PRESS RELEASE 11.3.2025 AT 12:15 PM
Metsä Group's tissue business’s strategy is to produce high-quality hygiene papers locally, using fresh fibres from the Northern forests as the main raw material. In line with its strategy, the company will now continue to focus on the production of fresh fibre based tissue papers and invest significantly in the processing of fresh fibre and the modernisation of the water circulation systems of two tissue paper machines.
As part of the company's Future Mill strategic programme and the earlier announced Mänttä mill's EUR 100 million investment programme, the company already has an ongoing investment in a new hand towel line for the production of fresh fibre based hand towel papers. The line is expected to be operational in 2026.
With the planned changes, the mill aims to reduce water consumption by about 75-80% compared to the current situation, as well as to improve the energy consumption of tissue paper production by 25%.
At the same time, the company is planning to end the recycled fibre production at the Mänttä mill and adjust the production capacity by shutting down one tissue paper machine at the end of its life cycle.
Due to these plans, Metsä Tissue will start change negotiations at its Mänttä mill. If implemented, the planned changes could lead to changes in tasks and responsibilities and termination of an estimated maximum of 35 jobs. At the same time, there are plans to open 5 new positions at the Mänttä mill. The scope of the planned changes includes a total of 331 people. The employees of the greaseproof paper business at the Mänttä mill are not included in the scope.
"We reinforce our focus on fresh fibre based, locally produced hygiene products, of which main raw material comes from Northern forests. We have already earlier implemented the investment programme by renewing the hand towel line, and now we are consistently continuing our strategy by investing in the mill's production equipment. Improving the mill's environmental performance through modernisation of paper machine water systems is at the same time a significant step towards our company's 2030 sustainability targets for fossil-free mills and reducing the use of water,” says Joonas Kukkonen, SVP, Finland and Baltics, Metsä Tissue.
Metsä Tissue's Mänttä mill produces Serla, Lambi and Katrin tissue paper products and customers' own brands, as well as SAGA baking and cooking paper products. The mill currently has three tissue paper machines, one greaseproof paper machine and 10 tissue converting lines.
For further information: Joonas Kukkonen, SVP Finland and Baltics, Metsä Tissue, and Joanna Linnermo, Communications Director, Metsä Tissue, phone +358 40 555 5868 or joanna.linnermo[@]metsagroup.com