Stora Enso is laying the foundation for the future of circular packaging in Oulu, Finland
News General news
The future of packaging is circular and to be achieved with solutions that are net positive for both climate and biodiversity. This future is already taking shape in Oulu, a city in northern Finland, where the foundation stone for Stora Enso’s new board line was laid on 30 May.
We at Stora Enso believe that renewable materials will shape the future of circular packaging. In this future, plastics will be replaced with renewables, all packaging will be recyclable, and low emissions are harmonized with high quality standards.
To shape this future into reality, the founding stone of our new, high-volume consumer board line in Oulu, a city of approximately 200 000 inhabitants in northern Finland, was laid on 30 May.
When ready in 2025, the new facility will have the capacity to produce up to 750 000 tonnes of renewable packaging materials from well managed northern forest fiber. The new capacity empowers our customers to make more sustainable choices for their food and beverage packaging, as it allows for the utilisation of renewable materials and promotes circular design principles: bio-based, recyclable, low carbon, and offers alternatives to plastic.
“This investment is at the heart of our growing packaging segments. Cartonboards are versatile, growing grades where we already have profound knowledge and a solid understanding of our customers’ needs and wishes. These new materials support plastic replacement solutions but also grow in their current traditional end-uses,” says Andreas Birmoser, SVP, BU Consumer Board, Stora Enso.
“We build on existing platforms to advance our future profitable growth. With smooth logistics and a highly developed supply chain in the Oulu region and beyond, we can serve our customers efficiently in all directions. It is crucial that we build on what we know but also expand,” Birmoser says.
