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Workshop on the coming SHOK call of Academy of Finland, March 12, 201210.02.2012
Forestcluster Ltd organizes a workshop, where the AKA-SHOK call is presented and discussed. The workshop will be held on March 12, 2012, 1-4 PM at VTT Auditorium, Vuorimiehentie 5, Espoo.
 
The preliminary program of the workshop:
  • The targets of the call and how to apply. Jan Bäckman, Academy of Finland
  • A case example: How SHOK programs and Academy of Finland research support each other TBC
  • How to be in contact with Forestcluster Ltd and the schedule. Markku Leskelä, Forestcluster Ltd
  • The criteria for SHOK relevance. Christine Hagström-Näsi, Forestcluster Ltd
  • Open discussion. All
 
 The workshop is free of charge, however the registration is needed. Please register by 5th of March 2012 to Outi Lemettinen (+358 40 5156503, outi.lemettinen@forestcluster.fi).
 
For more information please contact: Markku Leskelä, +358 50 5987665, markku.leskela@forestcluster.fi.
 
Academy of Finland opens a call for SHOKs. The call is directed to all the SHOKs (Strategic Centres for Science, Technology and Innovation).
 
The call has two topics:
 
1.    New control methods and user interfaces.
2.    New chemicals, materials and production technologies for innovative use of forest based biomass in the bioeconomy.
 
In order to apply for research funding the research group has to be in contact with one or several SHOKs to make sure that the research topic is relevant for the SHOK research. This must be shown in a written statement given by the SHOK.
 
The deadline for acquiring the SHOK statement is March 31 and deadline for submitting the application to Academy of Findland is April 30.
 
Please see the press release from Academy of Finland.
 
New sustainable and resource-efficient fiber based products for the forest sector using foam forming technology09.02.2012
Foam forming technology gives exciting opportunities to develop new recyclable and light weight wood fiber products. It also gives a possibility to decrease raw material and production costs remarkably compared to recent technology. The research in EffTech and EffNet of Forestcluster Ltd has indicated that foam forming is one potential technology for next generation paper and board making. On the laboratory scale technology even tens of percentages savings in the usage of fiber raw materials has been demonstrated.
 
With foam forming technology it is possible to improve paper properties and enable to manufacture high porosity, smooth and light weight products (e.g. hygiene products, insulation materials and filters). It may be solution for various printed intelligence, nano- or microcellulose applications.
 
Transparent paper developed in FuBio07.02.2012
By mechanical and chemical modification of the fibres, researchers have developed a new way to produce transparent paper sheets. In addition to transparency, the sheets were observed to possess a high elongation potential, i.e. the sheets can be ‘stretched’. Both of these properties can pave the way for future 3D-packaging materials. 
 
This result and several others are described in more detail in the recently-published Future Biorefinery Programme Report 2009-2011. For the transparency and formability result, please start on page 110.