Metsä Board opened a packaging design centre in Milan on 2 July, equipping it with AI-assisted design tools and simulation technology to help customers co-develop and test packaging from the earliest development stages. The investment targets faster product development cycles for food, pharmaceutical, and beauty brands facing tightening sustainability and regulatory demands across Europe.
The new studio sits in a region known for design, food, pharmaceuticals, and beauty products-industries where demand for sustainable, high-performance packaging continues to grow. By bringing digital modelling and physical testing into one collaborative space, the company aims to let customers validate concepts before committing to full production.
AI-driven simulations shorten the design loop
AI-assisted tools and advanced simulations are central to the centre's workflow. Instead of progressing design, material selection, and performance testing in separate stages, teams now evaluate all three simultaneously. This concurrent approach reduces uncertainty and cuts the time between concept and commercial launch.
Ilkka Harju, Head of Packaging Services at Metsä Board, said the biggest change is working directly with customers from the start. "Rather than developing solutions independently, we can test and refine them together, allowing them to reach the market much faster."
The Milan centre's combination of AI tools and collaborative testing mirrors the broader shift in product development toward faster, iterative prototyping that uses data to guide decisions.
Sectors where packaging carries commercial and technical weight
For food, pharmaceutical, and beauty brands, packaging must protect the product, meet strict regulations, and differentiate on the shelf. Harju said integrated product development is becoming essential in these industries, where packaging has both commercial and technical importance. The Milan location puts the company closer to many brand owners in these sectors, enabling tighter collaboration.
Harju described the shift: "In these industries, where packaging has both commercial and technical importance, integrated product development is becoming increasingly essential."
Part of a wider innovation network
The Milan studio joins Metsä Board's existing R&D and design facilities in Äänekoski, Finland, and Norwalk, USA. Together they form a network that supports packaging development closer to key customer clusters. The expansion reflects a wider industry turn toward combining digitalisation, material science, and artificial intelligence to meet environmental regulations and market expectations.
Why this matters for product development professionals
For product developers and packaging engineers, the Milan centre's model shows how early-stage co-creation with customers and AI-assisted simulation can compress development timelines and reduce material waste. Rather than handing off a finished concept for feedback, teams can iterate on digital models and physical prototypes in the same room, catching issues before they become costly. Product managers in any industry that relies on packaging-from food to cosmetics-can take cues from this integrated, data-driven approach to de-risk product launches and align faster with regulatory changes.
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