The planning and construction work will begin immediately, and the project will be completed in December 2019. The parties have agreed that the contract value will not be published.

The new production plant will replace the current industrial property that was built in the 1960s, and it will be located next to the Huhtamaki logistics centre.

“The premises will be designed according to the lean principle to make the flow of goods smoother and to minimise unnecessary traffic,” says Maisa Katila, General Manager at Huhtamaki. New machines will be installed at the factory and automation will be increased. The renovation work also aims to improve occupational safety and ergonomics.

Construction will be carried out using a reversed three-phase construction method that breaks with tradition. The new production premises will be completed first, which will enable production to continue uninterrupted during the construction. The storage premises will be completed during the next phase, and the office premises will be completed last. Thanks to the project being carried out in phases, the functions can be moved quickly and flexibly to the new factory from the adjoining lot.

Energy efficiency and responsibility will be emphasised in the construction. The waste heat generated by production will be used to heat the building, and the building’s lighting will be realised using LED technology.

”Properties take up a huge proportion of the total energy consumption in Finland. Responsibility is important to us in all our operations, and we are proud to introduce new innovative solutions for energy-efficient construction,” says Jani Nokkanen, a Partner at NREP.

Huhtamaki is a global specialist in packaging for food and drink. The Hämeenlinna factory specialises in producing paperboard foodservice packaging.