Copenhagen, 3 May 2024 – We are pleased to announce that Bjørn Thorsen A/S has been granted European distribution rights for the range of Biocomposites, also known as Woodcompounds or Durasense® products from WoodComposites Sweden AB. We will take the opportunity to showcase these materials at upcoming France Innovation Plasturgie (FIP) fair in Lyon, in June 2024!
Durasense®/Biocomposites is the portfolio of WoodComposites Sweden AB, a company created following Sweden Timber’s acquisition of Stora Enso’s biocomposites business unit at Hyltebruk plant, as announced in September 2023 (full announcement available here). This is a range of bio-based alternatives to conventional polymers, which brings the good moldability of polyolefins together with the strength and sustainability of lignocellulosic fibers, resulting in a global reduced CO2 footprint of up to 80%. These biocomposites are renowned for their exceptional blend of sustainability, strength, and versatility, making it a great addition to Bjørn Thorsen’s circular solutions offering.
Discover the key characteristics of Biocomposites
Sustainability
Biocomposites are made from a blend of natural lignocellulosic feedstock and polymer resins, reducing the reliance on fossil-based materials and promoting a sustainable approach to plastics.
Natural appearance
The lignocellulosic components in Biocomposites provide a natural appearance, making them an attractive choice for applications where aesthetics and eco-friendliness are important, like consumer goods, food packaging, cosmetics, automotive.
High strength
Biocomposites offer excellent mechanical properties, combining the strength of lignocellulosic materials with the durability of plastics, making them suitable for a wide range of applications where toughness is crucial, for instance in building and construction or the automotive industry.
Reduced carbon footprint
Using lignocellulosic fibers as a renewable resource in the manufacturing process helps reduce the overall carbon footprint of products made with Biocomposites from WoodComposites Sweden AB.
Grégory Eldin, Principal Manager for WoodComposites Sweden AB at Bjørn Thorsen A/S, expressed enthusiasm about the expanded collaboration, saying, “Our partnership with WoodComposites Sweden AB reinforces our commitment to providing sustainable solutions for our customers. We are thrilled to extend our cooperation to encompass all of Europe, allowing us to offer their Biocomposites to a broader customer base in areas like cosmetics, reusable food packaging, building & construction, furniture & interior design, consumer goods, automotive and other industries.”
The addition of Biocomposites to Bjorn Thorsen’s distribution portfolio will enhance our ability to meet customers’ needs for unique products in terms of functionality, durability, sustainability, design, aesthetics, and many more. Being such a versatile and easy-to-process material, suitable for a wide variety of applications, these Biocomposites can be easily used in combinations with different compounds or modifiers to make sure the end product perfectly matches all customers’ requirements. “We have many success cases of customizing the Biocomposites from WoodComposites Sweden, for instance by 2k molding them with other materials (like customized TPVs) or adding our own TPO compounds to improve the final product’s flexibility, resistance to stress and give it a soft touch, a sought after property in cosmetics, toys or other consumer goods.” says Kevin Barthomeuf, CTO of Customized Compound Solutions, part of Bjørn Thorsen Group.
Biocomposites showcased at FIP 2024 fair
On 4-7 June 2024, Bjorn Thorsen will present its distribution portfolio and capabilities at stand F28, at Eurexpo, Lyon, France. For many years, FIP is the key event of the plastics industry in France, serving as a real business exchange platform and bringing together key industry players in search of high-performance solutions to meet the future challenges of the Plastics Industry. This year, Bjorn Thorsen’s French team will be joined by Renato Cosic – Director, Sales & Business Development at WoodComposite Sweden AB, to meet the key account and support with his extensive technical and commercial knowledge. Renato will join Grégory Eldin on stand F28 on Wednesday, the 5th and on Thursday, the 6th of June. To schedule a meeting, please contact Grégory Eldin at ge@bjorn-thorsen.com.
Expansion in Europe
The expansion of the collaboration between Bjørn Thorsen and WoodComposites Sweden AB reinforces our joint missions to provide environmentally friendly and high-quality materials to customers across Europe. “We are confident that there is currently a significant interest in biocomposites throughout Europe, and we are eager to capitalize on this by leveraging our innovative approach to the market. Our long-term pan-European commitment is vital to achieving our growth ambitions and we’re happy to have WoodComposites Sweden AB together with us,” concludes Claus Adser, Chairman of the Board.
For more details and information about the products, please contact Grégory Eldin at ge@bjorn-thorsen.com.
About Bjørn Thorsen: Bjørn Thorsen A/S is a privately-owned distributor, providing a wide range of products from leading chemical manufacturers e.g. BYK, ExxonMobil, Lubrizol, Celanese, Cabot, Sun Chemical, Venator, DRT and others to customers active in diverse end uses in Automotive, Coating, Construction, Industrial, Medical, Consumer, etc. The company offers flexible and efficient logistics services from warehouses in Europe and other locations around the world. For more information regarding the distribution portfolio, visit www.bjorn-thorsen.com.
About WoodComposites Sweden AB: WoodComposites Sweden AB is a manufacturer of woodcompounds and biocomposites. Their innovative materials combine the sustainability of natural wood fibers, from FSC certified Nordic forests with the versatility of polymer resins, offering eco-friendly solutions for various applications in food, packaging, cosmetics, etc.
