Goodbye waste - hello furniture

Alfa Laval is turning waste wooden packaging into chipboard for furniture manufacturing in a new initiative with Stena Recycling. Since October 2024, more than 250 tonnes of waste from the company’s Lund facility has been repurposed.

In a new initiative with Stena Recycling, Alfa Laval is helping to breathe new life into waste from wooden packaging. Since October 2024, more than 250 tonnes of waste from wooden packaging has been sent from Alfa Laval's Lund facility, a key site for the production of gasketed plate heat exchangers. The waste, which was earlier sent for energy recovery, is now utilized as new recycled raw material for chipboard manufacturing used in the furniture industry – enough to make more than 4,000 new standard tables! 

Alfa Laval actively works to reduce its environmental impact and aims to recycle at least 85 percent of its waste globally. A significant part of this effort involves wood waste, primarily from wooden packaging from purchased goods.

From waste to new raw material 

Previously this waste was mainly directed towards energy recovery. However, through our collaboration with Stena Recycling, it is now being recycled as new materials, closing a gap in the waste hierarchy. The result is a quality-assured raw material, ready for use in new products after crushing and sorting. This partnership integrates wood into a circular value chain, transforming what was once considered waste into a valuable resource, and closing the loop of more sustainable material usage.  

"In 2024, Alfa Laval recycled 82 percent of its waste globally, but there is more to be done to enhance resource efficiency and foster sustainable waste management,” says Kajsa Dahlberg, Sustainability Manager at the business unit for gasketed plate heat exchangers, Alfa Laval. “At our Lund facility we are excited to implement a more circular solution with Stena Recycling. While wood waste is challenging to eliminate, recycling it is a crucial step towards a circular value chain."   

After six months, the positive impact is already evident. Alfa Laval’s recycling rate at its Lund facility has increased, with wood waste being repurposed instead of incinerated.  

"Developing innovative recycling solutions with Alfa Laval, which shares our high sustainability ambitions, is a natural progression of our collaboration. The demand for recycled raw materials is growing, and by recycling wood, we contribute to a more circular resource utilization," says Matilda Börlin, Business Area Specialist at Stena Recycling. 

About Stena Recycling:    

Stena Recycling is a leading provider of sustainable waste management and recycling solutions across Europe. With a commitment to advancing the circular economy, Stena Recycling transforms complex waste materials into high-quality recycled raw materials.  

 Alfa Laval also collaborates with Stena Recycling in other initiatives, including Re-Made to Matter.