Stora Enso Global Responsibility Report 2012 - GlobeNewswire

Products and innovation
C
Innovation and product development
Renewable materials play a powerful role in creating sustainable development.
Stora Enso’s product development and innovation are being
actively encouraged through a change process known as “Rethink”
launched in 2011. In the context of new products, the idea behind this
is that we must challenge ourselves and the outside world to rethink
the ways we work and live – and utilise our expertise on renewable
materials and material efficiency to promote sustainable living.
We measure the sustainability performance of our products using
environmental, social and economic performance indicators and
related targets. For more information on our sustainability targets
see page 14. To identify, minimise and inform our stakeholders
about the environmental impacts of our products, we also work
with product life cycle inventories (LCIs), Paper Profiles, eco-labels,
forest certifi cation labels, and environmental footprints, in addition
to our own mill-specifi c certifi cates. For more information on our
products and their performance see www.storaenso.com/products
and www.storaenso.com/responsibility.
Developing products together with our stakeholders
In 2012 0.7% of our revenue (amounting to EUR 81 million) was reinvested
in R&D activities. Stora Enso develops products, services and
production processes in collaboration with our customers and other
stakeholders in key areas including wood- and fibre-based products
and services. Systematically collected customer feedback plays an
essential role in this development work. Most of our customer feedback
relates to expectations concerning our products, prices, delivery
and service, but issues related to environmental and social responsibility
are also mentioned frequently.
Stora Enso’s Group function R&D and Technology particularly works
in areas which are not yet covered by our existing product offerings.
The R&D personnel within our Business Areas focus on improving
our existing business and products. Our own experts also work with
leading external experts on various technical and scientific issues, and
participate widely in global research networks.
Material efficiency and recyclability
In addition to products and services, Stora Enso’s development work
focuses on innovations in industrial process that can improve the
efficiency of our use of materials, energy, water and other resources.
Our certified traceability and chain-of-custody systems are designed
to ensure that our main raw material, wood, is sustainably sourced.
The share of bioenergy in our energy supply is already higher than
European paper industry average. Nearly all water we use comes
from surface water bodies, and it is returned to the natural cycle after
careful purification.
All Stora Enso’s papers, packages and solid wood products are safely
recyclable. They are based on renewable raw material and do not
contain harmful heavy metals or other dangerous ingredients. Stora
Enso actively promotes and participates in recycling schemes, and is
one of Europe’s largest users of Paper for Recycling (PfR).
Design studios with
packaging customers
New products and market segments
To add to the existing products and solutions in our pulp, paper, paperboard
and wood product businesses, we are actively entering into
new market segments with product applications based on renewable
materials. Examples include our material efficient renewable packaging
solutions that provide alternatives to plastic or aluminum packaging,
and our innovative wood-based construction solutions.
The idea of integrating a design
studio into a packaging mill was
pioneered at Lahti Mill in Finland.
Having the studio right on the
mill site enables Stora Enso to
design, prototype and produce
new packaging solutions together with brand-owners much
more effectively. There are now five such studios in our mills
around the world, where designers can work closely with
our packaging customers.
To read about this close collaboration between packaging
designers and brand-owners see our Rethink magazine
2012: www.storaenso.com/annualreports.
In 2012 our Enocell Mill in Finland started to produce dissolving birch
pulp for the textile industry. After successful trial runs, commercial
production started in June 2012 with an annual capacity of 150 000
tonnes. Dissolving pulp is particularly used in the textile industry today,
but different kinds of cellulose derivatives can also be applied for many
end-uses, from home furnishings to clothes, tyres, paints, cosmetics
or even food and medicine.
Imatra Mills in Finland have started to manufacture microcellulose (MC)
in a pilot plant. MC can enable the development of lighter and stronger
renewable packaging materials. In future MC could also replace some
of the barrier materials currently used in liquid boards, as well as fossilbased
materials such as plastics.
Stora Enso’s Printing and Reading Business Area develops lightweight
paper grades that achieve greater material efficiency and lower environmental
impacts without compromising on printing quality. Our
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