Name: Khalil
Age: 37
Job title: Project Engineer for Pulp and Papermaking Development
Nationality: Egyptian
Current location: Competence Center Tissue (CCT), Germany

“Following trends is important when you transform innovations into products.”

With over 12 years’ international experience in pulp and paper production in Egypt, Sweden, India and Finland, I joined Metsä Tissue in August 2008.  Prior to that, I completed my doctorate in paper technology at the Helsinki University of Technology.

Currently I am in charge of managing various product development projects. These include R&D related to raw materials, resources, products and processes, looking at ways of utilising new technologies and increasing quality and efficiency. We come up with innovative technical solutions both for new products and for our mills’ processes to help our production people with their daily challenges. I am also involved in strategic planning for pulp and papermaking.

In my job, I need to be flexible, customer-oriented, innovative and ready for challenges. In a multinational company like Metsä Tissue, it’s extremely important to build strong ties and communicate openly with partners, customers and suppliers.

Following trends is important when you transform innovations into products. Tissue is a very local business, so certain trends might extend to very specific areas, yet others – like increased awareness of hygiene and ecology – are international. I follow market trends closely to serve our brand-building efforts, and keep myself up-to-date by visiting fairs and conferences, reading up on forecasts and new technologies and by building close relationships with customers and suppliers. 

As a multicultural company with a leading position in several European markets, Metsä Tissue offers interesting challenges and opportunities for its employees. Working with a group of colleagues who are so committed to our company goals and values makes my work interesting and motivating.

Project Engineer for Pulp and Papermaking Development

Antto, Germany

Name: Antto
Job title: Project Engineer for Pulp and Papermaking Development
Nationality: Finnish
Current location: Competence Center Tissue (CCT), Germany

Antto works with product development tasks at Metsä Tissue's (a Metsäliitto Group company) centralised research and product development centre (CCT), functioning along with the Raubach mill in Germany.

“I wanted to go abroad to work with development tasks. I completed my master's thesis in Tampere at M-real, a sister company of Metsä Tissue, and then this post opened up. I was in the right place at the right time,” says Antto.

“We have a very international atmosphere. One of my co-workers is a Norwegian who has just moved here from Italy, and another co-worker is an Egyptian doctor who has completed a doctoral thesis in Finland. The atmosphere is open and encouraging. We believe in the power of cooperation. Metsä Tissue's strategy is summed up by the slogan, ‘Network to grow’,” says Antto.

The product development of strong brands, such as Lambi, Serla and Katrin, is a business critical activity, extensively guided by the expectations and needs of consumers and end customers.

When Antto is not visiting other mills, he begins his workday by having a meeting with other engineers in charge of product development.

“Every member of our team has a designated area in the production and distribution process, and focuses on the development of the area. I develop the paper upgrading process, and someone else is responsible for considering aspects dealing with packing. There really are no normal workdays in the development work. Days are very different, which keeps up the interest. Sometimes we also work long days,” says Antto.

Text: Petteri Harjula (Antto)
Image: Jaakko Jaskari (Antto)