A hemicellulose-based barrier formulation was produced from wood chips to pilot coating application in a bladecoater. The development process is described from a project planning point of view with network plan and decisionpoints.Different hemicelluloses were produced and compared in the research laboratory. Oxygen barrier properties fromfilms and rheology of water suspensions were evaluated for different laboratory produced hemicelluloses originatingfrom wood chips or from kraft pulps. The viscosity at low and high shear rates were evaluated. From these results,hemicellulose produced from birch wood chips was chosen.Hemicellulose was then produced at in kg quantities. The hemicellulose was produced employing pre-hydrolysistreatment of birch wood chips. The concentration of hemicellulose pre-hydrolyses was increased from 3.3% to11.5% by membrane filtration. The barrier properties of the hemicellulose coated material were evaluated inlaboratory scale. A pre-coating was also evaluated in laboratory scale.Trials were performed at Iggesund PaperBoard in their pilot scale coater. A pre-coating was applied during the firstday, and the hemicellulose-based coating was applied on the second day. The pilot trials went well without anylarger obstacles. Quick barrier evaluations showed that the hemicellulose-based barrier coating had a good greaseresistance even if the coating consumption during the trials indicated a low application grammage.