After four years of research, development and industrial testing, the EcoReFibre project is reaching its conclusion, demonstrating the potential of recovering fibres from post-consumer wood waste and reintroducing them into new wood-based panels. As a project partner, Sonae Arauco contributed to turning research into industrial-scale solutions for a more circular wood-based panels industry. 

Funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe program, EcoReFibre brought together industry players, research organisations and technology partners to develop new approaches for recycling post-consumer fibreboards and increasing the use of secondary raw materials in wood-based products. 

Throughout the four-year project, Sonae Arauco played an active role in testing and validating these solutions, including at industrial scale, contributing with its expertise in wood-based panel production and circular use of wood. 

One of the project's key areas of work focused on recovering fibres from post-consumer wood waste and incorporating them into the production of new MDF panels. Laboratory trials successfully produced panels incorporating 15% and 25% recycled fibres from post-consumer fibreboards. The project's results also showed that panels containing up to 25% recycled fibres from post-consumer solid wood could meet the required performance criteria, with properties comparable to reference boards. 

These results demonstrate the potential of recovered fibres as a secondary raw material for new wood-based products, supporting greater resource efficiency and a more circular use of wood. 

The project also explored another route for recovered materials within Sonae Arauco's operations. Recycled MDF fines were incorporated into the surface layer of particleboard at levels of up to 20%, demonstrating further opportunities to retain wood resources within the value chain and explore new applications for recycled materials. 

While challenges remain, particularly regarding the homogeneity of recovered raw materials, their pre-processing and the adaptation of industrial processes, the results achieved through EcoReFibre provide valuable knowledge for the continued development of fibreboard recycling at scale. 

From research to industrial application 

For Sonae Arauco, participation in EcoReFibre reflects a broader commitment to the circular use of wood, building on a business model that seeks to extend the life cycle of this renewable resource through recycling and its incorporation into new products. 

By testing solutions under industrial conditions, the company helped bridge the gap between research and practical application, generating knowledge that can support the future development of more efficient recycling technologies and processes. 

The project's final results will be shared with industry representatives, researchers and policymakers at the EcoReFibre public closing event, taking place in Hamburg on 14 October 2026. During the event, Adelaide Alves, R&D and Product Development Director at Sonae Arauco, will present the work developed within the project on recycling post-consumer fibreboard waste into new particleboard products. 

As EcoReFibre comes to an end, its results reinforce the potential of collaboration between industry, research and technology partners to accelerate circular solutions for the wood-based panels sector. 

For Sonae Arauco, the conclusion of the project is not only the end of four years of research. It provides new knowledge and evidence that can support the company's continued work to increase resource efficiency, make greater use of secondary raw materials and keep wood in circulation for longer.