Resin-based glue WISA® BIOBOND

for woodindustrialinterior

Overview
WISA® BioBond replaces a minimum of 50% of the fossil-based phenol in WISA plywood glue with bio-based lignin (wood's own natural adhesive). The technology is incorporated in all WISA-Spruce plywood products and some WISA-Birch products and will be gradually adopted across WISA plywood ranges. WISA BioBond contributes to lower embodied carbon in plywood products and supports the transition toward construction materials with reduced fossil-based content.

Key benefits

• Replacing fossils: both primary components of WISA plywood — wood and glue — derive from responsibly managed forests and bio-based inputs.
• Low chemical emissions: the bonding formulation reduces chemical emissions, making WISA plywood suitable for construction and indoor environments where low emissions are required.
• Performance: the lignin-based WISA BioBond meets technical performance requirements for industrial plywood applications.

What is lignin?
Lignin is a class of complex organic polymers that form structural components in the support tissues of vascular plants. In trees it acts as an internal natural binder within the cell wall between cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin; chemically, lignins are cross-linked phenolic polymers.

How WISA BioBond was developed
The bonding solution results from resource-efficient use of production residues sourced from responsibly managed forests, reflecting UPM's Biofore approach: valorisation of side streams to add value and reduce fossil content in products.

Additional product highlights

• Applied in all WISA-Spruce plywood products and selected WISA-Birch variants, with planned gradual rollout across WISA plywood ranges.
• Replaces at least 50% of fossil-based phenol in plywood glue with bio-based lignin.
• Meets industrial plywood technical requirements while offering reduced emissions for indoor use.
• Contributes to a lower CO2 footprint and reduced embodied carbon in WISA plywood products.

Technical specifications

• Minimum 50% replacement of fossil-based phenol in glue with bio-based lignin.
• Application: all WISA-Spruce plywood products; some WISA-Birch products; planned gradual adoption across WISA ranges.
• Performance: engineered to meet technical requirements for industrial-use plywood.
• Emissions: formulated for low chemical emissions suitable for indoor environments.
• Sustainability role: reduces embodied carbon of plywood products; part of UPM Biofore resource-efficiency approach.
• Commercial rollout: WISA BioBond production use documented from 2022 (adoption in WISA-Spruce reported from May 2022).