Metsä Group to launch pre-study for textile fibre mill

Metsä Group has initiated a pre-study for the establishment of a new mill that will produce Kuura textile fibre. Developed by Metsä Group's innovation company Metsä Spring, the Kuura project aims to enhance pulp refinement and generate a new, high-value-added material from domestic wood resources without the use of fossil fuels.

The textile fibre, developed at a demonstration plant in Äänekoski, is produced from softwood pulp. During the pre-study, the investment size and profitability of the potential mill will be assessed. The pre-study is expected to take approximately one year, after which the project planning can proceed to the pre-engineering phase.

According to Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of Metsä Spring, the Kuura fibre has been developed since 2020 to meet the growing demand for more sustainable textile fibres. A potential mill would provide the conditions for domestic textile fibre production and create significant added value in Finland.

If realized, the Kuura mill would be built adjacent to Metsä Group's bioproduct mills in either Äänekoski or Kemi. Integration would enable the utilization of renewable energy generated by the neighboring mill and the use of closed-loop systems. The mill's annual production would be approximately 100,000 tonnes, and it would employ around 250 people. The softwood pulp used as raw material will come from domestic, certified forests.