New sustainable alternatives

We invest heavily in research and development. We are looking at numerous areas. These include the next generation of biofuels, replacing chemicals from fossil raw materials with biochemicals and finding new material concepts – to name a few of our focus areas. In 2021, we reached several milestones and made progress in our innovation initiatives, such as the biomethanol plant at the pulp mill in Mönsterås. Another success is our major investment in textile recycling, Once More®. In 2021 we started a collaboration with the global textile company Lenzing. Collaboration with ICA Maxi was also initiated during the year, with the aim of recycling 56,000 workwear garments used in their stores.

This is where we are now

In 2019, the goal was reached as Södra has in the last few years commercialized five new products with better sustainability performance.

Forest

Increased forest production, higher levels of productivity and conservation, forest management methods, better planning and digitisation.

Sawn timber

Wood processing, product development, design and logistics.

Paper

Higher product quality and more resource-efficient mills.

Textiles

Forest-based fabrics to replace synthetic fibres or cotton, for example.

Chemicals

Biochemicals to replace fossil raw materials.

Energy and fuel

Increasingly refined forms of energy with much broader applications, and new energy carriers for future energy sources.