The Kraft Lignin Market No Longer Presents a “Chicken or Egg” Paradox
When I began my journey into kraft lignin commercialization in 2012, there existed a “Chicken or Egg” paradox. The frequently asked question at the time was whether pulp and paper companies should invest in lignin separation plants with the hope that markets would develop, or whether markets should develop first. In this blog, I will assert that the paradox has finally been resolved.
There are different reasons why a pulp and paper company may want to invest in a lignin plant. There may be a need to debottleneck a recovery boiler, or, the pulp company may be looking for a new source of revenue. Regardless, pulp and paper companies have demonstrated that they can produce lignin, and material for testing is available to any researchers looking for samples. This was not always the case, but it is now. Responsibility for the next step has shifted and is now squarely on the shoulders of researchers, business developers, and end users. It’s time for developers to contribute more to this industry. It has taken too long for this market to develop. Still, I am pleased to acknowledge there have been some recent innovations that are truly incredible and commercial.
The commercial kraft lignin industry no longer faces a true “chicken or egg” paradox. The egg has been laid. It is now up to the marketplace to prove the eggs can hatch. I understand progress has been made, save the emails, but it has progressed at a painfully slow pace. Pulp and paper companies are waiting on you, Product Developers, not vice versa. It’s time to step things up.
What I’ve just shared is my observation from over a decade in this industry. This was not a dress-down in the boss's office or part of a performance review; it was merely an observation from someone who cares deeply about this fantastic and incredible molecule we work with, who wants to call out the obvious. I see where this industry is falling short. And I understand, more than most, how difficult it is to fully comprehend lignin chemistry and commercialization. I also recognize it is similar in ways to the miracles we see every day, all around us.
With that, I feel it appropriate to conclude this blog by sharing St. Augustine’s “Doctrine of the Two Books.” In our quest for knowledge, Augustine asserted that God has given us two books, the Book of Scripture and the Book of Nature. Let the Book of Scripture, he said, be a book so that you can hear it. Let the Book of Nature be a book so that you can see it. In your search for answers in this life, use both of these books.
Dale Mitchell
