UPM Biochemicals has reached a significant milestone in advancing the world's inaugural biorefinery in Leuna, Germany. Collaborating with DB Cargo, the initial shipments of timber have commenced transportation to Leuna via rail, inaugurating and assessing the direct rail connection to the wood yard at Leuna operations.
This initiative will facilitate UPM in transporting timber sustainably and fortifying local supply chains, thereby enhancing the resilience of supply concerning essential raw materials. DB Cargo, renowned for its sustainable and eco-friendly freight transportation services, has been a longstanding partner for timber transport via rail and has managed UPM's paper and pulp freight for numerous years.
"We are thrilled to witness the commencement of timber transports via rail at our newly established wood yard in Leuna," remarked Andreas Meggendorfer, Director of Supply Chain & Sourcing at UPM Biochemicals. "We are committed to providing entirely sustainable renewable chemicals with a considerably superior CO2 footprint compared to conventional alternatives. It is imperative that we strategize to continually enhance the environmental performance of our products. The utilization of rail transport achieves precisely that goal. By collaborating with DB Cargo, we can now rely on a reputable and proficient rail logistics partner, ensuring the establishment of a resilient and sustainable timber logistics framework for our Leuna biorefinery."
"UPM and DB Cargo have enjoyed a successful partnership in rail-based inbound timber logistics for many years. Therefore, we are delighted to become a crucial supply chain ally for UPM at the new Leuna biorefinery," remarked Thorsten Wartenpfuhl, Senior Vice President of Sales for Consumer Goods, Pulp & Paper, and Timber at DB Cargo.
It is notable that timber handling and processing operations have commenced as part of the commissioning and startup activities for the biorefinery. The initial wood chips derived from sustainably managed regional forests have been generated, affirming the overall progress achieved on-site.
UPM is investing EUR 1,180 million in erecting the world's inaugural industrial-scale biorefinery in Leuna, which will convert sustainably sourced, certified hardwood into next-generation biochemicals. This transition will facilitate the crucial shift from fossil-based to renewable materials across a diverse array of industries. The Leuna biorefinery is an integral component of UPM Biorefining's broader expansion strategy, which encompasses scaling refineries to produce an assortment of renewable fuels and chemicals derived from sustainable biomass.
