Nanocrystalline plant is being built in Sweden
MoRe Research, Holmen and SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, is investing in nanocrystalline cellulose facility in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.
MoRe Research is a major player in the investment analysis resources and the knowledge and experience of the pilot runs required.
- The difficulty has been to produce sufficient quantities of nano-crystalline cellulose for conversion chain, but we will have equipment designed for 100 kilograme per day, giving half a tonne of nanocrystalline cellulose on a week's production. These resources are not available in industries or university laboratories, says MoRe Research's CEO Stefan Svensson Nordic Paper Journal & BioBusiness.
Nanocrystalline cellulose has many interesting material properties, and can be used for example as a building material, in biocomposites, printed electronics and dye additives. The operation in the pilot plant is based on technology developed by an Israeli start-up company Melodea.
- We are proud to support the implementation of Melodea's nanocrystalline cellulose production technology along with key players in the Swedish forestry and paper industries," says Yoram Shkedi, CEO of Melodea. "This is a major step towards commercialization of nanocrystalline cellulose in variety of applications.
SP will also have central roles in the construction and operation of the facility, which is expected to be in place during the first half of 2016.
The plant is supported financially by Västernorrland County Administrative Board, Holmen, the Kempe Foundations, SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden and the Önnesjö Foundation.