Metsä Board, a folding boxboard producer, has committed to a significant investment aimed at modernising the folding boxboard machine at its Simpele mill in Finland. 

The investment is valued at roughly €60m ($64m) and will be allocated over the years 2024 to 2026. 

The strategic move is expected to enhance the quality of folding boxboard while also increasing production efficiency.  

Metsä Board says the investment is in line with its goal of fossil-free production at all its mills by the end of 2030. 

It is also part of a broader investment programme announced on 21 March 2024, which will be implemented in phases over the next decade.  

In addition, Metsä Board plans to invest in mechanical pulp production, finishing area upgrades, and a new power plant in the mill, but decisions on these programmes are still pending. 

This renewal is projected to increase the mill's output by approximately 10,000 tonnes (t) annually, raising the Simpele mill’s folding boxboard capacity to around 310,000t per year.  

The mill is renowned for producing lightweight folding boxboards primarily used in food and pharmaceutical packaging. 

The commencement of the investment in the mill is immediate, with completion anticipated in the latter half of 2025.  

Metsä Board CEO Mika Joukiosaid: "The renewal of the board machine is part of a wider investment programme to modernise the Simpele board mill.  

“This investment will improve the quality of folding boxboard, meeting the strictest requirements, especially in food and pharmaceutical packaging. In addition, the investment will improve our cost competitiveness and enable almost entirely fossil-free production at Simpele." 

Recently, Metsä Board launched its modernised folding boxboard machine in Husum, Sweden.