Stora Enso Inaugurates ?.1bn Packaging Board Line at Oulu Mill
Stora Enso has officially inaugurated a new consumer packaging board production line at its Oulu site in Finland, following an investment of €1.1 billion. The project forms part of a wider €1.7 billion commitment to the site since 2019.
The company described the facility as Europe’s most modern consumer board production line. By converting former paper machines into state-of-the-art board lines, the Oulu mill has achieved a 90% reduction in fossil CO₂ emissions.
The new line incorporates Stora Enso’s patented FiberLight Tec™ fibre processing technology, enabling the production of lighter yet stronger packaging materials. The portfolio includes folding boxboard, kraftliners, paper bag material, and unbleached softwood pulp. The mill’s output is designed for a wide range of applications such as frozen and dry foods, pharmaceuticals, and beverage multipacks, with the majority of production destined for export.
Hans Sohlström, President and CEO of Stora Enso, said:“The Oulu production site is a strategically significant investment as it strengthens our leading position in high added-value renewable packaging materials and increases Finland’s export revenue significantly. Consumer packaging made from wood fibres has great potential to replace plastic packaging and our materials are designed for existing recycling streams. The nearly carbon-neutral production site in Oulu is a prime example of an investment in bioeconomy, and it concretely contributes to the transition from fossil materials to renewable and recyclable packaging.”
Looking ahead, Stora Enso expects the new line to reach full production capacity of 750,000 tonnes by 2027. At that point, the Oulu site is forecast to generate annual sales of approximately €800 million.
Matti Lielahti, Head of the Oulu Business Unit, added:“Our folding boxboard can be up to a third lighter than traditional boards, the material is efficient and durable and helps our customers to reduce the consumption of packaging material and at the same time reduce their transport emissions. This means also that they have very high added value. Our mill’s location next to the deep port enables efficient logistics worldwide throughout the year. It is important for us to be involved in mitigating climate change.”
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Chair of Stora Enso’s Board of Directors Kari Jordan, President and CEO Hans Sohlström, and Oulu mill’s Chief Shop Steward Olli-Pekka Kaikkonen.