30 years of intelligent quality control with Valmet IQ

As Valmet IQ celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025, this long-standing collaboration testifies to the system’s performance and adaptability.

Pankakoski mill is one of Europe’s first manufacturers of paperboard. Located near the city of Lieksa in eastern Finland, the company began groundwood production in 1903 with a capacity of only 3,000 tons per year. Today, that capacity has grown to 110,000 tons per year with production from its two board machines, BM2 and BM3.

A global leader in high-quality specialty cartonboards, Pankakoski serves more than 600 customers across 65 countries. Quality control plays a crucial role in maintaining the company’s strong reputation for excellence and consistency.

A legacy of reliability 

Pankakoski mill has relied on Valmet’s automation solutions since 1979 when it invested in  Valmet’s Damatic Classic.  The mill then implemented the very first Valmet IQ Quality Control System (QCS) in 1995 – right after its launch – on the BM2 and followed with implementation on its BM3 in 1996.

Today, Valmet IQ remains an integral part of both board machines, ensuring process stability and end product quality.

Aleksi Oinonen, Electric and Automation Supervisor at Pankakoski and Juha Mykkänen, Sales Manager, Automation, Valmet

Unlocking deeper insights with strategic system upgrades

While the core of Valmet IQ has remained unchanged, the system itself has undergone significant transformation over the years.

At first, Valmet IQ offered only a handful of measurements. However, as technology advanced and industry demands grew, it has evolved far beyond a traditional QCS.

Pankakoski has modernized its system several times to incorporate these advancements. Each upgrade has been carefully tailored to the mill’s operational priorities and specific requirements, ensuring just the right fit.

As a result, Valmet IQ at the mill today includes a comprehensive suite of solutions that optimize quality and production efficiency. The most recent upgrade, for instance, introduced the latest measurement technology of advanced moisture and caliper sensors, providing even greater accuracy and more detailed insights into production processes.

“Each upgrade has delivered measurable improvements, giving us deeper visibility into our operations,” notes Hankaniemi. “This means we can now better control board quality and ensure our customers get exactly what they expect.”

We see this as smart lifecycle management – with a full return on reinvestment,” he says.

 “Our company’s philosophy has always been about rational evolution rather than radical replacement. Instead of discarding and starting over, we upgrade and refine. This approach has served us well.”

This attitude is well supported by Valmet’s lifecycle service and upgrade methods. While the “brain” of the system has been continuously modernized with the latest measurement technologies, the original IQ Scanner frame from 1995 is still delivering on its original promise.

 The original IQ Scanner from 1995 is still delivering on its original promise.

Pankakoski’s diverse customer base spans multiple industries and regions and for all, efficiency, quality and consistency are paramount. Many customers rely on Pankakoski’s products for critical applications such as food or pharmaceutical packaging.

This is where Valmet IQ really shines. By enabling real-time quality control and data-driven decision-making, the system helps the mill detect and resolve potential issues before they impact production. Minimizing waste and ensuring process stability are an essential part of maintaining efficiency and delivering products on time.

Aleksi Oinonen, Electric and Automation Supervisor at Pankakoski

We aim to always keep our customers happy", Says Aleksi Oinonen, Electric and Automation Supervisor at Pankakoski “Online measurements allow us to closely monitor the end product. We can trace any quality concerns, analyze profiles and provide customers with clear data on their product’s production history. This keeps our customers satisfied and confident in our products.”

Partnership built on trust and responsiveness

While technology has been a cornerstone of Pankakoski’s quality journey, the collaboration with Valmet extends beyond equipment and software. Over the years, the mill’s team has relied on Valmet’s ability to adapt and respond swiftly to their needs.

“We appreciate Valmet’s flexibility. When we truly need support, they always try to help – no matter the day or time,” says Oinonen. “That’s the kind of commitment that makes a real difference.”

While technology is very important to us, so are relationships. If I had to describe Valmet as a partner in just one word, it would be ‘professional’. They have not only managed to grow into a market leader in quality control solutions for the paper and board industry, but their professionalism also extends to how they treat their customers. Says Hankaniemi

The journey continues together

As Pankakoski’s product offerings evolve and its global presence expands, a reliable, future-ready quality control system is more important than ever. The company feels well equipped to meet future industry demands with Valmet IQ’s continuous advances.  

Valmet, in turn, highly values the relationship with Pankakoski. The mill has been a launch site for many of Valmet’s new products and is where the IQ system has evolved from its early stages into a globally adopted solution.

Today, this collaboration remains a driving force for both companies as they continue pushing the boundaries of quality and efficiency.