We were pleased to welcome Finland’s Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala, and Member of Parliament Janne Jukkola to Innomost’s production facility in Kokkola.
The visit provided an opportunity to introduce Innomost’s technology, production, and growth plans, and to discuss the operating environment needed for Finnish bio-based innovations to scale up successfully to global markets.
Innomost transforms Nordic birch bark, a side stream of the forest industry, into high-value functional ingredients and materials for applications including cosmetics, packaging, coatings, adhesives and other industrial uses. By increasing the value created from an existing forest industry side stream, new innovations can contribute to both the circular economy and the diversification of Finland’s forest-based value chains.
A stable regulatory environment enables investment and innovation
One of the key topics discussed during the visit was the importance of stability and predictability for companies developing new bio-based and upcycled solutions.
For industrial customers, material choices and product development decisions are often made years before new products reach the market. A clear and predictable regulatory framework therefore plays an important role in accelerating the transition towards renewable and circular material solutions.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is an important development from Innomost’s perspective. The regulation strengthens requirements for packaging recyclability towards 2030 and beyond, creating increasing demand for material innovations that can support recyclable, fibre-based packaging structures and reduce dependence on fossil-based materials. Innomost’s barrier coating is also plastic free and therefore out of the scope of single use plastics (SUP) directive as well.
For Innomost, this transition represents a significant market opportunity. Suberinno™ Suberin, produced from Nordic birch bark, is being developed for applications such as bio-based barrier coatings for fibre-based packaging.
During the discussions, we also highlighted the importance of keeping the regulatory environment sufficiently stable. Companies and their customers need to be able to anticipate future requirements when making long-term R&D, production and investment decisions.
From forest industry side streams to higher-value products
Finland has a strong forest industry and significant expertise in processing renewable raw materials. At the same time, there is still considerable untapped potential in increasing the value generated from existing industrial side streams.
Birch bark is a good example.
Instead of being used primarily for low-value applications such as energy production, it can be refined into high-value functional materials for international markets.
This is at the core of Innomost’s approach: creating more value from the same biomass without harvesting additional trees for our raw material.
Innovation creates growth and jobs
The discussions also covered Innomost’s future growth plans and the broader role of innovation-driven companies in creating new industrial activity and employment in Finland.
Scaling new material technologies from laboratory development to industrial production requires long-term commitment, investment and collaboration across the entire value chain. When successful, these innovations can create new export products, strengthen Finnish industrial competitiveness and generate new jobs.
We would like to warmly thank Minister Sari Multala and Member of Parliament Janne Jukkola for visiting us in Kokkola and for the open and valuable discussion about circular economy, regulation, innovation and the future of Finland’s bio-based industries.
For us, the direction is clear: Finland has the raw materials, scientific expertise and industrial know-how to become a leading developer of high-value circular and bio-based materials. A predictable operating environment helps turn that potential into industrial growth.
