Valmet

Valmet Oyj is a Finnish industrial technology company whose modern business is centered on process technologies, automation, flow control, and lifecycle services. It serves industries that transform wood, fiber, biomass, recycled materials, chemicals, and other raw materials into pulp, paper, board, tissue, energy, and other process-industry products. The company is headquartered in Espoo and is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. Although the present Valmet was established as an independent listed company after the 2013 demerger of Metso, its industrial heritage is considerably older. The company traces parts of its background to Finnish shipyards, textile mills, metalworking businesses, and engineering enterprises dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In 1950, postwar state-owned industrial assets were consolidated under the name Valtion Metallitehtaat, or State Metalworks, which was subsequently shortened to Valmet. Its early activities included locomotives, ships, aircraft, defense equipment, and general engineering. Over the following decades, the company moved increasingly toward machinery for the forestry, pulp, and paper sectors. From the 1960s onward, Valmet became an international supplier of pulp and paper machinery. Its portfolio expanded from individual machines to complete production lines for paper, board, tissue, and pulp. Acquisitions in Canada, Sweden, and Finland strengthened its engineering and machinery capabilities, while the development of process-control technologies added automation and digital intelligence to its equipment. In 1999, Valmet merged with Rauma to create Metso. Valmet's pulp, paper, and power activities continued inside Metso until they were separated in 2013 and relaunched as the independent Valmet Oyj, whose shares began trading in January 2014. After the demerger, Valmet pursued a strategy combining technology, services, automation, and selective acquisitions. In 2015 it acquired Metso's Process Automation Systems business, creating a larger automation offering. In 2019 it acquired GL&V and J&L Fiber Services, adding pulp-and-paper technologies, upgrades, spare parts, and refining components to its services activities. The 2022 merger with Neles brought flow-control equipment, valves, pumps, and related automation into Valmet and created a fifth business area. Other additions broadened tissue converting, wood handling, process-gas analysis, and related technology capabilities. Valmet also developed activities connected with the circular bioeconomy. It supplied equipment for Renewcell's dissolving-pulp production from recycled textiles and drying technology for Spinnova's cellulose-based textile fiber. These projects reflected the company's effort to apply pulp, drying, energy, and process expertise to recycled and renewable feedstocks. The company organizes its activities into five business areas within two broad segments. Process Performance Solutions includes Automation Solutions and Flow Control. Biomaterial Solutions and Services includes Pulp, Energy and Circularity; Packaging and Paper; and Tissue. Products and services include distributed control systems, quality-management systems, industrial software, automated control valves, emergency-shutdown valves, pumps, pulp and paper machines, chemical-recovery systems, biomass and waste-to-energy equipment, tissue-production lines, and maintenance and modernization services. In 2024, Valmet announced that President and CEO Pasi Laine would retire at the end of September and selected Thomas Hinnerskov as his successor. The company also announced workforce reductions aimed at improving profitability and competitiveness. Its renewed operating model, implemented from July 2025 under the Lead the Way strategy, removed separate geographical business layers, placed local operations closer to five business areas, and created a centralized Global Supply unit. Valmet therefore combines a long Finnish industrial lineage with a conte…

