Johan Gising, was invited as a speaker and panel member at Lignin Workshop 2025: “Lignin to X – Challenges and Potential”, hosted by Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland, on 20–21 August 2025.
The workshop brought together researchers, industrial representatives and invited experts to discuss current challenges and opportunities in lignin utilization. Topics ranged from biomass fractionation and lignin chemistry to material applications, process development and the transition from laboratory research to industrial implementation.
In his invited presentation, “Tailor-made lignins from one-step biomass fractionation,” Johan Gising presented AB Karl Hedin Bio Innovation’s approach to producing application-adapted lignin directly from sawmill side streams. The company’s technology combines biomass fractionation and lignin modification in a single process, making it possible to tune lignin properties already during extraction and thereby better match the requirements of different downstream applications.
This approach opens opportunities to transform sawdust and wood chips into higher-value materials and to develop renewable alternatives to fossil-based raw materials in applications such as composites, coatings, energy storage and water purification.
Johan Gising also participated in the industrial panel discussion, together with representatives from Valmet, UPM and CH-Bioforce. The discussion focused on the practical challenges of bringing lignin-based technologies to market, including scale-up, product performance, integration into existing industrial processes and the importance of close collaboration between research organizations, technology developers and industry.
For AB Karl Hedin Bio Innovation, the workshop provided a valuable opportunity to present the company’s technology, exchange perspectives with leading actors in the lignin field and discuss how tailored lignin materials can move from research toward scalable industrial applications.
We thank Åbo Akademi University for the invitation and for creating an excellent platform for discussion and collaboration around the future of lignin-based materials.
Lignin to X – Challenges and Potential
