May 18, 2011. /Lesprom Network/. Södra Cell is to start producing and selling the biodegradable composite material, DuraPulp, at its Värö mill. Production is scheduled to commence after the summer, as the company said in a press release received by Lesprom Network. “DuraPulp is a material that is making a very timely appearance. It can replace plastics in many applications but it has the distinct advantage of being biodegradable. The time is right to begin producing and selling this material,” commented Henrik Wettergren, Business Area Manager for Printing Paper and Specialities. Initially, sales of DuraPulp will focus on the business areas of speciality paper, design and board. “We believe that our customers will come from these three business areas. We will begin with small-scale production but we’re prepared to increase production to match demand,” Wettergren added. DuraPulp is the result of many years of research and was produced by Södra together with the research and development company Innventia. The starting point for the research included the idea of creating a new fibre-based material that would be renewable and biodegradable. DuraPulp is a composite material made of specially selected pulp from Södra Cell combined with a renewable biopolymer. Following additional processing, these two components take on special properties such as humidity resistance, tensile strength and rigidity. Södra Cell's Varo Mill produces 400,000 tons per year of high quality totally chlorine-free softwood pulp.