Forestia in Våler may be the first factory in Norway to receive used wood materials – NRK Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
Forestia in Våler in the Inland is today one of Scandinavia’s largest chipboard factories. For two years they have worked to be able to accept returns in their industry.
Wood products that are burned today.
– We are a good step closer to realizing the plans now, says CEO of Forestia Terje Sagbakken.
In the proposed state budget, NOK 100 million has been allocated to Innovation Norway to invest in green industry. He interprets it as if the last piece is soon in place.
It looks promising for the factory with 200 employees, says the Forestia director.
Have been waiting a long time
Forestia currently uses sawdust from the wood industry, which is dried and glued together into boards that can be used in the construction industry. In the future they will be able to mix in chips from old wood materials that are cut up and reused in industry.
Wood waste accounts for 20 per cent of the waste in Norway. Today it is burned up instead of being reused.
Products from wood bind large amounts of carbon. When returns are reused in new products, it is extended by many years.
- The chipboard factory in Våler has been waiting a long time for the money that could turn the factory into a climate factory:
Forestia takes the largest part of the investments in the project of NOK 250 million itself. But since it is a large investment, it is not in itself economically profitable.
Therefore, they applied to Innovation Norway for NOK 80 million in support.
The rejection came before Christmas last year, even though the politicians in the Storting thought reusing building materials in wood was a very good idea.
Innovation Norway did not have the room for maneuver they needed to grant the application.
After that, Forestia has stuck its head in the wall in an attempt to get the climate factory in place.
– The signals in the state budget provide new energy, says Terje Sagbakken, who had actually given the project a deadline for the rest of the year.
The factory is doing so well that they can do without the environmentally friendly solution. If there were no positive signals from the state budget now, they would put the plans on hold.
Spoke for the climate factory in opposition
When the government presented the Hurdal platform, there was a point that was tailored to the chipboard factory in Våler.
It stated that the new government will facilitate the construction of facilities for recycling used wood material from buildings, which ensures that the material can be used for new industrial production.
There are no facilities in Norway today that have come so far with the plans on such a large scale as Forestia in Våler.
Both Jonas Gahr Støre and Trygve Slagsvold Vedum have been concerned that Forestia should be allowed to start up the plans for a climate factory.
They visited Forestia 200 days before the election.
– Here we can see the start of a new type of industry in the districts, says Storting representative Nils Kristen Sandtrøen (Labor).
He is one of many Storting politicians who have visited Forestia in recent years.
The NOK 100 million proposed to strengthen Innovation Norway will go to industrial projects that contribute to less emissions and a circular economy. Exactly what Forestia has in mind.
– It is Innovation Norway that will process the application, but there are clear guidelines from the government as to what this should go for, says Nils Kristen Sandtrøen.
Per Ottar Walderhaug in Innovation Norway says the proposal is in line with what he wanted. Now they are waiting for a new application from Forestia that they can process.
Can start up next year
With the new criteria in place, Forestia will send a new application.
Forestia’s CEO, Terje Sagbakken, demands it be in place during the winter. Then they can start building the climate factory next year.
In the long run, they can create new industries based on returns.
– Then we will have more business development in the districts, he says.
In the Solør region, of which Våler is a part, this could mean up to 100 new jobs.
– This is very important for both those who work here and the entire region, says factory manager Espen Svenneby.
He believes this can secure jobs that are based on the forest they are surrounded by.
- The previous prime minister was also concerned about forests and the climate. But not everyone agreed that afforestation was the solution: