February 10th, 2009

Chempolis biorefinery commissioned

The third-generation biorefinery produces paper fibre, biofuel and biochemicals

The first third-generation biorefinery demonstration plant in the world has been commissioned in Oulu, Finland. Chempolis Oy’s demonstration plant and the Biorefining Centre promote the new technology and related business in the field. The inauguration celebrations of the refinery were held on Tuesday.

According to Chempolis’ President and CEO Esa Rousu, the demonstration plant produces sample materials and production batches for further processing and refining. In addition, it is used as a test plant for new materials and the final testing of new biorefined products.

The first stage of the construction work was an investment of approximately 15 million euros. The biorefinery is expected to reach full production during the spring.

“The demonstration plant represents the third-generation because it can utilise – unlike refineries based on earlier technologies – the entire vegetable matter and produce a number of biomass-based products and chemicals,” says President and CEO Rousu.

Chempolis develops highly environmentally friendly biorefining technologies and production solutions, which utilise non-wood and non-food raw materials, such as straw, reeds, corn stem and bagasse, in an innovative way. Chempolis’ solutions thus preserve global forests, in addition to which they do not compete for food raw materials and thus increase the price of food.

Chempolis does not manufacture end products but focuses on the licensing of the technologies developed, refinery engineering and project management. The technologies developed include formicofib™ for the production of paper fibres, formicobio™ for biofuels and formicochem™ for biochemicals.

Chempolis focuses on paper fibre and pulp, but there is growing international interest in new biofuel production technologies. According to President and CEO Rousu, biofuel production technologies will become increasingly important for the company, in addition to pulp. Biochemicals also form an integral part of the company’s expertise.

“We will operate in all three fields of business in the future,” says Mr. Rousu.

Markets for pulp are currently increasing in China, whereas a number of major international companies from all parts of the world are interested in biofuel production technologies.

Further information

Chempolis Oy CTO Pasi Rousu
Tel. +358 (0)10 387 6669

Chairman of the Board Matti Sundberg
Tel. +358 (0)40 500 6677

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