We offer our customers ways to replace fossil raw materials and reduce their carbon footprint. UPM's innovative, bio-based products are frontrunners in quality, usability and sustainability.

UPM

We deliver renewable and responsible solutions and innovate for a future beyond fossils across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood. As the industry leader in responsibility we are committed to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the science-based targets to mitigate climate change. We employ 18,700 people worldwide and our annual sales are approximately EUR 10.2 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.