Sodra embarks into a resource efficient journey

 Wednesday, May 24, 2023

With a vision to strengthen circular economy, Sodra embarks into a resource efficient journey by investing in a ground-breaking concept of introducing sustainable agro-enhanced softwood pulp and manage forests in a sustainable way.

Sodra has long had a reputation for sustainable innovation in the pulp industry, from driving the introduction of totally-chlorine free (TCF) bleaching in the 1990s to its recent ground-breaking new textile pulp giving new life to post-consumer textile, OnceMore® and the world’s first pulpable bale strap, FiberSafe®. The latest innovation combines agricultural residues with softwood pulp to produce a new product which is resource-efficient, sustainable and performance-enhancing for papermakers.

Sodra has been investigating the use of agricultural residues as a strength-enhancing ingredient in pulp for some time. Following extensive research and development, Sodra now has the expertise and technology to use agricultural residues to create an agro-enhanced softwood pulp with significant tensile-strength enhancing properties, especially in the lower refining range. 

“This process has the potential to deliver advantages for customers, our members and the environment by challenging the status quo”, explains Lotta Lyrå, CEO Sodra.

“It encapsulates our circular perspective, our desire to cooperate throughout the value chain for more sustainable solutions and the idea that we can pass the best of forest innovation from one family to another, from our members’ forests to the consumer.“

“It is important to note that the agricultural residues would not replace the wood from our members’ forests but act as a premium ingredient to produce a high-performing grade of pulp. For paper customers, a small percentage of the agricultural residues in the agro-enhanced softwood pulp will bring significant tensile strength to final sheet properties“,  says Catrin Gustavsson, Executive Vice President Sodra Innovation.

Tags: circular economy, forest management, Pulp, sustainable pulp, wood, wood and panel, woodworking, woodworking and manufacturing, woodworking and processing, woodworking event, woodworking industry, woodworking UK