Metsä Board said it had decided to close the Tako mill, in Tampere, Finland, earlier this year following change negotiations and as part of efforts to improve the company’s profitability and cost competitiveness.
The mill had previously operated two folding boxboard machines, with annual production capacities of 70,000 and 140,000 tonnes.
But the production of folding boxboard at both its Tako and Kyro board mills had remained well below capacity due to the weak market situation, the company had previously said.
It also said earlier in the year that the cost competitiveness of the Tako mill was particularly weakened by its high energy costs and the small size of its production lines, while the development of the mill was limited by its location in the centre of the city of Tampere.
Since the decision was made to close Tako, Metsä Board said it has supported the re-employment of the mill’s 191 employees through a comprehensive support programme.
This has included internal recruitment days in cooperation with other Metsä Group mills, collaboration with employment authorities, and re-employment training and coaching. At the time of production shutdown, it said 95 employees had already found new jobs.
“The decision to close the mill has been a difficult one, and we have aimed to support our personnel in the best possible way during this transition,” said Timo Ahonen, VP of Tako board mill.
“For example, internal recruitment days have helped Tako employees find new roles within Metsä Group. We still hope that more job opportunities will be found, depending on individuals’ ability to relocate.”
Production of Tako’s products has been transferred to Kyro, and customer deliveries will continue without interruption.
“The mill’s production has been run down responsibly and with high quality. This accomplishment is thanks to the personnel, who have demonstrated exceptional professionalism despite the difficult situation,” said Ahonen.
“Tako is known for its strong ‘Tako spirit’, which has been evident in the work commitment, right up to the final days of production.”
Cleaning work and preparations for dismantling the production equipment inside the mill have now started, with the dismantling of machines and production equipment planned to take place during 2026.
Machines, equipment, pipes, and tanks will be emptied and cleaned by the end of 2025.
The process of obtaining a building permit for dismantling the external equipment from outside the building has been initiated. The future use of the property has not yet been determined, Metsä Board added.
Metsä Board has around 2,300 employees. It is part of Metsä Group, whose parent company Metsäliitto Cooperative is owned by more than 90,000 Finnish forest owners. The sales of the whole Metsä Group in 2024 were €5.7bn.
