Valmet and Metsä Board have signed an agreement on data-driven optimization of paperboard quality of the board machine at Metsä Board’s Kemi mill. The machine produces premium quality white top kraftliner. Valmet will supply the mill with Valmet Industrial Internet VII Data Discovery and VII for Paper Quality solutions.  

The order was included in Valmet’s orders received of the second quarter 2020. The value of the order is not disclosed.

The agreement is the first step in a jointly built digital roadmap between Metsä Board and Valmet. The target of this first step is to ensure top-quality end-product to enable smooth runnability in the paperboard converting process. A mill-wide action plan will be created by combining historical mill process data, converting data from Metsä Board’s customer and Valmet’s expertise to discover the improvement potential of the board machine BM1 production process. This is enabled by Valmet’s VII Data Discovery solution.

“Metsä Board’s products are known for high quality consistency and converting runnability, and we are committed to continuous improvement. With virtual sensors for quality management using artificial intelligence we can reach even better performance. We chose Valmet as our partner based on technical expertise and long-term trust between our companies,” says Tomi Vähä-Ruohola, Technical Development Manager, Metsä Board.

“This project is a good example of how we can use VII Data Discovery findings to build a mill-wide action plan and create the right artificial intelligence-based VII solutions for the customer’s needs. With this first step in our common digital roadmap, we are together moving towards data-based optimization of the entire value chain from pulping to converting,” says Arttu-Matti Matinlauri, Director, Analytics and Applications, Automation business line, Valmet.

Further details about Valmet’s delivery

The VII for Paper Quality solution, including Valmet’s artificial intelligence-based applications and the Valmet IQ Quality Management System are used to predict and autonomously optimize paperboard surface quality in real time.

A key part of the VII for Paper Quality solution is the world’s first predictive application for online optimization of paperboard surface quality. It helps maintain high end-product quality and optimize the usage of raw material.

Another important application in this solution is the Dynamic Centerline Advisor, which builds optimal production recipes for each operating mode, ensuring maximized overall equipment effectiveness.  

Information about the customer Metsä Board

Metsä Board is a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards and forerunner in sustainability. Metsä Board produces premium lightweight folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners for consumer goods packaging as well as retail-ready and food service applications. In 2019, the company’s sales totalled EUR 1.9 billion, and it has approximately 2,400 employees. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. 

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.

Valmet's net sales in 2019 were approximately EUR 3.5 billion. Our more than 13,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Read more www.valmet.com

London’s fastest growing port launches the UK Paper Hub in Tilbury today (15 September). Bringing together decades of expertise at the Port of Tilbury, the new all-in-one paper and forest product handling Hub is the first facility in the UK created to actively reduce all forms of waste in the supply chain.

UK Paper Hub is the collective brand covering Tilbury’s handling, storage and distribution services for paper and related forest products (including graphical papers and newsprint, packaging paper and board, tissue and hygiene products, and pulp). The brand brings together the expertise and facilities of the paper handling terminals, previously known as Enterprise Distribution Centre (EDC) and London Paper Terminal (LPT), which the port owns and operates.

Tilbury has always been a market leader for paper import and handling and has invested significantly in purpose-built facilities. Innovations such as unique paper handling equipment, automated warehouse and transparent IT systems all support the industry leading product care levels. The port has ordered six new side shifting Terberg tugs and six Novatech translifters, in partnership with supplier Briggs Equipment which will all be in place by the end of the year. The new style of translifters were specifically chosen to enhance operational flexibility and efficiency for UK Paper Hub. 

The opportunity in Tilbury is unrivalled. The UK Paper Hub can handle paper and forest products in any form, any quantity using any method of shipping or distribution, both short sea and deep sea. The Hub has access to a nationwide haulage network and connects the UK’s domestic industries with markets across the globe. Tilbury’s newest port, Tilbury2, opened in May and along with London Container Terminal, offers the Hub further connections and capacity for customers.

Commenting on the launch, Paul Dale, Asset and Site Director said: “This is exciting news for Tilbury as we introduce the UK Paper Hub to the paper and forest products market. At Tilbury, we are proud of our approach which is always built around our customer’s needs and we work collaboratively to ensure that we deliver dependable solutions.

We believe this is the right time to reposition our paper service offering to reflect the changes in the sector and our preparedness as the UK prepares to leave the customs union. We have invested in the rebranding of our paper services to showcase the port’s world-class paper offering as a whole.

