Highlights of the year

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.

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.

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.

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.

We helped our customers reduce the use of plastic

Reducing the amount of plastic waste is more important than ever, a fact visible in the solid growth in the demand for our dispersion-coated barrier paperboard. In cooperation with the Finnish start-up The Paper Lid Company, we also introduced a fully recyclable paperboard lid suitable for paper cups to the market.

‘Metsä For All’ promotes a more equal workplace

As part of Metsä Group, Metsä Board is committed to the development of a responsible culture that supports equality. The ‘Metsä For All’ vision describes the kind of workplace we want to be in the future. The personnel’s equality training, the adoption of anonymous recruiting, and increasing the share of women in executive positions are examples of the practical measures we are taking in this area.

We won both the Finnish Circular Economy Award and the Finnish Quality Award

Metsä Board was presented with the circular economy award, the first in the world to be based on an external assessment. Laatukeskus Excellence Finland presented the award in recognition of our strategic sustainability work, which is reflected in our high level of competitiveness. We also won the Finnish Quality award.