Metsä Board will begin the installation phase of a €60m modernisation project at its Simpele mill in Finland this September. The investment shutdown will last around five weeks, with the upgraded production line scheduled to come back online in early October, Metsä Board informed.
Key measures include a full modernisation of the coating section, an expansion of the coating kitchen, and the commissioning of a new pallet packaging line. Metsä Board said that preparations for the works have been ongoing throughout the summer.
According to the company, the upgrade will introduce curtain coating technology, which is set to improve the print surface and visual appearance of MetsäBoard Classic FBB. The company emphasised that this will result in more consistent print quality and sharper details in demanding packaging applications, such as those in the food and healthcare segments.
As part of the rebuild, the fossil-free share of energy used at the Simpele site will increase from 89 to 98 per cent by the end of 2025.
Esa Kaikkonen, CEO of Metsä Board, commented: “Our goal is to offer brand owners an even more competitive packaging option – both in terms of quality and environmental performance. This is especially critical now, as sustainability targets and regulatory requirements are more stringent than ever.”
