Topping-Out Ceremony for the “Latvijas Finieris” Resin Mill

Photo: Latvijas Finieris

On 28 October 2025, in the Bolderāja district of Riga, the topping-out ceremony was held for the new synthetic resin mill of JSC Latvijas Finieris Chemical Products Plant.

“The topping-out ceremony marks a significant stage in construction, when a symbolic green wreath is raised above the building to celebrate the completion of the main structural works. Although much remains to be done before the resin mill is fully completed, this day represents an important milestone – from the foundations to the roof, the project is now clearly visible and will soon become part of the bioeconomy and a greener future. We extend our gratitude to the construction team for their professional work and daily dedication in ensuring that the mill is built safely, precisely and in harmony. Sincere thanks also to our partners UPB projekti, UPB Energy and UPB Nams for excellent cooperation and our shared goal of achieving an outstanding result,” said Māris Būmanis, Member of the Board of Latvijas Finieris.

The new resin mill is being built within the Latvijas Finieris industrial area at 6 Finiera Street, Riga. Construction began at the end of 2024, and the building has already taken shape. The main prefabricated reinforced concrete and steel structures, as well as the external utility networks, have been completed. Installation of windows and doors and roofing works are under way, which will soon allow the building envelope to be finished. Work continues on internal engineering systems (heating, ventilation, power supply, etc.) to ensure the mill’s functionality. Landscaping of the surrounding area has also begun, including the construction of roads and paved areas. Inside the building, large technological units have already been installed and are being connected, while supporting structures for external equipment are under construction and will be fitted later this year.

The upcoming mill will be unique not only in Latvia but also globally. It will scale up the production of a new type of synthetic resins in which part of the fossil-based raw materials – phenol and formaldehyde – will be replaced with lignin, a natural wood component. This innovation will significantly reduce the use of fossil resources and foster a more environmentally responsible approach to adhesive and phenolic formaldehyde resin production. The planned annual production capacity is up to 45 000 tonnes.

Scientific partnership

The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry is proud to contribute to this innovative initiative as a scientific partner in the VIOBOND consortium, co-funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme (No. 101022987).

Led by Dr. sc. ing. Jānis Rižikovs, our researchers work alongside leading bioeconomy companies from five EU countries to:

  • develop industrially scalable technologies based on wood-derived lignin;

  • significantly reduce the use of fossil-based phenol and formaldehyde in synthetic resins;

  • support the commercialisation of lignin-phenol-formaldehyde (LPF) resins as sustainable industrial materials.

Through the VIOBOND project, Latvijas Finieris and its partners continue their path towards smarter, more resource-efficient and future-oriented manufacturing.

Source: www.finieris.com

Related articles

A Partnership That Advances Industry

Construction continues in Bolderāja on the first lignin-based resin flagship plant in the Baltics. The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) is proud to contribute to this innovative project as a scientific partner in the VIOBOND consortium. Our researchers collaborate with leading bioeconomy companies from five EU countries to: develop industrially scalable technologies based on wood-derived lignin, significantly reduce the use of fossil-based phenol and formaldehyde in synthetic resins, support the commercialization of sustainable lignin-phenol-formaldehyde (LPF) resins. The...

New Resin Plant in Bolderāja: Building Structure Taking Shape and First Equipment Installed

The development of the new resin production facility in the Bolderāja district of Riga is progressing rapidly. By early May, the structural framework of the two-story building had been completed, and the first production equipment was installed. In this new facility, Latvijas Finieris will partially replace fossil-based raw materials with lignin — a natural wood-derived component. This will reduce the share of fossil inputs in phenol-formaldehyde resins, which are currently used in the production of panel materials, thermal insulation, sandpaper, and many other everyday products. The plant’s...
Latvijas Finiera jaunās sveķu rūpnīcas atklāšanas pasākums. Pamatos tiek ierakts vēstījums nākamajām paaudzēm.

JSC Latvijas Finieris starts construction of a lignin resin production plant

On 15 January 2025, JSC Latvijas Finieris, an industrial partner of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, started construction of a new resin plant, an important milestone in the transition to a bio-based economy. The new plant will produce resins from the natural wood component lignin, which will partially replace the previously widely used fossil phenol, the basis for synthetic phenol-formaldehyde resins used to produce plywood for consumer products (construction, finishing and transport industries). A lignin processing plant of this scale is unique not only in Latvia, but also in...