Metsä Group begins pre-commercial sales of Muoto products

Metsä Group’s innovation company, Metsä Spring, has started pre-commercial sales of its three-dimensional, wood-based packaging solution Muoto™. Muoto packages can be used in a wide range of applications, from takeaway to industrial packing. During the pre-commercial phase, the availability of products will be limited by volume and packaging type.

Metsä Group began the development of Muoto products in 2020 in collaboration with Valmet. Initially, the work was done in the laboratory, after which a pilot-scale machine was built and taken into use. In May 2022, a demo plant was launched in Äänekoski, Finland, marking a significant step forward for the project.

Metsä Group is now making its Muoto products available for pre-commercial sale, a significant milestone in the development of the business opportunity. Alongside this work, the development and testing of the production line in Äänekoski are also progressing, as well as the pre-engineering project for a possible first commercial factory in Rauma, Finland. If the results are promising, Metsä Group will be in a position to evaluate investing in a first commercial factory and thus, start the Muoto business. This stage is estimated to be reached in 2025 at the earliest.

“We have been extremely pleased with the early results of Muoto. In wood-based product development, it’s quite rare to have a product ready after only a few years of development. Designed for durability and safety, Muoto is ideal for a wide range of uses, from serving dishes to food containers – so we are now ready to expand cooperation with pilot customers. By offering early access, we aim to gather valuable feedback and insights from customers to further refine our product. Together, we can explore new applications based on the market and customer needs,” says Jarkko Tuominen, Vice President of Projects at Metsä Spring.

Read more: Muoto.io