Södra, the largest forest owners’ association in Sweden, is investing to enter the tanning industry market, with the goal of industrially produce tannins from tree bark at its Värö plant. And the association is looking for partners to develop possible applications for the new product.
Industrializing the process
The use of tree bark for the tanning industry isn’t new, but Södra is working to industrialize the process through which the tanning substance is extracted from the bark and turned into a product for tanning leather. The Swedish entity says production will be on a large scale: “With this new patented process, we can make a product from an unused resource. A product that can be used in a completely different sector and support the leather industry in its transition to more sustainable tanning methods”, the company said in a statement.
Exploring the potential
One year after the investment announcement, Södra is looking to explore the market and possible applications for the new material. “Now is the time to join forces and maximize the potential of each tree by collaboratively exploring innovative applications for tannins”, says Viktor Odenbrink, commercial director of Södra Bioproducts, on the company website. “Together, we can develop fossil-free products and contribute to a more sustainable future”, concludes Odenbrink himself.
Södra’s numbers
Södra is the largest forest owners’ association in Sweden, and it’s also an international forest industry group based in Växjö, a city in southern Sweden. The company has about 3,000 employees, and manages raw materials from the forests of more than 50,000 owners. Södra produces wood products, pulp, energy and bioproducts, and is always looking for new products derived from trees.
Photos from Södra
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