MONTREAL - Domtar Corp. has successfully installed a commercial-scale lignin separation plant at its Plymouth, NC, mill. It is the first U.S. facility of its type in over 25 years. The production of BioChoice™ lignin began in February, with a targeted rate of 75 tons a day. The product will be used in a wide range of industrial applications as a bio-based alternative to petroleum and other fossil fuels.

The successful installation of commercial-scale lignin removal capacity at the Plymouth mill is the culmination of a research and engineering project launched by Domtar in 2010. The project was further boosted when the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy awarded the company a grant through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative. Domtar’s lignin operation sets a new path for the industry and also marks the latest sustainability milestone for a company that has long been recognized as an industry leader in forest certification and environmental stewardship.