Metsä Board has started operations on its new Center of Excellence at the exclusive bioeconomy center in Äänekoski, Finland. The center, with its cutting-edge technology for R&D, packaging design and performance of the carton and packaging, aims to accelerate innovation in materials and packaging and provide a collaborative platform for customers and technology partners globally.
“As the number of packaging continues to grow, new sustainable solutions are required to replace fossil materials and ensure circularity. The Center of Excellence concept makes it possible to obtain cardboard and packaging solutions that analyze the entire value chain, and not just its separate parts. With the knowledge of the material, the competence and the tools available, we can optimize performance throughout the packaging life cycle, "he says. Mika Joukio, CEO of Metsä Board.
The Center of Excellence, covering a total of 1.500 square meters, includes R&D facilities, a packaging design studio, a customer information center and a state-of-the-art laboratory that provides more than 100 measurement and analysis methods. different. The center also has a virtual store and a computer-aided engineering (CAE) tool to enable sophisticated simulation and analysis of packaging performance.
'Renewable and recyclable virgin fiber board can be used for packaging in many ways. Fiber-based packaging has a lot to offer, and together with our partners and the new Center of Excellence, we can explore the possibilities even more comprehensively. I am excited about the opportunities this will bring for the present and the future, ”says the CEO of Metsä Board, Mika Joukio. The world's unique bioeconomy ecosystem of Äänekoski includes a state-of-the-art bioproducts factory, a cardboard factory, a plywood factory, the Pro Nemus visitor center and a textile fiber demonstration plant.
