A sustainable society requires new ways of working and collaborating. In addition, we need to find new ways to take advantage of the natural resources that we have at our disposal. That’s why we at Södra always strive to make the best possible use of our wood raw material to build a sustainable society. Take lignin, for example.
Lignin is the tree's binder but it can be much more too. Our lignin is now ready to create new strong bonds for the future. Together, we can replace more fossil materials and further contribute to the green transition. Ready to join our journey?
Second only to cellulose, lignin is nature’s most common polymer. And cellulose and lignin are the main components of the forest raw material we use to make paper pulp and dissolving pulp. In our pulp mills, lignin is broken down in the cooking process, so that the fibres can be separated from each other and become pulp.
This means that large volumes of lignin are constantly being generated at our mills. Millions of tonnes every year actually.
The lignin is then burned to generate steam and electricity to power the mills. Now, in line with our constant endeavor to become more energy efficient, we are ready to let others make use of our lignin as well. It’s a perfectly renewable raw material with a multitude of uses.
Letting the forest raw material work for the climate is one of Södra’s most important missions. Lignin is therefore a natural choice for us to invest in, and we are now investigating the best options for its handling and processing.
Just as it does inside a tree, lignin today is used mostly as a binder in the chemical industry, and above all in different types of glue. But a much wider use of lignin is possible since its phenolic structure is excellent as a base for chemicals and raw materials that are currently based on fossil materials.
Lignin has been used for several decades for various applications, including as a dispersant for concrete and plasterboard, and as a binder in road stabilization and animal feed. Now the second-generation lignin is here, a kraft lignin available in solid form, offering many new uses.
We at Södra plan to make large volumes of this new type of lignin ready for the market. But to make sure we’re heading in the optimal direction, we are looking for new partnerships – and more answers to the question: Where can lignin do the most good? And how could lignin make a difference to you and to the transition to a fossil-free society?
Södra is one of Sweden’s largest forestry companies. We consist of 52,000 small-scale family forestry farms, which have been working together since 1938 to ensure that the forest raw material is used as wisely and efficiently as possible.
At Södra’s pulp mills and sawmills, but also in research and development projects, we take care of all parts of the tree. We rely partly on state-of-the-art technology and partly on expert knowledge and decades of experience.
Södra’s renewable forest raw material is converted into wood products, paper and dissolving pulp, building elements, bioproducts and fuel. All are important parts of building a sustainable society, where we are no longer dependent on fossil materials. We believe that lignin can be another valuable contribution.
Södra is a leading supplier of pulp from forest raw materials, with customers across large parts of the world and a global logistics network. Our pulp mills produce both paper pulp for paper production and dissolving pulp for the textile industry.
In our unique OnceMore® process, we recycle textile fibres on a large scale and enable circular flows within the textile industry. Products from our mills also include biomethanol, tall oil and turpentine marketed under the Liquid Forest™ brand which contribute to a responsible use of our raw material.
The plans to make our lignin available to the market, in large quantities and in consistent quality, are the latest example of the aspiration we have had for decades: No part of the tree should ever go to waste.
Södra is already talking to a number of like-minded companies about lignin, but our type of lignin is still a new and largely unexplored raw material. That’s why we’re looking for people who’d like to start a conversation on supporting a fossil-free society together. Could lignin be a future raw material for you and your business? If so, come and explore its potential with us. Fill in the form and we’ll get back to you – or get in touch with one of us!
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