Metsä Spring and Valmet construct a pilot plant in Äänekoski to develop a significant new added-value product for the forest industry
Metsä Group press release 20 August 2020 at 12 noon EEST
Metsä Group’s innovation company Metsä Spring and Valmet have decided to continue the development collaboration related to 3D fibre products and hence, to invest jointly approximately EUR 20 million in a new R&D project. As part of the project, a greenfield pilot plant will be built on Metsä Group’s mill site in Äänekoski, Finland. When operational, the pilot plant will employ roughly 10 persons. The technology applied in the pilot plant converts wet wood pulp into final 3D fibre products without any intermediate steps. In other words, the new environmentally-friendly 3D fibre products are ready to be shipped to end customers as such.
“Our objective is to develop a novel wood-based 3D fibre product, which can replace, for instance, packages made out of fossil raw materials. The pre-study phase with Valmet was a success. We have thus decided to accelerate the pace of development by constructing a pilot plant. I believe that our possibilities for developing a new significant added-value product for the Finnish forest industry are good," says Jarkko Tuominen, head of the project at Metsä Spring.
The main raw material used to make the new products is renewable, sustainably-grown and pure Finnish wood fibre. The 3D fibre products are recyclable. However, in case recycling is not possible, the material decomposes also biologically. Maximising the energy and raw material efficiencies and minimising the distribution chain logistics are enabled by the light structure of the material and by a new manufacturing technology.
“As a technology leader, Valmet brings unique technology and product development capabilities to this joint development project. This collaboration project with Metsä Spring is an excellent opportunity to develop totally new solutions that support sustainability,” says Petri Rasinmäki, head of the Board and Paper Machines Technology Unit at Valmet.
The short-term goal of the project is to develop a novel durable, environmentally-friendly and easy-to-use food package. Based on a recent customer survey, products like this are in high demand on the market, and the demand will grow further in the future. The aim is set for high volume market segments.
The construction of the pilot plant begins in the autumn of 2020 and the pilot plant is expected to be ready for operation by the end of 2021. The pilot plant will be used for the continued development of both the manufacturing technology and the 3D fibre product. If the pilot plant phase validates the concept as sound, the next step would be the construction of a commercial factory in the following years. Such a factory would be built in Finland. The pilot plant phase is part of the ExpandFibre programme.
METSÄ GROUP
For further information, please contact:
Jarkko Tuominen, Head of Project, Metsä Spring Ltd, tel. +358 40 778 7328
Juha Laine, Senior Vice President, Communications, Metsä Group, tel. +358 10 465 4541
Metsä Spring
www.metsaspring.com
Innovation company Metsä Spring invests expertise and financial resources into initiatives with the ambition to reshape the forest-based bioeconomy, aiming to increase the value for Metsä Group’s stakeholders in the long-term.
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Metsä Group
www.metsagroup.com
Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards and tissue and greaseproof papers.
In 2019, Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.5 billion, and it employs approximately 9,300 people. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 100,000 Finnish forest owners. Follow Metsä Group:
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Valmet
www.valmet.com
Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.
Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.
Valmet's net sales in 2019 were approximately EUR 3.5 billion. Our more than 13,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.
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