Foundation Stone of Metsä Group’s Kerto LVL Mill Laid in Äänekoski

Metsä Group’s Kerto LVL mill project in Äänekoski, Finland is progressing as planned and the foundation stone of the mill was laid, 24 November 2023. The mill will have an annual production capacity of about 160,000 cubic metres of Kerto LVL and is expected to start production in the second half of 2026.

The foundation stone for the future wood product mill was laid by Member of Parliament Timo Harakka, Metsä Wood’s Executive Vice President Jaakko Anttila, SRV’s Chief Executive Officer Saku Sipola, and Metsä Wood’s Project Director Eero Lampola. In addition, the Mayor of City of Äänekoski Matti Tuononen gave his greetings at the event.

“The Kerto LVL mill in Äänekoski is an important investment for Metsä Group. With the new capacity, we will meet the growing global demand for wood construction, which is an important step towards a low-carbon future for the construction industry. Kerto LVL products are strong and material-efficient, store carbon and reduce the carbon footprint of construction. The impact of the investment is also significant locally, and Äänekoski has provided us with excellent conditions to develop our operations in the long term,” says Jaakko Anttila, Executive Vice President, Metsä Wood.

”Metsä Group is a pioneer in the industry’s transition to modern, cooperative project forms in its construction investments. We are implementing a large and demanding project, where a quick schedule and coordination with the construction and production process is extremely important, in close and good cooperation with the customer and a competent design team. We also share common responsibility goals with Metsä Group. This construction site will also be built using emission-free renewable energy, taking into account energy efficiency and the versatile use needs of the future”, says Saku Sipola, Chief Executive Officer, SRV.  

At the masonry ceremony, newspapers of the day, the charter, valid Finnish coins, plans of the mill, a Kerto LVL beam, and a Kerto LVL handbook were deposited in the foundation stone time capsule as a memento of this era for future generations.

The construction site is progressing well on schedule. Land construction works are currently underway in the area. The massive building is divided into six different sections, where work is progressing in stages. In section 1, the main frame installations have already been completed, while in sections 5 and 6 concrete works are still ongoing. Next, in section 1, the roof element installations will start. Currently, around 80 people work at the site, and the headcount will grow to 200 people.

The employment impact of the construction phase of the project is estimated to be around 1000 person-years. When completed, the mill will employ around 150 people directly and 200 people in its value chain.

About Metsa Group

Metsä Group is leading the way in advancing the bioeconomy. We invest in growth, bioproduct development and a fossil free future. The raw material for our products is renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. We focus on the growth sectors of the forest industry: wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards, as well as tissue and greaseproof papers. Metsä Group’s annual sales amount to approximately EUR 7 billion, and we have around 9,500 employees in 30 countries. Our international Group has its roots in the Finnish forests: our parent company is Metsäliitto Cooperative which is owned by more than 90,000 forest owners.

Contact:

Jaakko Anttila – Executive Vice President, Metsä Wood – jaakko.anttila@metsagroup.com – +358 (0)50 406 0614

Source: Metsaliitto Cooperative