Mikko Helander, CEO of Metsä Board (formerly M-real), Europe’s leading producer of fresh forest fibre cartonboards, the world’s leading manufacturer of coated white-top kraftliners and a major paper supplier, spoke at Drupa (4th May 2012) about the company’s strategy to refocus on paperboard - the sustainable and lightweight packaging material.“Metsä Board has undergone significant structural changes, transforming from a paper company to a profitable paperboard company. We look forward to a future based on sustainable products, modernised mills and improved services,” said Mikko Helander.
“Packaging is one of the biggest businesses in the world, and there is major growth potential for our paperboards in many markets,” Mikko Helander added. “Following the successful rebuild at our Ӓänekoski mill, Metsä Board’s cartonboard investment programme 2011-2012 has met one of its key aims - increased capacity. We are now working towards ‘Super Productivity’ in a systematic programme to make our productivity the best in the industry.”
Metsä Board has increased its cartonboard capacity by 150,000 tpa to 935,000 tpa by investment at three cartonboard mills in Finland. The Metsä Board Simpele rebuild was completed June 2011, Kyro in November 2011 and Ӓänekoski in May 2012. Refocusing of the Kemi linerboard mill’s production to coated grades after investment made in 2011 has been a success. Metsä Board’s state-of-the-art paperboard capacity, including the Kemi mill, today totals 1.31 million tpa.
Mikko Helander emphasised that Metsä Board is committed to the development of its remaining paper business: “Our paper production is now focused on Husum, in Sweden, Europe’s largest fine paper and pulp integrate with a capacity of over 1.5 million tpa. We are European market leaders in wallpaper base paper, made at the Kyro mill in Finland, and Chromolux cast coated papers and boards, produced at Gohrsmühle in Germany.”
