On Wednesday, 28 May, a ceremony was held in Mönsterås to mark the start of construction of Södra’s new kraft lignin plant. The facility is an important step in Södra’s strategy to make more from every tree and develop its business by adding new bio-based products. The plant will support the green transition and strengthen the local labour market.
The new plant will cover an area of 1,400 m² and be built on a prepared site at Södra’s existing combined facility in Mönsterås. The facility is scheduled for completion in 2027 and will then be the first commercial plant of its kind in Sweden and the world’s largest producer of kraft lignin.
Magnus Hall, Chair of Södra, Lotta Lyrå, CEO of Södra, Allan Widman, County Governor in Kalmar Municipality, Clara Helstad from the Swedish Energy Agency, Karin Dernegård, Mill Manager of Södra Cell Mönsterås and Johannes Bogren, Business Area President of Södra Bioproducts took part in the ceremony to mark the start of construction.
Lignin is a natural substance found in trees and acts as a binding agent between the fibres. With this new plant, Södra will be able to separate and dry kraft lignin, making it possible to replace fossil materials in, for example, adhesives, batteries, rubber and composites. The kraft lignin can also be used as the building block for new biofuels and biostimulants.
Image: Photographer: Magnus Källström
For Mönsterås, the establishment will not only add new jobs but also greater industrial expertise, as well as enhancing its attractiveness as a sustainable industrial site.
“We estimate that the new plant could create 25 new jobs. Being home to a world-leading kraft lignin plant puts Mönsterås on the map both nationally and internationally,” said Karin Dernegård, Mill Manager for Södra Cell Mönsterås.
Södra is the largest forest-owner association in Sweden, with more than 50,000 family forest owners as members. Together, the members of Södra own a world-leading industrial operation that processes forest raw material into renewable products such as pulp, timber, building systems, energy and biochemicals.
