In Finland, forest industry major Metsä Group has announced that it has selected compatriot energy and forest industry technology major Valmet Oyj to deliver a 3D Fiber molded fiber production line for its Äänekoski Bioproducts Mill in Äänekoski.
The investment responds to growing demand for alternatives to replace plastics by enabling high-volume industrial production of three-dimensional fiber-based packaging that is competitive with similar plastic solutions.
It marks a significant milestone as the world’s first commercial-scale implementation of the innovation, and follows Valmet’s extensive development, piloting, and the successful launch of the 3D Fiber technology in June 2026.
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. We are expanding our capabilities, deepening customer collaborations, and building the foundations for future growth. At the same time, demand is growing for packaging solutions that combine performance, circularity, and scalability, said Antti Valtonen, VP of the Muoto project at Metsä Spring, the venture capital arm of Metsä Group.
Novel 3D fiber technology
Valmet 3D Fiber technology enables the production of lightweight yet rigid end products, including trays, plates, and food packaging containers, offering alternatives to plastic.
The technology uses cellulose fibers to form ready-to-use, three-dimensional products directly from pulp, eliminating intermediate steps.
Valmet offers a complete solution from fiber processing to automatic packing of end products, along with services. With comprehensive testing and piloting opportunities, customers can develop and test new end products together with Valmet.
Valmet and Metsä Group have been developing the novel technology together in their demo plant in Äänekoski.
The new production line, the value of which has not been disclosed, is scheduled for start-up in 2028.
It will be located alongside the existing demo plant with a nominal capacity of more than 100 million products per year, demonstrating the scalability of the technology and paving the way for future industrial investments.
Valmet 3D Fiber technology is the first large-scale molded fiber production technology on the market, and it provides an attractive and competitive end-to-end solution for the growing sustainable packaging market. The investment confirms the market potential of the technology and accelerates the replacement of plastic packaging in high-volume production. Over the years, Metsä Group and Valmet have worked closely together to develop and validate the 3D Fiber technology, creating a strong foundation of trust and shared ambition, said Juho Pyrrö, Head of 3D Fiber at Valmet.
