KK-Net participated at the Kokkola Material Week at the West Coast of Finland. Bioeconomy, Cleantech, and Digitalization were discussed.
Why did we go? KIP - the Kokkola Industrial Park - is the largest manufacturing site of inorganic chemicals in the Nordic region. Impressive, sure, we wanted to find out more about Kokkola, its research and development, scientific goals, future plans, and analyze present problems and opportunities.
The companies in the area do annually invest 50 million € in modernizations. Furthermore, a combined investment of more than 100 million € in new production facilities by a number of companies at the KIP area have been made.
THE KOKKOLA MATERIAL WEEK
The KMW material chemistry event was held for the second time. Experts from ten countries with scientific, industrial and administrative backgrounds got together to learn, discuss, and network about material science, metals, nanotechnology, biomass, recylcling, industrial symbiosis, lithium and natural products.
During the 2'nd Material Week more than 50 experts were covering a rich assortment of themes:
- biorefining
- nanotechnology
- sustainability
- leather
- metals
- industrial symbiosis (networking and collaboration)
- new technologies linked with business development
The session topics were dealing with futuristic point of views, catalysis, process intensification, biomass utilization, coating, REACH, LCA, industrial side streams, oil recovery and burgeoning lithium supplies from the region.
HISTORY AND PRESENT
Kemira and Outokumpu were strong players in Kokkola since the 1960s.There has been changes in the ownerships of the companies and new opportunities are looming around the next corner.
The Port of Kokkola is integrated to the industrial park, even though only a third of the goods shipped from the port originate from the factories in the area. One third consists of the transit traffic from Russia, while the rest comprises container traffic and general cargo.
The area boasts Finland's only all-weather therminal (AWT) where fright can be discharged and loaded under roof. One of the Port's main competitive advantages stems from good rail connections, combined with the fact that rail gauge in Finland is the same as in Russia and China.
The port and its connections to the rail network is KIP's main success factor. The access to qualified professionals in the region as well as investments in security and environment has also contributed to Kokkola's good reputation as a site for chemical production.
The present owners and big players at the Kokkola Industrial Park are:
- Boliden: zinc, sulphuric acid (Boliden's zinc plant is one of the largest in the world)
- Feeport Cobalt: cobalt
- Yara: feed phosphates, potassium sulphate
- Woikoski: oxygen, nitrogen and argon gas, carbon dioxide
- Air Liquid: oxygen, carbon dioxide
- Tetra: calcium chloride
- Nordkalk: lime
- CABB: organic fine chemicals
- Kokkola Power: electricity, heat, steam
- Kokkolan Voima: electricity, district heating
THE FUTURE OF KOKKOLA
There's a strong belief in the future expansion of the Kokkola Industrial Park. Freeport Cobalt is expanding with new production lines for cobalt-based chemicals used in rechargeable batteries. The plant delivers its products to over 50 countries around the globe.
Boliden produces metals that make modern society work. One of the most important characteristics of zinc is its ability to protect steel from corrosions. The company is the largest industrial employer in Kokkola.
The raw material used in the plant comes from Boliden's mines in the Nordic countries and Ireland, but to some extent also from other mining companies. In 2014 the company will expand its operations to include extraction of silver from zinc concentrate.
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