Competitive production of wood-based composites
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Swerea SICOMP AB - Swerea SICOMP, Mölndal |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 500 000 |
| Project duration | June 2015 - January 2016 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Challenge-Driven Innovation – Stage 1 initiation |
Purpose and goal
The project aims to provide a competitive value chain for wood-based composites in Sweden. Swedish forest industry has the capacity to produce new product ranges due to the declining demand for paper at the same time as the composites industry is facing increasing demand for sustainable products. In the stage 1 project the preconditions and needs of the relevant actors and markets were mapped and the idea´s potential could be shown by technical studies. Based on this, solutions with great potential have been identified and will be studied in the next stage.
Results and expected effects
In the project solutions were identified that are expected to result in a novel competitive value chain for wood-based composites, utilizing raw materials and competence available in the well-established Swedish paper industry. The production of cellulose fibre pre-forms for composites at large volumes is unique and is thus expected to lead to highly competitive sustainable products. A large market potential for such products could be confirmed by a market study conducted in stage 1 project.
Approach and implementation
The project consortium includes representatives from paper industry, composite manufacturers and end-users from the construction and packaging industries. In this first stage potential products and their market volumes were evaluated. The most promising markets have been identified and discussions with relevant end users were initiated. Moreover, investigations on fibre treatment and impregnation technologies were performed aiming to allow integration in an existing paper plant and ensuring compatibility with technologies available in the composites industry.