OREANDA-NEWS. October 10, 2011. A ceremonial opening of new laboratory facilities took place on October 6 in the St. Petersburg State Technological University of Plant Polymers. The laboratories, re-equipped under Larch Project, were fitted with the cutting-edge hi-tech equipment in order to model the technological processes of larch wood processing.

The ribbon was cut by Mr. Zakhar Smushkin, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Vyacheslav Suslov, Rector of the St. Petersburg State Technical University of Plant Polymers. Mr. Paul Herbert, Chief Executive Officer of Ilim Group, and Professor Eduard Akim, Academic Advisor to Larch Project from the University, also took part in the event.

The re-equipment of the research and development complex of the St. Petersburg State Technical University of Plant Polymers was financed by the Project, which won the innovations contest held by the Ministry of Education and Science in 2010. The project is co-financed by Ilim Group and the budget of the Russian Federation, RUR 150 million each.

According to Mr. Smushkin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ilim Group, new laboratory facilities were essential in order to implement the innovative project successfully. "If we manage to create an effective technology for larch wood processing, we will have a unique new kind of pulp for making sanitary and hygiene products. We hope to succeed in it," - Mr. Smushkin said.

Larch project is a unique one because such technology has not been used anywhere in the world. Its implementation may produce a new kind of pulp, with absorbency which is 4 times better than that of the best kinds of pulp produced from other kinds of wood. This means that commercial production of such pulp may bring changes to the present-day market of sanitary and hygiene products and medical goods.

As the first example of innovations in the Russian forestry sector, this project involves public-private partnership.

Pilot cooking of pulp from larch wood was successfully attempted at the Bratsk Branch of Ilim Group in May 2011. New product samples are being currently tested by potential buyers.