Forest-based value creation in Norway 85
and wooden construction elements) – and path creation – aiming for biorefining and attracting an international data centre.
4.4.3 Borregaard in Sarpsborg
Borregaard is a Norwegian company, established in 1889 and located in
Sarpsborg in Østfold County in south- eastern Norway. The location is
favourable for industry because of access to local hydropower for the production process at Sarpsfossen, Europe’s biggest waterfall, to forest resources in
south- eastern Norway and to a harbour as necessary infrastructure for delivery
of forestry feedstock and export of goods.
Borregaard began by specialising in pulp and paper, and at the end of the
1930s the company started producing chemicals based on timber from spruce
as a raw material, exploiting the hemi- cellulose in the feedstock (Klitkou,
2013). Since the 1950s Borregaard has also used the lignin components of the
feedstock to produce chemicals.
Borregaard has been working on the development of an integrated biorefinery for more than 50 years (Rødsrud, Lersch & Sjöde, 2012). Borregaard’s
strategy is directed towards the production of high value- added products from
Norwegian forest resources. The rationale behind this strategy is to become a
company which specialises in producing chemicals and not cheap commodity
products such as pulp and paper or advanced biofuels. This strategy has paid
off and pulp and paper plants are not trying to compete with Borregaard,
because they have high labour and feedstock costs and low value- added
products.
Borregaard has used lignocellulosic feedstock, sulphite spent liquor from
spruce wood pulping, as feedstock for many years. The feedstock is provided
by the regional forestry industry and is relatively expensive compared to other
countries. Borregaard annually consumes around 400,000 tons of spruce
(Johansen, 2009). The biorefinery opened in 1938. Annually, the commercial
biorefinery produces 160,000 tons of speciality cellulose, 170,000 tons of
speciality lignin, 20 million litres of advanced bioethanol, 1,300 tons of
vanillin, 200 GWh bioenergy and 30 GWh biogas based on anaerobic digestion (Johansen, 2009, p. 4).
The company acts globally and has plants and sales offices in 17 countries.
Since 2012 the company has been listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange; it has
over 800 employees and a solid turnover. Today, Borregaard produces a
range of products, such as performance chemicals, advanced speciality cellulose, water- soluble specialty lignin products, ingredients for food and flagrance applications and fine chemicals for the pharmaceutical market.
Examples of high- performance products are vanillin and high- performance
additives and ingredients for the animal feed industry, such as bypass proteins
and pelleting aids produced from lignin, and MFC – Exilva – from cellulose.
Borregaard has an additional six production plants around the world which
produce lignin speciality chemicals. Borregaard wants to continue being the
and wooden construction elements) – and path creation – aiming for biorefining and attracting an international data centre.
4.4.3 Borregaard in Sarpsborg
Borregaard is a Norwegian company, established in 1889 and located in
Sarpsborg in Østfold County in south- eastern Norway. The location is
favourable for industry because of access to local hydropower for the production process at Sarpsfossen, Europe’s biggest waterfall, to forest resources in
south- eastern Norway and to a harbour as necessary infrastructure for delivery
of forestry feedstock and export of goods.
Borregaard began by specialising in pulp and paper, and at the end of the
1930s the company started producing chemicals based on timber from spruce
as a raw material, exploiting the hemi- cellulose in the feedstock (Klitkou,
2013). Since the 1950s Borregaard has also used the lignin components of the
feedstock to produce chemicals.
Borregaard has been working on the development of an integrated biorefinery for more than 50 years (Rødsrud, Lersch & Sjöde, 2012). Borregaard’s
strategy is directed towards the production of high value- added products from
Norwegian forest resources. The rationale behind this strategy is to become a
company which specialises in producing chemicals and not cheap commodity
products such as pulp and paper or advanced biofuels. This strategy has paid
off and pulp and paper plants are not trying to compete with Borregaard,
because they have high labour and feedstock costs and low value- added
products.
Borregaard has used lignocellulosic feedstock, sulphite spent liquor from
spruce wood pulping, as feedstock for many years. The feedstock is provided
by the regional forestry industry and is relatively expensive compared to other
countries. Borregaard annually consumes around 400,000 tons of spruce
(Johansen, 2009). The biorefinery opened in 1938. Annually, the commercial
biorefinery produces 160,000 tons of speciality cellulose, 170,000 tons of
speciality lignin, 20 million litres of advanced bioethanol, 1,300 tons of
vanillin, 200 GWh bioenergy and 30 GWh biogas based on anaerobic digestion (Johansen, 2009, p. 4).
The company acts globally and has plants and sales offices in 17 countries.
Since 2012 the company has been listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange; it has
over 800 employees and a solid turnover. Today, Borregaard produces a
range of products, such as performance chemicals, advanced speciality cellulose, water- soluble specialty lignin products, ingredients for food and flagrance applications and fine chemicals for the pharmaceutical market.
Examples of high- performance products are vanillin and high- performance
additives and ingredients for the animal feed industry, such as bypass proteins
and pelleting aids produced from lignin, and MFC – Exilva – from cellulose.
Borregaard has an additional six production plants around the world which
produce lignin speciality chemicals. Borregaard wants to continue being the