From pulp bleaching to the improvement of recycled fibers, as well as the reduction of contaminants and the optimization of process parameters, the enzymatic biosolutions offered by Novonesis represent a concrete and high-performing alternative to conventional chemistry. Let’s take a closer look
Novonesis is a Danish company operating worldwide, with more than 20 production sites and 40 application centers located across several continents. It is a key player in the field of industrial biosolutions, contributing to redefining the pulp and paper sector through innovative, enzyme-based approaches.
In this exclusive interview, Jens Christian Moestrup, Head of the Grain and Technical Business Unit at Novonesis, shares with Industria della Carta his vision for the industry: more efficient, sustainable, and safer processes capable of reducing environmental impact and creating value throughout the entire paper supply chain.
Novonesis is a key player in industrial biosolutions. What is your specific vision for the pulp and paper sector?
«Our vision for the pulp and paper industry is to leverage the power of biosolutions to make critical mill processes more efficient, sustainable and safer, delivering value across the entire operation. These biosolutions are enzymatic innovations that help mills boost efficiency, lower their environmental impact, and produce higher-performing products. Also, they help create a safer working environment for employees by reducing the need for chemicals in production.
When adopting biosolutions in mill processes, you save energy costs, reduce chemical use and improve fiber quality, while supporting a transition toward more responsible operations. We owe it to nature to get the most out of every tree harvested.»
What are the main areas of papermaking where Novonesis applies its biotechnological solutions?
«Enzymes play a versatile role across several application segments in pulp and paper manufacture. For example, enzymatic treatment of brown pulp can significantly reduce the need for bleaching chemicals while enhancing the final brightness of the fully bleached pulp.
Most conventional pulp grades can be selectively modified through enzymatic modification of fiber surfaces to improve or introduce novel papermaking properties. Additionally, specific classes of enzymes can mitigate operational and product quality issues related to pitch and stickies by neutralizing the contaminants before they form deposits. Enzymes are also commonly employed in the preparation of starch for surface application, reducing costs and increasing control over cooked starch properties.»
In your opinion, what are the main challenges that chemistry in pulp and paper manufacturing is currently facing?
«Conventional chemicals used in pulp and paper production are facing intensifying scrutiny related to sustainability, environmental impact and safety. Although the process of pulp bleaching has evolved greatly over the past few decades, the health and environmental risks of common bleaching chemicals have not been eliminated.
Processing aids and functional paper and board additives are often petrochemicals derived from fossil reserves and thereby counter to sustainability objectives. Also, many chemicals are designed to become part of the finished products and, therefore, are subject to further regulation.
Compared to conventional chemicals in pulp and paper production, enzymes are inherently sustainable and designed to optimize fibers and pulps without remaining in the final product.»
Which process parameters are most positively impacted by your enzymes—drainage, strength, COD reduction, or others?
«Enzymes are currently delivering a wide range of benefits in the production and performance of paper and board. Their application in both integrated and non-integrated pulp mills help reduce production costs while enhancing pulp runnability and strengthening potential.
Within paper and board mills, enzymes improve the response of multiple grades of pulp to refining, reduce reliance on processing and functional additives during stock preparation, enhance dewatering in the wet-end and press sections, and boost the structural and strength properties of finished products.
In mills, utilizing mechanical or semi-chemical pulps, enzymes help mitigate production and quality issues related to extractives. Similarly, enzymes effectively address issues associated with common contaminants such as stickies, which are prevalent in the production of paper and board from recovered fiber.»
How do the advantages of your solutions translate into economic benefits and production efficiency for paper mills?
«Many of the benefits of our enzyme solutions stem from their ability to selectively modify specific components within the pulp. Enzymes that condition unbleached pulp fibers to respond more efficiently to bleaching can significantly reduce overall bleaching costs. Others modify fiber surfaces to promote stronger bonding in tissue, paper, and board, which not only lowers energy consumption during refining but also enhances dewatering, ultimately reducing drying costs.
In some cases, the added strength enables performance targets to be met with bulkier and/or lower basis weight products, translating into savings of expensive fiber.
Additionally, enzymes that target and degrade suspended contaminants in the pulp help prevent agglomeration and deposition on wires, felts, rollers, and dryer cans. This extends the life of machine clothing and doctor blades, minimizes costly web breaks, conserves steam in the dryer section, and reduces the risk of product rejection due to holes or surface defects.»
Are there specific segments (tissue, packaging, graphic paper, etc.) where your biosolutions have delivered particularly significant results?
