The heart of Fiberwood’s innovation resides in foam technology, where Karita Kinnunen-Raudaskoski is undeniably one of the foremost experts, earning the nickname “Mother of Foam”. No stone is left unturned in her quest to challenge the traditional uses of materials.
“No, no, no way.” This was the reception Karita Kinnunen-Raudaskoski encountered nearly 20 years ago when she first introduced web forming by foam technology to the paper industry. Today, Karita is an inventor of patents in 19 patent families, 17 of which pertain to foam technologies. Her more than 30 years of experience in research and development within the paper industry, coupled with her pioneering work at VTT, led to her role as the Director of Technology and Research and as one of the founders of Fiberwood.
The development of foam technologies commenced in 2005 when Karita Kinnunen-Raudaskoski was a senior scientist at the research company KCL.
“Our aim was to develop a new type of paper featuring a smooth surface from ground mechanical pulp, a material now recognised as microfibrillated cellulose. However, it was impossible to apply it using conventional methods. We needed to find a new method, and that marked the beginning of the development of foam technologies. Our initial experiments produced a porridge-like substance, but this did not discourage us or weaken our faith in the potential of foam,” Karita recalls with a laugh.
When VTT, the Finnish state-owned research institution, acquired the research from KCL, foam research was expanded into broader research facilities. This advancement led to the creation of Paptic® material, an innovation in which the use of plastic in packaging is replaced by a material based on softwood pulp. Subsequently, Paptic Ltd was established, making Karita the first female founder of a VTT spin-off company. In 2017, while working as CTO at Paptic, she was awarded her Doctorate in Science (tech.) from Aalto University, with a thesis entitled “Foam as a carrier phase – a multipurpose technology for industrial applications“.
Foam Laying Enables Numerous Possibilities
Karita has seen that foam technology offers several advantages:
“Foam laying combines the possibilities of dry and wet laying. In building insulation, we can replace the use of mineral wool with environmentally and health-safe, wood fibre-based materials, eliminating the need for melted plastic fibres,” Karita explains.
In Karita’s opinion, simply replacing fossil materials with ecological alternatives is not enough. We need to take into account the entire value chain and broader impact of new innovations. For instance, construction practices can be reimagined if new innovations merge the properties of two disparate building materials. Karita is used to challenging established material usage traditions, and resistance has only fueled her determination to demonstrate that alternative approaches are feasible.
“The old notion in the paper industry was that foam is an enemy, causing product quality and process problems. I have argued that foam is an ally when it is purposefully produced and managed,” Karita asserts.
She observes that various regulations, standards, and guidelines established for existing products often impede new innovations from entering the market.
“We cannot simply wait for states and the EU to amend regulations. We must drive products into the market and trust that regulators will recognise that rules need to evolve to permit products that can significantly influence the future of the planet to access the market.”
Startups’ Potential to Make a Difference Is Motivating
Initiating another startup at a stage in her career when many are contemplating retirement was both exciting and meaningful for Karita. She is captivated by the freedom, innovation, and agility:
“A startup challenges established players with its innovations and can introduce solutions to the market much more swiftly. When we contribute to combating climate change and advancing sustainable development within a startup environment, I feel I can have an even greater impact.”
A woman whose age begins with six is a rare sight in the startup world.
“I have demonstrated by example that age is not a barrier but a badge of experience, which cannot be acquired solely through studying but emerges from life and work. It is not developed in just a few years but over decades. Moreover, one must possess the courage to tackle challenges – such as the time I led a greenfield paper mill laboratory project in Germany. It was an unforgettable experience and one I could not have imagined as a young chemist.”
As a young Karita, she would walk past the paper mill chimneys in her hometown of Varkaus while logging trucks roared by, feeling a strong pull to the paper mill. Hours spent in the lab at the then Ahlström paper mill, now Stora Enso, far exceeded those in the university’s organic chemistry lecture halls.
The current foam laying technology, which has positioned VTT as a global leader, sprouted from the seed Karita planted when she began her research in 2005. The road has been long, but giving up has never been a part of Karita’s concept:
“When you believe in your cause and prove it, little by little, you can turn the big ships around. “
