Unilin takes the circular economy to the next level with recycling line for MDF, HDF and laminate

Breakthrough in recycling

Until recently, most MDF and HDF panel material ended up in the incinerator at end of life because the glue that binds the fibres could not be broken down. As a result, valuable wood fibres were irretrievably lost.

With the new, globally patented Osiris technology, Unilin has solved this problem. Under high pressure and using steam, the wood fibres are separated from each other without being damaged. These fibres can now be reused in the production of fibreboards.

For Unilin, this marks a key step in making its products, such as laminate floors, circular. These floors are largely made of wood, in the form of HDF. Thanks to this breakthrough, HDF panels consisting in part of recycled fibres will form the basis for future laminate floors.

To truly close the loop, the materials also need to be collected. How Unilin manages this – through its own streams and the Recover programme – is detailed in the article: From waste to resource: how Unilin recycles laminate floors 

Concrete impact on CO₂

The recycling line in Bazeilles makes it possible to process up to 210,000 tonnes of MDF and HDF annually and give them new life, storing an additional 380,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year – equivalent to the emissions of more than 200,000 cars. The first boards containing recycled fibres will hit the market in early 2026, with up to 25% recycled fibres..

Circular ambition for the entire sector

With Osiris, Unilin not only aims to strengthen circularity within its own company, but also across the entire panel and flooring industry. That is why the technology will also be made available to other manufacturers through Unilin Technologies.

Discover the full Long Live Laminate story 

This project was partly funded by the French State as part of France 2030, managed by ADEME, with financial support from La Région Grand Est.