Finland companies to visit Houghton for Bioproducts Summit and Tour

HOUGHTON, MI, USA (Sept 21, 2018) – The Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (MiFBI) and FinnZone will host multiple Finnish forestry and bioproducts companies October 16 to 19 in Houghton-Hancock for the upcoming Michigan-Finland Summit on Forest Bioproducts. The visit will also include meetings with FinnZone personnel, and tours of FinnZone-SmartZone facilities, Michigan Technological University and the area.

The Bioproducts Summit will be held on October 17-18, in the Memorial Union Building on the campus of Michigan Technological University. Registration is still open for Michigan and U.S. companies at: http://mifbi.org/events/bioproducts

The Finnish companies are expected to represent a wide collection of business interests such as collaboration, research, partnership, investment and sales in the area of bio-based products and technologies. These companies are part of a delegation organized by Business Finland which is the Finnish national agency for business development. Finland leads the world in the technological and business development of the forest bioeconomy.

There will be a welcome reception for the Finnish guests at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock hosted by FinnZone, Finlandia University and the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce Upper Michigan.

Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) are the heart of one of the largest forested regions in the United States, yet its’ forest sector remains largely traditional in terms of products and services. Recently, it was announced funding was secured for a new $300 million biorefinery in the U.P. Substantial opportunities exist for Michigan and Finnish forestry and biobased companies, large and small, to begin to reshape the forest industry in Michigan towards a bioeconomy. Michigan has the largest concentration of Finnish-Americans in the United States and most are located in the Upper Peninsula, making the region very comfortable for Finnish businesses.

About Us
Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (MIFBI) is a non-profit corporation that is leading the development of the forest bioeconomy in Michigan. MiFBI has hosted events focused on mass timber buildings, lignin valorization – and now international collaboration to advance forest bioproducts. http://mifbi.org/

FinnZone is a commercial Launchpad assisting Finnish companies entering or expanding in the U.S. and North American markets, and is a partnership of MTEC SmartZone (Michigan Economic Development Corporation), Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance, Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region, Finlandia University and the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce Upper Michigan in collaboration with Michigan Technological University. FinnZone is located at Innovation Shore in the cities of Houghton and Hancock in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. https://finnzone.org/