One of the world’s largest producers of wood-based panels and insulation is going circular, with Unilin launching its Osiris 2.0 facility, a new plant expanding its fibreboard recycling capacity. The industrial-scale installation, set for completion in fall 2025, will increase the site’s recycling capacity from 1 to 10 tonnes per hour, processing post-consumer MDF material and production waste.
Wood Central understands the new Osiris 2.0 system will replace Unilin’s Osiris 1.0 pilot installation. Dieffenbacher will provide the fibre sifters, glue preparation and dosing systems, a PROjet glue-saving system, and an optimized steam explosion vessel designed by its Austrian division.
The plant will recycle fiberboard materials from bulky waste and production residues from Unilin’s MDF and HDF manufacturing processes. According to Jan Gallet, General Manager of the plant’s MDF division, “the project demonstrates (our) readiness for large-scale fiberboard recycling.”
Next-Gen Fiberboard Could Be Fully Recycled!
Last year, Wood Central revealed that manufacturers were now using 100% fully recyclable furniture to make the next generation of particleboard, with one of the world’s largest producers scaling up production to produce “fully circular” chipboard, particleboard and fiberboard.
In June, Kronospan, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of particleboard, MDF, OSB, and laminate, celebrated the first fully recyclable particleboard rolling off its production line in Luxemburg—a milestone that came almost 12 months to the day after it opened its plant in Tortosa, Spain. The plant now produces 2,000 cubic metres of particleboard every day.
Particleboard is a manufactured wood made from compressed wood particles – including wood residues, forest thinnings and wood waste from processing. It is a low-cost and strongly bonded general-purpose board used in various applications, including furniture, cabinetry, flooring and construction, and 50% of all IKEA products. However, until now, manufacturers have been able to create boards from a mix of recycled and new products – consisting of 74% post-industrial material from other sawmill waste, sawdust, wood chips and residues, and 9% post-consumer recycled wood waste chip material.
“Panel production is a great way to introduce and maintain the principles of the circular economy,” according to Kronospnthe. “This means we can bring a material already used into production. We create a technological and business environment that allows us to introduce recycled wood into a wider product portfolio.”
“In the process of sourcing wood for our work, we have established clear priorities: 1st choice—recycled wood; 2nd choice—sawmill residue; 3rd choice—sustainable forestry wood.”
- To learn more about the push to create fully circular fiberboard, chipboard and particleboard, click here for Wood Central’s special feature.
