New corporate identity

Finnish cardboard and paper maker M-real Corporation is changing its business name to Metsä Board Corporation. The decision will be official when voted by the next Annual General Meeting, scheduled for 28 March 2012, however the company’s website was changed today to reflect the new name already.

This change is part of the adoption of a new corporate identity by the Metsälitto Group, M-real’s mother company, which is changing its name to Metsä Group and is adopting a new logo, an moose head carrying a forest in its antlers. The new name and identity reflects the company’s roots in the forest industry (metsä is the Finnish word for forest) and its positioning as responsible company focused on ecological paperboards.

New R&D centre

Furthermore, the maker of Carta Elega and Carta Integra recently established a new R&D centre in Äänekoski, Finland, where Metsä Board has an existing cartonboard mill, with the aim to provide product innovation to its customers in the packaging industry.

We have relentlessly developed our paperboards, production processes and service to support customers in their business,” says CEO Mikko Helander. “At the same time, our work has achieved benefits in sustainability, for example, in the design of light but stiff boards and in production energy efficiency. Now we want to strengthen our R&D further and drive business forward based on new ideas, customer demand and feedback.

Headed by Lauri Verkasalo, Director for Strategic Research, the new R&D centre is commencing operations from February 2012, with the first research projects coming to fruition within two–three years.