HELSINKI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Negen Europese bedrijven hebben hun krachten gebundeld in het SWEETWOODS topproject, dat voor het eerst productie op een industriëel niveau gaat uitvoeren van op hout gebaseerde biomaterialen. Deze materialen kunnen gebruikt worden om plastic in verschillende dagelijkse applicaties te vervangen. Het project kreeg onlangs een beduidende hoeveelheid fondsen van de Europese Unie.

SWEETWOODS is een gezamenlijk proefproject van 43 miljoen euro waarvoor onlangs 21 miljoen euro is uitgetrokken in het kader van het financiële instrument “Biogebaseerde Industriëen” van het Horizon 2020-programma van de EU.

“Het verkrijgen van de fondsen is een gigantische overwinning voor alle betrokken partijen in het project. Specialisten van de EU en de bio-industriëen hebben het project bestempeld als het beste project in de financiëringsronde en gaf het hoge cijfers,” beschrijft Peep Pitk, de Onderzoek & Ontwikkelingsmanager van het Estse Graanul Invest Group.

Unique Bioeconomy Project, SWEETWOODS, Raises 21 Million in Funding. ”We Produce with Wood What Used to Be Made with Oil”

HELSINKI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Nine European companies have joined forces in the SWEETWOODS flagship project, which involves producing wood-based biomaterials for the first time on an industrial scale. These materials can be used to replace plastic in various everyday applications. The project was recently granted significant funding by the EU.

SWEETWOODS is a 43-million-euro joint pilot project that was recently granted 21 million euros in funding under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme’s Bio-Based Industries financial instrument.

“Receiving the funding is a major victory for all parties involved in the project. Specialists representing the EU and bioindustries ranked the project as the best of the round of financing, giving the project full marks,” describes Peep Pitk, the R&D Manager of the Estonian Graanul Invest Group.

The SWEETWOODS project covers the entire material process. Breaking down the wood into pure sugars and lignin makes it possible to further refine the material into high added value products that can be used to replace oil-based chemicals and plastics.

“The project can revolutionise the future of the entire global material economy,” states Spinverse’s Managing Director Laura Koponen, who has been in charge of project preparation.

The objective is to implement the technology at a full industrial scale in four years. The project will create new material economy value chains where wood plays a vital role.

The biorefinement concept can transform 80 tonnes of hardwood into high added value products like bioplastics, insulation materials, cushions, fuels and sweeteners.

“The project allows us to produce with wood what is currently made with oil.” comments MetGen’s Chief Technology Officer Matti Heikkilä.

The project is based on collaboration between several companies. The responsible manager is the Estonian Graanul Biotech specialises in wood processing. The Finnish MetGen’s pioneering enzyme technology plays a key role in the efficient extraction of pure biomaterials for further processing. The biomaterial is used, for example, by the German Tecnaro GmbH for biocomposites, Armacell via Ultima Gmbh for elastomeric foams, the French Global Bioenergies for biofuels and the Belgian Recticel N.V. for polyurethane foams. The Finnish Spinverse is orchestrating the project.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180510005041/en/

Contacts

MetGen
Matti Heikkilä, CTO
tel. +358403540701
matti@metgen.com
or
Spinverse
Laura Koponen, Managing Director
tel. +358403500898
laura.koponen@spinverse.com
or
Graanul Invest Group
Peep Pitk, R&D Manager
tel. +37255604106
peep.Pitk@graanulinvest.com