Even though urbanisation, environmental values and the spread of online commerce are creating new business opportunities, you cannot draw a straight line from megatrends to the growth outlooks of Finnish businesses operating in the bioeconomy sector.
Russia’s fibre and paper production is able to satisfy the home-market demand, but in terms of specialty papers and coated packaging board, it has to rely on imports.
An unprecedented jam of EU regulations and Brexit are producing question marks, but CEPI’s Deputy Director General Jori Ringman still believes the bioeconomy to hold more promises than threats.
Traditionally, lignin – the substance that binds wood fibres – has been incinerated along with black liquor in a pulp mill’s soda recovery boiler. The result has been steam and heat for energy use. The exploitation of lignin is nevertheless expanding, since a new technology is also opening doors for its use in bioeconomy applications.
The sharpened strategic focus of forest industry companies can be seen in investments.
The Finnish start-up company PintaWorks manufactures camera-based inline quality control systems for the paper and printing industries.
Systematic efforts for strengthening the balance sheet pay off when UPM is considering the largest investments in its history.
While the new applications of energy production are evolving, the current level of innovation and product development are not sufficient for breaking away from oil.
Lignin, with its diverse applications, has become one of the most important products of Sunila’s traditional pulp mill.
The researchers of VTT and Aalto University were able to create a new composite material combining cellulose nanofibres and synthetic spider silk.
Puunvuoro / Legendium Oy
Kutomo Business Park
Kutomotie 16
00380 Helsinki
