The Fab Finns, the Top 20 Bioproducts from the bioeconomy’s forest heartland
We’ve long been fans of the Finns, their smart forest management practices, their innovative products and the complete lack of hype and bluster coming out of Helsinki. It’s the Quiet Country, but really they are the Fab Finns, whose actions speak volumes.
Here are the Top 20 bioproducts we’ve seen in Fab Finland, in alphabetical order.
BRIGHTPLUS coatings, barrier films
BRIGHTPLUS creates reusable, recyclable and biodegradable side-stream material solutions. We help leading global manufacturers and major Fortune 500 brands in industries such as packaging, agriculture, household and electronics achieve their sustainability goals. their BrightBio® technology is the foundational chemical building block from which we can quickly and efficiently innovate new coatings, barrier films, materials and other products.
Brightplus upcycles side-stream-based sources to reduce the circularity gap and meet the EU Green Deal targets. The pioneering BrightBio® hybrid technology upcycles biosourced side-stream flows to create bio-based industrial materials. One great example is their protective and decorative water-based coatings for luxury perfume flacons. Generally, the products range from liquid solutions to thermo-formable polymeric materials that replace plastics. They work closely with customers from an early stage to ensure that solutions are practical from the outset and seamlessly comply with their existing processing methods and product requirements.
www.brightplus.com
ESBOTTLE organic carboard bottles
ESBOTTLE presents a new type of packaging for any liquid – a paperboard bottle. Made only from renewable materials, all parts of the bottle are made of completely organic cardboard free of toxic chemicals. Paperboard bottles are made to hold almost any type of food. Any size and a number of shapes are possible. After use, the paperboard bottle can be recycled along with regular cardboard and paper.
The bottle can withstand pressure up to 6 bar. After the bottle is positioned upside down, the drink is poured into the bottle and the bottom is attached. A laser engraves the packaging date. The next step is branding. The design is applied by inkjet printer directly onto the bottle with photo-like quality. Boxes for packing the bottles are made from recycled materials. The productivity of one line is from 2,000 to 3,000 bottles per hour. Bottles of different sizes can be produced on the same line. There is no need for a separate bottling line. This is a fully automated and environmentally friendly production process. The payback period of the line is 3 to 5 years.
www.esbottle.com
ISKU+ antimicrobial furniture
ISKU’S ISKU+ antimicrobial furniture collection is the world’s first to contribute to a cleaner environment. Antimicrobial materials cut down infection routes. Proven results include reducing infections and absenteeism. The innovation uses copper, silver and antimicrobial technologies used on essential contact surfaces.
ISKU+ options are available for the entire furniture collection of ISKU, including the novel MyFlow family. Antimicrobial efficacy doesn’t decay over time. Instead, it works tirelessly over the whole lifetime of a piece of furniture. This makes it a long-term solution. Based on the ISO 22196 anti microbial standard and other key principles, ISKU+’s efficacy has been tested with certain viruses, a broad spectrum of various bacteria including antibiotic-resistant strains, mold, fungi, algae and yeast. Overall, ISKU+ antimicrobial technologies reduce microbes by as much as 99.99%.
ISKU+ has consistently tested safe and environmentally friendly. Additionally, the antimicrobial additive in use has been awarded the HACCP International Certification Mark, supporting the integrity and safety of food. Since 2013, ISKU+ antimicrobial solutions have been researched in strong cooperation with universities, companies and institutions in a variety of fields and countries. The most notable EU-level research program, IHMEC, focuses on antimicrobial surface applications to mitigate antibiotic resistance within the construction industry. ISKU is also part of HygTech Alliance, a research and business alliance of Finnish companies with technologies for complete antimicrobial interiors.
www.isku.com/global
JOSPAC trays
JOSPAK has created the Jospak® tray to combine the best functionalities of board and plastics. The tray is formed from renewable and recyclable board and helps reduce the amount of plastic used by up to 85%. It is material efficient and distinctive. Brand and product information can be printed directly onto the tray, thus also helping with the challenge of overpacking. Current trays used by the food industry are made mainly of fossil-based plastics. Because the collection of post-consumer plastic packaging waste and the recycling of diverse plastic grades are difficult, they produce a great challenge for the economy and environment.
