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The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry has joined Pilots4U – a European database and collaboration platform that connects open-access pilot and demonstration facilities for the validation of biobased technologies. LSIWC has registered its pilot-scale units, offering access to scalable technologies ranging from feedstock preparation to biomass conversion processes at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4–6. The institute’s Pilot-Scale Hangar hosts an integrated technological infrastructure that includes equipment for feedstock preparation (coarse and vibratory mills, sieving systems...

The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry has joined the ambitious European research project 4Sir2 ( “Building a Healthy Drink Ecosystem to Prevent Childhood Obesity”), which aims to develop an innovative functional fruit-based beverage designed to help prevent childhood obesity. At the heart of the project lies the valorisation of grape pomace – specifically the resveratrol and polyphenols found in grape skins – which have been shown to activate sirtuins, a group of genes involved in metabolism and obesity regulation. The resulting 4Sir2 Smoothie will not only be natural and healthy but...

The activities of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry between 2019 and 2025 demonstrate how scientific innovation is transformed into new materials, industrial products, and even technologies for space missions. This visual and analytical report highlights the institute’s role in advancing a sustainable bioeconomy by analysing research trends, funding structures, and industry collaboration. Research Focus and Development Dynamics (2019–2025) From 2019 to 2025, LSIWC has demonstrated strategic consistency and a clear thematic focus, particularly in the field of green chemistry, with 8...

Changing climate patterns – especially unpredictable winters – pose a significant threat to bee colony survival across Europe. A study conducted by Wageningen University, commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, found that 21.2% of bee colonies did not survive the winter of 2023–2024 ( Wageningen University & Research, 2024). Similar figures have been reported in Germany (16.2%), Switzerland (18.9%), and Austria (12.6%) ( Agroscope&Bienen.ch, Imkerbund.at, 2023–2024). Latvia reflects the same trend. According to the Latvian Beekeepers’ Association (LBB), in...

The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), in collaboration with AS Latvijas Finieris, has achieved a breakthrough in the wood processing industry that has been sought for decades — the development of an innovative, 100% bio-based adhesive, which for the first time in history has enabled birch plywood to achieve 1st class water resistance (EN 314-2) under industrial conditions. The adhesive is based on a specially formulated mixture of birch bark suberinic acids and ligno-carbohydrates, tailored to meet standard industrial plywood pressing parameters. The Need for a Safer and More...

In June 2025, the International Lignin Institute (ILI), of which the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry is a member, announced a major step forward in the implementation of its pilot programme. A newly published press release highlights four priority application areas that have shown significant progress in lignin utilization: phenolic resins, polyurethanes, dispersants, and rubber compounds. These very same application areas are expected to gain importance in Latvia in the coming years, as a commercial-scale biorefinery is planned in Valmiera, led by Fibenol Latvia, a subsidiary of the...