Stora Enso launches US$1B packaging board line at Oulu facility, joins EU battery innovation project

FINLAND – Stora Enso has begun ramping up production on its newly converted consumer packaging board line at the Oulu site in Finland, with first customer deliveries expected in the second quarter of 2025.

The conversion project, initiated in 2022, transforms the site’s previously idle paper machine into a highly flexible production line for folding box board (FBB) and coated unbleached kraft (CUK).

With an annual capacity of 750,000 tonnes, the facility is part of a €1 billion (US$1.08bn) investment that remains on track regarding timeline and budget.

Stora Enso expects the new line to reach EBITDA breakeven by the end of 2025 and achieve full capacity by 2027, generating annual sales of approximately €800 million (US$866.39m).

This marks a significant step in advancing renewable packaging—Stora Enso’s fastest-growing business segment.

Targeting high-demand food and beverage segments

The investment bolsters Stora Enso’s position in the expanding FBB and CUK markets. It targets packaging solutions for frozen, chilled, and dry foods, as well as beverage multi-packs. The primary markets include Europe and North America.

“The new line will be the most modern and cost-efficient in Europe,” said Hans Sohlström, President and CEO of Stora Enso.

“It will transform our Oulu site into an integrated mega-site and our largest production facility, focused on future-ready board grades.

“This flexibility enhances profitability and allows us to optimize operations at other sites, such as boosting liquid packaging board production in Skoghall, Sweden.”

Following this latest upgrade—alongside an earlier conversion completed in 2021—the Oulu site will now produce unbleached pulp, kraftliner, and consumer board, both in reels and sheets. The facility currently employs about 650 people.

Wood consumption at the site will increase by roughly one million cubic meters, reaching approximately 3.5 million cubic meters annually.

The mill will rely on locally sourced wood and pulp from Stora Enso’s Enocell facility in Finland and Veracel in Brazil.

The company’s recently announced acquisition of Junnikkala sawmills is also expected to strengthen the long-term supply of key raw materials such as pulpwood, wood chips, and biomass.

Stora Enso Joins ATENA+ to advance sodium-ion battery innovation in Europe

Stora Enso is also taking strides in energy innovation by joining ATENA+, an EU-funded Horizon Europe project focused on advancing next-generation sodium-ion battery (SIB) technology.

Officially launched in January 2025, the four-year initiative brings together 12 consortium partners to accelerate sustainable, cost-effective, and safe energy storage solutions.

As part of its contribution, Stora Enso provides Lignode®—a renewable, wood-based anode material derived from EU-sourced lignin.

This bio-based solution aligns with the project’s goal of reducing dependence on critical raw materials like graphite while enhancing battery performance and circularity.

“The growing sodium-ion battery ecosystem in Europe is taking shape. With Lignode®, we offer a locally sourced, sustainable alternative that supports the energy transition and boosts supply chain resilience,” said Juuso Konttinen, Senior Vice President and Head of Biomaterials Growth at Stora Enso.

ATENA+ aims to demonstrate sodium-ion cells’ economic and technical viability across real-world applications, helping Europe strengthen its battery value chain and align with EU Green Deal objectives.

Through this collaboration, Stora Enso highlights the transformative role of bio-based materials in powering the continent’s clean energy future.

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