Through continuous investment in facilities and equipment at the Hub we are actively making a progressive contribution to the environment and bioeconomy by reducing all forms of waste within the paper and forest products supply chain. Tilbury’s location and connections are unrivalled and as the market demands change, this is the right time to offer customers this all-in-one facility.”

Tilbury handles a vast range of commodities, and over the summer the port added tissue to their wide portfolio of commodities. To deliver this, the Hub has further invested in new handling equipment.

Some of the key facilities at the Hub include:

• Handling expertise of packaging papers and boards, graphical papers, tissue and hygiene products, pulp, other specialty paper and board products
• Capability of handling packages (reels, bails, pallets) of all sizes and currently up to 7 tonnes in weight
• We welcome all shipping methods: Lo-Lo, Sto-Ro, Ro-Ro, side port, containerised (including SECU - Stora Enso Container Units), trailer (IBR)
• Dedicated Lo-Lo and Ro-Ro berths with direct access to purpose-built facilities (manual and automated warehousing) and extensive undercover canopy space
• Diverse portfolio of bespoke paper handling plant and equipment, including custom designed intelligent clamp systems
• Advanced IT systems including transparent warehouse management systems; capability to support and integrate with all data exchange platforms; access to a custom built haulier portal and delivery alert system
• Onsite trailer parking bays equipped to handle preloading operations and undercover loading, securing, and strapping areas
• AEO approved, ISPS secured sites, CCTV coverage and protected by The Port of Tilbury Police on site
• Access to value added services including customs clearance; onsite refurbishment; and haulage

For more information on the UK Paper Hub go to: www.ukpaperhub.forthports.co.uk

About Forth Ports / Port of Tilbury&Tilbury2

Forth Ports Limited owns and operates Tilbury, alongside seven other commercial ports on the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Tay: Grangemouth, Dundee, Leith, Rosyth, Methil, Burntisland and Kirkcaldy.

The Port of Tilbury is the number one UK port for forest products, construction materials, paper, grain, recyclables and warehousing space. The port has a strong market presence in bulk commodities, ro-ro, cars and cruise vessels. The port’s London Container Terminal handles a mix of short and deep-sea services, is the UK's number four port for containers and has the greatest reefer (refrigerated container) point connectivity in Europe. Tilbury's strategic location makes it a natural point for distribution, with nearly 20 million people living within 75 miles. Serving the UK's market, the port offers customers excellent transport links to and from the UK’s capital and across the South East where over 50% of the population live and work. The port is a diverse multi-modal hub, covering around 1,000 acres (850 acres and the London Distribution Park, in addition to the Tilbury2 site) and is well positioned to access the M25 orbital motorway and the rest of the UK's national motorway network. In addition, there are direct rail connections within the port and dedicated barge facilities.

www.forthports.co.uk  www.tilbury2.co.uk

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BaleFactsTM report details critical quality criteria about bale shipments and provides quality certification for transparent transactions

A new concept for inspecting and certifying the quality of recovered paper is proving to be a valuable tool for recyclers – giving their customers confidence in product quality and the suppliers themselves accurate data to negotiate true market pricing and successfully close transactions. The approach utilizes the BaleVisionTM quality inspection and data analytics platform from merQbiz® combined with the new BaleFactsTM report that provides quality certification.

Multiple recyclers are now running trials using what merQbiz calls a “Confidence in Supply” (CIS) and “Confidence in Export” (CIE) solution.

Similar to “car facts” reports used in the auto industry, a BaleFacts quality certification provides detailed data about RCP shipments based on a sample of inspected bales. The report documents the material inspection date, paper grade, shipment tonnage, bale identification numbers, content breakdown, a photo of each bale inspected, and average content breakdown of the overall shipment. BaleFacts provides mills with assurance in the quality of the material they are receiving and serves as a historical record of the transaction.

Furthermore, BaleFacts data aggregated over time – including information about the supplier’s inbound materials and warehousing practices – helps sellers set pricing and leverage negotiations with buyers, as well as understand how sourcing, processing and storage practices are affecting their quality. Likewise, buyers are able to get a clear picture of supplier performance through historical data.

“BaleFacts is just one tool in our product suite aimed at giving both sellers and buyers greater confidence in supply,” said John Fox, merQbiz President and CEO. “We conduct BaleVision quality inspections where our technicians measure bale quality onsite at the seller’s location, or the seller can lease our inspection device to do their own quality checks. Our dedicated sales team can also connect sellers with buyers for their product in both domestic and international markets.”

