Stora Enso is investing EUR 8 million to double its production capacity of formed fiber in Europe. With new machinery in Hylte, Sweden, Stora Enso will meet the increasing demand for formed fiber. The investment further strengthens Stora Enso’s position as a leading provider of renewable materials that replace fossil-based ones.

Stora Enso’s formed fiber products are currently being used in food packaging such as bowls, trays and lids. The technology is also being used for the development of fiber bottles. After the investment is completed, the Hylte site’s annual formed fiber capacity will grow from 50 to approximately 115 million units of product, making Stora Enso one of Europe’s leading suppliers of formed fiber.

Formed fiber is renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable, and can be used to replace plastics in a wide range of applications. PureFiber by Stora Enso is a range of formed fiber products that contain no per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and has up to 75% lower CO2 footprint compared to alternative packaging materials such as plastic or bagasse.

“There is a high demand in the market for eco-friendly, circular packaging solutions that replace plastic and other fossil-based materials. Our formed fiber offering can help brand owners meet their sustainability targets, while responding to consumers’ demands for a cleaner future. Through our investment and the capacity increase we further improve our position in this growing market,” says Sohrab Kazemahvazi, senior vice president, head of Formed Fiber at Stora Enso.

Formed fiber products are manufactured from various chemical pulps and chemi-thermomechanical pulp (CTMP) by pressing it into a desired shape in a molding machine. The raw material is pulp made from wood from sustainable sources in Sweden and Finland. Stora Enso will manufacture the raw material at its mills in Sweden and Finland and do the converting at Hylte site. Along with the investment, Stora Enso will recruit more than ten employees for formed fiber production in Sweden.

Stora Enso’s ambition is to offer 100% regenerative products and solutions by 2050. The Group is also committing to new 2030 targets for its key sustainability priorities: climate change, biodiversity, and circularity. Stora Enso’s new climate target is aligned with the Paris agreement and Science-Based Targets.