A new biorefinery in Paeroa has begun commercial operations converting seaweed waste into nanocellulose hydrogel.
The owners say it is the world’s first facility of its kind at scale. Owned by family company AgriSea, the plant processes leftover material from seaweed biostimulant production. The goal is to reduce waste while supplying a material already used across global industries.
The partners behind the project are positioning it as a commercial experiment: can ocean-based inputs compete with established wood-pulp supply chains?
Nanocellulose is widely used in medical products, manufacturing inputs and consumer goods, but most global supply is derived from chemically treated wood pulp. AgriSea says seaweed offers different material properties.
Chief executive Clare Bradley said: “Its cellulose chains are up to four times wider and longer, giving the resulting hydrogel twice the thermal conductivity of plant-based equivalents.”
She added that the extraction process relies on non-aggressive chemicals, a factor she framed around workplace handling and environmental management.
“The finished material, an opaque gel, is stronger than steel and can absorb greater than 100 times its mass in water.”
The Paeroa plant can reportedly produce up to 1600kg of nanocellulose hydrogel a week. Potential applications include wound dressings and drug delivery systems, adhesives, batteries, electronics, cosmetic cream bases and agricultural uses such as improving seedling survival through water retention.
AgriSea says the facility can process local seaweed species and has already trialled international varieties. Commercial options include contract manufacturing, selling finished materials, or licensing the process overseas.
Bioeconomy Science Institute manager Florian Graichen described the project as part of a circular bioeconomy model. “This partnership has led to a blueprint for ocean-based green technologies that could help global industry transition from fossil-derived materials, while minimising waste and revitalising local economies,” he said.
“The potential market is enormous.” He cited projections that global seaweed cultivation could reach US$69.5 billion by 2034, with the broader biorefinery market forecast to grow nearly 8% annually to US$392 billion over the next decade.