Stora Enso has announced the launch of a line of wood-based biocomposites, DuraSense™, available to companies looking for a high-performance and sustainable alternative to plastics.
DuraSense uses renewable fibres, such as wood, as a substitute for fossil-based plastic. Stora Enso began the production of biocomposites at its Hylte Mill in Sweden, following an investment of €12 million in 2017. This mill, with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tonnes, is the largest of its kind in Europe.
“Reducing the amount of plastic and replacing it with renewable and traceable materials is a gradual process. With DuraSense, we can offer customers a wood fibre-based alternative which improves sustainability performance and, depending on the product, significantly reduces the carbon footprint – all the way up to 80%,” says Jari Suominen, Head of Wood Products at Stora Enso.
The range of DuraSense products can be used for a number of applications from furniture, packaging pallets, hand tools, automotive parts, toys, beauty products and bottle caps, among others.
The DuraSense granules use a combination of natural wood fibres, polymers and additives offering the mouldability of plastic with the sustainability and workability of wood. With DuraSense, it is also possible to combine fibres with recycled or bio-based polymers to further enhance environmental values. For example, DuraSense™ Eco100, which is one of the product grades and based on wood fibres and biopolymers, is a cost-competitive way to fully replace fossil-based plastics.
“Affordable sustainability and the environment are climbing upwards on consumer agendas,” says Patricia Oddshammar, Head of Biocomposites at Stora Enso. “DuraSense can reduce the consumption of plastic materials by up to 60%, ensuring less microplastics end up in the environment. Stora Enso’s biocomposites can be reused as a material up to seven times or recycled along with other plastic materials or, alternatively, used for energy recovery at their end of life.”
Visit the Stora Enso website.