Metsa Board and Heidelberg ink strategic pact at Interpack

Metsä Board, a European producer of fresh fibre paperboards, and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen (Heidelberg) formalised a strategic collaboration during Interpack. The partnership sought to enhance the end-to-end value chain of packaging production by developing solutions that improved operational performance and the consumer experience.

The scope of the collaboration included joint R&D projects, pilot production runs, and customer demonstrations. These activities were hosted at Heidelberg’s Print Media Centres and Metsä Board’s Excellence Centre and Design Studios. By combining Metsä Board’s lightweight paperboard materials with Heidelberg’s offset, flexographic, and digital printing technologies, the companies aimed to accelerate innovation across the packaging value chain.

Erja Hyrsky, SVP, commercial operations at Metsä Board, said the collaboration allowed the company to offer customers new possibilities in packaging design and production efficiency while maintaining a commitment to sustainability. Hyrsky added that working closely with Heidelberg as a system integrator enabled faster development and testing of solutions that supported evolving packaging needs.

The initiative focused on creating recyclable, fibre-based packaging that addressed increasing regulatory and performance requirements. Andreas Lang, svp, global accounts and packaging at Heidelberg, stated that by combining advanced printing and converting technologies with Metsä Board’s paperboard, Heidelberg enabled high-performance packaging applications for demanding market requirements.

The announcement aligned with Metsä Board’s Lead the Pack strategy, which the company showcased at its stand in Hall 8a. Through this collaboration, both companies supported customers in developing production workflows and future-ready packaging solutions in a rapidly evolving market.