Packaging firm Mondi has laid the cornerstone of its project to upgrade and expand its mill in Kuopio, Finland.
The move is part of the company's previously announced €125 million investment in the facility, which is slated to commence operations by the fourth quarter of 2023.
Regional and local officials joined Mondi Group CEO, Andrew King, and other senior leaders at a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the project.
King commented, "Thanks to the best technology available, production capacity will increase by 55,000 tonnes per annum and product quality will be enhanced to better serve growing customer demand.
"The long-term sustainability of the mill will also be considerably improved, further consolidating its place in the community."
In March of this year, Mondi announced plans to invest €280 million in corrugated packaging operations across four countries to boost production and improve efficiency.
Climate Impact
The investment in Kuopio will improve Mondi’s local environmental performance and contribute to its plans to take action on its climate impact as part of its MAP2030 sustainability commitments.
The state-of-the-art equipment and process improvements will reduce noise and odour emissions, as well as effluent emissions per unit of production.
It will also mitigate wood loss in processing, boost energy efficiency and enhance occupational safety, Mondi added.
Juha Koukka, managing director of Mondi Kuopio, said, "We are delighted with the investment in the future of this competitive and cost-advantaged asset. Over 18% of Finland’s exports come from the forestry and paper industry, and we are proud to be a growing part of that.
"Our site provides jobs for 240 people – value-added jobs involving a wide range of skills and with the potential for upward mobility."
The project will help the company increase production capacity, strengthen competitiveness, improve safety and contribute positively to the local environment.
Kuopio produces semi-chemical fluting – ProVantage Powerflute, a high performance, top quality containerboard grade used as a key component of fresh fruit and vegetable trays and boxes.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest packaging news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
