Consortium to Build Europe's First Nanocrystalline Cellulose Pilot Facility

 

MoRe Research, Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, together with Holmen and SP Technical Research Institute (also of Sweden), is investing in nanocrystalline cellulose by building a pilot facility in Örnsköldsvik. The facility will be the first of its kind in Europe and represents an important step, allowing interested companies to develop nanocrystalline cellulose from cellulose-based material on a large scale.

Nanocrystalline cellulose has many interesting material properties, and can be used for example as a building material, in biocomposites, printed electronics, and dye additives. The operation in the pilot plant is based on technology developed by an Israeli startup company, Melodea. 

 

 

"This is a fantastic opportunity for MoRe to be part of the development of nanocrystalline cellulose for commercial applications," said Stefan Svensson, president of MoRe Research. "Contributory reasons for the pilot facility being located directly adjacent to MoRe in Örnsköldsvik include our in-depth knowledge about cellulose, our wide-ranging experience of pilot operations, and our extensive laboratory and analysis resources." 

"The investment in nanocrystalline cellulose is important to realize sustainable material solutions and to advance the field of bioeconomy," says Maria Khorsand, CEO of SP. "We are helping to make the pilot facility an environment that is open to all. SP operates in many different sectors and will also be able to pave the way for commercially interesting applications beyond the forestry sector's traditional boundaries." 

Ola Schultz-Eklund, director of business development and innovation at Holmen, emphasized that "Holmen is working actively to develop new products based on raw materials from our Swedish forests. Nanocrystalline cellulose is definitely an interesting material for the future." 

Yoram Shkedi, CEO of Melodea, noted that "we are proud to support the implementation of Melodea’s nanocrystalline cellulose production technology along with key players in the Swedish forestry and paper industries. This is a major step towards commercialization of nanocrystalline cellulose in a variety of applications". 

Holmen is participating as a catalyst in the creation of the facility and in its role as a co-owner of Melodea. MoRe and SP will have central roles in the construction and operation of the facility, which is expected to be in place during the first half of 2016. 

The plant is supported financially by the Västernorrland County Administrative Board, Holmen, the Kempe Foundations, SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, and the Önnesjö Foundation.

In the photo, the pilot facility for nanocrystalline cellulose will be placed close to the Biorefinery Demo Plant in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.