Decades of lignin commercialization experience to guide corn stover biorefinery development
MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- FiberX, a materials company transforming agricultural waste into industrial chemicals and high-performance products, today announced the appointment of Greg Schmitt as Strategic Advisor for its lignin biorefinery business. Schmitt brings decades of hands-on experience from Borregaard LignoTech, a global leader in lignin-based biochemicals and one of the world's most advanced biorefineries.
Throughout his career at Borregaard LignoTech, Schmitt served in key roles including Business Manager and Global Application Manager for Specialty Industries, working directly with customers across multiple sectors—from textile dyes to construction additives—to integrate lignin-based solutions into their manufacturing processes.
"Greg's background is exactly what we need as we advance our biorefinery technology," said Dave Skibinski, CEO of FiberX. "He's worked with a market leader that successfully commercialized lignin at industrial scale. That kind of real-world knowledge is invaluable as we develop our own lignin extraction and depolymerization processes."
Borregaard operates one of the world's most sophisticated biorefineries, producing lignin-based products, specialty cellulose, bioethanol, and vanillin from Norwegian spruce. The company has refined its lignin processing over nine decades, building a global business with production facilities across multiple continents and customers in more than 100 countries.
Schmitt's experience spans the full value chain—from understanding how lignin behaves during extraction to knowing what performance specifications matter most to end users. He has seen firsthand how lignin's unique properties make it valuable as a dispersing agent in concrete, a binding agent in animal feed, and a petroleum alternative in dozens of other applications.
FiberX is developing proprietary technology, invented at Purdue University, to extract and depolymerize lignin from corn stover through a process called Reductive Catalytic Fractionation (RCF). This approach creates "tunable" lignin—meaning FiberX can adjust the chemical composition to meet specific customer requirements for resins, adhesives, coatings, and specialty chemicals.
The company already operates a commercial platform processing corn stover into high-performance fiber for biocomposite plastics. The lignin biorefinery represents the next phase of growth, opening access to an $850+ billion market for renewable chemical feedstocks.
"What FiberX is doing with corn stover lignin is genuinely innovative," said Schmitt. "They're not just extracting lignin—they're breaking it down in ways that create much higher value than traditional technical lignins. Having worked in this space for years, I can see the potential for what they're building."
Schmitt joins FiberX at a crucial stage as the company engages in active discussions with major chemical manufacturers about potential applications for its depolymerized lignin. His addition to the advisory team complements FiberX's existing strengths, including Professor Jim Caruthers from Purdue University, who provides deep technical expertise in lignin chemistry, and Chief Technology Officer Tom Santelli, who brings broad knowledge of fibers and polymer chemistry.
"We're building something that hasn't been done before—taking agricultural residue and turning it into industrial-grade chemical feedstocks that compete on physical performance, price, and scale," said Wade Lange, FiberX's Chief Commercial Officer. "Having Greg's guidance as we navigate this path gives us a significant advantage. He's been there, done that, and can help us move faster and smarter."
As a lignin biorefinery advisor, Schmitt will provide counsel on everything from refining product specifications to structuring commercial partnerships, helping FiberX focus development efforts on applications with the strongest market potential.
About FiberX
FiberX transforms corn stover—the stalks, leaves, and cobs left after harvest—into high-performance materials for the chemicals, plastics, and industrial products industries. Based in Merrillville, Indiana, the company operates a commercial mechanical refinery producing fiber feedstock and is developing a biorefinery platform for lignin-based chemicals in partnership with Purdue University. FiberX's products enable manufacturers to reduce costs, improve product performance, and decrease reliance on petroleum-based feedstocks. Learn more at www.fiberxproducts.com.
Media Contact
Kate Sterling, FiberX, 1 641-715-3900 569516, [email protected], fiberxproducts.com
SOURCE FiberX
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