Metsä Board has announced that it is exploring possibilities to increase its folding boxboard capacity in Finland or Sweden.
The evaluation of options is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. Metsä Board's current annual paperboard capacity is approximately 2 million t, of which 1.3 million t is folding boxboard and 700,000 t white kraftliners. The company considers itself Europe’s largest producer of folding boxboard and white kraftliners.
Metsä Board said it aimed to grow in fibre-based packaging materials and renew its industrial operations. "The need for sustainably produced packaging materials that promote the circular economy is growing worldwide," said the company, adding that global demand for fresh fibre board has grown by around 2-3 per cent per year in recent years and is expected to continue to grow at least at the same rate in the future.
Metsä Board has an ongoing investment at its Husum integrated mill in Sweden that will increase the company's annual folding boxboard capacity by approximately 200,000 t. The investment is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023 and the additional capacity is expected to be reached by the end of 2025.
