The international forest industry trade event and conference, Pulp & Beyond, was held at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre on 14–17 April 2026. Together with the chemical industry event ChemBio and the chemical safety Helsinki Chemicals Forum, the event attracted around 8,400 visitors and 257 exhibitors in total.
A sold-out conference was praised for its wide-ranging programme
Pulp & Beyond week kicked off with a high-quality, sold-out conference attended by a record 380 people from 24 countries. Over the course of the day, nearly 50 presentations were delivered across three theme areas: The Factory of the Future; New future technologies to drive the circular economy and lower emissions; and New innovative wood-based products. The conference day concluded with relaxed networking and refreshments.
The conference was sold out. Photo: Petri Mast
The exhibition served as a meeting place
The first day of the exhibition began with a joint breakfast event for Pulp & Beyond, Chembio Finland and the Helsinki Chemicals Forum, featuring three keynote addresses from the perspectives of both industry and education, as well as Finnish and EU-level outlooks for the future.
The international exhibition was opened by Pia Nilsson, Chair of PI, and Antti Lindqvist, CEO, along with Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala, who also delivered the opening keynote.
At the exhibition, attendees were able to explore the latest innovations, technologies and products from key companies in the sector, and to meet both familiar faces and new contacts.
The exhibition programme also featured engaging talks and panel discussions on the Main Stage and Speaker’s Corner stages, as well as the final of Wednesday’s start-up competition. Woamy was selected as the winner of the start-up competition. Read more about the start-up competition
Startup competition winner Woamy's CEO Susanna Partanen. Photo: Petri Mast
The first day of the fair culminated in a cheerful Finnish May Day (Wappu) celebration, complete with balloons, servings of sima and doughnuts, and brass-band music provided by the legendary Retuperä WPK. During the interval, the Talidominantes choir, made up of former engineering students, also performed.
The second day of the trade fair began with PI’s Annual Meeting, at which the Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2025 were approved, membership fees were decided, and officers were elected for the forthcoming term. In addition, three of the association’s awards were presented in recognition of significant contributions to the field and to Puunjalostusinsinöörit ry. Read more about the Annual Meeting.
On Thursday, Speaker’s Corner hosted the launch of a new content entity on eucalyptus fibres for the ForestBioFacts learning environment, as well as a new AI feature, the AI Assistant, which significantly improves the user experience and the ability to find and make use of reliable, expert-verified information. Read more about the AI Assistant.
Employer of the Future Day
The Thursday Future Employer Day focused on students. Ten companies took part in the Pulp & Beyond student day. Students received an employer map created in collaboration with the Chembio trade fair. By visiting seven company stands in either exhibition area, students could claim a drink of their choice as a reward.
Students were also taken into account in the stage programme with a talk by philosopher and researcher Frank Martela, who addressed happiness, working life and how to bring the two together.
Excursions offered a look into the heart of the industry
On an excursion designed for students and doctoral candidates, participants first visited UPM’s head office to learn about its facilities and operations. At UPM, researchers presented three different research areas: pulp & paper, chemicals & fuels, and advanced materials. After the UPM visit, the group continued on to a cruise to Tallinn. The programme on the cruise was free: participants had the chance to network with others, relax and enjoy the ship’s services.
For experts and professionals, two excursions were offered, with a total of around 100 participants. The first excursion included a visit to Kemira’s new innovation centre, where guests were welcomed by, among others, Kemira’s CEO Antti Salminen, and to SAPPI’s Kirkniemi mill, where participants learned about paper mill operations. The second excursion headed to Stora Enso’s head office, focusing on Stora Enso’s offering as well as timber construction and architecture. The second excursion concluded with a visit to ABB Finland’s head office, where participants explored ABB’s solutions and site operations.
