LignoTech Florida’s new lignin plant in Fernandina Beach was officially opened. LignoTech Florida is owned by Borregaard (55%) and Rayonier Advanced Materials (45%), and employs 51 persons in Fernandina Beach, as the company says in the press release received by Lesprom Network.
The $110 million investment represents a production capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes lignin measured as dry substance. In a planned second phase, the capacity can later be expanded by 50,000 tonnes. The plant has been in test operation for some time, and the facility is now producing saleable lignin. At the time of the opening ceremony 600 tonnes had been delivered to US customers in June.
Initially it was foreseen that the products from the new plant would be sold primarily to applications within the construction industry. However, based on the inherent properties in the raw material, a number of alternative markets have been identified. The construction segment will still be very important, but the share of sales going to this end use is now foreseen to be below 50% in 2018.
