Metsä Board has finalized a €60 million modernization project at its Simpele paperboard mill in Finland, marking a key step in both quality enhancement and sustainability.
The upgraded board machine is now fully operational, and the renewed MetsäBoard Classic FBB folding boxboard is available for customer deliveries.
Recognized as one of the market’s leading consumer packaging boards, MetsäBoard Classic FBB is widely used in food and healthcare packaging. The recent improvements elevate its print quality and visual uniformity, thanks to new curtain coating technology that delivers sharper, more vibrant results for demanding packaging applications.
“The investment helps our customers meet stricter sustainability and safety standards while maintaining cost efficiency and waste reduction,” said Esa Kaikkonen, CEO of Metsä Board. “We want to help them stay ahead by offering safe, reliable solutions with excellent material efficiency and high-quality print surfaces.”
The €60 million project involved a complete rebuild of the coating section, expansion of the coating color kitchen, and installation of a new pallet packaging line, with more than 430 professionals contributing.
Before the modernization, 89% of the energy used at Simpele came from fossil-free sources. With the new technology now in place, that figure rises to 98%, reinforcing Metsä Board’s goal of achieving fully fossil-free mills by 2030.
Metsä Board is a leading European producer of lightweight folding boxboards, food service boards, and white kraftliners made from renewable fresh wood fibres. Headquartered in Finland and part of Metsä Group, the company reported sales of €1.9 billion in 2024 and employs around 2,300 people. Metsä Board aims for fossil-free mills and raw materials by 2030.
