More cartonboard capacity at Metsӓ Board’s Äӓnekoski mill
Press release 11 May 2012
Metsä Board, Europe’s leading producer high quality folding boxboard, has completed the rebuild of the board machine at the Ӓänekoski mill in Finland, increasing its folding boxboard capacity by 30,000 tonnes per annum to 240,000 tpa. Normal production restarted in early May of Carta Integra and Carta Solida, Metsä Board’s products especially recommended for high quality packaging and graphics.
“Demand for sustainable packaging made from fresh forest fibres continues to be strong, and we have responded by increasing the availability of our cartonboards,” says Olli Mäki, VP Cartonboard Sales, Metsä Board. “Their purity and excellent sensory properties make them ideal for confectionery, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and beautycare products, and their superior printing surface allows perfect reproduction for high quality packaging. Their light weight, in comparison to boards with similar strength, means less impact on the environment.”
An additional project to increase cartonboard sheeting capability is also underway at Ӓänekoski, converting the facility released by closure of the paper machine at the site. This will be finalised in the autumn.
The Ӓänekoski board machine rebuild is part of Metsä Board’s paperboard investment programme 2011–2012, aimed at improving availability and service. Under this programme, the Simpele mill rebuild was successfully finalised in June 2011 and Kyro mill rebuild in December 2011. The programme also included the improvement of the Kemi linerboard mill’s coating operations. Further investment continues with the building of a new biopower plant next to the Kyro mill, for completion in autumn 2012, to replace fossil natural gas with carbon neutral bioenergy.
Link to photo: http://databank.metsagroup.com/?cart=452-dggimfmbgh&l=EN
For further information, please contact Metsä Board:
Olli Mäki, VP Cartonboard Sales
Mobile +358 (0)50 598 9888
E-mail olli.maki(at)metsagroup.com
Metsä Group is a responsible forest industry group whose products are part of people’s everyday life and promote sustainable well-being. Metsä Group produces high-quality products mainly from renewable Nordic wood. The Group’s business areas are tissue and cooking papers, board and paper, pulp, wood products as well as wood supply. Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.3 billion in 2011, and it employs approximately 12,500 people. The Group is present in some 30 countries.
Metsä Board is Europe’s leading producer of fresh forest fibre cartonboards, the world’s leading manufacturer of coated white-top kraftliners, and a major paper supplier. The company’s sales network serves brand owners, carton printers, corrugated packaging manufacturers, printers, merchants and office suppliers.
Metsä Board supports its customers’ businesses by providing high-performance paperboards and quality papers for consumer and retail packaging, graphics and office end-uses. Together with its customers and partners, Metsä Board develops products and services for demanding end uses. The company’s paperboard is mainly used for the packaging of beautycare and healthcare products, foods, cigarettes, and consumer durables as well as graphics. Paper is mainly used for office papers as well as wallcoverings and other speciality end uses.
Metsä Board’s business areas are Paperboard, and Paper and Pulp.
Metsä Board is headquartered in Finland. In 2011, the company’s sales totalled EUR 2.5 billion, and it has approximately 3,800 employees. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.