Valmet's industrial heritage reaches back more than two centuries into Finland's state-supported shipbuilding, textile, metalworking, and engineering activities. One early precursor was a shipyard established at Suomenlinna in the 1750s. The Jokioisten Verkatehdas wool mill, founded in 1797, later contributed to the technical-textiles heritage associated with Valmet's Tamfelt activities. In Tampere, the combination of a linen factory and metal workshop in 1861 helped create Tampella, an engineering company that later contributed machinery expertise to Finnish heavy industry and paper-machine production. After the Second World War, Finland reorganized state-owned industrial assets to support reconstruction and meet war-reparation obligations to the Soviet Union. In 1950 these activities were brought together as Valtion Metallitehtaat, or State Metalworks, later shortened to Valmet. The new company manufactured locomotives, ships, defense equipment, and other heavy industrial products. During the 1950s it also developed aviation and engineering capabilities, including production of the Valmet Vihuri trainer aircraft. From the 1960s, Valmet progressively shifted toward machinery for the forest-products sector. It became an international supplier of pulp and paper equipment, exporting production technology to Europe, the Soviet Union, and other markets. Its offerings developed from individual machines into integrated lines for paper, board, tissue, and pulp. Acquisitions including Dominion Engineering Works in Canada, Karlstads Mekaniska Verkstad in Sweden, and Tampella's board-machinery operations expanded the company's technology base during the 1980s and 1990s. Valmet also developed process-control and automation capabilities, linking production machinery with monitoring and control systems. In 1999 Valmet merged with Rauma Oyj to form Metso. Valmet's pulp, paper, and power operations became part of Metso's business structure, alongside Metso's minerals and mining activities. Metso acquired Tamfelt, a technical-textiles supplier, in 2009. In 2013, Metso separated its pulp, paper, and power business through a demerger. The independent Valmet Oyj began trading on Nasdaq Helsinki in January 2014, reviving the Valmet name as a listed industrial technology company. The independent company concentrated on four mutually reinforcing capabilities: process technology, automation, flow control, and services. The 2015 acquisition of Metso's Process Automation Systems business created a dedicated Automation business. In 2019, GL&V and J&L Fiber Services strengthened Valmet's pulp-and-paper services and North American footprint. Valmet also added technologies in tissue converting, wood handling, and process-gas chromatography. A significant strategic development was Valmet's relationship with Neles. After Neles separated from Metso in 2020, Valmet acquired a substantial holding while Alfa Laval pursued an unsuccessful competing offer. Valmet and Neles agreed to merge in 2021, and the transaction was completed in April 2022. Neles became Valmet's Flow Control business area, adding valves, pumps, positioners, and other equipment for demanding process conditions. During the 2020s, Valmet applied its pulp, drying, energy, and automation expertise to circular-economy applications. It supplied equipment for Renewcell's recycled-textile dissolving-pulp production and drying technology for Spinnova's cellulose-based fiber. These projects complemented the company's established pulp, paper, tissue, energy, and automation activities. In 2024 Valmet announced the retirement of President and CEO Pasi Laine and selected Thomas Hinnerskov as his successor. It also announced job reductions to improve competitiveness. From July 2025, its Lead the Way operating model removed separate geographical business layers, placed local operations closer to five business areas, and centralized global supply activities. Valmet's current structure combines Process Performance Solutions—Automation Solutions and Flow Control—with Biomaterial Solutions and Services—Pulp, Energy and Circularity; Packaging and Paper; and Tissue. The result is a company that retains deep roots in Finnish heavy industry while operating internationally as a supplier of integrated process systems and long-term industrial services.

1. 2025Lead the Way operating model implemented

   Valmet reorganized around five business areas, reduced geographical layers, and established centralized global supply activities.

   Source
2. 2024Chief executive succession announced

   Valmet announced Pasi Laine's retirement and selected Thomas Hinnerskov as the next President and CEO.

   Source
3. 2022Neles merger completed

   Neles became Valmet's Flow Control business area, adding valves, pumps, positioners, and associated process technologies.

   Source
4. 2019GL&V and J&L Fiber Services acquired

   The acquisitions strengthened Valmet's services, pulp-and-paper technology, refining, spare-parts, and North American operations.

   Source
5. 2015Automation business created

   Valmet acquired Metso's Process Automation Systems business, expanding into distributed control systems and industrial automation.

   Source
6. 2014Independent Valmet began trading

   Valmet Oyj shares began trading on Nasdaq Helsinki in January.

   Source
7. 2013Valmet re-established through the Metso demerger

   Metso separated its pulp, paper, and power business, which returned to the Valmet name as an independent company.

   Source
8. 2009Metso acquired Tamfelt

   The technical-textiles supplier became part of the industrial heritage later incorporated into independent Valmet.

   Source
9. 1999Valmet merged with Rauma to form Metso

   The merger moved Valmet's pulp, paper, and power activities into the newly formed Metso group.

   Source
10. 1992Tampella board-machinery operations acquired

    Valmet acquired Tampella's board-machinery operations, strengthening its position in paper and board technology.

    Source
11. 1986Karlstads Mekaniska Verkstad acquired

    The Swedish acquisition expanded Valmet's machinery and engineering base.

    Source
12. 1984Dominion Engineering Works acquired

    The Canadian acquisition strengthened Valmet's pulp-and-paper engineering capabilities.

    Source
13. 1960Expansion into pulp and paper machinery

    Valmet increasingly focused on machinery for forestry, pulp, and paper production and expanded internationally.

    Source
14. 1950State Metalworks established

    Postwar Finnish state industrial assets were consolidated as Valtion Metallitehtaat, later known as Valmet.

    Source
15. 1861Tampella industrial predecessor formed

    A linen factory and metal workshop were merged in Tampere, contributing to the engineering lineage that later supported Finnish machinery production.

    Source
16. 1797Jokioisten Verkatehdas founded

    The wool mill later associated with Valmet's technical-textiles heritage was founded at Jokioinen.

    Source
17. 1750Early Suomenlinna shipyard heritage

    A shipyard established at Suomenlinna in the 1750s is identified as one of the early industrial predecessors in Valmet's long Finnish heritage.

    Source

A global process-technology and lifecycle-services partner for the pulp, paper, tissue, energy, and wider process industries, combining large-scale equipment with automation, flow control, digital tools, and services intended to improve productivity, resource efficiency, and circularity.

