Sonae Arauco said the project, which involved the partnership of Andritz as main technology partner, represents a pioneering milestone for the wood-based panels sector and reinforces the company’s commitment to the circular economy and innovation.
The new line, which became operational at the start of Q3, makes it possible to transform end-of-life MDF panels into raw material for the production of new MDF/HDF fibre panels, something that had not been delivered on an industrial scale previously. When fully operational, the new line will allow up to 20% of recycled MDF fibres to be integrated into the new panels produced.
“This investment is strategic not only for Sonae Arauco, but for the entire wood-based panel industry,” said Rui Correia, CEO of Sonae Arauco.
“The introduction of recycled MDF fibres into new panels in an industrial context demonstrates our commitment to promoting circularity and the cascading use of wood. The initial results are promising, and we are confident that we will achieve the 20% incorporation target to which we are committed.”
In 2024, Sonae Arauco valued 809,000 tonnes of recycled wood, increasing the incorporation rate in its portfolio to 33%. In this context, the company currently ensures that more than 70% of the wood used in its particleboard (PB) ranges is recycled, and expects to reach more than 75%, in some geographies, by the end of the year.
The new recycling line in Mangualde is part of the TransForm project, an agenda created under Component 5 (C5) of the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), dedicated to Capitalisation and Business Innovation, in the context of the Mobilising Agendas and Green Agendas for Business Innovation.
At the core of this innovation is the Andritz Steam-Ex system, the pretreatment process equipment based on steam explosion, to defibre fibreboard material. The process equipment is designed to enable continuous, energy-efficient operation with low steam consumption.
Andritz said its recycling system demonstrated strong performance during commissioning, producing fibres with the expected quality within a short start-up period.
“We are proud to implement this innovative recycling line at industrial scale,” said Paulo Pinto de Sousa, Industrial Strategy, Technology & Projects Director at Sonae Arauco. “
He said the Andritz project partnership worked well.
PICCAP:
- The Sonae Arauco Mangualde plant in Portugal
- Sonae Arauco’s fibreboard recycling line supplied by ANDRITZ successfully produced first recycled fibreboard output. Photo: Andritz
- Rui Correia, CEO of Sonae Arauco, said the investment was strategic for the company and the wood-based panels industry
