Metsä Board, a key player in Metsä Group, is set to launch a new Packaging Design Studio in Milan in the summer of 2026. This initiative represents a pivotal advancement in driving packaging innovation and enhancing collaboration with European brand owners, converters, and packaging developers, particularly in the realm of food and drink packaging.
“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. The studio makes it easy to connect, test ideas and move towards solutions that keep pace with the fast‑evolving packaging landscape,” says Erja Hyrsky, SVP, Commercial Operations.
Equipped with modern tools and cutting-edge AI-supported design and simulation technologies, the studio aims to improve the effectiveness of workshops, design sprints, and co-creation sessions. This is particularly crucial for projects where sustainability targets, performance requirements, or regulatory changes necessitate new solutions in food and drink sustainable packaging.
By consolidating packaging design, product development, and technical expertise in one location, the studio fosters closer collaboration throughout the packaging value chain. This integrated approach enables a comprehensive consideration of insights, materials, and manufacturing requirements, ultimately supporting customers in developing solutions that are both functional and ready for implementation.
“With the new studio in Milan, we are creating a space where innovation, design, and technical excellence meet,” states Ilkka Harju, Director of Packaging Design Services. “This enables us to work side by side with customers and partners on solutions that move efficiently from idea to implementation.”
The Milan studio enhances Metsä Board’s existing Excellence Centre in Äänekoski, Finland, which specializes in material research, packaging performance testing, and holistic packaging development. Additionally, it complements the company’s Packaging Design Studio in Norwalk, US, which specifically supports customers in North America.
Scheduled to open in summer 2026, the Milan Packaging Design Studio will invite customers, partners, and industry stakeholders to collaboratively explore and develop new packaging solutions, especially in the food and drink sector.