The formicofib™ process is a biorefining technology for pulping with the purpose of producing high-grade chemical pulp for paper and board, packaging and hygienic products. The formicofib™ process has been especially developed for non-wood raw materials, and it is a highly sustainable technology for the utilisation of these materials. It resolves the current shortage of papermaking fibres in an environmentally friendly way.

The demand for and use of paper are growing fastest in countries with a shortage of wood, such as China and India. In these areas, non-wood materials are available in abundance and they are generally used in the pulp and paper industry. Global agricultural production annually generates more than five billion tonnes of these materials, which is more than ten times the current consumption of wood in the pulp and paper industry. However, the use of outdated technologies in non-wood pulping has resulted in inferior paper quality and severe economic and environmental problems, such as pollution of waterways and extensive co-combustion of coal, which generates carbon dioxide emissions.

The core of the formicofib™ process is efficient and selective fractionation of non-wood materials with a novel biosolvent. The key substance in the biosolvent is formic acid, which is commonly found in nature, for example as a metabolic product of ants. Thanks to the novel biosolvent, the formicofib™ process overcomes the dilemmas that are typical for current alkaline pulping technology. Already the forerunner of the formicofib™ process, the Chempolis process, was evaluated as the best non-wood pulping technology by IFC (a private sector arm of the World Bank) and as the most energy efficient pulping technology by the Department of Energy of the USA.

The formicofib™ process is the result of successful long-term research and development work. Thousands of laboratory, bench, pilot, demonstration and industrial-scale tests have been carried out to verify the outstanding features of the formicofib™ process. The main economic and environmental advantages of the formicofib™ process include the following:

Low investment cost

The low operating costs of the formicofib™ process are the result of the unique design, which maximises operating efficiency relative to investment. High raw material efficiency, an autogenous process structure (formation of cooking chemicals), self-sufficiency in terms of energy, reuse of chemicals and water, and co-production of biochemicals result in low operating costs. Furthermore, utilisation of local inexpensive feedstocks minimises raw material and transportation costs.

Low operation cost

The low operating costs of the formicofib™ process are the result of the unique design, which maximises operating efficiency relative to investment. High raw material efficiency, an autogenous process structure (formation of cooking chemicals), self-sufficiency in terms of energy, reuse of chemicals and water, and co-production of biochemicals result in low operating costs. Furthermore, utilisation of local inexpensive feedstocks minimises raw material and transportation costs.

Minimal emissions

The minimal emissions and environmentally sustainable features of the formicofib™ process are the result of environmentally friendly chemicals and commodities and their efficient recovery and re-use. Minimal use of water and totally chlorine and sulphur-free chemicals ensures minimal emissions to the environment. In addition, because the process generates its energy from biomass, it does not produce any net carbon dioxide emissions.