Our paperboard deliveries were once again at a record high, and our market pulp operations developed positively in the second quarter of the year. Global demand for high-quality fresh fibre paperboard is strong, particularly in the Americas, which is an important market area for us,” said the company in a release. Metsä Board has strengthened its positions in North America and believes sales paperboard to grow clearly during the second half of the year in this area.

Metsä Board has invested 38 million euros in a new extrusion coating line at its Husum site in Sweden. The group’s Husum plant is fully integrated thus enabling the group to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of its production.

In this buoyant context, the group has strengthened its business development efforts, in particular with the renewal of its key marketing messages and the unification of its product and service portfolio as well as with the reinforcement of its positioning on premium paperboards.

The ‘Better with Less’ concept reflects our desire to promote packaging solutions that create better consumer experiences with less environmental impact,” adds Metsä Board.

Sustainable investments

For several years, Metsä Board has been focusing on the quality and low environmental impact of its paperboards manufactured using fresh fibres from sustainably managed Nothern European forests to strengthen its positions and has invested in this direction.

The group has invested 38 million euros in a new extrusion coating line at its Husum site in Sweden, which went fully operational last April with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year to serve the foodservice industry around the world. "Thanks to this extrusion coating machine, the cartons we produce with PE coating meet the stringent requirements of these markets for food safety, purity and product protection. Our cartons made from fresh, pure and renewable fibres offer a sustainable alternative to plastic," explains Christophe Baudry, Sales Director Beautycare & Healthcare of the Finnish group.

Furthermore, Metsä Board’s Husum plant is fully integrated thus enabling the group to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of its production by sourcing wood near the plant and then producing pulp, board and extrusion coated board on the same site. And all these operations are completed close to the sea harbour which is located on the manufacturing site itself!

"We can reduce the impact of transportation and significantly improve the efficiency and sustainability of our supply chain, which is important to us and our customers," said Christophe Baudry.