Lenzing celebrates the 40th anniversary of excellence in LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased

Lenzing – Lenzing Group, a leading global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, is celebrating the 40^th anniversary of its biorefinery and co-product brand LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased. The brand was first introduced on May 4, 1983, and has since become one of the leading and most trusted biobased acetic acid providers.  

Over the past 40 years, LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased, which has a reduced carbon footprint that is 85% lower than that of fossil-based acetic acid, has continued to gain trust and support from customers. Specialty chemical company Evonik, and food production company Speyer & Grund Group, have been incorporating LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased in the production of their products since 1983. LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased has also been in high demand from the hygiene industry during the COVID-19 pandemic as an all-purpose cleaning agent in conventional and green products.

“Prioritizing sustainable processes and utilizing renewable raw materials simply makes sense for good business and this is evident in our successful partnership with Lenzing over the past forty years,” said Dr. Josef Miklautsch, Managing Director of Evonik Peroxid GmbH. “Although efficiency and supply security may have been the decisive factors in 1983, today, we are even more keenly aware that resources are finite and that is why we are focused on integrating sustainability along our entire value chain,” he added.

"Based on mutual trust and a shared commitment to sustainability, the Speyer & Grund Group and its subsidiary SABA GmbH in Austria are extremely proud of its 40-year partnership with Lenzing,” said Axel Rosener, Managing Director, Speyer & Grund GmbH & Co. KG.  “LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased has been a valuable component in our Surig vinegar essence since 1983 and we look forward to developing a stronger and closer partnership with Lenzing as we continue to build a more sustainable supply chain together."

Pioneering a carbon neutral future in the biorefinery segment with a new offering

To mark the important occasion, Lenzing will introduce its first carbon neutral LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased to meet the growing sustainability needs of industries which predominately rely on fossil-based materials. Similar to the standard LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased, the carbon neutral LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased is produced using sustainably sourced beech wood as a universal replacement for non-renewable raw materials such as crude oil. By calculating, reducing and offsetting emissions during production processes, this expansion will create a more sustainable supply chain with highly functional products across various industries. From now on, Lenzing customers across the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, chemical and textile industries will be able to choose between carbon neutral and reduced carbon footprint acetic acid products.

“For 40 years, LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased has been one of Lenzing’s key products for the biorefinery segment and is highly demanded and trusted by customers across industry sectors. We are honored to be joined by our long-term customers and partners Evonik and Speyer & Grund Group to celebrate this important milestone as we continue to drive sustainability and circularity through ongoing product innovation,” said Elisabeth Stanger, Senior Director Biorefinery & CoProducts, Lenzing Group. “By adding carbon neutral LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased to our portfolio, we provide a further sustainable alternative to fossil-based materials with an all-neutral carbon footprint and progress towards our goal of achieving net-zero by 2050,” she added.  

Advancing circularity and carbon neutrality through efficient use of valuable resources

Lenzing’s biorefinery concept ensures that 100% of wood components are used to produce pulp for Lenzing’s botanic fibers, biorefinery products, as well as bioenergy, which is used to power Lenzing’s facilities. This makes Lenzing’s biorefinery sites almost fully energy self-sufficient to remain as carbon neutral as possible. To ensure a low carbon footprint, rail transportation is the preferred means for transporting LENZING™ biorefinery products, with trucks being leveraged in regions where rail transportation is not available.

Together with ClimatePartner, a recognized global leader in the design, development, and delivery of corporate climate action programs, Lenzing strives to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero through a mix of higher production efficiencies, use of renewable energy sources, low-carbon materials, and the dedicated support of an external nature-based carbon removal project. For instance, to offset remaining carbon emissions that cannot be reduced, Lenzing works with ClimatePartner to support and finance the switch to biomass as an energy source at a ceramic factory in Kitambar in northeastern Brazil. Using natural waste materials, like coconut shells, as renewable biomass for its energy production, the factory is able to produce roof tiles in a more climate-friendly way while saving on carbon emissions. Besides contributing to the fuel switch, the project also helps to reduce the deforestation rate in Brazil and avoid methane emissions that could result from the uncontrolled rotting of biomass.

From 24 – 25 May, Lenzing will be showcasing its future outlook and continued commitment to advancing carbon neutrality of the biorefinery segment at Chemspec Europe 2023 at booth F178.