- Stora Enso is investing €9 million in a pilot plant for bio-based plastic packaging.
- The plant will convert plant-based sugars into PEF, targeting the food and beverage industry.
- Construction starts in the second half of 2020 and is expected to complete in early 2021.
- The pilot will initially use industrial fructose, with plans to use sugars from wood and non-food biomasses.
Investment and Purpose
Stora Enso is investing €9 million to build a pilot facility aimed at producing bio-based plastics for transparent packaging. The plant will convert plant-based sugars into PEF, a renewable plastic, primarily for the food and beverage industry. The facility will be located at Stora Enso’s Langerbrugge Mill in Belgium.
Technological Focus
The pilot plant will develop a cost-competitive process for manufacturing FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) from sugars, a key component of PEF. PEF offers attractive barrier, mechanical, and thermal properties, making it suitable for packaging applications like small liquid containers for beverages.
Project Timeline
Design and engineering of the pilot facility have commenced, with construction set to begin in the second half of 2020. The plant is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2021. Decisions regarding commercialization will follow after evaluating the pilot-scale production results.
Future Plans
The pilot aims to validate the chemical process and provide sample materials to assess market needs and product demand. Initially, the facility will use industrially available fructose, with future plans to utilize sugars extracted from wood and other non-food biomasses.
Location and Infrastructure
The Langerbrugge paper mill, one of Europe’s largest, will host the pilot plant. The Ghent area in Belgium, known for its numerous chemical production sites, provides an ideal location. The pilot plant investment will not affect the mill’s current paper production, which is based entirely on recycled paper.
