In a ground-breaking move for the wood-based panels industry, Sonae Arauco announces the launch of the first fiberboard recycling line. This project underscores the company's commitment to sustainability and innovation, reinforcing its position at the forefront of recycling technology in the industrial sector.

Scheduled to start operations in the second quarter of 2025, this pioneering recycling line will transform end-of-life MDF fiberboard into valuable raw material for new fiberboard production. Located at one of Sonae Arauco’s industrial units in Portugal, it will be the first industrial-scale fiberboard recycling line globally.

According to Rui Correia, CEO of Sonae Arauco: "This step is of great importance not only for us, but for the entire wood-based panels industry. Recycling is a strategic issue for our company and we have been working for a long time to be able to announce this technological breakthrough. We are truly committed to our circular bioeconomy model and the cascading use of wood, and the integration of recycled wood into our MDF portfolio is a very important development towards this goal."

Developed in collaboration with the international technology group ANDRITZ, the dry fiberboard recycling line utilizes continuous steam treatment with the ANDRITZ Steam-Ex discharger. This advanced system will enable continuous processing of recycled fiberboard material with high efficiency and low steam usage.

Recycling is a strategic priority for Sonae Arauco, not only because it increases the company’s competitiveness, but also because it is linked to its sustainability driver. The company has several investments being made worldwide to increase its capacity for integrating recycled wood and developing innovative technologies for recycling fibers. The construction of this first fiberboard recycling line heralds a new era of wood recycling, set to begin in spring 2025.

In 2023, Sonae Arauco processed over 725,000 tonnes of recycled wood, with Particleboard range incorporating more than 70% recycled wood. The goal is to reach 85% in certain regions within the next three years. Across the company's entire portfolio, the proportion of recycled wood stands at 30%, surpassing the European industry average of 25%.

The new fiberboard recycling line is part of the TransForm project, included in Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), aimed at Capitalization and Business Innovation, in the context of the incentive systems for Mobilizing Agendas and Green Agendas for Business Innovation.