Oy Keskuslaboratorio Ab (KCL) in Espoo, Finland, together with Fiber-X Finland Oy in Lappeenranta, Finland, will combine their service offerings and expertise. At the heart of the collaboration is a vision to promote sustainable development and provide a competitive advantage in the paper, board and biofibre markets. The service concept will enable the development and commercialisation of new bioproducts much faster and without costly upfront investments for companies. This will enable Finland to exploit its position as a global player in the paper and pulp industry in a new way.
Bioeconomy is revolutionising manufacturing methods
The Nordic Pilot Center supports companies in the transition from fossilbased plastics to paper, board and biofibre solutions, for example. "Bio-economic innovations are revolutionising manufacturing methods and creating new uses. For example, single-use plastics will be replaced by renewable raw materials within a few years," say Nora Haatainen and Marko Lauraeus, founders of the Nordic Pilot Center. The bio- and circular economy are an important part of the green transition.
An international commitment to the green transition will mean major leaps forward for climate and environmental work. It also means that there is demand for innovation and its scaling up to industrial scale. Finland is a world-renowned land of innovation with world-class pulp and paper expertise. However the systemic change in the bioeconomy can be difficult because companies do not always have the resources and knowhow to test and pilot new innovations on an industrial scale themselves. Centralising piloting is therefore part of a resource-wise way of working. Industrial and research expertise, as well as the development of the materials and manufacturing processes themselves, can be carried out in an agile and collaborative way, without the need to build new infrastructure or purchase major equipment.
Exploiting biofibres requires cooperation and expertise
The bio- and circular economy are key solutions for replacing plastic. Usability is not the only factor. New materials and manufacturing methods are needed that have a minimal impact on the environment. In addition, it should be possible to recycle the material in order to achieve good results. The aim is to produce a product with a long and carefully considered life cycle.
By outsourcing innovation and piloting to professionals, the threshold for companies to get involved in the global green materials transition will be lowered. Exploiting biofibres requires research and expertise. With the help of professionals, different materials and manufacturing methods can be developed to make use of old equipment.
"Our aim is to offer this unique expertise worldwide. We want to bring together those who need it and those who know it. Development is accelerated by agile experimentation in collaboration with different experts. In addition, procurement is made easier when it is not too risky," says Nora Haatainen, CEO of Fiber-X.
The Nordic Pilot Center is driven by the common goal of accelerating the development and commercialisation of bio-based products to meet market demand and evolving legislation.
Nordic Pilot Center masters the whole chain
The partnership will enable customers to benefit from a comprehensive range of services, from materials development and innovation to industrial piloting and process and plant design.
"It is important that pilot plants can master the whole chain. The value chains start with research and go all the way through to recycling of the final product. This requires skills and expertise in different sectors, from research to manufacturing and life cycle management," says Marko Lauraeus, CEO of KCL. The pilot plants of the Nordic Pilot Center will be located in Lemi and, in the future, also in Lohja.
TAPPI
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