CIS/CIE Trials Underway

Early trials of the CIS and CIE programs have been well received, according to Chris Parsons, Export Director at merQbiz.

In one case, a large domestic seller that sells its product to Asia was seeking greater assurance that shipments would be accepted and usable on the import side. With merQbiz’s CIE program, the supplier now has objective quality data with a BaleFacts certification for each shipment. “The report is shared via the cloud with the company’s representatives in Asia who can walk into a mill and confirm buyer acceptance based on the quality before the shipment ever leaves the stateside port. That is powerful,” said Parsons.

The quality certification program is applicable to small recyclers, as well as large ones. A family-owned materials recycling center (MRF) in the Northeast is using the CIE solution to certify exports to a buyer in the United Arab Emirates. Certification of an initial 400-ton shipment provided product transparency, giving both seller and buyer confidence in the transaction. With a CIE program now officially in place, merQbiz will certify approximately 2,000 tons in September.

With its CIS program, merQbiz is helping to facilitate domestic transactions in addition to CIE for exports, according to Parsons. He describes a domestic mill that came to merQbiz looking to deepen its supplier base for high-quality newsprint grade. merQbiz connected the mill to a MRF that was a good fit in terms of location, grade and quality. After a successful initial trial of the CIS quality inspection and certification, the seller now has a new customer and is increasing its supply to the mill.

The merQbiz CIS and CIE programs are powered by the company’s BaleVision inspection and analytics platform and its BaleFacts reports. These services are available globally for all buyers and sellers of recovered paper. As a cloud-based solution, users can quickly and easily access information via the web and share data with their trading partners securely anywhere in the world.

For more information about merQbiz’s recovered paper quality solutions, inquire at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About merQbiz merQbiz is a services and analytics provider for buyers and sellers in the recycling industry. The company delivers solutions across quality, analytics and procurement to help customers grow their business. Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Beach in Los Angeles, merQbiz is a sole venture of Voith. www.merqbiz.com

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Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, and home of innovation for a variety of industry partners, recently received two ScanStar awards and two Obal Roku awards recognising its expertise in automotive, e-commerce and FMCG packaging solutions. 

Mondi Ansbach (Germany) developed the double ScanStar award-winning transportation packaging solutions for Volvo. The team works closely with its automotive industry customers to create value-added corrugated solutions that protect heavy-duty goods such as brake boosters and headlamps, while improving processes and logistics. The ScanStar jury especially highlighted these factors:

• cost-effectiveness
• sustainability
• stability
• improvement in work ergonomics

“Our stakeholders at the plant are very pleased with this packaging concept when it comes to usability and quality,” says Paulo Soeiro, Packaging Engineer at Volvo Cars about Mondi’s brake booster solution.

At this year’s Obul Roka awards, Mondi Bupak (Czech Republic) won in the Technology & Process category with its special edition sparkling wine box for Bohemia Sekt, which stood out thanks to the imaginative design and high printability capabilities of the Bupak plant. Mondi’s EnvelopeMailer won the E-commerce category, giving customers a fully recyclable alternative to polyethylene bags and polyethylene-coated products when shipping e-commerce goods.

“We believe in packaging that is sustainable by design. Our designers have an innovation mind-set that sets standards in the packaging market. I am proud of the recognition our innovative products and commitment to service and quality is receiving”, says Armand Schoonbrood, COO Corrugated Solutions at Mondi.

All four awards qualify for the international WorldStar awards run by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO). Closing date for entries is in October, the results will be announced December 15.

* ScanStar is a joint Nordic packaging competition held annually since 1969 by SPA, the Scandinavian Packaging Association. ScanStar 2020 is organised by The Finnish Packaging Association. The jury bases its decision on cost-effectiveness, sustainability, stability, and improvement in work ergonomics. For further information, see http://www.scanstar.org/uk/

** OBAL ROKU is a unique certified packaging competition designed for Czech and foreign companies involved in an interesting packaging solution. For further information, see https://obalroku.cz/obal-roku-en

RIDG Holding Group, the new Czech owner of Slovenian paper mill Vipap Videm Krško, continues to restructure and modernize. The top management is newly expanded by Mojca Mia Berger, the new CFO, and Aleš Lavrič, Director of Logistics. Last November, the company appointed the new CEO Petr Domin, and in March it introduced the new HR Director Vesna Kemper. The new management aims to streamline the operation of the company and to increase its flexibility, the level of education of its employees, and the profitability of the company.

• Slovenian paper mill Vipap Videm Krško has appointed Mojca Mia Berger as the new CFO.

