Moving forward with strong progress
We are launching this newsletter to share what has been happening in the WoodCell project. Here are the key highlights from Q1 2026.
- We launched our new website: woodcell.fibenol.com. It brings together our latest news, materials, and project updates, and gives a clear overview of how WoodCell™ crystalline cellulose is produced and how the consortium works toward a shared goal
- And surprise, surprise. If you prefer visual content, you can learn about the project through this video: Woodcell project video
To set the scene, Gert Preegel, Business Developer at Fibenol and WoodCell Project Manager, shares his perspective on recent progress:
“WoodCell has made solid progress, especially in application development. What is most encouraging is that the work is becoming more practical, with clearer direction in the areas where we see the strongest potential,” says Gert.
“In packaging, we have made strong progress and reached the first end-customer validations. This is an important milestone, as it shows that our work is translating into real market feedback. In paints and coatings, where crystalline cellulose is developed as a thickener, we continue to modify the material to better meet customer expectations and application requirements. In energy storage, we now have a clearer understanding of the main bottlenecks. This helps us define which crystalline cellulose properties need to be improved for it to become a viable alternative to current solutions.”
Looking ahead, the focus is clear: “We will continue improving the material based on what we have learned from these developments and validations. We now better understand both the opportunities and the gaps we need to close. This makes the next steps more concrete and gives confidence that the project is moving in the right direction.”
SSbD in practice with LIST
Together with Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) , we published a series of blog posts on the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework within the WoodCell project:
- We introduced how SSbD is applied to WoodCell™ crystalline cellulose, showing how safety and sustainability are built in from the start.
- We explained how sustainability and safety are assessed in practice, combining life cycle thinking with economic, social, and safety aspects.
- We showed how this approach supports trust, better decision-making, and market readiness for bio-based materials.
Together, these blog posts make SSbD more practical and show how it can be applied in real industrial development.
Packaging developments
Work on packaging applications is progressing well. Fibenol is collaborating with Kroonpak to validate the use of WoodCell™ crystalline cellulose in packaging solutions, including industrial-scale coating trials and
prototype production. The current focus is on fibre-based barrier solutions that provide:
- resistance to grease and oils
- protection against light moisture
- barrier properties against air, oxygen, and mineral oils
Read more about the first pilot: https://woodcell.fibenol.com/from-wood-fibres-to-plastic-free-burger-boxes/
Download packaging information material.
Events ahead
- 15–16 April: Meet us at Fibenol booth 5C15
- 16th of April April at 10:00: Join us at the Speakers Corner, where Fibenol’s CDO Peep Pitk will present how WoodCell™ enables plastic-free food packaging
- Meet our team at Pulp & Beyond, connect with Gert Preegel (WoodCell™ crystalline cellulose), Frederic Naves, EMBA (thermoforming), or Mikk Kull (packaging), Peep Pitk (Fibenol), Liisa Rohila (media relations)
- Find out more about us at the Pulp & Beyond: https://woodcell.fibenol.com/heading-to-pulp-beyond-to-change-your-burger-box-for-good/
Interpack 2026
- Meet our team at Interpack, connect with Gert Preegel (WoodCell™ crystalline cellulose), Frederic Naves, EMBA (thermoforming), or Mikk Kull (packaging)
- See our packaging samples with plastic-free barrier coatings
The WoodCell project brings together leaders in innovation, production, and application development, covering the full value chain from raw wood to finished products: Fibenol, Skeleton Technologies, Arkema (Coatex), DS Smith , RISE Research Institutes of Sweden , EPFL , HES-SO Valais-Wallis , Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and Foreko.
The WoodCell project is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and its members under Grant Agreement No. 101157583.
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