As announced on February 26, 2025 , Metsä Group has now, in practice through its innovation company Metsä Spring, launched a new phase in the development work that aims to launch the Kuura textile fibre business in the coming years. This so-called ‘Pre-engineering’ phase comprises four parallel sub-projects. One of the sub-projects is focusing on the continued planning of a first industrial Kuura production plant. The following appointments have now been made in the context of the factory planning sub-project.
Jari-Pekka Johansson has been appointed as the operative leader of the sub-project and he continues to hold the title Project Director. Jari-Pekka moves to this role from Metsä Fibre, where he was responsible for the Kemi bioproduct mill investment project. In this new Metsä Spring role, he reports to Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of Metsä Spring. Jari-Pekka started officially in this position on April 1, 2025.
Rami Karhu has been appointed Director, Mill Design and Integration. Before this appointment Rami was in charge of the ‘Pre-study’ phase of planning the first industrial Kuura production plant. Rami reports to Jari-Pekka.
Kishore Shouche has been appointed Technology Director. Kishore will continue in his current development role linked to the Kuura demo plant in Äänekoski, Finland, but will, from now on, spend approximately half of his working time as part of the Kuura factory planning sub-project. Kishore reports to Niklas.
Rami and Kishore's appointments took effect on March 1, 2025.
In addition, the following Metsä Group experts have also joined the Kuura factory planning team: Henri Berg (local, in-house communication), Marika Granath (project administration), Miko Kemiläinen (HR), Heini Konola (project assistant), Hannu Kärkkäinen (ICT), Anna Riikka Nickull (environmental permitting), Ossi Puromäki (project services), and Sara Rühr (procurement). Some of the above-mentioned people will work on the Kuura project alongside their main job elsewhere in Metsä Group, while others will join the project as full-time team members (either directly or after a transition period). The search for additional human resources continues and the team is expected to be fully formed in the summer of 2025.
The factory planning sub-project’s project office is in Äänekoski.
Read more:
https://www.metsagroup.com/metsaspring/portfolio/textile-fibre-from-paper-grade-pulp/
kuura.io
For further information, please contact:
Jari-Pekka Johansson, Project Director, tel. +358 40 830 4432, jari-pekka.johansson[a]metsagroup.com
Niklas von Weymarn, CEO, niklas.vonweymarn[a]metsagroup.com