UPM biorefinery under construction in Leuna, Germany
Once operational, the new biorefinery in Leuna, Germany, will ramp up to turn wood into next-generation biochemicals producing sustainable glycols and lignin-based renewable functional fillers. After the groundbreaking in 2020, the construction of the UPM biorefinery is in full swing. We estimate the technical start-up by the end of 2023.
The first milestone is the completion of the pipe rack. Pulling the concrete for the fundaments is ongoing, and the first buildings are coming out of the soil.
UPM is investing in the biochemicals industry
The renewable Bio-Monoethylene Glycol (BioMEG) will serve as a base material for various industrial products and consumer goods, such as PET bottles, packaging materials, polyester textiles and engine & battery coolants.
The renewable Bio-Monopropylene Glycol (BioMPG) will be ready to be converted into cleaning agents, deicing fluids, fragrances, and cosmetics.
As they can be fully integrated into existing production and recycling processes, they enable the transformation of the entire chemicals value chain towards renewable circularity.
The lignin-based Renewable Functional Fillers (RFF) are a completely new, sustainable product and sustainable alternative to replace carbon black and precipitated silica in various rubber end uses such as tires, hoses, rubber floorings and scores of other rubber applications.
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Investments
2020-01-01
€ 550 mln at Leuna Chemical Complex (DE)Latest news
UPM receives triple sustainability certification for the Leuna biorefinery
Leuna Chemical Complex →The Leuna biorefinery is the world’s first industrial-scale facility of its kind, converting wood into advanced biochemicals at scale. This milestone reinforces UPM’s role as a frontrunner in susta...
On stream: BASF starts up new world-scale plant for hexamethylenediamine in Chalampé, France
Increase of BASF’s HMD production capacity to 260,000 metric tons Expansion of polyamide business together with polyamide 6.6 production in Freiburg
BASF starts commercial operation of Black Mass plant for Battery Recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany
It is one of the biggest commercial Black Mass plants in Europe, with an annual processing capacity of up to 15,000 tons of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and production scrap. This equals rough...
Clariant's ShiftMax™ 100 RE catalyst powers INERATEC´s groundbreaking e-Fuels plant at Frankfurt Höchst
Industriepark Höchst →Clariant supplies its innovative ShiftMax 100 RE catalyst for INERATEC's first commercial-scale e-Fuels plant in Industry Park Hoechst, Germany. The catalyst enables efficient conversion of green h...