The Jospak tray offers a sustainable packaging solution for the food industry and food service when a gas-tight and recyclable packaging is required. Fields of application include various fresh and processed food products in modified atmosphere packaging, such as meat, poultry, fish, plant-based protein products, salads and ready meals.
www.jospak.com
KOTKAMILLS’ AEGLE® folding boxboards
KOTKAMILLS’ sustainable, fully recyclable packaging materials – AEGLE® folding boxboards and ISLA food service boards – are replacing plastics. Unlike conventional plastic-lined products, the cups, plates and other packaging made of these materials can be easily recycled with other paper or board materials after their use. No separation of plastic is needed. The wood fibre can be reused several times, depending on the upcycling applications.
www.kotkamills.com
LUMIR bio-based acoustic solutions
LUMIR provides safe and seamless acoustic walls and ceilings that can be installed easily. These bio-based acoustic solutions give you limitless freedom to integrate acoustic materials into any architectural vision. We use over 80% wood-based materials in their products, which makes them sustainable and safe for users.
Acoustics have an impact on the usability and comfort of spaces – how we work, concentrate and understand. If a surface has poor sound absorption, it reflects the sound back into the space. Lumir acoustics are created using different acoustic base materials and a Lumir acoustic coating that absorbs the high frequencies. Unlike a wool panel surface, a Lumir acoustic solution is hard and durable. Lumir acoustic solutions are currently based on a sprayable acoustically transparent biofibre-based coating. The acoustic performance of the coating structures can be improved by using porous or acoustic materials, such as lightweight concrete, mineral wool or perforated gypsum as the base material.
www.lumir.fi
METGEN enzymes
METGEN is one of the leading innovators in creating and developing bio-based technologies. their mission is to enable industries to enhance the value of lignocellulosic biomass through enzymatic solutions. MetGen addresses the demand for creating more sustainable production solutions, helping to meet the ever-growing desire to increase sustainability, reduce environmental pollution, minimize the carbon footprint and conserve biodiversity. The switch to bio-based feedstocks allows the chemical industry to cut dependency on finite fossil feedstocks and increases the use of more resource-efficient bio-based technologies. MetGen is at the core of this development.MetGen produces enzymes on an industrial scale, providing commercial enzymatic solutions to modern biorefineries and the pulp & paper and biogas industries.MetZyme® SUNO™ catalyzes saccharification of polymeric sugars and eliminates multiple inhibitors, enabling more thorough hydrolysis, higher yields and more pure sugar products.
www.metgen.com
METSÄ GROUP’S Metsä Board
METSÄ GROUP’S Metsä Board provides paperboards designed specifically to help brand owners and packaging converters tackle the big issues in packaging – saving resources, reducing carbon foot print, ensuring product safety and increasing brand appeal.They are available with either PEFC or with FSC certification. Mitigating climate change and working toward 100% fossil-free mills by 2030 are at the core of their sustainability targets. These paperboards provide high-converting performance and visual properties. They enable demanding printing, finishing techniques and graphical applications for food, beauty care, healthcare and luxury packaging.To complement their paperboards, we offer expert services to enhance their customers’ performance in printing and converting, packaging design, R&D, sus tainability and supply chain optimization.
www.metsaboard.com
Neste’s MY Renewable Diesel
Neste MY Renewable Diesel (R99 diesel) is a sustainable, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) that is chemically identical to fossil diesel. It’s a drop-in replacement that performs like fossil diesel and can be used without any modifications, neat or blended at any ratio.
This advanced biofuel meets ASTM D975 and EN 15490 specifications in compliance with OEM standards. Unlike biodiesel, it offers reliable cold weather performance, and is free of sulfur, oxygen and aromatic compounds. Neste MY Renewable Diesel is also the first TOP TIER certified fuel of its kind.
As the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel and a forerunner in developing renewable and circular feedstock solutions for polymers and chemicals, Neste helps its customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030.
The company’s ambition is to make the Porvoo oil refinery in Finland the most sustainable refinery in Europe by 2030. Neste is committed to reaching carbon-neutral production by 2035, and will reduce the carbon emission intensity of sold products by 50% by 2040. Neste has also set high standards for biodiversity, human rights and the supply chain. The company has consistently been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies. In 2022, Neste’s revenue stood at EUR 25.7 billion.
