ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products Sections and Merchant Bars contributes to sustainable transport in Norway

Borregaard, a Norwegian biochemicals producer is currently building a new warehouse that will allow them to store all the lignin in one place instead of different sites, thus improving logistics and reducing CO₂ emissions from road transport. The warehouse is being built with beams from ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products.

330 tonnes of beams from Belval

Borregaard and logistics company Borg Havn are building a modern, sustainable lignin warehouse in Øra, near Fredrikstad in Norway. The structure of this new 19,000 square-metre warehouse is currently being built with 330 tonnes of beams produced by ArcelorMittal Europe – Long Products Sections and Merchant Bars' mill in Belval, Luxembourg.  

A modern, sustainable lignin warehouse

The new warehouse will bring many benefits:

• Optimise product flow and improve logistics Today, Borregaard stores lignin at a number of different sites, several of which are outside the company's premises. Lignin is currently transported via Borregaard's own port facility or by road to Borg Havn for delivery to customers. A new warehouse to store all the lignin will therefore mean more efficient logistics with fewer stages of transportation.
• Strengthen the position of the port "Increased volumes will allow for transport to more European destinations, which will also benefit other users of the port. In this way, sea transport will increase and heavy road traffic will decrease," says Tore Lundestad, Port Director of Borg.

The building is also designed for future energy-saving solutions such as roof-mounted solar cells.

Zero-emissions solutions

Borregaard is keen to have efficient zero-emissions solutions for the transportation of raw materials to its production facilities and products to its customers. In addition to a joint pilot project to study possible autonomous transport solutions by ship across the River Glomma between Sarpsborg and Fredrikstad, Borregaard is also looking into the future potential for road transport using electric vehicles.

"This project will reduce CO₂ emissions from road transport and relieve traffic growth on European roads. It will also greatly reduce the local heavy transport related to Borregaard's exports from Borg Havn," says Per A. Sørlie, CEO of Borregaard.

Borregaard's plant in Sarpsborg has an annual lignin capacity of 160,000 tonnes, and an increasing proportion is speciality products. A centralised warehouse at Borg is part of a project where Borregaard is investing NOK 500 million in upgrading and specialisation of the Sarpsborg plants producing lignin products. The project also involves enhanced drying capacity, new ideas for the storage of liquid materials and improved solutions for logistics, infrastructure and energy.

The warehouse will be completed by the end of 2019.

Picture copyright: Henning Klausen at Metacon

About Borregaard

Borregaard owns one of the world's most advanced and sustainable biorefineries. By using natural, sustainable raw materials, Borregaard produces advanced and eco-friendly biochemicals that can replace oil-based products. Borregaard has 1,010 employees in factories and sales offices in 16 countries in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Borregaard also has strong positions in ingredients and fine chemicals.

About Borg Havn

Borg Havn Iks was founded in 2000. The company's line of business includes marine cargo handling services. Borg Havn Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg offers easy access, large capacity and efficient logistics. It provides a simple cargo handling and short times for the boats. The port is therefore a natural alternative for the transport industry and we are a preferred partner within maritime transport and logistics. From Borg Havn is a short distance further to E6, where you reach Oslo in under an hour and it takes you 20 minutes to Sweden Svinesund.