RN21 – Innovation in the natural resin sector to strengthen the national bio-economy

The transition to a more sustainable economy offers countless opportunities to revitalise the most traditional sectors of the Portuguese economy, where we highlight the production and transformation of natural resin.

The Integrated Project RN21, is based on three main guiding principles: cover the entire value chain of Natural Resin (NR), from the forest to the end consumer, with a special focus on markets and new products; respond to the main needs and concrete opportunities identified by the actors in the sector and contribute to the objectives of the RRP, specifically component C12 – Sustainable Bioeconomy.

This is an aggregator consortium that gathers all resin transformation companies in Portugal, in an unprecedented effort of sectorial cooperation:

  • Three first transformation companies;
  • Three second transformation industries, and
  • Three with vertical integration of the first, and second transformation.

This research and innovation consortium aims to enhance the great possibilities of application in the market, fostering the revitalisation of the entire value chain, with a view to its modernisation, sustainability and incorporation of technical and scientific knowledge.

The combination of public and private investment will leverage the ecological and digital transition and create favourable conditions for collaboration between companies and R&D&I partners.

The consortium companies hold 66% of the total investment of the integrated project, higher education institutions and SCTN entities 28% and the remaining budget is distributed by sector associations.

The mobilising consortium RN21 aims to contribute to:

Economic resilience and the promotion of a sustainable bioeconomy in Portugal, through the revitalisation of the natural resin chain; 

Carbon neutrality and a more productive and resilient Portuguese forest, increasing the production and valorisation of natural resin as a forestry product and reducing the need to import this material;

Creative process for the development of the RN 21 brand logo

Territorial cohesion, particularly where the main areas of resin pine forests and the majority of the sector’s business fabric are located, by increasing the competitiveness of companies and creating qualified employment;

The strengthening of investment in science and technology, through research and innovation activities in companies in partnership with entities of the National Scientific and Technological System, Higher Education Institutions and local entities.

These objectives will be achieved through the implementation of 22 key measures that will result in research and knowledge-based products, projects and services for resin producers, the processing industry and the market.

PARTNERS

CO-FUNDING

Co-financed by Component 12 – Promoting Sustainable Bioeconomy, integrated in the Climate Transition Dimension of the Recovery and Resilience Plan in the framework of the European Union (EU) Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM), framed within the Next Generation EU, for the period 2021 -2026

See here the project file