We're the Original Kemi Liner
Kemi™ liners, then known as Kemiart, were launched in the American market in 1991. Innovation continued introducing double coated white kraftliner in 2011. Most recently, in 2023, the Kemi mill underwent further developments to increase its capacity to 465,000 tons, while enhancing energy and water efficiency.
At 465,000 tons, our facility is now the world's largest production plant for coated white-top kraftliner. Customers worldwide specifically request "Kemi" when they mean our first-class white kraftliners such as MetsäBoard Classic WKL, MetsäBoard Pro WKL and MetsäBoard Prime WKL.
With a legacy spanning over five decades, Metsä Board will continue to help set the standard for excellence in packaging, allowing every box to tell a story of quality and sustainability.
#1 In Coated White Kraftliners in the Americas and Globally
Get to know Metsä Board
Metsä Board is a leading European producer of premium fresh fiber paperboards and forerunner in sustainability.
- We are the leading European producer of white kraftliners and folding boxboards.
- As part of Metsä Group, we have more than 90,000 forest owners as our owner base which secures our supply of strong and pure Nordic fresh wood fiber.
- Own tailor-made pulps with properties optimized for targeted end-uses.
- Paperboards are made of 100% traceable wood sourced from sustainably managed Northern European forests, where the annual growth exceeds harvesting. For one tree harvested, four new ones are planted.
- Clear action plan to achieve our target of 100% fossil-free mills and products by 2030.
Welcome to Metsä Board
It is our pleasure to introduce you to the Metsä Board brand and your White Kraftliner sales and customer service team in Americas!
Meet our sales team
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Sales Director – AmericasJoe Nellis
Sales Director – AmericasJoe NellisJoe.Nellis@metsagroup.com
+1 414 698 1519Throughout his career, Joe has been working in the packaging industry, and has held roles involving integrated box plants, sheet feeders, sheet plants. Most recently, Joe was the General Manager for a sheet plan that specializes in direct food packaging.
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Sales Manager – MidwestWayne Cooke
Sales Manager – MidwestWayne CookeSales Manager
Wayne.Cooke@metsagroup.com
+1 203 249 4974Prior to joining MetsÓ“ Board, Wayne worked for Diageo, one of the global leaders in beverage alcohol production. He supported the business in logistics, customer operations and sales support.
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Sales Manager – MidwestScott Ehle
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Sales Manager – East CoastJoe DePalma
Sales Manager – East CoastJoe DePalmaJoseph.DePalma@metsagroup.com
+1 201 241 0422Joe has worked in sales for the paperboard and packaging industry for over 25 years. In that time, he has specialized in kraftliner, FBB, SBS, CUK, CRB and others boards for corrugated laminators, cartons and commercial print end uses. In his most recent positions, Joe spent 15 years with WestRock and nearly 2 years with Iggesund Paperboard.
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Sales Manager – CanadaLiette Gagne
Sales Manager – CanadaLiette GagneLiette.Gagne@metsagroup.com
+1 514-995-1977Liette has been with Metsä Board for over 25 years, having adapted successfully to the company’s evolving strategies and industry market needs. Based out of Canada and specialized in the Canadian market, she also manages client accounts in the US and Internationally. Equipped with extensive industry knowledge and evolving needs of her customer base, she handles the full spectrum of Metsä Board Products: WKL, FBB, and FSB.
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Sales Manager – West CoastGreg Baker
Sales Manager – West CoastGreg BakerGreg.Baker@metsagroup.com
+1 203 957 1354Greg joined the Metsä Board Americas team in 2014, after nearly 30 years of extensive technical, sales, and management experience in related paperboard converting fields, servicing folding carton, corrugated, and diemaking segments. With the addition of the WKL line to Greg’s FBB and FSB sales responsibilities, he now handles the full spectrum of Metsä Board’s products and services.
Meet our support team
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Technical Development DirectorSteve Rote
Technical Development DirectorSteve RoteSteve.Rote@metsagroup.com
+1 203 434 5217A 46 year veteran of the printing, packaging and paper industry, Steve has held a variety of positions in production, sales, marketing and technical support. Currently as the Technical Director, he focuses on promoting Metsä Board products, business development throughout the Americas and conducting technical and sales trainings for corrugated box and folding carton plants.
