Valio completes cheese line upgrade costing over 60 million euros

Valio has completed an upgrade of its cheese production line at its Lapinlahti factory in North Savo, an investment of more than 60 million euros, Yle reported. The new line began operating in September after construction work started in summer 2024.

The company replaced the factory’s cheese-making equipment because the old line had reached the end of its service life. The factory was expanded, and new equipment was installed for cheese production and packaging.

Factory director Aleksi Ylitalo said the investment would make production more efficient, reduce waste and improve the recovery of whey, a by-product of cheese-making.

Lapinlahti is Valio’s largest cheese factory, producing about 30 per cent of the company’s cheese. It also makes milk- and whey-based powdered products and baby food.

Three quarters of the factory’s total output is exported. It ships about 4.6 million kilograms of cheese a year, including to Belgium, France and the United States. About 80 per cent of its milk powders are also exported.

The factory has about 280 employees and receives more than 400 million litres of milk annually from around 800 farms.

In June, Valio said it would close its Oulu factory and move production to Riihimäki, Jyväskylä and Joensuu in stages during the first half of 2028. The company cited reduced demand for milk and rising costs among the reasons for the closure.