Go-ahead for bioventure

Kemira and IFF have taken the final investment decision to move forward with commercial manufacture of renewable biobased products. They will invest around €130 million and begin production at the IFF biorefinery in Kotka, Finland, to be operated by a 50-50 joint venture.

The plant will convert up to 44,000 tonnes/year of plant sugars into bioproducts for multiple applications. It will use the Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial (DEB) technology platform, on which the two companies have been collaborating since 2020. 

Kemira holds global exclusive rights for the commercialisation of DEB biomaterial in the paper, board and water treatment markets. Other potential applications include packaging and paper coatings.

Kemira has also revealed plans to add multiple production lines for strength chemical agents for paper, board and tissue at its Wellgrow site in Bangkok, Thailand. The new capacity, which will take the total to around 100,000 tonnes/year, is expected to be up and running in August 2026 and will serve the South-East Asia and Indian markets.