Innovation is part of our DNA
Innovation is a natural part of our everyday life. We are driven by a strong belief in a more sustainable future. For us, innovation is about daring to explore what does not yet exist, but also about continuously improving what we already do. This is how we create long-term value for our members, for society, and for future generations.
From forest to long-lasting solutions
The world is facing great challenges. Resource consumption is rapidly increasing, and we need sustainable alternatives more than ever. We see the forest as part of the solution. Using the tree as a starting point, we develop products and services that replace fossil alternatives to make a real difference.
We’re already producing biomethanol and tall oil for fossil-free fuels and bio-based chemicals. Our pioneering OnceMore® technology gives new life to used textiles and is an important step towards more circular textile management. With cross-laminated timber (CLT), we build more sustainably, and by 2027 we will be the world's largest producer of sulphate lignin, a bio-based raw material with huge potential.
Together we drive change
Innovation is about solving challenges. We think the best outcomes are achieved through collaboration and a diversity of perspectives. It’s why we work closely with our members, customers, research centres, and universities to solve real problems. Our six innovation areas - forestry, wood products, paper, textile, bio-chemicals, and energy - are all vital pieces of a bigger whole.
An innovative mindset helps us create value for our family foresters, strengthens our own operations, and contributes to solutions for society, customers, and consumers worldwide. Together, we are building a future where the opportunities we see in our forests today become the solutions of the future.
Products that make a difference
With the forest as a base, we develop products that can replace fossil alternatives and contribute to a more sustainable future. For us, it’s about making the most of the whole tree. We drive innovation in six areas: forestry, wood products, paper, textiles, chemicals and energy. All to create the greatest possible benefit for people and the green transition.
Södra Ädla invests in startups driving the development of forestry
Our ambition is to be a leader in the development of forestry and further strengthen our work with innovation. Our investment company Södra Ädla invests in startups based on innovation and solutions that develop forestry.
We support forest research and development in southern Sweden
For over 35 years, Södra's Research Foundation has awarded funds to hundreds of innovation projects. Every year, we allocate SEK 10-20 million in grants to research and develop family forestry and forest industrial operations in southern Sweden.
Our innovation lab
In our innovation lab, new ideas are given space to grow, free from everyday production constraints. Here there is room to test, explore, and fail on the way to something better. We don’t shy away from trying something new, and the focus is on products and innovations that bring us closer to a fossil-free society. But we also spend time fostering a culture where curiosity is encouraged and where we constantly challenge ourselves. In a fast-changing world, we also need to be responsive. In the innovation lab, we can be quick to move from idea to testing - and that matters.
Other important areas
Sustainable development from family forestry
Sustainable development begins in the forest, in the daily responsibility that family forest owners take for the land, the trees and the future. Here lies the foundation for a society that uses its resources well and thinks long term. With people at the centre, knowledge passed down through generations unites with new ways of viewing forest and management. It's about making wise choices today, for a sustainable tomorrow.
Families nurturing forests over generations
Our sustainable family forest estates will eventually be passed down to the next generation. The work our members do today in their forests and the way we process their products through Södra’s operations is not just for now, it’s an investment for the future. Being a family forest owner is about being a custodian - passing on a forest that is at least as good as the one they started with, a forest with a thousand possibilities.
Contact us at innovation
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