BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND VALUE CREATION
SUSTAINABILITY
FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT
GOVERNANCE
Highlights in 2021 Paperboard demand was at a record high throughout the year, thanks to an increase in sales in the retail sector and e-commerce driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand was also strengthened by the desire of brand owners to find more sustainable and easily recyclable packaging solutions and reduce the use of plastic.
We are responding to the growing demand for sustainable packaging materials Metsä Board made an investment decision to increase the folding boxboard capacity at the Husum integrated mill in Sweden by 200,000 tonnes a year. We launched a development programme at the Kemi paperboard mill, which will increase the annual capacity of white kraftliners by roughly 40,000 tonnes.
New service package helps to make the most of paperboard We launched the new 360 Services approach with which we help our customers improve the sustainability and performance of packaging throughout the value chain.
We made progress in terms of our 2030 fossil free targets We progressed towards fossil free mills by phasing out the use of peat in our energy generation at the Kyro mill and by reducing the use of peat at the Simpele mill. This cut the fossil-based carbon dioxide emissions of these mill to a significant degree. At the Husum mill, the new recovery boiler and turbine will start up in September 2022. Once in operation, the new recovery boiler will increase the mill’s bioenergy generation and self-sufficiency in electricity. 8
Programme to safeguard biodiversity Metsä Group has been implementing its programme on the ecological sustainability of commercial forests since 2020, to secure the biodiversity of forest nature. With the nature management programme established in 2021, we are also taking part in improving the state of Finnish nature outside of commercial forests.
