Helsinki, Finland, 31 May 2011 -- Stora Enso is taking a significant step forward in renewable materials innovation by building a precommercial plant at Imatra in Finland for the production of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). The new type of renewable material will be used in existing and new unique fiber-based paper and board products, barrier materials, and other potential future applications.
“The MFC precommercial plant is another proof point of rethinking within Stora Enso," said Jouko Karvinen, Stora Enso CEO. "With MFC, we will be able to develop lighter, stronger, renewable packaging materials, a lot more with a lot less. The precommercial plant will put us into a unique position to accelerate customer-driven innovation and product concepts from this technology. In the longer term, as we continue to renew and challenge ourselves, the applications of this renewable material may well extend to replacing today's fossil-based materials, such as plastics and some speciality chemicals, and aluminium -- revolution instead of evolution,” Karvinen said.
The MFC technology project, including the Imatra precommercial plant, is estimated to total approximately EUR 10 million. The plant is scheduled to start production by the end of 2011.
Stora Enso is the global rethinker of the packaging, paper and wood products industry. Stora Enso employs some 26,000 people worldwide, and had sales in 2010 amounting to EUR 10.3 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY) in the International OTCQX over-the-counter market. |
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