Metsä Group is making plans a lignin product pilot plant in Äänekoski

The fee of the investment would be around 20 million euros. If the entirety is going in accordance to devise, there can be an extra funding in lignin afterward.

Forest Metsä Fiber, a member of the Group, is making plans a cultured lignin product pilot plant in Äänekoski in Central Finland. The goal is to develop a manner wherein lignin is separated from black liquor and processed for brand spanking new uses, says Metsä Group. Lignin, the binder of timber fibers, is removed from the fibers at some stage in pulp manufacturing.

The pilot plant is planned in cooperation with the engineering company Andritz.

The plant’s ability might be around two lots in keeping with day, and it might be positioned as part of Metsä Group’s Äänekosken bioproduct manufacturing facility.

The funding selection is envisioned to be made throughout this 12 months. The price of the funding would be round 20 million euros.

If the pilot plant comes to fruition, its production might take about one and a half of years. Production ought to start in 2025.

CEO of Metsä Fibre Ismo Nousiainen says that the pilot plant would appoint an envisioned 10–20 human beings in manufacturing itself after final touch. In addition, the take a look at facility would have an employment impact within the development of process and product residences.

Traditionally lignin has been utilized as bioenergy, however lignin additionally has numerous other capacity uses.

According to Metsä Group, the lignin product produced inside the Äänekoski pilot plant might be used, as an instance, as a bio-based excessive-electricity concrete and plaster softener inside the production industry.

“There are opportunities inside the chemical enterprise anyway, permit’s speak approximately paints,” Nousiainen tells STT.

The purpose of the pilot plant is initially a concrete and plaster power mixer and expand a product which can replace a product crafted from fossil uncooked substances.

Forest The Group does now not but have lignin manufacturing, however pilot exams have been executed within the past.

The reason of the take a look at facility might be to verify, i.E. Certify, the manufacturing process, the homes of the goods and their suitability for the supposed use.

“If the whole lot is going in accordance to plan, we are able to begin making plans a production-scale facility,” says Nousiainen.

Andritz would supply machines and system to the Äänekoski test facility and develop the technique of the take a look at facility. Metsä Fibre’s position might be focused on product development in cooperation with end users.

Competitor Stora Enso has lignin production on the Sunila plant in Kotka. The lignin production ability there is 50,000 lots in line with year, i.E. Considerably larger than the pilot plant deliberate by using Metsä Group.