On the cusp of its 30th anniversary, Finland’s Earthpac Oy is contemplating new horizons as it seeks to expand its wooden packaging business. A leader and specialist in wooden pallet and package creation and distribution, the company’s commitment to quality and environmental responsibility remains undimmed. CEO Timo Nieminen explained more in a report by Andy Probert.
Demonstrating sustainability in the field of wood is a natural fit for Earthpac Oy, Finland’s leading manufacturer of wooden packaging for industrial clients across the nation.
So much so that external partner
Reforest Finland calculated Earthpac’s CO2 levels and found its scope 1 and 2 emissions had reduced by over 70% since 2018. Earthpac now intends to deepen that commitment by working with its suppliers, Finland’s sawmills, to reduce scope 3 emissions.
“At Earthpac, we have always focused on quality and customer satisfaction while being totally committed to delivering highquality, sustainable packaging solutions,” said CEO Timo Nieminen.
Reliable source
Earthpac, founded in 1995, manufactures about three million wooden packages annually across six production facilities in Äänekoski, Lieksa, Kruunupyy, Kouvola, Hämeenlinna and Kotka, all in Finland.
While manufacturing wooden pallets and packages, its product portfolio includes other packaging materials such as EUR pallets, pallet collars, plywood, cardboard and plastics. Clients come from various industries, including carton and paper, industrial equipment manufacturing and subcontracting, chemicals, plastics, building materials manufacturing, and food processing.
It also provides a host of services, from packaging design to its highly respected ePac logistics services, which encompass logistics, storage, packaging and goods delivery to help clients support their core business, find solutions to maintain supply chain efficiency and reduce costs.
“Our ePac services have been provided to demanding international companies for years,” Mr Nieminen added, “At the heart of what we do is our motto ‘It’s easy to do business with us.’ This deeply resonates with customers who want a reliable industrial packaging manufacturer.
“We have high customer satisfaction, retention and experience levels; these have been central goals and guided the company’s operations since its early days. We continue to monitor these efforts annually, and our performances remain consistent and strong.”
Looking beyond borders
Mr Nieminen explained how Earthpac currently operates in the Nordic markets, with its export business accounting for over 15% of revenue. However, the company, which is employee-owned and has a workforce of 150 people, is contemplating expanding its operations.
In late 2023, the company acquired Hoky Lavarakenne Oy, helping to strengthen Earthpac’s presence near Kotka, Finland, according to Mr Nieminen: “Hoky Lavarakenne fits our growth strategy well and excellently com -
plements our production structure.
“We are also investigating other acquisition opportunities to strengthen our growth further and will invest heavily in the technological development and efficiency of these companies.”
As part of this strategy, Earthpac is conducting an investigation of the Swedish market, partially funded by the EU. It aims to gain valuable insights into customer needs and market potential while positively looking for the best ways to impact the industrial packaging landscape in Sweden and beyond.
Earthpac has also deepened its cooperation with Mitra, which operates in Troms County, Norway. Earthpac has been Mitra’s main supplier of timber for years. Mitra mainly uses timber in its pallet production.
Mitra AS, owned by the municipalities of Senja and Sørreisa, is one of Norway’s social enterprises and offers people with different needs the opportunity to return to working life. The Senja region is Norway’s capital of fish processing and Mitra has been operating as a local pallet manufacturer to the fish industry for 25 years.
More recently, large industrial investments have been made in Northern Norway, and the use of pallets has been growing significantly. Mitra wanted to meet the growing demand, so it turned to Earthpac, which was delighted to share its technological expertise.
“The new line, opened in late 2022, fully meets Mitra’s
wishes, and target production efficiency was quickly achieved. We are very happy to help Mitra AS in Norway. This kind of cooperation, with social responsibility aspects, makes us even a bit proud.” said Mr Nieminen.
Sustainable approach
Earthpac’s facilities hold ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications, ensuring it remains dedicated to quality and environmental management excellence. This is reflected in many ways from converting its forklifts to electric, introducing LED lighting, implementing comprehensive collection and
recycling procedures and organising a plastic collection.
It has also acquired emission-free electricity for its production sites, installed a solar system for one of its factories and optimised logistical routes.
Mr Nieminen noted how all wood sourced from suppliers is Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification or Forest Stewardship Council-certified. “We ensure the sustainable use of forest resources is a priority, and we constantly improve our methods towards a more sustainable future,” he said.
In March 2024, Earthpac renewed its EcoVadis silver rating and was also CSR-audited by a major customer.
Staying strong
While the dual effects of sluggish global industrial performance and rising inflation rates are cause for concern,
Earthpac continues to propel itself forward with a growth strategy and investment in its facilities.
“We have been investing lately in production technology in our different production locations, with the aim to increase automation,” Mr Nieminen explained. “Naturally, we want our industrial customers to expand their businesses in the EU and Finland. This will have a positive effect on the packaging industry. Without industrial growth, the B2B packaging industry will not significantly grow.
Mr Nieminen highlighted that the company’s performance was primarily based on selecting the best sawmills in Finland as its support base, while its employees were highly attuned to delivering the best in customer service.
“We have many customers who have been with us since the company first started out,” he said, in conclusion. “Their continued support shows how easy it is to do business with us as we head into our 30th year of operation. It is not only a source of pride, but our strength from within that has made us what we are today: a leader of the industry.” n
