Borregaard is a Norwegian company, established in 1889 in the southeastern town of Sarpsborg in Østfold county. Its main products were traditionally pulp and paper. The company later started producing chemicals based on timber as a raw material. After a takeover in 1986, Borregaard was part of the chemical division of the Orkla Group until it was spun off and introduced to the Oslo Stock Exchange in October 2012. It had 1050 employees in 2016. The company's core business is based on a Biorefinery that manufactures products based on the different components in wood. Important products are speciality cellulose, lignin products (lignosulphonates), bio ethanol, yeast and yeast extracts and lignin based vanillin. The company also produces ethyl vanillin, diphenols and fine chemicals. History The name "Borregaard" was connected to Borgargjerdi, the royal seat during the reign of Olav the Holy (1016). In 1312 the estate was handed over from the king and became a country estate which changed hands several times until 1889, when British company The Kellner Partington Paper Pulp Co. Ltd. became its owner. This company built a cellulose factory near Sarpsfossen waterfall. In 1918 a holding company called Borregaard was established in order to transfer the business into Norwegian hands. Until the Second World War Borregaard's main products were cellulose and paper, but then Borregaard started production of various chemical products and activities in other areas. In 1986 Borregaard merged with Orkla Industries into Orkla Borregaard. When Orkla Borregaard then merged with Nora Industries in 1992, the new company took the name Orkla, while the chemicals business kept the Borregaard name. On the 18th of October 2012 Borregaard was separated from Orkla and was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Subsidiaries Borregaard ChemCell Borregaard ChemCell is a producer of advanced speciality cellulose based on softwood, Spruce. Borregaards has a Cellulose plant in Sarpsborg, Norway. 2002 brought Borregaard an additional ChemCell plant in Solothurn, Switzerland. This plant was closed 2008. Customers are manufacturers of cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose ethers and esters, acetate cellulose and micro-crystalline cellulose. Borregaard ChemCell also produces cellulose for textile fibres, plastic products and a variety of paper qualities. Borregaard's plant in Norway was erected in 1891, The Swiss plant, former Atisholz started production as early as 1884. Both plant utilizes a calcium sulphite based digesting proses which gives high viscosity cellulose with high purity. Bio ethanol and basic chemicals The sugar compounds in