UPM BioVerno and GrowDex® Chosen as Examples of Nordic Bioeconomy

 

The Nordic Bioeconomy Panel under The Nordic Council of Ministers announced this past week that it has chosen UPM (Helsinki, Finland) BioVerno and GrowDex® in the "Nordic Bioeconomy – 25 Cases for Sustainable Change" catalog. UPM BioVerno is a renewable diesel made of crude tall oil, a wood residue from pulp production. GrowDex is a wood-based nanocellulose hydrogel developed for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry.

"The Nordic countries are strongly placed to be global leaders in the production and utilization of bio-resources that will enhance both competitiveness and sustainability. To continuously develop and improve this position, we need inspiration and sharing of knowledge and best practices," said Hörður G. Kristinsson, chair of the Nordic Bioeconomy Panel.

 

"The selected 25 cases in the catalog seek to illustrate the diverse bioeconomy activities in the Nordic countries. UPM is the only company having two cases in the catalog. Both cases are classified under the Replace category, listing case examples of products where fossil-based materials have been replaced by bio-based materials," Hörður G. Kristinsson commented.

"Versatile use of recyclable and renewable wood biomass, combined with innovation, efficiency, and responsibility is in the core of UPM’s Biofore strategy," said Sami Lundgren, VP, environment and responsibility. "Having two of our innovative products in this esteemed catalog is a great recognition for us and for our strategy," added Lundgren.

In addition to the innovative and sustainable values, both products also have great growth potential.

Demand for sustainable waste and residue-based biofuels is growing fast. Wood-based UPM BioVerno reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%, which corresponds to 250,000 metric tons less CO2 emissions annually or 80,000 cars removed from European roads.

GrowDex® is suitable for various cell culture purposes, especially for 3D cell culturing. 3D cell cultures can be used to replace animal testing and enable the development of cell-based drugs, tests, and discovery of models that can be used in the future to better treat serious diseases.