Accelerating the materials eco-evolution
As consumers opt out of plastics and other fossil-based materials, producers, retailers and brand owners are being forced to rethink their own material choices. Phasing out fossil-based materials will not happen overnight or in isolation, which is why we seek partnerships with companies working on material innovations and technologies.
Business Lab by Stora Enso is our portfolio of cooperation initiatives with startups and partners, and our own exploratory innovation initiatives ranging from new renewable materials to new digital solutions. The initiatives are in different stages from early development to commercialisation.
If you are interested in exploring possibilities for cooperation with us, get in touch. Read more about our core innovations and investments here.
To develop our offering and advance circular economy, Stora Enso is looking into innovative solutions in reusable packaging. We develop reusable solutions together with start-ups for end uses in e.g. retail and food services.
For example, we develop reusable corrugated packaging for e-Commerce. Corrugated packaging is the hero of all delivery packaging from e-commerce to heavy-duty industrial and logistics. To meet the needs of growing packaging logistics while minimising the environmental impact, Stora Enso explores solutions in renewable materials, and processes together with start-ups including Returnity, a company that creates reusable delivery packaging systems.
Stora Enso, Coop and Sustainable Innovation are jointly working on a study to investigate reusable and renewable food packaging and returnable systems for take-away food and drinks. This project has received funding from VINNOVA. Read more
We are constantly looking for new partners in reusable packaging. Are you a start-up with a reusable packaging solution? Talk to us!
Contact:
Gigi Zhu Ryberg, Director of Strategy Packaging Solutions division
Plastic products create harmful waste that often ends up in the sea or in nature. Conventional plastic is based on oil – a finite resource – and it can take hundreds of years to decompose.
To combat the global problem of plastic waste, Sulapac and Stora Enso are cooperating to replace plastics with a better alternative.
The first jointly developed product is a renewable and biodegradable straw, which is a fully functional replacement for plastic straws. The straws are based on Sulapac's patent pending material innovation.
Contact:
Salvatore Sortino,
Head of Business Alliances, Packaging Materials division
As the global population increases, the need for sustainable textile fibers with high performance and low cost will increase even further. Textiles made from cellulose can be used both as an alternative and a complement to cotton and synthetic fibers.
TreeToTextile is a joint venture between H&M group, Inter IKEA group, Stora Enso and inventor Lars Stigsson. Tree to Textile’s goal is to develop and industrialize a new innovative man-made cellulosic fiber technology that will provide textile fibers with good sustainability performance at a low cost.
Contact:
Ingrid Peura
SVP, Communications, Biomaterials division
Conventional retail is evolving and looking for new ways to serve consumers.
Combining the best of brick and mortar with e-commerce, a fresh approach is making its way onto the shelves: New Retail. At the heart of the New Retail concept are Selfly Store by Stora Enso, which are automated, unmanned and intuitive to use. Kiosks and small convenience stores can be converted into fully digitalized unmanned stores with no personnel.
New Retail Concept is Stora Enso’s offering for creating unmanned retail experiences, enabled by RFID technology.
Contact:
Aslak de Silva,
Managing Director, Selfly Store
Together with partners, HEAL explored the building industry value chain, seeking out pains, problems and inefficiencies. Service design methods and innovative digital technologies were used to help companies in the wood construction industry to find more effective and sustainable ways of working.
The focus of the initiative was HEAL Spaces, a concept leveraging new digital technologies, changing the way to design, build and maintain buildings. Stora Enso and Trä Group brought stakeholders and partners with the same ambition together to change the status quo of the building industry and to enable sustainable, healthy spaces and futures for all.
Contact:
David Blomquist,
Director, Digital Business, Wood Products division
Buying renewable and sustainable packaging doesn’t need to be complicated. Box Inc is an online marketplace established by Stora Enso.
It simplifies every step of the packaging procurement process: from designing boxes to receiving offers from suppliers and even placing an order. Box Inc currently operates in Germany and through the platform users can receive, compare and accept offers from packaging suppliers.
Contact:
Mikael Fristedt,
Head of Box Inc
For startups:
Business Lab is a portfolio of exploratory products, services and solutions that Stora Enso is developing in cooperation with external companies or that are fully driven by Stora Enso. Business Lab doesn’t provide direct funding and all included initiatives need to enter through a cooperation with one of Stora Enso’s divisions or one of Stora Enso’s two programmes for startups – the Accelerator Programme and Combient Foundry.
Are you looking for a partner to accelerate the materials eco-evolution?