PAPTIC reusable, biodegradable packaging material
PAPTIC is the new bio-based, recyclable, reusable and biodegradable next-generation packaging material made of renewable raw materials. Forging a category of its own, Paptic® combines the best features of existing materials, including paper-like high print quality, non-woven durability and textile versatility.
Wood-based Paptic is safe to use in everyday operations. their team is committed to reducing their environmental footprint through an active and responsible approach to designing and manufacturing their sustainable products. Packaging made of Paptic® can be used more than once – even more than ten times – as the material is strong, folds nicely and does not tear easily. Attractive designs combined with reusable Paptic® material expand brand visibility.
www.paptic.com
Spinnova wood-based textiles
Spinnova, a Finnish textile material innovation company, is speeding up the long-awaited fundamental shift in industry practices. Spinnova is a 100% natural fibre made of wood. Over its entire lifecycle, this cotton-like fibre is produced with 99% less water and significantly lower CO² emissions compared to cotton. Spinnova’s unique sustainability aspects also include zero harmful chemicals, zero microplastics, 100% recyclability and fast biodegradability.
www.spinnova.com
ST1’S Cellunolix biorefining technology
ST1’S Cellunolix biorefining concept is a concrete step toward commercial cellulosic ethanol production. St1 is a forerunner in technology using sawmill side products – such as sawdust and chips from softwood – in advanced ethanol production.
Advanced ethanol made from waste reduces CO² emissions by up to 90% compared to fossil fuels. Lifecycle emissions are reduced by using waste and process residues as a feedstock, and therefore zero emissions can be achieved by the feedstock.ST1 built a Cellunolix demonstration biorefinery, a first of its kind, on the Renforsin Ranta industrial estate in Kajaani, Finland. It transforms sawdust from local sources into biofuel feedstock. The annual production capacity is 10 million liters. The production process generates side products, such as lignin, which are currently used primarily to produce local electricity and heat. New applications or lignin and other products are under development. Partners are invited to test samples. The pilot plant started production of advanced ethanol in 2017.
www.st1.com
STORA ENSO’S Biomaterials
STORA ENSO’S Biomaterials offers a wide variety of pulp grades to meet the demands of paper, board, tissue, textile and hygiene product producers. The company also maximizes the business potential of its process side streams, such as tall oil and turpentine from biomass. The Biomaterials division has developed a strong business portfolio for lignin, regenerated cellulose in textiles and bio-based chemicals. Biomaterials innovations are one of Stora Enso’s key strategic focus areas, with a particular focus on lignin and targeting strong growth in new applications and markets. The company’s strong innovation approach has led Stora Enso to explore the potential use of all fractions of biomass, such as lignin and sugars, for use in various applications. For example, the company is building a pilot facility at its Sunila Mill in Finland to produce bio-based carbon materials based on lignin. Wood-based carbon can be utilized as a crucial component in the batteries typically used in consumer electronics, the automotive industry and large-scale energy storage systems.
www.storaenso.com
SULAPAC biocomposites
SULAPAC provides sustainable, functional and beautiful biocomposites for injection molding and extrusion. The materials are suitable for various applications from luxury and food packaging to clothing hangers and cutlery. their portfolio also includes some ready-made products, such as the Sulapac straw and jars for cosmetics and foodstuff provided by their industry-leading partners. Sulapac materials are bio-based, sustain-ably sourced and recyclable via industrial composting – designed to reduce plastic pollution. They also biograde in open environments and leave no permanent microplastics behind. Thanks to the eco-design and climate-conscious raw materials and manufacturing, the carbon footprint is small. Along with adding value through sustain-ability, Sulapac materials provide compelling usability for the applications they are intended for. They are designed for mass production. Sulapac materials can be used with existing plastic converting machinery, enabling a practical and resource-efficient transition toward a cleaner future.
www.sulapac.com
UPM BioVerno diesel
UPM’S wood-based UPM BioVerno diesel is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels in transport, enabling users to effectively and easily reduce their emissions and carbon footprint. Made from tall oil, a residue material from pulp making, UPM BioVerno is a fully renewable diesel. No extra trees are felled to produce it, and unlike first-generation biofuels, it does not compete with food production. UPM BioVerno is an immediately available solution for mitigating climate change and reducing transport emissions. It reduces the use of fossil fuels in road transport while making it possible to achieve an 80% reduction in C0² emissions compared to fossil diesel – without any compromise in performance. Unlike traditional biodiesel, UPM BioVerno can be used both as part of a mixture and by itself. Lower emissions are achieved even when used in blends. In addition to powering diesel cars, buses, trucks or boats, UPM BioVerno can also be used in industrial machinery.
