Forest and agricultural biomass contain a high variety of interesting compounds, with unique properties and highly-valued applications. The commercial exploitation of this biomass requires extraction and concentration of specific fractions at reasonable costs. However, traditional solidliquid extraction process cannot fulfill with these requirements. In this context, the Technology Development Unit (UDT) of the University of Concepcion in Chile has developed and scaled-up to bench and pilot-plant level a new highly-efficient extraction technique to separate mainly water- and alcohol-soluble fractions from biomass. The technology is based on a sequence of two or more steps, each comprising the impregnation of biomass with solvent vapors with a liquid/biomass ratio of 2-2.5, followed by a subsequent mechanical pressing with a liquid/biomass ratio of 0.4-0.5. Such operation conditions result in: Reduced processing times (from six or more hours in conventional countercurrent solid-liquid extraction, to less than one hour) and higher concentration of extracts in the liquors (at least two times), which allows the possibility of designing small extraction units with moderate investment. A continuous demonstrative pilot plant of the mentioned "high-solid-extraction process" was implemented in UDT with a capacity of 150 kg of biomass/hour, to obtain tannins from Pinus radiata bark. The results of the production trial are very encouraging with high selectivity: Tannin yields of typically 15 - 20% (based on dry biomass) and an exhausted bark with low moisture content, suitable to be burnt in industrial boilers. The water content was significantly lower than that of the original bark in winter. Extracted tannins are the main component of formaldehyde-free adhesives, applied by the Chilean wood-panel industry. Several other possible uses for these extracts are currently under evaluation, as well as higher-value applications for the exhausted bark. The conceptual design of the extraction plant, the main results obtained at laboratory- and pilot-plant level and some applications for pine tannins will be presented. Based on our results, we speculate that the first bark-based biorefinery could be a reality soon.