• Valmet DNAAutomation and industrial software

  Valmet DNA is Valmet's automation platform for process monitoring, control, quality management, and industrial internet applications. It is designed to connect operational control with data-driven analysis and maintenance functions in industries such as pulp, paper, energy, and other continuous-process environments. The platform forms part of Valmet's Automation Solutions business and supports the company's strategy of combining physical process equipment with software and lifecycle services.

• Valmet DNAeDistributed control system2025

  Valmet DNAe is a web-based distributed control system associated with Valmet's newer automation portfolio. It is intended to provide browser-based access to process-control functions and modernize the way industrial users operate and maintain automation environments. The reference material identifies the system as having achieved ISASecure SSA cybersecurity certification.

• Pulp production systemsPulp machinery

  Valmet supplies technologies for chemical and mechanical pulping, including complete production lines, fiber-processing equipment, chemical-recovery systems, and related services. These systems are used to convert wood and other fiber feedstocks into pulp for paper, board, tissue, and specialty applications. Valmet's offering covers engineering, equipment, automation, upgrades, maintenance, and process optimization across the operating life of a mill.

• Paper, board, and packaging machinesPaper and packaging machinery

  Valmet develops modular and integrated production lines for paper, board, containerboard, cartonboard, and specialty papers. Its equipment portfolio is intended for high-speed industrial manufacturing and can include forming, pressing, drying, finishing, quality control, and automation technologies. The company also provides modernization and performance services for installed machinery, allowing customers to upgrade capacity, efficiency, product quality, and process control without replacing an entire production line.

• Tissue production systemsTissue machinery

  Valmet's Tissue business supplies production lines, components, and process technologies for consumer tissue manufacturing. Its portfolio includes through-air drying and other technologies intended to support tissue bulk, softness, energy performance, and production efficiency. The business also applies closed-loop water and process-management concepts and provides services for equipment upgrades, maintenance, and operational improvement.

• Flow Control productsValves, pumps, and process-control equipment

  Valmet Flow Control incorporates the former Neles and Flowrox activities and supplies automated control valves, emergency-shutdown valves, industrial pumps, positioners, and related equipment. These products are designed for demanding process environments involving high pressure, corrosive media, and critical safety requirements. The business combines mechanical equipment with actuation, instrumentation, automation, maintenance, and lifecycle support.

• Biomass and waste-to-energy systemsEnergy technology

  Valmet supplies circulating fluidized-bed biomass boilers, waste-to-energy systems, and gasification technologies. These solutions are used to convert biomass, recovered fuels, and waste streams into heat, power, or industrial syngas. They connect Valmet's traditional process-engineering capabilities with lower-carbon energy and circular-material applications and are accompanied by engineering, automation, emissions-control, and lifecycle services.

• 2025Lead the Way

  Global

  Lead the Way was Valmet's strategic and operating-model renewal focused on improving efficiency, strengthening lifecycle-based customer service, and integrating the company's international supply network.

  Outcome. The renewed model took effect in July 2025, removing separate geographical business layers and establishing a centralized Global Supply unit.

  Source

• 2025Implement the Lead the Way operating modelStrategy

  Valmet sought to improve efficiency and deliver customer services through a more integrated lifecycle model.

  What changed. Effective July 1, 2025, Valmet eliminated separate geographical business layers, aligned local operations with five business areas, and created a centralized Global Supply unit.

  Aftermath. The reorganization involved approximately 1,150 white-collar role reductions globally, including approximately 395 in Finland, and was described as generating annualized cost savings.

  Annualized cost savings. €80 million (2025 operating-model transition)

  Source
• 2024Announce workforce reductionsStrategy

  Valmet stated that the measures were intended to improve the profitability and competitiveness of its business operations.

  What changed. The company announced the elimination of 112 jobs.

  Aftermath. The announcement preceded a broader operating-model renewal implemented in 2025.

  Jobs eliminated. 112 positions announced for elimination (2024)

  Source
• 2021Agree to merge with NelesM&A

  Valmet and Neles identified substantial commercial and technological complementarities between automation, process technology, and flow-control equipment.

  What changed. The companies agreed to merge, with Neles shareholders receiving 18.8 percent of the combined company.

  Aftermath. The merger was completed in April 2022 and Neles became Valmet's Flow Control business area.

  Source
• 2021Supply equipment for recycled-textile dissolving pulpProduct launch

  Renewcell was developing a process to convert discarded textiles into dissolving pulp for new fiber production.

  What changed. Valmet agreed to supply mill equipment and supported the development of a pilot plant and factory in Sundsvall.

  Aftermath. The project extended Valmet's pulp and process-engineering capabilities into textile recycling and circular bioeconomy applications.

