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This paper presents a techno-economic and risk analysis of a kraft lignin (KL) biorefinery (3000 tonne of KL⋅year -1 capacity), where KL is depolymerized to produce depolymerized kraft lignin (DKL) as a bio-substitute to polyol and phenol for the production of bio-based polymers (polyurethane and phenolic resins). Three scenarios were examined: (i) DKL as a phenol substitute, (ii) DKL as a polyol substitute, and (iii) oxypropylated depolymerized kraft lignin (Oxy-DKL) a polyol substitute. The Net Present Value was calculated to compare these scenarios. To address the uncertainty risks in feedstock and product price, a sensitivity analysis and a Monte Carlo simulation were performed. Results show that DKL and Oxy-DKL derived from the KL biorefinery are a feasible bio-substitute for petroleum-based polyols with a minimum selling price of 1440 and 1623 US$⋅t -1 , respectively. However, DKL is likely not feasible when replacing phenol (minimum selling price of 1421 US$⋅t -1 ) due to the current low market price of phenol. The feasibility of the KL biorefinery is highly sensitive to the market prices of the products. Feedstock supply and market demand for lignin-derived biopolyols are still uncertain; therefore, a supply chain design model is necessary for decision-making.

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The Canadian forest products industry has failed to retain its competitiveness in the global markets because of the under-utilization of its resources. Supply chain optimization models can identify the best possible fibre utilization strategies from multiple options of value creation based on fluctuating market conditions in the forest industries. This paper comprehensively reviews the literature related to supply chain models used both in general and specifically in the forest products industry. The optimization models use information from multiple agents (market demand attributes, flexible wood procurement and manufacturing processes, and resource characteristics), and share this information at each level in the supply chain network. However, the modeling of two-way flow of information (market to forests and vice-versa) for order promising and demand fulfillment through all facilities including manufacturing, processing, raw material procurement and inventory control is missing. The studies that focus on optimization are mostly deterministic in nature and do not account for uncertainty both in supply of raw materials and demand of forest products. Simulation and optimization models have been independently used for supply chain management in the past. The literature lacks an integrated approach that combines simulation and optimization models throughout the supply chain network of the Canadian forest products industry. Further studies should focus on developing simulation-based optimization models that will help in providing an operational planning tool that meets industrial expectations and provides much better solutions than current industrial practice.

Technological development has enabled the production of new value-added products from lignocellulosic residues such as lignin. This has allowed the forest industry to diversify its product portfolio and maximize the economic returns from feedstock, while simultaneously working towards sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products. Although previous research has explored industrial-scale production opportunities, many challenges persist, including the cost of woody biomass and its supply chain reliability. While numerous studies have addressed these issues, their emphasis has traditionally been on bioenergy, with little focus on biochemical, biomaterials, and bioproducts. This review seeks to address this gap through a systematic study of the work recently reported by researchers. A lot of work has been published from United States and Canada with an emphasis on bioenergy production (84.8%), 4.6% of the work is focused on biomass to materials and chemicals, and 10.6% addressed both. Between 2012 and 2015, the majority of published research focused on biomass to materials and chemicals and both biomass to energy and biomass to materials and chemicals. This fact highlights recent interests in diversified biorefinery portfolios. However, further work concerning forest biomass supply chain optimization and new high-value bio-based materials and chemicals is necessary.Key words: biomass to energy, biomass to materials and chemicals, economic optimization, lignocellulosic residues, value-added bio-based products.Résumé : Des avancées technologiques ont rendu possible la production de nouveaux produits à valeur ajoutée à partir de résidus lignocellulosiques tels que la lignine. Cela a permis à l'industrie forestière de diversifié sa gamme de produits et de maximiser les retombées économiques de la matière première tout en travaillant simultanément à développer des alternatives durables aux produits à base de pétrole. Bien que les travaux de recherche précédents aient exploré les opportunités de production à l'échelle industrielle, plusieurs défis persistent, incluant le coût de la biomasse ligneuse et la fiabilité de sa chaîne logistique. Alors que de nombreuses études se sont intéressées à ces questions, l'accent a traditionnellement été mis sur la bioénergie et très peu sur les bioproduits : produits biochimiques et biomatériaux. Cette revue de littérature vise à combler cette lacune par le biais d'une étude systématique des travaux récemment publiés par les chercheurs. Beaucoup de travaux publiés aux États-Unis et au Canada mettent l'accent sur la production de bioénergie (84,8 %), 4,6 % des travaux portent sur la transformation de la biomasse en matériaux et produits chimiques et 10,6 % s'intéressent aux deux sujets. La majorité des travaux de recherche publiés entre 2012 et 2015 portent sur la transformation de la biomasse en matériaux et produits chimiques et sur les deux sujets, soit la transformation de la biomasse en énergie, matériaux et produits chimiques. Cela met en évidence l'intérêt récen...