www.upm.com
UPM RAFLATAC Forest Film
UPM RAFLATAC Forest Film is the world’s first renewable plastic label material. It is based on UPM BioVerno naphtha, a 100% wood-based solution from crude tall oil which is a residue from the pulping process. This first-of-its-kind material brings UPM Raflatac’s vision of “labeling a smarter future beyond fossils” to life and answers the needs of customers to replace traditional fossil-based virgin materials with renewable ones.
Forest Film offers companies an efficient and impactful way to reach and surpass their sustainability goals without compromising product performance. It has the identical performance to traditional plastic film label materials. Forest Film is available as either polypropylene or polyethylene, in both clear and white films for several packaging end uses.
The Forest Film product range has an International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS). It is produced using sustainable biofeedstock that replaces the equivalent amount of fossil resources used in the production process. The amount of sustainable resources is accounted for by applying a mass balance approach.
The Forest Film label material has been recognized with multiple awards around the world. Recently, the Forest Film PP label material won Silver at the 2020 Packaging Innovation Awards sponsored by Dow. UPM Raflatac has also partnered with Vellamo, Finland’s award-winning natural mineral water. The Forest Film label material can now be found on Vellamo’s bottles.
www.upm.com
VELJET KUUSISTO redwood products
VELJET KUUSISTO OY and the Kuusisto Group offer pressure-treated redwood products for building projects that require durable materials. These products are a sustainable and responsible choice. Impregnation prolongs the service time and durability of wood significantly, which also means there is less need to log forests.
Of all building materials, timber is one truly sustainable option. The amount of car-bon dioxide stored in wood is many times greater than the emissions caused by processing logs into wooden building materials, making wood an extremely green material for construction. By replacing other building materials, such as concrete and steel, the CO² reduction effect can be even greater than the carbon storage effect of wood alone. Therefore, wooden construction materials have a significant direct and indirect impact on reducing emissions. The Kuusisto Group manufactures wood-based products and is the leading supplier of impregnated red-wood products in Finland. The group has been owned by the same family throughout its more than 120-year history. Their product portfolio includes a wide range of different impregnated redwood products, such as boards, planks and round poles, elegant Siberian larch terrace planks as well as moldings and panels used in home furnishing.
www.kuusistogroup.com
VERSOWOOD packaging products
VERSOWOOD manufactures packaging products from sustainable and renewable wood. their main packing products are wooden pallets and cable drums. Wood naturally stores carbon by absorbing car-bon dioxide from the atmosphere, where it remains secured until the end of the wood’s lifecycle. One cubic meter of wood binds roughly around 715 kilos of carbon dioxide. Replacing non-renewable packing products, such as plastic and metal palettes or cable drums, with wood helps store significant amounts of carbon dioxide. Around 4 million pallets are manufactured in Versowood’s factories every year. In addition to pallets manufactured to customer specifications, their product range includes standardized EUR and FIN pallets. Pallets are made from timber that complies with the requirements set forth in the ISPM 15 standard.
www.versowood.fi
WIPAK multilayer films
WIPAK is a leading producer of multilayer films for the food and medical industries. The better products are protected, or the longer they can be stored, the more effectively resources can be preserved. Reduced material consumption, recyclable solutions, recycled or renewable-based materials are the basis for Wipak’s development of sustainable packaging concepts. Wipak’s MP-R is a semi-rigid bottom film made of the highest quality recycled PET granulate supplied by a world-leading bottle recycling scheme in Finland. These APET/PE bottom films contain 80% recycled material.
www.wipak.com
WOODIO bathroom appliances
WOODIO is a Finnish eco-design and mat rial technology company. We manufacture bathroom appliances from the world’s first 100% waterproof solid wood composite.Woodio washbasins are maintenance-free and easy to keep clean. When necessary, they can be cleaned with just a dampened soft cloth and mild non-abrasive dish detergent or soap.
www.woodio.fi
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