UPM Biochemicals to develop lignin solutions with Södra

UPM Biochemicals is partnering with Södra and will be one of Södra’s first customers when the forest-owner association’s plant in Mönstros opens. The new plant of Södra will be Sweden’s first commercial kraft lignin production plant and the largest of its kind in the world.

UPM has been innovating a range of products made from kraft lignin and has successfully marketed this growing portfolio of sustainable lignin solutions over the past few years.

UPM BioPiva™ is a range of cost-effective, non-toxic and high-purity kraft lignin products for renewable adhesives and binders to replace fossil-based chemicals. UPM Solargo™ plant biostimulants derived from kraft lignin are well suited to support the agricultural sector’s commitment to reduce the use of conventional fertilizers and improve soil health and have been shown to increase soil productivity.

The above solutions were developed using market kraft lignin. UPM has also invested in lignin extraction and is innovating the use of lignin in industrial applications, beyond kraft lignin solutions.

The company will produce carbon-negative products at its first biorefinery in Leuna, Saxony-Anhalt. Renewable Functional Fillers (RFF) are made from lignin contained in sustainably sourced hardwood. RFFs are a major innovation for the global rubber and plastics industry as they will replace highly toxic, CO2-intensive carbon black and precipitated silica.

“Kraft lignin is a key raw material for UPM to deliver commercially viable decarbonization solutions for industrial and consumer markets. The applications for kraft lignin are expanding rapidly and offer a growing market. We are pleased that Södra has taken steps to expand the extraction of kraft lignin at its pulp mills and we believe that Södra is the ideal partner for UPM to support our own growth objectives by providing high-quality kraft lignin with an unquestionable sustainability footprint,” commented Winfried Schaur, Executive Vice President, UPM Technologies and UPM Biorefining.

“From 2027, Södra will play an important role in the development of kraft lignin as a renewable and sustainable alternative to fossil-based materials,” said Johannes Bogren, Vice President of Södra Bioproducts. “With UPM as a customer, we will be part of a value chain that provides climate-effective solutions for the green transition. In turn, UPM can trust our responsible forestry and the low carbon footprint of our pulp mills. UPM’s experience and knowledge in the industry make it an ideal customer and we look forward to a fruitful partnership.”

Södra has access to forest raw materials through its more than 50,000 family forestry members. Its mill in Monstros has a sawmill, a competitive pulp mill, a wind farm and its own port. The surplus energy from the pulp mill will generate kraft lignin products with a low carbon footprint.

Södra’s investment in kraft lignin at its mill in Monstros represents a significant increase in global kraft lignin production capacity and will transform the widespread adoption of kraft lignin-based products and solutions. Södra completed the world’s first commercial biomethanol plant at the site in 2020, continuing to build on its growing position as a supplier of green alternatives to fossil carbon-based solutions.

Lignin is found in the cell walls of all plants, especially trees, and is the second most common polymer in nature after cellulose. This non-toxic biomaterial helps to significantly reduce the reliance on fossil raw materials in a wide range of applications. It offers the opportunity to create high-value sustainable chemicals with renewable content and a significantly reduced carbon footprint. Its naturally occurring strength and adhesive properties also enable products to perform at the highest level.