Swiss company considers production plant in Kotka’s Sunila industrial area

A Swiss firm specialising in cellulose-based materials is evaluating Kotka’s Sunila as a potential site for a new production facility, according to a public notice from Finland’s licensing authority. A final decision on the investment is expected after summer 2025.

Seprify, a Swiss company developing high-performance cellulose materials, is assessing locations across Europe for a commercial-scale plant, with Sunila—formerly home to a Stora Enso pulp mill—among the options. The facility would process sulphate pulp to produce cellulose-based alternatives for industries like food and hygiene, where fossil, mineral, or metal-based raw materials are traditionally used.

According to documents from the Regional State Administrative Agency, the proposed plant would handle around 3,000 tonnes of sulphate pulp annually, yielding approximately 2,250 tonnes of finished product. The company has not yet estimated potential job creation.

Seprify’s products include a cellulose-based white pigment designed to replace titanium dioxide, which the EU banned in food production in 2022. Previously, titanium dioxide was widely used as a whitening agent in candies and baked goods.

Oliver Polcher, Seprify’s co-founder and board chair, confirmed to Finnish broadcaster Yle that no final investment decision has been made. “We are still evaluating options, and a decision on the location and investment will be taken after the summer,” Polcher stated.

The Sunila industrial area, owned by property developer Aalto Development, offers existing infrastructure—a key factor in Seprify’s site selection. The former Stora Enso pulp mill on the site closed in 2023.