AGENDA

May 7, 2025

Framing the residual challenge for high value applications

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

Brian Craig, Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (United States)

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

John Kettle, Luke (Finland) (invited)

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.

Tony Fox, Maple Hardwoods (United States)

Jim Malloy, Weyerhaeuser (United States)

More speakers to be announced

10:45 AM – 11:10 AM

Networking Break & Exhibits

11:10 AM – 12:00 PM

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. 

Katariina Kemppainen, Metsä Spring (Finland)

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

A case study

Speakers to be announced

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Lunch and Exhibits

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM

Exploring new market potential

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

Jeff Heron, Dow (United States)

Hexion (invited)

More speakers to be announced

2:15 PM – 2:45 PM

A case study highlighting new markets

Speakers to be announced

2:45 PM – 3:15 PM

3:15 PM – 4:45 PM

Innovators' Pitch Session

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

Ross Simpson, Eden Lakes Inc.(United States)

Duncan Mayes, Fiberdom (Finland)

Antti Kämäräinen, Boreal Bioproducts (Finland) (invited)

Duncan Mayes, MDF Recovery (United Kingdom)

Carba (United States) (invited)

PJ Woodlands (United States) (invited)

Daika Wood (Israel) (invited)

More to be announced

4:45 PM – 5:00 PM

Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

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

Examine collaborations commercializing SAF from woody biomass.

Speakers to be announced

Accelerating tech transfer

Discover attributes of collaborations with continual success transitioning academic research to market commercialization.

Katariina Torvinen, VTT (Finland)

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Networking Break & Exhibits

Extraction methods to open new markets & applications
Gain insight on the potential for extraction methods to open new markets applications for wood residuals. 

Petri Kilpeläinen, Luke (Finland)

Francesco Maneguzzo, Institute for Bioeconomy, National Research Council (Italy)

More speakers to be announced

11:20 AM – 11:50 AM

A case study 

Speakers to be announced

11:50 AM – 12:50 PM

Financing Wood Residual Innovation

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

Katariina Kemppainen, Metsä Spring (Finland)

More speakers to be announced

Future Directions: Highlights from research labs

Discover research findings that may help shape the future market outlook for wood residuals.

Speakers to be announced