Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry

forest

Salmi

Our vision

The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry as a Baltic bioeconomy excellence centre will promote biorefinery as the backbone of future industry, and wood as a modern, sustainable building material, thus reducing the use of fossil resources and achieving Europe 2050 Zero Emission goals.

Scientific infrastructure

Research activity

The staff of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry represent various scientific disciplines, including, chemistry, biology, materials science. The main scientific directions of the Institute are wood materials, biorefinery, green chemistry, which evolve by combining fundamental and applied research.

The research topics of the Institute mirror the versatility of nature, and find applications in different fields.

Paper and packaging

Cellulose, natural polymers, recycled materials, composites

Building materials

Wood materials, restoration, boards, composites, coatings, isolation materials

Transportation

Bio-ethanol, fuel cells in electric cars, green hydrogen, criogenic isolation for space crafts

Green chemicals

Sugar derivatives, phenols, furans, polymers, catalysts

Health and well-being

Biologically active compounds, antioxidants in food and cosmetics, wood bone implants

Energy

Fuel pellets, electrochemical catalysts

Environment

Sorbents, soil enhancers, plant growth stimulants and plant protection agents

Knowledge

High level science, cooperation with the industry and educational institutions

Laboratories

Koksnes bionoārdīšanās un aizsardzības laboratorija

Laboratory of Wood Degradation and Protection

Biorefinery laboratory

Biorefinery Laboratory

Cellulose Laboratory

Cellulose Laboratory

Cietais kurināmais granulās

Laboratory of Lignin Chemistry

Polimēru laboratorija

Polymer Laboratory

biomasa kolbās

Laboratory of Bioengineering

Our mission

is the development of competitive materials and products from wood and other biomass with scientifically based, environmentally friendly low-waste technologies.

News

Konference, kas 2026. gada izskaņā pulcēs Lauku atbalsta dienesta administrētos pētījumus lauksaimniecības tematikā

LSIWC's cryogenic insulation research featured in an international industry magazine

The international polyurethane industry magazine Urethanes Technology International has published an in-depth feature article, "Foam Flight", exploring the potential of cryogenic insulation for future aircraft powered by liquefied hydrogen. The article's author, industry journalist Steven Pacitti, interviewed Uģis Cābulis, Scientific Director of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), who shares the Institute's experience and research achievements in this field. The article examines one of the key challenges on the path towards zero-emission aviation: how to safely store...

What Can This Equipment Do? A Class II Biological Safety Cabinet Provides a Sterile Environment for Microbiological Research

In our article series "What Can This Equipment Do?", we introduce the newly acquired equipment and laboratory upgrades at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. This time, we highlight the nSAFE Premium Class II Biological Safety Cabinet, which provides a sterile and safe working environment for microbiological research. The cabinet simultaneously protects the researcher, the samples being handled, and the surrounding environment. It complies with the EN 12469 standard and is equipped with a stainless steel work chamber and a high-efficiency filtration system. Its controlled laminar...

LSIWC researchers showcase a fully automated bioreactor prototype for producing a microbiological preparation under farm conditions

On 16 June, a fully automated bioreactor prototype for producing a microbiological preparation under farm conditions was demonstrated at Aloja Agro Ltd. as part of the Subt4Potato project. Developed by the Bioengineering Laboratory of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), the prototype represents another step towards enabling the production of microbiological preparations under farm conditions. The Subt4Potato project explores the production and application of a novel microbiological preparation containing Bacillus subtilis MSCL 1441 bacteria for horticulture and crop farming...

Events

14. - 16. September, 2026

WSE 2026 Conference

The 22nd Annual Conference of the Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE) will take place on September 15–16, 2026, in Riga, Latvia. It will be organized by the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry in cooperation with Riga Technical University. In conjunction with the WSE 2026 conference, a training seminar for students and early-career researchers will be held on September 14, 2026, in Riga. It will be jointly organized by the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry together with the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava.” The conferences organized by the WSE network are held annually with the aim of promoting the professional development of early-career researchers and establishing contacts between research groups working in the field of wood science and engineering. If you wish to express interest in supporting the WSE 2026 conference or have any other questions, please contact the organizers at wse2026@kki.lv Conference website: https://sites.google.com/ kki.lv/wse2026/

3. December, 2026

Conference about sustainable solutions in agriculture and horticulture

On 3rd December the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry is hosting an informative conference on innovative, science-based solutions for soil improvement in agriculture, crop production, and horticulture. The conference will feature presentations on the latest research into soil improvement using microbiological and plant-based products. The goal of the conference is to introduce the general public to research conducted in Latvia that has practical applications in sustainable agriculture. The conference is open to all interested parties. To receive a personalized invitation to register, please send a free-form application to Oskars Grīgs, leading researcher at LSIWC and the event organizer, via email oskars.grigs@kki.lv The event is organised within the project "Production and application of a microbiological preparation under farm conditions for increasing yield in horticulture and crop farming enterprises ( Subt4Potato)".