CEBINA: sustainable innovation from Norske Skog

24 August 2021

Norske Skog’s immense process industry experience combined with on-going innovation activities led to the development of nano-cellulose product CEBINA (CNF – cellulose nano fibrils or MFC - microfibrillated cellulose).

Hugo Harstad, the head of CEBINA, says: “The most exciting in developing a new product like CEBINA is to see how we can improve our customer’s products and provide benefits for the end-user.”

CEBINA is developed and produced by Norske Skog for use in a diverse range of applications such as paint, glue, cosmetics and skin care products, and armoring.

Close to core business 
The original intention when developing CEBINA was enhancing the strength and quality of paper, but CEBINA proved to be useful in other applications as well. A dash of CEBINA made an impressive improvement in the quality of the magazine paper, and attracted interest from other industries, leading to the launch of CEBINA.

“CEBINA development is today integrated with our core business, while at the same time proving promising results as a stand-alone product for other applications. Innovation is a long-term activity and derives from a strong commitment to research and development with close collaboration with our customers to create new and improved solutions,” says Hugo Harstad.

Driven by sustainability 
“Our customers want CEBINA because they are often driven by the wish to replace fossil-based products with sustainable bio-based solutions. But we also see the potential for customer cost savings and new improved properties,” says Hugo Harstad.

CEBINA is a renewable product, using sustainably sourced kraft pulp from wood as raw material. 98 % of the energy used in the process originates from hydropower plants.

“We have a lot of different customers testing CEBINA solutions in their products. Alternative use can be as an additive in paint, glue, coatings, cement, oil field chemicals used in drilling mud, to mention a few,” says Hugo Harstad.