Stora Enso opens new biomaterials innovation centre
STORA ENSO OYJ PRESS RELEASE 8 December 2014 at 11.00 EET
Stora Enso will concentrate its new biomaterials business development in an Innovation Centre that will be located in the Stockholm area in Sweden. The centre, which will open during the second quarter of 2015, will host research, application, business development, and strategic marketing.
The centre will boost innovation by identifying business opportunities in the renewable materials market and linking them with leading innovation and research centres in business and academia. The centre will be staffed with Stora Enso employees currently working in Sweden, Finland and Germany. It will initially employ a little less than 60 people and is estimated to employ around 75 people by year end 2015.
“We are convinced that our access to biomass, in combination with our expertise in forestry worldwide, will benefit our customers in new, innovative ways in the future. Our goal is to develop a competitive offering serving customers in multiple industries and markets, while adding value to our current cellulosic streams”, says Karl-Henrik Sundström, CEO of Stora Enso.
“We facilitate creative thinking and cross-functional interaction by consolidating R&D and business development under one roof. Additionally, it is important to create a close link to leading innovation and research centres in this field – both at academic and business levels”, says Dr. Antonio Batistini, Head of Innovation and Strategic Marketing, Stora Enso Biomaterials.
Stora Enso’s other R&D units are not affected by this change and will remain in their current locations.
About Stora Enso Biomaterials
Stora Enso Biomaterials is a provider of pulp grades to meet the demands of various paper, board and tissue producers. The offering also includes fluff for hygiene applications and dissolving pulp for the textile industry. The mission of Stora Enso Biomaterials is to find new, innovative ways to maximise the value extractable from wood, as well as other kind of ligno-cellulosic biomasses. Through innovation, the aim is to develop into a cost and performance differentiated renewable biochemical company offering drop-in and new materials into existing and new industries to Stora Enso.
For further information, please contact:
Ulrika Lilja, EVP Global Communications, Stora Enso, tel. +46 1046 71668
Kirsi Seppäläinen, Head of Communications, Stora Enso Biomaterials, tel. +358 2046 21444
www.storaenso.com
biomaterials.storaenso.com
Stora Enso is the global rethinker of the paper, biomaterials, wood products and packaging industry. We always rethink the old and expand to the new to offer our customers innovative solutions based on renewable materials. Stora Enso employs some 29 000 people worldwide, and our sales in 2013 amounted to EUR 10.6 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY) in the International OTCQX over-the-counter market.
STORA ENSO OYJ
For further information, please contact:
Ulrika Lilja
EVP Global Communications, Stora Enso
tel. +46 1046 71668
Kirsi Seppäläinen
Head of Communications, Stora Enso Biomaterials
tel. +358 2046 21444