Sustainable fiber producer Spinnova appoints Janne Poranen as CEO

Spinnova, a Finnish company specialized in the production of cellulose fibers free of harmful substances with paper, cardboard, cotton, leather and agricultural waste, has named its co -founder Janne Poranen as CEO. He takes care of Tuomas Oijala, who announced that he would resign as CEO in early March.

Poranen has a PhD in Physics, and had previously been in charge of Spinnova between 2014 and 2022, who subsequently served as president of the Board of Directors. “Our organization is currently focusing on making fiber production profitable, in order to increase production at an industrial scale,” Poranen said.

The new appointment occurs after a crucial year for Spinnova. In March 2024, the company announced that it wanted to concentrate on selling its manufacturing technology to other industrial partners. This was followed by a financially challenging period, since production costs shot.

In 2024, the company generated income of € 762,000. An amazing recession compared to the € 10 million generated in 2023, when Spinnova supplied industrial equipment to the Finnish company Woodspin, a producer jointly established by Spinnova with the specialist in Suzaan paper pulp.

At the end of February, Suzano said that he was no longer intended to invest in a continuous collaboration with Spinnova, after a reorientation of his commercial strategy. This led him to negotiate exclusive rights for the exploitation of the Woodspin factory. It is said that the latter can produce 1,000 tons of fiber per year, a production capacity that must still be industrially exploited.

Spinnova was founded in 2014 and a name was made in 2020 producing bags for Bergans of Norway. The following year, he won the Andam Innovation Award. It has also launched several high profile collaborations, for example, the Terrex hooded shirt with Adidas, as well as in development of products for Puma, North Face, Marimekko and Bestseller.