Finnish family-owned company SharpCell Oy will install an airlaid nonwoven paper machine, ‘Herbert’, in Valkeakoski, Finland. This will double SharpCell’s airlaid nonwoven production capacity and strengthen its position in the market.

“This acquisition will give us much needed capacity to service our customers both in Finland and abroad. We are investing in additional modern and efficient technology to minimize our carbon footprint and ensure efficient production of high-quality airlaid nonwoven paper”, says Pekka Pollari, CEO of SharpCell Oy.

The production line has been purchased from Ascutec Sales UG (haftungsbeschränkt) & Co. KG in Germany, who operated it for two years in in Nürnberg. Originally Herbert was built in 2020 by Finnish company Anpap Oy. It will be installed in PM6 building at UPM Tervasaari site in Valkeakoski, Finland.

“We are excited to return a traditional paper machine building in its intended use”, says Risto Pollari, V-P Business Development of SharpCell.

SharpCell is leasing the PM6 building from UPM. In addition, UPM is selling services, e.g. steam, wastewater treatment and compressed air, required to operate the machine in Tervasaari. UPM is not involved in SharpCell’s operations beyond providing these services. 

During the transition period SharpCell and Ascutec are working closely together to satisfy customers’ needs for high quality airlaid nonwoven. The machine is projected to start in the fourth quarter of 2025.