Metsä Board has opened a packaging design studio in Milan. (Image: Metsä Board)
 
Metsä Board is strengthening its presence in the European packaging market with the opening of a new packaging design centre in Milan. The investment is intended to enable customers to develop and test new packaging solutions in collaboration with the company from the earliest stages of the product development process.

The new studio, inaugurated on 2 July, is strategically located in one of Europe's leading hubs for design, food, pharmaceuticals and beauty products – industries where demand for sustainable, high-performance packaging continues to grow rapidly.

According to Metsä Board, the new facility will help shorten product development cycles while enabling customers to respond more quickly to increasing sustainability, performance and regulatory requirements across Europe.

AI to accelerate packaging development
A key element of the new centre is the integration of AI-assisted design tools, advanced simulation technologies and material expertise.

By combining digital modelling with practical testing, new packaging concepts can be evaluated and optimised much earlier than in traditional development processes. This reduces uncertainty, accelerates decision-making and significantly shortens the time from concept to commercial implementation.

Instead of developing packaging design, material selection and performance sequentially, these elements are now optimised simultaneously. The objective is to improve material efficiency without compromising product protection or packaging performance.

"The biggest change is that we now work much more closely with our customers from the very beginning of the development process. Rather than developing solutions independently, we can test and refine them together, allowing them to reach the market much faster," said Ilkka Harju, Head of Packaging Services.

Growing importance of the food and pharmaceutical industries
According to Metsä Board, this integrated approach is becoming increasingly important for the food, pharmaceutical and beauty sectors, where packaging plays a critical role in product protection, regulatory compliance and brand differentiation.

"In these industries, where packaging has both commercial and technical importance, integrated product development is becoming increasingly essential," Harju said.

Expanding Metsä Board's global innovation network
The new Milan studio complements Metsä Board's existing innovation facilities.

The company already operates its Packaging Design and R&D Centre in Äänekoski and a packaging design studio in Norwalk.

The Milan investment brings the company closer to many of its key European customers while enabling closer collaboration with international brand owners throughout the packaging development process.

The initiative reflects a broader transformation across the packaging industry, where digitalisation, artificial intelligence and sustainable material innovation are increasingly being combined to meet growing market expectations and evolving environmental regulations.

Source: Metsä Board