«Enzymes continue to play a vital role in segments with demanding performance requirements, particularly in grades that increasingly rely on recovered or non-traditional fiber sources.
Enzymatic treatment of recycled pulps can restore desirable properties—such as runnability and interfiber bonding potential—that are typically associated with virgin pulp. This is especially beneficial in the production of recycled linerboard and medium, where strength targets would otherwise require higher energy input, costly fiber supplements, increased fiber content, or chemical additives.
Additionally, enzymatic treatment can enhance the strengthening potential of virgin hardwood fiber, enabling partial replacement of more expensive softwood fiber in blends. Similarly, treating virgin softwood fiber with enzymes can improve its performance, allowing manufacturers to meet strength and structural requirements with lower softwood content.
This ability to reduce manufacturing costs by upgrading recovered and economical fiber is valuable across all major paper and board segments. However, it holds particular significance for grades aligned with packaging-related sustainability goals.»
How do enzymes and other biosolutions offered by Novonesis contribute to the sustainability of paper production?
«Enzymes not only enable the expanded use of inherently sustainable, cost-effective, and locally sourced recovered and virgin fiber, but also contribute to reducing the overall cost and environmental footprint of pulp, paper, and board production.
Their application helps lower energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, water usage, and chemical requirements of the industry.
Compared to chemicals, enzymes are more environmentally friendly in their production. Produced through fermentation, they result in significantly lower carbon emissions, energy use, and water consumption compared to chemical alternatives on an equivalent volume basis.»
Can you provide a concrete example of how the use of biosolutions has helped reduce environmental impact compared to traditional chemical treatments?
«In multiple cases, enzymatic treatment of pulps derived from old, corrugated containers (OCC) have reduced or even eliminated the need for refining, enhanced dewatering during formation and pressing, and significantly improved the structure and strength of finished linerboard—often exceeding specification targets. This performance boost has enabled fiber savings through reduced board weights.
In each instance, enzymes selectively modify the natural components of the original fiber, enhancing both on-machine performance and final product properties. Unlike many chemical additives, enzymes are not derived from fossil sources, are not designed to remain in the finished board and are not subject to extensive regulatory or safety compliance.
Their use in recycled board production ultimately reduces energy consumption, chemical usage, and fiber demand—delivering both economic and environmental benefits.»
What are the key technical differences between an enzymatic/biological solution and a conventional chemical one, for instance in deinking or fiber refining?
«A fundamental distinction between enzymes and chemicals lies in their mode of action. Enzymes are catalytic—each molecule can facilitate numerous reactions—whereas chemicals are typically consumed in a single event, such as oxidation, reduction, bonding, or absorption. As a result, a single enzyme molecule can progressively dislodge and clean ink particles or condition fiber surfaces to respond more favorably to refining.
Due to their small size, many chemicals penetrate deep into the fiber wall, often participating in unproductive or even undesirable reactions.
In contrast, the much larger enzyme molecules are sterically restricted to the outer surfaces of the fiber. This physical limitation concentrates enzymatic activity in ideal locations—such as at the interface with ink particles—and imparts novel, localized attributes to the fiber that are not achievable through chemical or mechanical means.
Ultimately, the unique response of enzymatically modified fibers to conventional refining reduces the energy required to develop pulps that meet or exceed performance criteria.»
What role does research and development play at Novonesis, particularly in the pulp & paper segment?
«R&D is the foundation for everything we do at Novonesis. Through continuous exploration and innovation, we develop ground-breaking solutions that improve 30+ industries and the world around us.
Our commitment to innovation drives our continuous expansion of experimental and commercial enzyme portfolios in the pulp, paper, and board industry.
Here, foundational materials such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, extractives, and starch serve as natural substrates for biological organisms. The enzymes produced by such organisms are isolated, characterized, and engineered by our researchers to endure the extreme conditions inherent to pulping, bleaching, and papermaking processes.
Guided by dedicated development teams, promising enzyme candidates undergo rigorous evaluation through laboratory simulations, followed by full-scale industrial trials prior to commercialization.»
What is the main message Novonesis would like to convey to Italian paper mills seeking more sustainable and high-performing solutions?
«We strongly believe that sustainability and high-performing solutions are not mutually exclusive.
Our innovative biosolutions provide a pathway for mills, including Italian paper and board mills, to reduce harsh chemical and energy use, minimize environmental impact, and enhance product quality — all without compromising operational excellence.
We are dedicated to empowering mills to keep up with growing demand while meeting their sustainability goals.»