UPM officially opened its Leuna biorefinery in Germany on October 15, 2026, according to the chemXplore weekly project tracker.
The plant is still ramping up: so far only enzymatic hydrolysis and the lignin-based specialty chemicals have reached stable operation.
UPM is now ramping the remaining units toward full operation. The facility converts wood into biochemicals, adding a wood-based feedstock route to specialty chemical supply in Europe.
The start-up comes as European chemical producers face high energy and feedstock costs, making bio-based and integrated value chains a focus of investment.
UPM's Leuna project was highlighted as the project of the week in the tracker for the week ending October 28.
