FINLAND (News release) -- Finnish plywood manufacturer Koskisen is the first company to start using the bio-based binder NeoLigno® by Stora Enso in its new sustainable product family. Koskisen and Stora Enso's co-operation has resulted in the world's first entirely bio-based furniture board, called Zero Furniture Board.

Koskisen uses Stora Enso's bio-based binder, NeoLigno®, to replace fossil-based resins used in furniture boards. Both the furniture board raw material and the binder are sourced from the production process flows of both companies. This results in all raw materials of the Zero board being entirely bio-based.

"Our new Zero product family meets the rising demand for bio-based solutions from both domestic and export markets. These new products allow furniture manufacturers to offer alternatives with improved sustainability and health security," says Koskisen Head of Product Management and R&D Timo Linna.

Significant cooperation for Stora Enso

Previously, as a byproduct of the pulp industry, lignin has been typically utilised as bioenergy in energy production. NeoLigno® serves as an example of how Stora Enso increases the value of lignin without increasing the use of wood.

"Stora Enso has been refining lignin commercially since 2015. NeoLigno® is our first own binder that replaces fossil-based adhesives," says Lauri Lehtonen, Head of Innovation of Stora Enso's Biomaterials division.

Koskisen is the first company to utilise NeoLigno in industrial production. The Zero Furniture Board will be commercially available in Q3 2022.