Doctor of Engineering (Dr.-Ing.) Juha Hartikainen has been appointed as the chief operating officer of NordFuel Oy from November 1, 2023.

In his role, Hartikainen will oversee the daily operations of the biorefinery project, focusing on the establishment and investment phase, and the selection of technical functions, technologies, and suppliers.

Hartikainen moves to the chief operating officer’s role from Borealis Polymers Oy, a manufacturer of polyolefins and basic chemicals, where he has held various research, development, and management roles for fifteen years. In his most recent role, Hartikainen led a team of process experts in the company, supporting investment project planning and implementation globally.

“We are extremely pleased to have a person at the control of our project’s daily work, someone with extensive and diverse experience from the chemical industry and strong expertise in leading expert teams and projects – these qualities are essential in the role of a COO,” praises Matti Asikainen, CEO of NordFuel.

Hartikainen sees an important role for the Haapavesi biorefinery in transitioning to greener and more ecological energy sources and raw materials.

“I feel privileged to be part of such a regionally and nationally significant project. I’ve been impressed by the expertise and approach of the NordFuel team to the project. I eagerly anticipate innovating, building, and operating the new generation bio-product factory together,” Hartikainen states.

Currently, the biorefinery project is focusing on selecting a bioethanol technology suppliers and subcontractors. In addition, the project is exploring opportunities for further processing of lignin and related partnerships. NordFuel is also currently investigating the production of synthetic fuels in collaboration with wind power company Puhuri Oy.

Additional information:

Matti Asikainen
NordFuel Oy
CEO
+358 40 5534 926

Juha Hartikainen
NordFuel Oy
COO from November 1, 2023
+358 50 3790164

NordFuel Oy is preparing to build a modern biorefinery in Haapavesi, Northern Ostrobothnia. The biorefinery will produce bioethanol, biogas and lignin from domestic sawdust and forestry by-products which will replace imported fossil fuels.