Metsä Group has decided to focus the planning of its first commercial Kuura textile fibre mill in Kemi. Finland. The company has completed a mill location comparison, which included various perspectives such as factors related to earthworks, the organisation of product logistics, the availability of energy, and the bioproduct mill's ability to ensure closed cycles should the Kuura mill be integrated into it. The potential decision to build the mill would be made later.
Metsä Group has been developing the Kuura textile fibre at its Äänekoski demo plant since 2020. The Kuura textile fibre is a potential new product for Metsä Group, in which Finnish wood is converted into a unique product with high added value – without fossil fuels. Such textile fibres can be used to make both clothing and a variety of technical textiles.
In February this year, Metsä Group announced that it was initiating a pre-engineering project for the first commercial Kuura textile fibre mill. The selection of the mill location is part of this project. In addition to mill planning, the project will continue to develop and test the Kuura fibre production process, draw up plans for business and market entry, look into project financing, and apply for an environmental permit.
“We’ll be able to assess the potentaial commencement of business operations and mill construction in late 2026 at the earliest. We’re dealing with three main elements: the product; the industrial production method; and the business plan. We must find a solution that accommodates all three and ensures that we can launch a profitable and competitive business,” says Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of Metsä Group’s innovation company Metsä Spring.
The pre-engineering project also includes securing an environmental permit under feasible conditions for the mill. If the company decides to build the mill, it is expected to produce 100,000 tonnes of textile fibre per year. The mill would be started up no earlier than in 2029.
Further information
Niklas von Weymarn, CEO, Metsä Spring, tel. +358 40 547 6977
niklas.vonweymarn@metsagroup.com