From the Sector

Metsä Group has selected Valmet to supply what the companies describe as the world’s first commercial-scale production line for Valmet’s 3D Fiber technology. The line will be installed in Äänekoski and is scheduled to start up in 2028, with a nominal capacity of more than 100 million three-dimensional fibre products per year.

The process converts cellulose fibres directly into lightweight yet rigid end products. Valmet combines fibre processing, forming, automation and final packing in an integrated production chain. The technology has been co-developed with Metsä Spring since 2020 and was initially validated in a demonstration plant.

Although packaging is the primary target market, the development is relevant to the textile and fibre sector because it demonstrates how fibre-based structures and forming technologies are moving into three-dimensional industrial applications.

Located at the 7H Dyehouse in Kinnahult, Sweden, it represents a significant milestone in the company’s evolution, offering a fully operational environment where brands and manufacturers can experience the future of textile dyeing.

Imogo’s digital spray technology drastically reduces the use of water, energy and chemicals compared with traditional processes, while also lowering production costs.

“For early partners who have followed our journey, this opening marks the moment vision meets reality,” says CEO Joacim Wellander CEO. “While previous discussions have focused on the potential of spray dyeing, we are now fully equipped with the machinery, technical expertise, and operational experience to move projects from the lab to full-scale commercial production.”

The showroom features the latest generation of Imogo technology including both the Dye-max and Mini-max spray dyeing systems capable of handling both laboratory trials and full-scale production for fabrics up to 2.4 metres wide.

High volume production
Imogo is specialising in the coloration of natural fibres for both knitted and woven constructions, with chemistry optimised for the high-performance application of reactive dyes. The Dye-max line enables commercial high volume production, with a capacity of 1.5 metric tons per day.

“We are thrilled to welcome our early contacts and new partners to Kinnahult,” says Wellander at Imogo. “We’ve spent the last few years refining our process and our hardware and today, we aren’t just showing a concept but delivering a proven, high-capacity solution that helps the textile industry meet its urgent sustainability goals without compromising on quality or scale.”

“Imogo’s new showroom marks the third major new expansion from TMAS member in the past 12 months,” says TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “It follows ACG’s expansion at its headquarters in Skene for advanced automation services, and the etsblishment of ReSpin’s new Holma Spinning Mill in Forsa. All three of these new facilties will play cricial role sin shaping the future of textile production technology through digital technologies with a sustainable future at their core.”

The imogo showroom is now open for bookings and the company is inviting industry stakeholders to witness the Dye-max technology in action, conduct trial runs on their own fabrics, and discuss how to integrate its efficiencies into their existing supply chains.”