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Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has announced plans to open a new Packaging Design Studio in Milan in summer 2026, reinforcing its commitment to accelerating packaging innovation.

The new studio will be located in Milan, one of Europe’s foremost design hubs, positioning the company at the heart of the region’s creative and consumer brand community.

“Located in one of Europe’s leading design capitals, the Milan studio gives us a perfect setting to work even more closely with our customers," Erja Hyrsky, SVP, commercial operations at Metsä Board, said.

"The studio makes it easy to connect, test ideas and move towards solutions that keep pace with the fast-evolving packaging landscape," she continued.

The facility will be equipped with modern tools and advanced AI-supported design and simulation technologies, enhancing workshops, design sprints and co-creation sessions. The studio is designed to support projects where sustainability targets, performance requirements and regulatory shifts are driving the need for new packaging formats and materials.

By integrating packaging design, product development and technical expertise under one roof, Metsä Board aims to enable closer cooperation across the packaging value chain. The space will allow customers and partners to assess insights, materials and manufacturing requirements holistically –accelerating the transition from concept to commercially viable packaging solutions.

Ilkka Harju, director, packaging design services, said: “With the new studio in Milan, we are creating a space where innovation, design and technical excellence meet. This enables us to work side by side with customers and partners on solutions that move efficiently from idea to implementation.”

The Milan studio will complement Metsä Board’s existing Excellence Centre in Äänekoski, Finland, which focuses on material research, packaging performance testing and holistic packaging development. It will also work alongside the company’s Packaging Design Studio in Norwalk, US, which serves North American customers.

As sustainability and regulatory pressures intensify across the European food and beverage sector, brand owners are increasingly seeking fibre-based alternatives that balance performance, recyclability and carbon footprint reduction.

Metsä Board specialises in lightweight folding boxboards, foodservice boards and white kraftliners made from traceable fresh wood fibres sourced from Northern European forests. The company has committed to phasing out fossil energy in its production by 2030 and continues to align its innovation strategy with circular economy principles.

The Milan Packaging Design Studio is expected to begin welcoming customers and industry stakeholders in summer 2026.