January 31, 2025

Ekolution Boosts Production of Hemp Building Materials with New ANDRITZ Fiber Processing Line

Swedish company Ekolution has opened a new fiber processing line at its factory in Malmö. The advanced system was developed by Austrian technology group ANDRITZ. 

 

Ekolution is well reputed for their carbon-negative building materials. With this addition the company has ramped up its capacity to make eco-friendly hemp fibers and non-woven felts.

Andritz's new fiber processing line for Ekolution in Malmö

ANDRITZ’s new fiber processing line for Ekolution in Malmö

 

Source 

 

The new Ekolution facility has an end-to-end manufacturing process. The company grows its own hemp thus ensuring the highest-quality raw materials. Hemp has proven to be an excellent raw material for construction especially for insulation. In Europe, hemp insulation is gaining popularity over traditional materials like glass fibers.

 

Ekolution’s hemp panels and nonwoven products were recently used in a high-tech logistics center in Stockholm. This shows there is a growing market for sustainable building materials.

 

The New Bast Fiber Processing Line in Malmö

 

The new processing line at Ekolution’s Malmö factory is designed to produce high-quality hemp fibers and felts. The new facility has the latest equipment for:

 

  1. Decortication and Refining

 

The decortication process is very important for hemp fiber based products. During this stage hemp fibers are separated from the plant’s woody core. ANDRITZ’s teXline bast fiber system gently processes the fibers, keeping them strong and reducing waste. The refining process further cleans and prepares the fibers for use in insulation and other products.

 

  1. neXline Airlay System

 

In the next stage the neXline airlay system uses air to spread out fibers. This helps to make felt which is both lightweight and uniform. The soft and non-woven fabric is ideal for insulation and construction materials. 

 

Some of the fibers are also processed using the neXline airlay flexiloft+ system, which further refines the material.

Eco-Friendly Production

 

The new ANDRITZ processing line is designed to be both energy-efficient and space-saving. It has minimal environmental footprint for a facility of its size. Some key benefits include:

 

  • Low energy use which translates to reduced emissions and keeping environmental impact low
  • Minimal waste in manufacturing as the system produces high-quality fibers with zero impurities.
  • Large capacity capable of processing up to 5 tons of hemp per hour and producing 1.5 tons of non-woven felt per hour.

 

Ekolution is a Swedish company founded in 2013. They make renewable construction materials from hemp. The company is best known for making hemp fiber insulation with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). This certification proves that the product is carbon-negative. Simply put, the manufacturing process at Ekolution absorbs more CO2 than it releases. 

 

ANDRITZ is a global technology company that provides sustainable solutions spanning several industries. They employ 30,000 employees across 80 countries and 280 locations. The company focuses on growth through sustainability. 

 

ANDRITZ is known for their expertise in four key areas:

 

  • Pulp & Paper – Technology for paper, board, and tissue production.
  • Metals – Equipment for metal processing.
  • Hydropower – Solutions for renewable energy.
  • Environment & Energy – Technologies for green energy and waste reduction.

Vishal Vivek is the Founder and CEO of Ukhi, a pioneering bio-materials company dedicated to ending plastic pollution by converting agricultural waste into high-performance compostable polymers. With a background in sustainable entrepreneurship and over a decade of technology experience, he leads Ukhi’s vision to create scalable, planet-positive material solutions. Previously, Vishal founded the Hemp Foundation, where he empowered more than 1,000 farmers and advanced sustainable livelihood initiatives. His work has been recognized through awards such as the HDFC Parivartan Grant and featured in leading publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur. Times Group recognized him as a legendary entrepreneur and published his biography in “I Did IT- Vol 2” alongside social pioneers like Bindeshwar Pathak (Sulabh International) and Anshu Gupta (Goonj). Vishal has authored more than 200 articles on sustainability and hemp, reflecting his deep expertise and advocacy for regenerative solutions. His commitment to grassroots impact led him to live in the remote mountains of Uttarakhand, where he immersed himself in the lives of marginal farmers, understanding their challenges and co-creating economic opportunities through hemp-based initiatives. A deeply passionate innovator, Vishal often draws inspiration from seemingly impossible achievements: “If Elon Musk can make rockets reusable, or Dashrath Manjhi can carve a path through a mountain with rudimentary tools, why can’t we eliminate the demon of single-use plastic while uplifting struggling farmers? We will make it happen—whatever it takes.” Ukhi is proud to be supported by premier institutions including IIT Guwahati, NSRCEL-IIM Bangalore, Indian School of Business (Hyderabad), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR Pusa), and the Indian Institute of Packaging. Vishal is committed to demonstrating that business can be a powerful catalyst for global environmental and social good. Connect with Vishal Vivek