# UPM

is building a $1.6 billion wood-to-chemicals biorefinery in Leuna, Germany, designed to fully ramp by 2027, processing 220,000 tonnes a year of sustainably sourced beech wood into industrial sugars that are catalytically converted into ethylene glycol and propylene glycol as fossil-carbon replacements.

Source: https://en.bioecon.ru/companies/upm/
Updated: 2026-08-15

- Country: Finland
- Ticker: UPM

## Verifiable facts

| Fact | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Capacity | 220,000 tonnes of biochemicals per year; 500,000 metric tons of beechwood per year at full capacity | https://cen.acs.org/business/biobased-chemicals/can-you-really-make-chemicals-from-wood-at-industrial-scale/104/web/2026/05, https://news.cision.com/upm-kymmene-oyj/r/upm-unlocks-new-bio-based-markets-as-leuna-biorefinery-produces-its-first-commercial-product,c4284424, https://user-fudicvo.cld.bz/UPM-Annual-Report-2025/250-251/ |
| Certification | ISCC PLUS, PEFC, and FSC chain-of-custody certifications | https://user-fudicvo.cld.bz/UPM-Annual-Report-2025/250-251/, https://www.upm.com/news-and-stories/releases/2025/06/upm-receives-triple-sustainability-certification-for-the-leuna-biorefinery/ |
| Production site | Leuna, Germany | https://user-fudicvo.cld.bz/UPM-Annual-Report-2025/250-251/, https://www.upmbiochemicals.com/about-upm-biochemicals/biorefinery-leuna/ |
| Headcount | Approximately 100-200 employees for the biochemicals business unit/site [medium confidence] | https://prospeo.io/c/upm-biochemicals-revenue, https://www.circularchoices.eu/case-study/upm-biorefinery-leuna/ |
| Revenue | Approximately $10.6 million annual revenue for UPM Biochemicals [medium confidence] | https://prospeo.io/c/upm-biochemicals-revenue |

Independent sources: cen.acs.org, circularchoices.eu, news.cision.com, prospeo.io, upm.com, upmbiochemicals.com, user-fudicvo.cld.bz

## Technologies

- [Bio-adhesives (industrial scale)](https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/industrial-bio-adhesives/)
- [Cascade biomass use & biorefinery hubs](https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/cascade-biomass-biorefinery-hubs/)
- [Lignin-derived aromatic chemicals](https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/lignin-aromatic-chemicals/)
- [Nanocellulose biomaterials & aerogels (CNC, CNF, BNC and cellulose aerogels)](https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/nanocellulose-biomaterials/)
- [Sustainable forestry & forest management](https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/sustainable-forestry-forest-management/)