• Aleš Lavrič became the new Director of Logistics. He will be responsible not only for increasing efficiency in the field of logistics but also for purchasing and planning.

• The new Czech owner RIDG Holding Group continues to carry out an intensive restructuring, even during the coronavirus pandemic, to increase the flexibility and level of education of its employees in the future.

Mojca Mia Berger has previously worked as the Head of Finance & Controlling for American & Efird (A&E Europe). She has extensive experience not only at the local but also at the regional level. During her 20-year career, she has held senior positions in the finance departments of Hewlett-Packard, Knauf Insulation, and the Imperial Tobacco Group. Mojca Mia Berger graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana. "I am glad to expand Vipap's management and participate in the development of its strategy, including restructuring and subsequent optimization. Further strengthening the financial team is important for long-term economic growth. The most common fields for improvement are the cash flow predictions, inventory management, cost allocation, and financial reporting processes. Therefore, I will primarily focus on improving work with data and the management information system,” Mojca Mia Berger explains her role at Vipap Videm Krško.

The new Director of Logistics Aleš Lavrič comes from Yaskawa Europe Robotics, where he was responsible for purchasing activities and the functioning of the supply chain. Aleš Lavrič worked for 12 years in the field of purchasing and logistics, 5 years devoted to the development and for 6 years focused on the implementation of IT solutions. He graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana. He describes his new vision for the development of paper mill Vipap Videm Krško: “I believe in the principles of lean production and constant progress. But it is a process that never ends. In other words, if we reach the comfort zone, changes need to be made. These depend on increased economic efficiency, but not at the expense of safety, health, or the protection of the environment."

"An appointment of Mojca and Aleš is a crucial step for the further development of our paper mill. They are experienced managers who have demonstrated their skills several times during their careers. I am glad to welcome them to our team and I believe that they will play a key role in the enterprise modernization and the strategic development of the company and our employees. The top management of the company is complete now and together we are ready for new challenges. Now we have managers in the team who already have extensive experience in our company, such as Technical Director Milena Resnik or Sales Director Ladislav Kristančič, as well as our new colleagues who will certainly bring a fresh breeze," explains Chairman of the Board and CEO of Vipap Videm Krško Petr Domin.

The further development of the paper mill is also proven by the new acquisitions in production. The company's latest steps include the installation of a new WIN CC operating system in machines or the modernization of a cutting unit worth € 350,000 (more than CZK 9 million). Last year a new bearing roller worth € 89,500 (almost CZK 2.5 million) was installed, and this April also a second support roller with a new elastic lining worth € 47,500 (over CZK 1.2 million). These investments are among the key steps that are turning Vipap Videm Krško into one of the most modern paper mills in Central Europe.

Toscotec successfully completed a hood rebuild on PM 1 at WEPA Mainz in Germany. After a tight shutdown timeframe, PM 1 started up on schedule last year. Following a period of stable running conditions, it successfully completed the performance test, and outperformed the technical guarantees of the rebuild by having excellent results for drying capacity and gas consumption.

The rebuild was a turnkey operation, including gas-fired TT Hood, an air system fitted with low-emission burners, several stages of energy recovery, and the complete electrification system for the scope. Toscotec’s high efficiency TT Hoods deliver an even distribution of air on the paper sheet, ensuring a perfectly uniform moisture profile in cross direction. WEPA also ordered a complete service package including dismantling operations, erection, commissioning, and start-up assistance.

Since 2006, Toscotec supplied seven hood rebuilds to WEPA at five different mills in Germany and Italy. The successful outcome of these projects has been consistently a reduction of gas and power consumption higher than the contract guarantees and a significant increase in the run-ability of the machine, both in terms of overall efficiency and cross direction moisture profile.

Per Thorneman, technical manager and project manager at WEPA Mainz says: “The preparation, the processing, the commissioning and the follow-up were always cooperative and professional. Even if the time frame for the shutdown of the plant was very challenging and could only be kept in two shifts over 24 hours.”

Rene Martin production manager PM 1 at WEPA Mainz, says: “The new hoods and the new air system work efficiently and deliver good results in terms of the uniformity of the profile as well as the gas and electricity consumption. We have significantly reduced our operating costs.”

Elena Troia, Toscotec Energy sales manager, says, “From a technical point of view, this rebuild was very interesting for the size of TT Hoods – for an 18 foot Yankee, double width – and for its turnkey scope. Toscotec evaluated the running conditions of the existing equipment and developed a tailor-made solution to improve PM 1’s performance and energy consumptions. WEPA set a very tight shutdown period, but we met their targets and we are happy to see that the new TT Hoods have been running efficiently since start-up.”