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Technical Services ManagerKellcie Nelson
Technical Services ManagerKellcie NelsonKellcie started with the Metsä Board team in January 2022 as a Technical Service Manager for the Americas. Working from Houston, TX, Kellcie graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. Since then, She’s worked for International Paper in various capacities and locations prior to joining Metsä Board.
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Team Leader, Supply ChainMichelle Vanegas
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Common Stock PlannerBrenda Meija
Common Stock PlannerBrenda MeijaBrenda.Mejia@metsagroup.com
+1 203 229-7211Brenda is a recent hire, having joined Metsä Board in July. Prior to Metsä Board, Brenda worked for Amscan Inc., the global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of party goods. Brenda brings years of product distribution, logistics and common stock management experience to the growing team at Metsä Board.
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Customer Service SpecialistPenny Parker
Customer Service SpecialistPenny ParkerPenny.Parker@metsagroup.com
+1 203 921 7291Penny joined Metsä Board in September, and previously worked at Cellmark Paper, Inc. – a leading global distributor of a wide variety of paper products. Her expertise in customer relationships and order fulfilment has been a tremendous asset to the White Kraftliner team.
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Customer Service SpecialistLena Riley
Customer Service SpecialistLena RileyLena joined Metsä Board in 2019 as a customer service coordinator and has recently transitioned to a supply chain coordinator. She brings with her years of exceptional customer service skills, effectively prioritizing tasks to successfully meet demands. She is committed and dedicated to meet your expectations for service and support and looks forward to working with you.
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Customer Service SpecialistCatalina Quintero
Customer Service SpecialistCatalina QuinteroCatalina.Quintero@metsagroup.com
203-851-3790Catalina joined the Metsa team in 2016. Before Catalina joined the WKL team she held a position as Customer Service on the International team. Catalina has wonderful customer relations and can adjust in any atmosphere; she is also fluent in Spanish.
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Customer Service SpecialistMelinda Sangphet
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Demand Planning ManagerLindsey Golembeski
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Sustainability SpecialistNathan Pajka
Sustainability SpecialistNathan PajkaNathan.Pajka@metsagroup.com
Nathan Pajka has joined Metsä Board in May 2021 as our Sustainability Specialist. He will work to communicate the sustainability-related benefits of our products and services as well as act as the sustainability expert in the region. Before Metsä, he worked as Sustainability Ambassador at National Grid.
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Communications ManagerKristen Clark
Communications ManagerKristen ClarkKristen.Clark@metsagroup.com
Kristen Clark is the new Communications Manager for Metsä Board Americas, joining in June 2021. She will develop and implement annual marketing plans, working to ensure consistency in messaging while tailoring it for the Americas audience. Prior to Metsä Board, she held marketing positions at Victorinox Swiss Army, Stanley Black & Decker and Nice-Pak Products.
White Kraftliners for high quality corrugated packaging
Metsä Board's white kraftliners offer various design and structure options for retail ready, sales-enhancing packaging that performs equally well during transportation and at point of sale. With the right liner choice and our know-how, you can meet the most demanding packaging needs quickly, cost-efficiently and responsibly.
All our white kraftliners are made from fresh fibers and suitable for packaging food and other sensitive products.
Our paperboards are available with PEFC™/02-31-92 or FSC®-C001580 certification – in America, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) on-product label which recognises global PEFC™ certifications.
Our white kraftliner range
MetsäBoard Classic WKL
Product specs
MetsäBoard Natural WKL Bright
Product specs
MetsäBoard Prime WKL
Product specs
MetsäBoard Pro WKL
Product specsModern mills dedicated to excellence
Metsä Board Kemi in Finland and Metsä Board Husum in Sweden are highly efficient board and pulp mills with total white kraftliner production capacity of almost 700,000 tonnes. The integration of the mills enables high quality and cost-efficiency. Major investment plans for the Kemi and Husum pulp mills are geared towards totally fossil-free operations and high self-sufficiency in electricity. The investments will ensure a sustainable platform for the continuous development of our white kraftliner production, making us a strong partner for our customers also in the future.
Our mills
Excellence Centre boosts the development of new paperboard and packaging solutions
Our new Excellence Centre in a world-unique bioeconomy ecosystem in Äänekoski provides a perfect setting to explore the exciting future potential of premium packaging materials based on renewable fresh fiber. The center combines cutting-edge technology for R&D, packaging design and paperboard and packaging performance under one roof and provides an inspirational collaboration platform for our customers and partners worldwide.
