Natural Pulping plans to establish itself as a market leader in the production of environmentally friendly pulp from raw materials.


But Frogmore Mills Cliff Martin, while admitting that materials such as straw can be used to make pulp, has questioned the economic viability of the process.


Natural Pulping also plans to build partnerships within the wood-processing and pulp-producing industry and award licences for using its natural pulping technology.


The firm, based in Winnenden, Germany, develops sustainable processes for producing pulp from raw materials such as straw, hemp, bamboo, or kenaph (referred to as annual plants), as well as hardwood and softwood materials.


Licences will be assigned to companies to produce pulp under a patented process using the natural pulping technology.


As a low-yield product, vast quantities of straw would be needed to make a small amount of pulp.


Martin said that hemp had also been used quite heavily in the pulping process before, and had been promoted as having particularly strong long fibres. "Not all mills can cope with this though," he added.


A spokeswoman said Natural Pulping would be supported by Jaakko Pyry in the future development of its processes.


The Natural Pulping process offers many advantages, not least low manufacturing costs and positive effects on the environment.


Other factors include: the use of organic, biodegradable and readily available chemicals; a closed chemical cycle; chlorine- and sulphur-free production, and the extraction of high-quality pulp and valuable by-products such as lignin.


The company has also developed a technical centre that will enable it to undertake large-scale testing of raw materials and produce large volumes of pulp.


Story by Andy Scott