Stora Enso will start codetermination negotiations with employees at its Hylte Mill in Sweden regarding a plan to reorganise the mill, including permanent closure of paper machine PM3 and the deinking plant (DIP). After the planned restructuring, the mill would run on 100% thermomechanical pulp (TMP), improving the competitiveness of the mill. The planned closure of PM3 and the reorganisation of the mill would impact a maximum of 140 persons. PM3 is planned to be closed by the end of 2020 and the DIP latest in Q2 2021.

The plan would result in annual cost savings of EUR 14 million. Stora Enso will book restructuring costs of approximately EUR 12 million as an item affecting comparability (IAC) in its Q3 2020 results, of which about EUR 8 million will have a cash impact. The planned closure would not have material impact on Stora Enso’s sales or operational EBIT.

“The decline in global newsprint demand continues due to changes in consumer behaviour, and it is not expected to recover. This has led to global overcapacity, low operating rates, and poor profitability at the Hylte Mill. The planned measures would improve the competitiveness of the mill. Also, Stora Enso has invested in the future of the site to produce formed fiber products and biocomposites,” says Kati ter Horst, EVP, Paper division.

No decisions regarding the planned reorganisation or employee impact will be taken until the codetermination negotiations have been concluded. Hylte Mill currently operates two newsprint machines with an annual capacity of 480 000 tonnes. Production at Hylte Mill would continue on one line, PM4 for standard newsprint paper. The planned shutdown would decrease Stora Enso’s annual newsprint capacity by 26% or 235 000 tonnes, which represents 4% of total European newsprint paper capacity. The planned shutdown would reduce Stora Enso’s total paper capacity by 5%.

Stora Enso will continue to produce standard newsprint at Hylte, Langerbrugge and Sachsen mills. The closure of Hylte Mill PM3 would not impact Stora Enso’s newsprint product offering, and we would be able to serve our customers as today.

Part of the bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has some 25 000 employees in over 30 countries. Our sales in 2019 were EUR 10.1 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY). storaenso.com

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Guangdong Hengan Paper Co., Ltd. (Hengan) to supply four tissue machines to its new mill in Yunfu, Guangdong, China, for the production of high-quality facial, toilet, handkerchief and napkin tissue grades made of virgin market pulp.

Each of the new tissue machines is of the type PrimeLineCOMPACT M 1600 with a design speed of 1,700 m/min and a working width of 3.65 m. All of them are equipped with a proven PrimeFlow step diffusor headbox for superior formation quality. The 18 ft. PrimeDry Steel Yankee together with the high-load suction pressure roll and canopy hood ensure high drying capacity at reduced energy consumption compared to conventional drying systems. The scope of supply also includes an under-machine pulper.

ANDRITZ will supply four PrimeLineCOMPACT M 1600 tissue machines to the Hengan Group

The technical characteristics of this compact solution for tissue production will significantly reduce steam and electric power consumption in the production process and minimize operating costs, thus resulting in low maintenance costs.

This order confirms the successful partnership by Hengan and ANDRITZ that started in 1998 when Hengan bought its first ANDRITZ tissue machine for the mill in Changde city. In the meantime, Hengan has thirteen ANDRITZ tissue machines in operation, with the four new ones being scheduled to go into operation as from the fourth quarter of 2021. Mr. Xu Lianjie, CEO of the Hengan Group confirms: “Hengan and ANDRITZ have been working together successfully for more than twenty years. We have succeeded as partners and believe in a promising future because making the best tissue always starts with the best equipment.”

The Hengan Group, founded in 1985, is a leading Chinese manufacturer of household paper grades as well as feminine hygiene and baby care products.

ANDRITZ GROUP

International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems and services for the pulp and paper industry, the hydropower sector, the metals processing and forming industry, pumps, solid/liquid separation in the municipal and industrial sectors, as well as animal feed and biomass pelleting. The global product and service portfolio is rounded off with plants for power generation, recycling, the production of nonwovens and panelboard, as well as automation and digital solutions offered under the brand name of Metris. The publicly listed group today has around 27,800 employees and more than 280 locations in over 40 countries.

ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER

ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides equipment, systems, complete plants and services for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on maximum utilization of raw materials, increased production efficiency and sustainability as well as lower overall operating costs. Boilers for power production, flue gas cleaning plants, plants for the production of nonwovens and panelboard (MDF), as well as recycling and shredding solutions for various waste materials also form a part of this business area.