  Source
• 2021Deliver drying technology to SpinnovaProduct launch

  Spinnova was developing cellulose-based textile fiber, requiring industrial drying technology for its production process.

  What changed. Valmet announced that it would deliver drying technology to Spinnova.

  Aftermath. The agreement reinforced Valmet's expansion into renewable-material and textile-fiber processing applications.

  Source
• 2020Build a strategic position in NelesM&A

  Neles was separated from Metso, while Alfa Laval also pursued a takeover offer.

  What changed. Valmet acquired Neles shares and increased its ownership to nearly 30 percent by autumn 2020. Alfa Laval withdrew after receiving support from only about one-third of Neles owners.

  Aftermath. Valmet and Neles agreed to merge the following year, ultimately bringing Neles into Valmet as Flow Control.

  • Alfa Laval — Alfa Laval made an offer for Neles but withdrew from the competition in November 2020 after insufficient shareholder support.
  Source
• 2019Acquire GL&V and J&L Fiber ServicesM&A

  Valmet aimed to strengthen its pulp-and-paper services, aftermarket activities, and North American presence.

  What changed. It acquired GL&V and subsequently J&L Fiber Services, bringing pulp-and-paper technologies, upgrades, spare parts, and refiner-segment expertise into its Services business.

  Aftermath. The acquisitions broadened Valmet's installed-base support and technology offering in North America and the wider pulp-and-paper market.

  Source
• 2015Acquire Metso's Process Automation Systems businessM&A

  Valmet sought to broaden its offering beyond machinery and services by adding process-control and automation capabilities.

  What changed. Valmet acquired Metso's Process Automation Systems business and established its Automation business area.

  Aftermath. The transaction expanded Valmet's portfolio into distributed control systems, quality management, industrial software, and process intelligence.

  Source
• 2013Separate the pulp, paper, and power business from MetsoStrategy

  Metso reorganized its businesses to separate the pulp, paper, and power activities from its minerals and mining operations.

  What changed. The business was demerged and relaunched under the Valmet name, with shares beginning to trade independently in January 2014.

  Aftermath. The independent Valmet focused on process technology, automation, services, and later flow control across the pulp, paper, energy, and related process industries.

  Source
• 1999Merge with Rauma to form MetsoM&A

  Valmet and Rauma combined their industrial operations at a time when both companies had substantial engineering and technology activities.

  What changed. The merger created Metso, with Valmet's pulp, paper, and power activities becoming part of the new group.

  Aftermath. Valmet's legacy businesses continued within Metso until the 2013 demerger restored Valmet as an independent listed company.

  Source

• 2025Valmet implemented a renewed operating model

  The Lead the Way operating model removed separate geographical business layers, aligned local operations more closely with five business areas, and established a centralized Global Supply unit.

  Other
  Source
• 2024Valmet announced the retirement of Pasi Laine and appointment of Thomas Hinnerskov

  Valmet said Pasi Laine would retire at the end of September 2024 and selected Thomas Hinnerskov as the next President and CEO.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 2024Valmet announced workforce reductions

  The company announced the elimination of 112 jobs as part of measures intended to improve profitability and competitiveness.

  Other
  Source
• 2022Neles merged into Valmet

  The merger was completed in April 2022, adding Neles's flow-control operations as Valmet's fifth business area.

  M&ALeadership change
  Source
• 2021Valmet and Neles agreed to merge

  The agreement combined Valmet's automation and process technologies with Neles's flow-control activities. Neles subsequently became Valmet's Flow Control business area.

  M&A
  Source
• 2021Valmet supplied Renewcell with dissolving-pulp equipment

  The project supported Renewcell's production of dissolving pulp from recycled clothing and textiles and reflected Valmet's expansion into textile-recycling applications.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2021Valmet announced drying technology for Spinnova

  Valmet agreed to deliver drying technology for Spinnova's cellulose-based textile-fiber production.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2020Valmet expanded its position in Neles

  After Neles separated from Metso, Valmet acquired additional shares while Alfa Laval pursued a competing offer. Alfa Laval withdrew after insufficient shareholder support.

  M&A
  Source
• 2019Valmet acquired GL&V

  The acquisition strengthened Valmet's North American presence and added pulp-and-paper technologies, modernization services, and aftermarket capabilities.

  M&A
  Source
• 2019Valmet acquired J&L Fiber Services

  J&L Fiber Services brought refiner-segment manufacturing and related pulp-refining expertise into Valmet's Services business.

  M&A
  Source
• 2015Valmet announced the acquisition of Metso's Process Automation Systems business

  The transaction established Valmet's Automation business and expanded the company's portfolio from machinery and services into process control, automation, and digital systems.

  M&A
  Source

1. Valmet