Mirka accelerates circularity with Adven – processing 5,000 tonnes of abrasive waste annually

Adven and Mirka have signed an agreement to expand their long-standing cooperation at Mirka’s site in Jeppo, Finland. Adven will invest in a new energy and material recovery solution designed specifically for coated abrasive waste from Mirka’s manufacturing and customers. 

The new solution will use a dedicated rotary kiln, a slowly rotating combustion chamber that keeps the abrasive waste moving during controlled thermal treatment. Unlike the existing boiler in Jeppo, which processes Mirka’s manufacturing waste primarily to recover heat, the new system is designed specifically for coated abrasive waste. The system will be able to process approximately 5,000 tonnes of abrasive waste annually.

The investment marks a new phase in a partnership that has developed over more than 25 years. What began with reliable energy supply and heat recovery is now expanding into waste treatment, raw material recovery and the joint development of circular solutions for the abrasives industry.

“By reusing valuable materials from abrasive waste, we can reduce our dependence on virgin abrasive grains and lower our environmental impact. At the same time, the thermal output from the new kiln allows us to use recovered heat more efficiently, even during periods of lower energy demand”, says Stefan Sjöberg, CEO of Mirka.

A partnership built to keep developing

Alongside the investment, Adven and Mirka have entered into a strategic partnership agreement to continue developing circular technologies for the abrasives industry. The cooperation includes plans to expand Mirka’s take-back model for collecting used abrasives from end customers across Europe.

The new solution connects local energy production with a broader material cycle. At Jeppo, recovered heat will remain part of the manufacturing process, while the ash containing recoverable abrasive grains will be transferred automatically to Mirka’s adjacent circular grain manufacturing plant for further processing. 

Mirka expects its wider circular grain manufacturing initiative to reduce its CO2 footprint by approximately 5,000 tonnes. 

“Our cooperation with Mirka shows what becomes possible when energy expertise, a deep understanding of the customer’s process and a shared long-term ambition come together. We are moving beyond energy recovery toward a solution that also helps return valuable materials to production. This investment is a concrete step in building more circular industrial energy systems together with one of our key customers”, says Juha Elo, Adven’s Senior Vice President, Industrial Energy Solutions