Metsa Board, a Finnish packaging company, will modernise its Simpele board mill in south-east Finland. The project will enhance the quality of the company’s folding boxboard and increase production efficiency.
The Simpele mill produces high-quality, lightweight folding boxboard, primarily utilised in food and pharmaceutical packaging.
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The modernisation project will commence with an initial phase, supported by an estimated investment of €60m ($64m). It is part of a comprehensive investment programme designed to modernise the Simpele board mill in phases over the forthcoming decade.
The mill is anticipated to be fully operational after the first phase by the end of 2025.
Metsa Simpele Board Mill modernisation details
The first phase of the project will encompass the modernisation of the board machine, which will improve the surface quality and printability of the MetsaBoard Classic FBB folding boxboard.
The technology required for the refurbishment of the board machine was acquired in June 2024, with the installation scheduled to coincide with the mill’s maintenance shutdown in autumn 2025.
During this period, the installation of the new pre-drying and coating sections will be completed.
The upgrade is expected to augment the mill’s production capacity by approximately 10,000 tonnes per annum (tpa), elevating the capacity of Simpele folding boxboard to around 310,000tpa.
Moreover, the project will facilitate the replacement of fossil fuels in paperboard production, aligning with Metsa Board’s ambition to achieve fossil-free production across all mills by the end of 2030. Liquified petroleum gas (LPG) is currently used to dry the coating and in sheet packing. The modernisation will introduce drying systems powered by fossil-free electricity.
Subsequent phases of the project will involve the upgradation in mechanical pulp production, in the finishing area as well as the construction of a new power plant.
Simpele folding boxboard details
Metsa Board’s folding boxboards feature high yield, exceptional printability, and superior safety for a diverse array of packaging applications.
The folding boxboards are crafted from renewable, pure, fresh fibres that can be fully traceable to their origins in sustainably managed Northern European forests. These boxboards are both recyclable and industrially compostable, and they endorse the principle of the circular economy.
The company offers a variety of folding boxboard types, including MetsaBoard Classic FBB, a fully coated, hard-sized GC2 folding boxboard suitable for applications such as food, beverages, frozen food, healthcare, general packaging, and retail-ready packaging.
MetsaBoard Natural FBB is an uncoated, hard-sized, optical brightening agent (OBA)-free folding boxboard available in thicknesses from 310μm to 610μm. It caters to applications in beauty, healthcare, foods, beverages, frozen and chilled food, trays, plates, folded trays, fast food applications, and food service.
MetsaBoard Prime FBB Bright is a fully coated bleached paperboard with a coated reverse side, available in thicknesses from 210μm to 650μm.
MetsaBoard Prime FBB EB is a fully coated paperboard featuring a dispersion barrier coating that provides medium grease and moisture resistance. It is hard-sized, OBA-free, and devoid of fluorinated chemicals, with thicknesses from 305μm to 600μm.
MetsaBoard Pro FBB Bright is a fully coated bleached paperboard with a white reverse side, suitable for chocolate and confectionery, foods, healthcare, graphic applications, beauty, consumer electronics, covers, cards, beverages, and point-of-sale materials. It is available in thicknesses from 305μm to 600μm.
MetsaBoard Pro FBB OBA free is a fully coated, hard-sized folding boxboard that is free from OBA and is available in thicknesses from 310μm to 610μm.
Marketing commentary on Metsa Board
Metsa Board, a part of Metsa Group, operates eight production units equipped with cutting-edge machinery in Finland and Sweden. It boasts an annual paperboard production capacity of 2.3 million tonnes.
The company is a producer of lightweight, high-quality folding boxboards, food service boards, and white kraftliners.
Metsa’s Simpele board mill was established in 1896 and it employs 270 individuals.
