Stora Enso is set to invest around €9m into its consumer board mills in Finland and Sweden, as part of its efforts to commercialise microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) in paperboard packaging.
The firm will invest in consumer board mills in Imatra and Ingerois of Finland, as well as Fors of Sweden.
Stora Enso’s new MFC will include barrier layers for grease and oxygen and biodegradable film, which can replace aluminum in paperboard packaging.
The facilities are expected begin operations by the end of this year, while full production may achieve in three to five years.
Stora Enso CEO Karl-Henrik Sundström said: “We are now taking the next steps in developing and commercialising products using MFC to meet customer demands for renewable innovations.
“In the future, MFC has the potential to be used in a variety of entirely new products, including many outside of Stora Enso’s current portfolio.”
The firm has also announced €12m investment to construct new production line for manufacturing of biocomposite granules at its Hylte Mill in Sweden.
With an annual capacity of 15 000t per year, the new production line is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2018.
Biocomposite granules, which are a blend of wood fibres, polymers and additives, can be used as raw material for injection moulding and extrusion of products produced from plastic.
In addition, the material can be used in different products ranging from consumer goods such as dish brushes and pots to industrial applications, including pallets or load bearing structures reinforced by glass fibre.
