Webinar: Who Says You Can't Make Money From Lignin? Commercialization of Lignin as a Building Block for the Circular Economy

(TAPPI) Presented by ForestBioFacts and Finnish Forest Products Engineers’ Association, in collaboration with TAPPI. This 90-minute webinar brings together a diverse group of industry experts who are leading lignin innovation from research to commercialization. Viewers will gain insights into the latest technologies, market potential, and business models driving lignin's future.

Lignin is no longer just a byproduct—it's fast becoming a key building block in the shift toward sustainable materials and bio-based innovation.

Lari Vähäsalo is a chemistry expert with specialties in wood and paper chemistry, biomass fractionation, analytical, organic and process chemistry. His widely published, industry funded research at the Åbo Akademi university both before and after his PhD has aimed at developing new analytical techniques for laboratories and on-line applications in the paper industry. In 2007, Mr. Vähäsalo was one of the driving forces in developing a hemicellulose extraction process, which later became the starting point of hemicellulose extraction and utilisation research in the Finnish Forest Cluster Future Biorefinery (Fubio) project. In 2011, he was part of developing a new hemicellulose extraction method, unrelated to the Fubio process. This method was further enhanced to include the extraction of lignin without sulphur and became the base for current BIOFORCENSE®-technology. To take the technology further, Mr. Vähäsalo co-founded AB BLN-Woods Ltd which is the second largest owner of CH-Bioforce Oy.

Vesa Kukkamo is the CEO of ACA Systems and a seasoned leader in the chemical and paper technology industries, with a career spanning several globally respected companies including CH Polymer, Omya, and BASF. He holds an Executive MBA from Bern University and an MBA from the Simon Business School. In addition to his corporate leadership, Vesa contributes to academic advancement as a Guest Professor at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, where he lectures on Applied Rheology in the Master of Paper Technology program. Vesa is also an active member of the TAPPI Coating Operational Committee, reflecting his commitment to industry innovation and collaboration. Outside of his professional life, he is a dedicated family man, married with three children.

Elina Lohiniva, (M.Sc, Eng) is the Business Development Director, Lignin at Andritz Pulp &Paper. She has been working as the Business Development Director for the lignin business for the last 3,5 years, heading the lignin business in Andritz. Elina lives in Helsinki area in Finland.

Viktor Odenbrink is the Sales Director at Södra Bioproducts. He’s been with Södra for almost ten years in different roles and the last eight years have been commercial / business related. Within Södra’s lignin program, the primary focus is the market and activities related to that. Viktor lives in Växjö in Sweden with his wife and two children.

Dr. Chris Luettgen is a professor at Georgia Tech with a Ph.D. in Pulp and Paper Science - Surface Chemistry. He brings extensive experience both from academia and industry, with expertise in quality management, consumer products, and pulp and paper innovation. A former member of the TAPPI Board of Directors, Chris offers a well-rounded perspective on lignin's role in advancing sustainable technologies. READ MORE/WATCH recorded presentation