Metsä Board activates Milan studio to accelerate packaging development

Metsä Board has officially opened its packaging design studio in Milan, Italy, addressing the need for fast, regulatory-compliant, and recyclable packaging solutions. Packaging Insights meets with the company to explore how the facility expands its design capabilities. 

The studio, which opened on July 2, brings together AI-supported design, material expertise, and data-driven insights into packaging material and design choices. 

“Instead of developing packaging step by step, the Milan studio brings design, materials, and performance work together in parallel,” Ilkka Harju, director for Packaging Design Services at Metsä Board tells us.

“This allows material efficiency, functionality, and performance requirements to be assessed at the same time, helping to identify lighter and more efficient solutions earlier.” 

At the same time, the studio also enables faster prototyping, testing, and lightweighting to improve sustainability and accelerate product launches. 

Metsä Board is a producer of lightweight folding boxboards, foodservice boards, and white kraftliners. 

In February, Harju told us that the Milan studio also strengthens its collaboration within Europe. 

“Finland and the US remain important parts of our global network, but Milan gives us something new: fast, local access to one of Europe’s most active design and brand ecosystems,” he said.

AI-supported design 

Regarding the facility’s official opening, the Harju explains that the studio’s AI-supported design will help explore and test packaging concepts earlier in the development process. 

“AI can generate multiple design variations based on defined requirements such as material type, size, cost, strength, customer preferences, and sustainability goals. Simulation supports performance evaluation before moving further into physical development,” he adds.

All of this is said to support faster decision-making and concept-to-market product speed times. Increasingly, AI is being harnessed to speed up the packaging production process. 

Recently, Packaging Insights also spoke to Aptar Beauty, Sidel, and Bormioli Luigi about their latest R&D innovations that use AI, automation, and digital intelligence to improve efficiency. 

Design in pharma and food

The Harju notes that across F&B, pharma, and beauty sectors, the most pressing challenges in packaging are material reduction, fossil-based material replacement, and tightening regulations. 

He also adds that balancing recyclability, packaging performance, and shelf life remains a key concern for brands. 

“In food packaging, we note the importance of clean and safe fresh fiber, recyclability, and suitability for packaging where hygiene and product safety are key.” 

“In pharma, the key challenges are evolving regulations, carbon footprint reduction, technical and safety specifications, product integrity, reliable converting and packing performance, documentation, and traceability.” 

Balancing beauty with sustainability

In the beauty sector, Harju tells us that the focus is on carbon footprint reduction, lighter packaging, traceability, and supporting brands’ sustainability goals “without compromising quality or visual appeal.” 

Ahead of London Packaging Week 2026 (September 16–17), its organizer, Easyfairs, also highlighted the beauty packaging industry’s move from sustainability as a design feature to a regulatory requirement.

Perspectives from WRAP, Gentlebrand, and Beyondly underlined that regulation, circularity, and changing consumer expectations are demanding that personal care brands balance ecological responsibility with aesthetic appeal.