Metsä Board, the Finnish fresh-fiber paperboard manufacturer, opened a new packaging design studio in Milan on July 2, featuring AI-assisted design, simulation capabilities and materials expertise to accelerate collaborative development with customers. The studio is positioned to support key European markets and help brands explore and test packaging concepts earlier in the development process.
The facility combines design, materials knowledge and data tools to evaluate concepts before scale-up, with a focus on factors such as performance, recyclability, compliance and material use. Metsä Board said the approach is intended to reduce uncertainty, speed decision-making and shorten development cycles for sectors including food, pharmaceuticals and beauty.
For brands, the studio offers a way to validate packaging ideas sooner while responding to pressure to reduce fossil-based materials, meet stricter regulations and maintain strong shelf impact.
Image Credit: Metsä Board
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- AI-assisted Packaging
- Artificial intelligence integrated into packaging studios creates room for faster concept iteration, predictive testing and more adaptive brand-specific structural design.
- Early-stage Simulation
- Digital simulation tools that assess performance, recyclability and compliance before scale-up introduce new efficiencies in reducing costly packaging development uncertainty.
- Low-carbon Material Validation
- Growing pressure to replace fossil-based inputs is expanding demand for data-backed material evaluation that balances sustainability, protection and shelf appeal.
Sectors Adopting This
- Packaging Design
- Collaborative studios combining creative expertise with AI and materials data are reshaping how packaging concepts move from ideation to market readiness.
- Food and Beverage
- Shelf-stable, compliant and recyclable formats present new possibilities for food brands seeking packaging that supports freshness while reducing environmental impact.
- Beauty and Pharmaceuticals
- Highly regulated and image-driven product categories benefit from advanced prototyping environments that can align premium presentation with safety, compliance and material reduction.
