The conversion of Oulu Mill will enable Stora Enso to further improve its position in the growing packaging business and take a major step forward in its transformation.
May 28, 2019
Stora Enso has decided to invest approximately EUR 350 million to convert the Oulu paper mill in Finland into packaging production. The investment includes converting paper machine 7 into high-quality virgin-fibre-based kraftliner production, and the closure of paper machine 6 and sheeting plant. Production on the converted machine is estimated to start by the end of 2020.
The typical end uses for kraftliner are in packaging segments that require high strength, quality and purity, such as food, fruit and vegetables as well as heavy duty packaging. Production will target global export markets.
The investment will include a new world-class line for virgin-fibre based kraftliner (both brown and white-top) with an annual capacity of 450000 tonnes, the modification of the pulp mill and drying machine for unbleached brown pulp, as well as investments to enhance the mill’s environmental performance. The project will start with ground work in the summer of 2019, and about 200 contractors will work at the Oulu Mill site during the project.
Oulu Mill’s current capacity is 1080 000 tonnes of wood-free coated papers annually. Typical end-uses for wood-free coated papers are e.g. high-quality advertising and magazines. Paper production is expected to continue until the end of September 2020.