Metsä Group started recruitment of 50 new experts for apprenticeship training starting in January 2021. New professionals are being trained at Metsä Group's pulp, paperboard and tissue paper mills. The future prospects of these industries are good, and apprenticeship recruitment proactively meets the needs for employees at our mills across Finland.

In Metsä Group's apprenticeship programme, you can complete one of four degrees: a professional degree in the process industry, in electrical and automation, in maintenance or in laboratory. The competence-based qualification is carried out as an employee, the total duration of the training programme is about 1.5 years.

"We pay a competitive salary for the entire training period, and at the end of an approved degree, we offer the opportunity to continue working in a permanent contract," says Pertti Hietaniemi, Metsä Group's Senior Vice President, Human Resources.

“During the training, students acquire good experience from versatile production or maintenance tasks, and the process control becomes familiar. We offer the opportunity to get acquainted with many production facilities and, we also encourage our personnel to job rotation between units and business areas. The investments launched and in planning phase offer a wide range of employment opportunities within Metsä Group,” Hietaniemi continues.

A suitable educational background for apprentices is a basic degree in electric automation, process or mechanical engineering or an applicable polytechnic degree.

“It is worth applying for apprenticeship training with an open mind. It is not a disadvantage if experience has been gained for a longer period of time - new experts are trained here not only for the profession, but also for Metsä's operating methods and work culture. Safety at work is part of professional skills, and all our personnel are committed to proactive safety work and safe working methods,” adds Pertti Hietaniemi.

The due date for the apprenticeship training applications is October 4, 2020.

Apprenticeship training will be provided at the mill locations listed below.

Metsä Fibre: Joutseno, Kemi, Rauma and Äänekoski
Metsä Board: Simpele, Kemi and Äänekoski
Metsä Tissue: Mänttä

There is still time to join the training program for Rauma sawmill 

Metsä Group is currently recruiting also for the training program of the new sawmill to be built Rauma. The persons selected for the training program will complete their competence-based qualification at other Metsä Fibre sawmills, and start their permanent work in Rauma when the new sawmill starts up in 2022. More information about Rauma's coaching programme can be found here (in Finnish).

For further information, please contact:

Pertti Hietaniemi, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Metsä Group, tel. +35810 463 3772
Juha Laine, Senior Vice President, Communications, Metsä Group, tel. +358 10 465 4541

Metsä Group
www.metsagroup.com

Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards and tissue and greaseproof papers.

In 2019, Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.5 billion, and it employs approximately 9,300 people. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 100,000 Finnish forest owners.

Valmet has on September 11, 2020 entered into an agreement to acquire PMP Group in Poland. The enterprise value of the acquisition is approximately EUR 64 million, plus a conditional and capped earn-out component. The acquisition is estimated to be completed on October 1, 2020 at the earliest.

PMP Group supplies process technologies and services for tissue, board and paper machines globally, focusing on small and medium-sized tissue machines and board and paper machine rebuilds. The net sales of the company were approximately EUR 70 million in the fiscal year 2019. The company employs about 650 people, the majority of whom are located in Poland and the rest in China, USA and Italy.

Jari Vähäpesola, Business Line President, Paper in Valmet:

“The acquisition will bring two companies with different offerings and customer segments together. PMP’s technology and services portfolio for small and medium-sized tissue, board and paper machines will be a very good complement to Valmet’s current paper technology and services for wide and fast machines and rebuilds. Together with PMP’s product portfolio, their competence and presence in strategic markets, we will create new business opportunities and further strengthen our capabilities to serve paper, board and tissue producers globally. PMP has a very skilled team and I am happy to warmly welcome them to Valmet,” says Jari Vähäpesola, Business Line President, Paper business line, Valmet.

Mirosław Pietraszek, PMP Group President:

“Joining to Valmet opens a new chapter in PMP’s rich history in the pulp and paper industry and represents a huge leap forward for our future development. I am convinced that the joint technological, production and human resources in our key markets will allow us to reach new heights and ultimately benefit the advancement of the entire paper industry,” says Miroslaw Pietraszek, PMP Group President.

PMP Group - a company with a long history in the pulp and paper industry

PMP Group is a provider of tissue, paper and board machinery and services. The company has been serving the pulp and paper industry for over 165 years. The 650 employees are located in Jelenia Góra and Świecie in Poland, Changzhou in China, South Beloit in USA and Lucca in Italy.