In Finland, Stora Enso launched a new biobased lignin, called Lineo, as a renewable replacement for oil-based phenolic materials which are used in resins for plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), laminated veneer lumber (LVL), paper lamination and insulation material.
Lignin is one of the main building blocks of a tree and makes up 20-30% of the composition of wood, yet has traditionally been discarded by pulp and paper industries. However, Stora Enso recognized its potential to be used in a range of applications where fossil-based materials are currently used.
Stora Enso has been producing lignin at industrial scale since 2015 and is the largest kraft lignin producer in the world. Stora Enso is already selling Lineo to replace phenol, and the company is also looking at many other applications for this versatile material.
A stable, free-flowing brown powder, Stora Enso’s lignin is separated during the kraft pulping process of Nordic softwood. Lineo has a high dry content, superior dispersibility and long storage time. With a higher reactivity and purity, Lineo is consistent from batch to batch and Stora Enso can supply different levels of dryness, according to customer demand.