Metsä Group has selected Valmet to supply a 3D Fiber molded fiber production line for its Äänekoski site in Finland, moving a technology developed through years of joint piloting toward commercial-scale production.

The new line will have a nominal capacity of more than 100 million molded fiber products per year, with startup scheduled for 2028.

According to Valmet, the project will be the first commercial-scale implementation of its 3D Fiber technology, which was commercially launched in June 2026.

The investment is intended to expand production of three-dimensional fiber-based packaging for applications currently served by plastic packaging.

More Than 100 Million Molded Fiber Products Per Year

The production line will be installed alongside the existing demo plant in Äänekoski, where Metsä Group and Valmet have been developing and validating the technology.

The companies started up the joint demonstration facility in 2022.

The new industrial line represents the next stage of that development, increasing production from demonstration and customer development activities toward high-volume manufacturing.

With nominal capacity exceeding 100 million products annually, Metsä Group aims to demonstrate that molded fiber products can be manufactured at the scale required for larger packaging applications.

The companies did not disclose the financial value of the order.

Valmet booked the project in its third-quarter 2026 orders received.

Muoto Moves Toward Industrial Production

The investment is part of Metsä Group’s development of Muoto, its three-dimensional fiber-based packaging concept.

“After years of fruitful co-development with Valmet, including the start-up of the joint demo plant in 2022, Muoto is now entering an exciting new phase,” said Antti Valtonen, vice president of the Muoto project at Metsä Spring.

According to Valtonen, Metsä is expanding its capabilities and customer collaborations as demand grows for packaging combining performance, circularity and scalability.

The commercial line could be particularly significant for Muoto because scaling molded fiber technology involves more than demonstrating that a package can be formed successfully.

Industrial applications also require repeatable production, sufficient throughput, automation and product consistency at commercially relevant volumes.

Products Are Formed Directly From Pulp

Valmet’s 3D Fiber technology uses cellulose fibers to manufacture ready-to-use three-dimensional products directly from pulp.

Potential products include trays, plates and food packaging containers.

The process is designed to eliminate intermediate production stages between pulp preparation and formation of the three-dimensional product.

Valmet’s scope covers the process from fiber preparation through production and automatic packing of finished products.

The company says the technology combines high production capacity and speed with automation and resource efficiency.

It is designed to manufacture lightweight but rigid fiber products that can be evaluated as alternatives to plastic packaging in suitable applications.

Scale Is Critical for Molded Fiber Packaging

Molded fiber is already established in applications such as egg cartons and protective packaging, but suppliers are increasingly developing more precisely formed fiber products for food, consumer goods and other packaging markets.

One of the challenges is achieving the production speed, quality and economics required to compete with established plastic forming technologies.

Valmet is positioning 3D Fiber around this industrial-scale requirement.

“Valmet 3D Fiber technology is the first large-scale molded fiber production technology on the market,” said Juho Pyrrö, head of 3D Fiber at Valmet.

Pyrrö said the Metsä Group investment confirms the market potential of the technology following the companies’ development and validation work.

Whether molded fiber can replace plastic in a particular package will still depend on application requirements, including barrier performance, product protection, manufacturing economics and end-of-life infrastructure.

The Äänekoski project, however, moves the discussion from pilot-scale development toward whether three-dimensional fiber packaging can be produced consistently at volumes exceeding 100 million units annually.

Commercial Startup Scheduled for 2028

Valmet launched its 3D Fiber technology in June 2026 following development and piloting work, including its cooperation with Metsä Group.

The new Äänekoski line is scheduled to start operating in 2028.

For Metsä Group, the investment provides substantially greater production capacity for Muoto and a platform for deeper collaboration with packaging customers.

For Valmet, the project provides the first commercial-scale reference for a technology designed to extend its pulp and fiber-processing expertise further downstream into finished fiber packaging production.

If the line achieves its planned industrial performance, the project could provide an important reference point for assessing the scalability of molded fiber in applications where manufacturers are looking to reduce the use of plastic packaging.

Source: Valmet and Metsä Group.

Last Updated on 31/08/2026 by Jota Machinery