AGENDA

Wood Residuals Tour (Sponsored by Weyerhaeuser) 

Gain a perspective of wood residuals challenges and opportunities in Michigan by touring local industrial facilities including a sawmill operation, production of Oriented Strand Board (OSB), and a renewable energy generation plant. 

Attendees are required to wear closed-toe shoes.

Personal protective equiment (PPE) will be provided.

May 7, 2025

Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

Opening Session

Framing the Residuals Challenge

Identify the challenges of developing economical and sustainable markets for wood residuals, including a comparison between Michigan and Finland.

Moderators:

• Brian Craig, Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (United States)
• Brenda Haskill, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (United States)

Presenters:

• Brenda Haskill, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (United States)

• John Kettle, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) (Finland)
• Rich Kobe, Michigan State University (United States)

Producers' Pitch

Hear from producers of wood residuals.  Learn about the materials they have available - the form, volume, compostion - and the types of collaboration they may seek.

Moderator: Donna LaCourt, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (United States)

Presenters:

• Mike Cook, Cooks Forest Products (United States)
• Tony Fox, Maple Hardwoods (United States)
• Jim Malloy, Weyerhaeuser (United States)
• Matt Watkeys, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (United States)

10:45 AM – 11:15 AM

Networking Break & Exhibits

11:15 AM – 11:45 AM

Building a wood products innovation ecosystem

Explore co-located forestry industry and innovation centers designed to accelerate new business opportunities in sustainable forestry and circular economy. 

Moderator: Ville Kortelainen, Business Joensuu part of Forest Joensuu (Finland)

Presenter:

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Realizing lignin's potential

Gain insight on recent lignin research and efforts to commercialize.

Moderator: David DeYoe, Michigan State University (United States)

Presenter:

• Mojgan Nejad, Michigan State University (United States)

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM

Lunch and Exhibits

Opening new markets and applications through extraction methods

Gain insight on the potential for extraction methods to enable new markets applications for wood residuals. 

Moderator: Mark Rudnicki, Michigan Technological University (United States)

• Petri Kilpeläinen, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) (Finland)
• Francesco Meneguzzo, Institute of Bioeconomy, National Research Council (Italy)

1:45 PM – 2:30 PM

Exploring new market potential

Discuss opportunities for wood residuals across a variety of sectors and how to accelerate the pipeline.

Moderator: Julie Manley, Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (United States)

Presenters:

• Malvika Bihari, DuPont (United States)
• William Daloz, BASF (United States)
• Jeff Herron, Dow (United States)

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

3:15 PM – 4:50 PM

Innovators' Pitch Session

Connect with innovators with pilot or commercial scale technologies seeking to expand collaborations.

Moderators: 

• Pavel Hejsek, BC Biocarbon (Canada)
• Antti Kamarainen, Boreal Bioproducts (Finland)
• Rae Tamblyn, Cambium (United States)
• Ross Simpson, Eden Lakes Inc.(United States)
• Duncan Mayes, Fiberdom (Finland)
• Ludovic Sinet, Linium Biochemicals (France)
• Duncan Mayes, MDF Recovery (United Kingdom)
• Khorcheska Batyrova, OzoneBio (Canada)
• Tony Burger, PJ Woodlands (United States)
• Joshua Henry, TimberHP (United States)
• Juergen Koller, Sequestro (United States) 
• Riina Muilu-Mäkelä, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) (Finland)

4:50 PM – 5:00 PM

Networking Reception

Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

Reimaging the value chain

Consider how wood residual valorization impacts logistics, procurement and other factors. 

Moderator: Rae Tamblyn, Cambium (United States)

Presenters:

• Eric Singsaas, Natural Resources Research Institute (United States)
• Chris Saffron, Michigan State University (United States) 

Accelerating technology transfer - Perspectives from Finland and Michigan

Discover attributes of collaborations with continual success transitioning innovation to commercialization.

Moderator: John Kettle, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) (Finland)

Presenters:

• Katariina Torvinen, VTT (Finland)
• Matt Flechter, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (United States)

Networking Break & Exhibits

Exploring the feasibility of wood-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Examine opportunities to commercialize SAF from Michigan's woody biomass.

Moderator: Ben Schram, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (United States)

Presenters:

• Nathalie Ionesco, Haffner Energy (France/United States)
• David Winsness, Comstock Fuels (United States)

Financing Wood Residual Innovation

Position for investment. Hear perspectives from funders on the characteristics aligned with successful ventures and investments in wood residuals innovation.

Moderator: Donna LaCourt,  Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (United States)

Presenters:

• Katariina Kemppainen, Metsä Spring (Finland)
• Jordan Solomon, Ecostrat (Canada)

Lessons Learned & Looking Ahead (with lunch)

Work together to define next steps for lasting impact.

Moderators:

Brenda Haskill, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (United States)

Julie Manley, Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (United States)