GEA finalized delivery to Borregaard of key components for turnkey process solution for the production of bio-based products

"We have emphatically underlined our competence not only to supply a spray dryer, but to offer our customer a complete solution for lignin production", says Mette Aagaard Rasmussen, GEA Area Sales Manager, APC Chemical, Business Area Solutions. 

"Borregaard has already implemented various projects with GEA Norway in the past and already uses GEA decanters and separators. It was the successful combination of our strong customer relationship, the smooth cooperation across various GEA functional areas and our knowledge and experience in the chemical business that ultimately convinced Borregaard," says Mette Aagaard Rasmussen.

According to Ståle Schie-Veslum, Senior Purchaser at Borregaard, the new investment will allow further specialization of lignin production and thus greater flexibility and added value in the chemical market. "Our plant in Sarpsborg has an annual capacity of 160,000 tons of lignin, an increasing proportion of which are special products. We will optimize our production with the new GEA equipment," he explains. "The new infrastructure and energy facilities will reduce energy costs and offer significant environmental and safety benefits," says Ståle Schie-Veslum. 

As a water-soluble polymer, lignin is an organic substance found in trees and plants. It has a number of important functions as a support material, such as the strength of plant tissue, especially for its compressive strength. Therefore, the largest area of application for lignosulfonates is as a wetting and dispersing agent with about 68 percent.  Due to their good adhesive properties, lignosulfonates are used as organic binders for a wide variety of applications, for example in concrete and building materials, textile dyes and ceramic products.