Metsä Board has launched a development programme for its Whitetop Kraftliner mill in Kemi, enabled by Metsä Fibre’s new bioproduct mill investment announced recently. The development programme is a significant step towards the company’s sustainability targets for 2030.
The project will increase the mill’s annual capacity by approximately 40,000 tonnes. It includes a series of modernisation and bottleneck investments in the production line and as part of the programme, Metsä Board will purchase the modernised unbleached pulp production line with an annual capacity of approximately 180,000 tonnes from Metsä Fibre in 2023. The total investment value of the programme is approximately €67m, divided in 2021–2023, and mainly in 2023.
The development programme will reduce the mill’s water consumption by about 40% and energy consumption by about 5% per tonne of paper produced. The company’s target is to reduce water consumption by 30% and energy consumption by 10% per tonne of paper produced by 2030 compared to 2018.
“Demand for premium and recyclable Whitetop Kraftliners is growing rapidly in our main markets in North America and Europe,” says Mika Joukio, CEO of Metsä Board. “After these investments, Metsä Board’s position in coated white Kraftliners globally will be further strengthened.”
