The Digest’s 2018 5-Minute Guide to Lignin Enterprises
Lignin Enterprises, LLC, Charleston, SC USA
The Situation
We have three business elements: 1) providing engineering support to pulp and paper companies wanting to use our SLRP lignin recovery technology; 2) marketing and selling lignin regardless of how it’s made, currently focusing on West Fraser’s Lignin A made in Hinton AB Canada, and 3) developing new products and processes relative to lignin.
Top past Milestones
1. Re-alignment of our company, from simply promoting our SLRP technology to the three business elements stated earlier.
2. Developing our “Demonstration-Scale SLRP” which bridges our pilot-scale SLRP located at Clemson to future commercial-scale SLRPs making 40,000 Te/yr or more lignin. Multiple companies on four different continents are considering our demo-scale SLRP.
3. Developing a reward-based system for our network of engineers and scientists that provide proportional revenue directly to the team that commercially implements new products or processes.
Top future Milestones
1. The first (and 2nd, 3rd, 4th …) demonstration-scale SLRPs that will accomplish three objectives for their companies: a) provide tonne-size quantities of their lignin for application development; b) demonstrating the impact of interactive streams on the host mill’s operations; and c) training operators for the commercial SLRP.
2. Estabishing business agreements with five suppliers to market and sell their lignin.
3. Establishing a laboratory in Charleston SC which will be a prototyping site for new products and processes relative to lignin.
Products and Services
Our SLRP technology has significant advantages versus its competition: 50% lower CAPEX, 30-40% lower OPEX and extremely efficient vent-sulfur-gas capture and recovery. The product we are selling – Lignin A – has a better “odor profile” and lower inorganic salt content than its kraft lignin competitors.
Development Stage
We are an early-stage company with multiple current and future revenue streams.
Competitive Edge
Our low-cost SLRP lignin-recovery technology and our “one-stop shop” capability for making, selling and developing lignin-based products and processes. We are a small and nimble company with an “open innovation” perspective. We currently have several projects ongoing interactively with universities and national labs.
Key Partners
Our key partners are pulp and paper companies considering our SLRP technology worldwide, and multiple companies either currently buying or considering our lignin products in their applications. We are completely self-funded to date.
Category: 5-Minute Guide
