26 Mar. 2025: Stora Enso’s new consumer packaging board line at its Oulu site in Finland has officially begun production ramp-up, with the first customer deliveries expected by the second quarter of 2025. This significant investment reflects the company’s commitment to sustainable packaging solutions and strengthens its position in the growing consumer packaging market.
In 2022, Stora Enso made the strategic decision to convert its remaining idle paper machine at the Oulu site into a flexible consumer packaging board line, focusing on folding box board (FBB) and coated unbleached kraft (CUK). The new line, with an annual capacity of 750,000 tonnes, represents a EUR 1 billion investment. The project is progressing on schedule and is expected to reach EBITDA breakeven by the end of 2025, with full capacity anticipated by 2027. Once fully operational, the new line is expected to generate annual sales of around EUR 800 million.
Renewable packaging is Stora Enso’s largest growth segment, and this investment aligns with the company’s strategic focus on expanding its presence in the FBB and CUK markets. The targeted sectors for this new packaging include frozen, chilled, and dry food, as well as beverage multi-packaging, primarily for customers in Europe and North America.
Stora Enso’s President and CEO, Hans Sohlström, emphasized the importance of the new line, stating, “The new line will be the most modern and cost-efficient in Europe. Our Oulu unit will become Stora Enso’s largest production facility, an integrated mega-site, focusing on future packaging board grades and featuring a flexible production setup. This will strengthen profitability and competitiveness for our consumer board and containerboard offerings.”
The Oulu site, which now employs approximately 650 people, will produce a diverse range of products, including unbleached pulp, kraftliner, and consumer board in both reels and sheets. The site’s wood consumption will increase by about one million cubic metres, reaching a total of approximately 3.5 million cubic metres annually. Stora Enso plans to use local wood supplies and pulp from its Enocell site in Finland and Veracel site in Brazil. Furthermore, the acquisition of the Junnikkala sawmills will further enhance the site’s cost-efficient, long-term raw material supply, particularly for wood chips, pulpwood, and biomass.
The Oulu site is poised to play a crucial role in Stora Enso’s drive to reduce reliance on fossil-based materials, reinforcing the company’s vision of creating products from renewable, forest-based resources. The Oulu unit will be central to the company’s future growth in the renewable packaging sector, with an emphasis on sustainability and cost efficiency.
Stora Enso is a global leader in renewable products, focusing on packaging, biomaterials, and wooden construction. With a strong commitment to sustainability, the company is one of the largest private forest owners worldwide. In 2024, Stora Enso employed approximately 19,000 people and generated EUR 9 billion in sales.