News

Researchers from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry Receive the Latvian Academy of Sciences Award for the Most Significant Scientific Achievements of 2024

We are delighted to announce that today, February 28, 2025, our researchers were honored at the Latvian Academy of Sciences’ ceremony recognizing the most significant scientific achievements of 2024. Our Polymer Laboratory, led by Academician Dr. sc. ing. Ugis Cabulis, was acknowledged for developing an advanced cryogenic insulation material, which has been successfully used for the thermal insulation of fuel tanks in the European Space Agency - ESA latest launch vehicle, Ariane6. The construction of space rockets requires special innovations in materials science, as liquid hydrogen and oxygen...

Researchers from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry and Representatives of “Fibenol” Visit Valmiera Technical School

As part of Vidzeme Innovation Week 2025, Valmiera Technical School hosted the event “Wood Biorefining – Innovation in Latvia’s Bioeconomy.” In the first part of the event, Dr. Daniela Godiņa, a researcher from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, and Mg. chem. Matīss Pāls delivered presentations. In the second part, an informative lecture was given by Merili Palu, a board member of Fibenol Latvia, a subsidiary of the Estonian biorefining company Fibenol, together with Fibenol’s bioprocess project manager Raul Rinken. The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, as a center of...

From cooking oil to future materials? Yes, that's right!

What do you do with used cooking oil? Pour it down the sink? Store it in a jar? What if we told you it could become a bio-based plastics that replaces traditional plastics? In our new project, TReResin, we are exploring ways to convert used cooking oil into highly crosslinked β-amino polymer resins, which can serve as thermally recyclable building blocks. In other words, we’re developing vitrimers from biogenic waste. What Are Vitrimers and Why Is This Revolutionary? Traditional plastics are either thermosetting (practically impossible to break down or recycle) or thermoplastic (recyclable but...

Latvijas Finieris AS and Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry – Shaping a Resilient Future Together! 

Today, the annual in-person seminar of Latvijas Finieris for the company’s senior executives took place at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC). After the seminar, LSIWC scientists took on the role of tour guides, introducing Latvijas Finieris partners to the institute’s laboratories and the Pilot-Scale Hangar, where our researchers conduct innovative studies and develop new products. LSIWC and Latvijas Finieris closely collaborate on several research projects, including the international consortium project VIOBOND, which aims to develop more environmentally friendly synthetic...

Space Innovations from Latvia: LSIWC Research for European Launch Vehicles

On Friday, February 28, the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS) will hold the award ceremony for the winners of the Science Achievement Competition. Among the 12 most outstanding scientific studies of 2024 in Latvia, a special place is held by the work of the Polymer Laboratory at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, led by Academician Dr.sc.ing. Uģis Cābulis. The President of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Ivars Kalviņš, stated: “We are pleased to observe that the range of candidates participating in the LAS-organized competition for the best scientific achievements in Latvia is...

How Science Can Improve Fashion – Dr. biol. Ulla Milbreta at the Eco-Schools Winter Forum!

From February 21 to 23, the Eco-Schools Winter Forum will bring together experts in education, sustainability, and environmental protection to share experiences and address pressing issues related to sustainable living. Among the participants will be Ulla Milbreta, a researcher at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry and a member of Zero Waste Latvija. She will lead a discussion on the topic: “Beauty Comes at a Price – How Dangerous Are the Clothes We Wear Daily?” Are we aware of how our clothing affects the environment and our health? What hidden chemicals are present in our wardrobe...