Spinchem shares 40 million SEK in research project

The Umeå company Spinchem shares about 40 million SEK in an international research project funded by the European Union.

”This is good timing for SpinChem since our strategy is to create new environmentally friendly, bio-based processes for industry,” says Emil Byström, CEO of Spinchem.

Spinchem will receive a share of EUR 3.7 million, or nearly SEK 40 million, to support two PhD students. The grant is from the EU's research and innovation program Horizon 2020, awarded to Aarhus University in Denmark. The university has teamed up with 21 other industries and universities to create new process paths that can contribute to the production of sustainable products by mimicking the metabolism of living organisms.

”Part of the project objectives will be to develop ‘biopolymers’, that is plastics made from biological raw materials instead of fossil materials. This research can have a decisive impact on the future of the chemical polymer industry, which today is considered to be a major contributor to plastic pollution. We are very happy to be part of such a project,” says Emil Byström.

The project will employ 14 people, two of whom will spend 18 months each at Spinchem in Umeå.

”It’s a positive step for SpinChem, enabling us to include more competences that can help in developing cleaner products and processes that contribute to less pollution in the world. For us as a small company this project adds power to our already strong position as an innovation company”, says Emil Byström.

Spinchem develops and manufactures the Rotating Bed Reactor (RBR), which, when loaded with various types of solid materials, can be used for the production of renewable fuels, chemicals, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as well as purification of water and hazardous waste streams such as for exampler in the nuclear industry.

”We direct our efforts to both research laboratories and production facilities worldwide. Today we have customers in more than 20 countries with North America being an important market for us,” says Emil Byström.

SpinChem is a privately funded company but is also part of Umeå Biotech Incubator's Growing’ program, which gives the company access to fully equipped labs.

”With the additional demands on facilities we will need with the two new people, who will be working on the research project, it is excellent for us to be able to access the complementary infrastructure that exists within the incubator,” says Emil Byström.

The coordinator for the research project is Associate Professor Selin Kara at Aarhus University.

”I’m looking forward to the work in the coming years. It is an important project that can contribute greatly to a more sustainable development. I am also pleased with Spinchem's involvement. Their innovative technology will play a crucial role in certain processes within the project,” says Selin Kara.

For more information, please contact:

Emil Byström, CEO of SpinChem AB
Email: emil@spinchem.com
Mobile: +46 706 892 501

About Spinchem:

Spinchem is a privately-owned limited company with an international Board of Directors from both the financial and scientific sectors of industry and academia. The company is located in Umeå, Sweden. SpinChem actively takes part in research cooperations with several academic institutions, both at the nearby Umeå University and on the global stage.