PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL 2026 - Why paper mills need digital execution now. Jyri Jokinurmi, Head of Business Development, Pulp, Paper, Board & Nonwoven, Tieto - Paper Technology International 2026 - Book - Page 29

PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL 2026 - Why paper mills need digital execution now. Jyri Jokinurmi, Head of Business Development, Pulp, Paper, Board & Nonwoven, Tieto

PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL 2026 - Why paper mills need digital
execution now.
Jyri Jokinurmi, Head of Business Development, Pulp, Paper, Board & Nonwoven, Tieto
INTRODUCTION:
Paper and 昀椀bre producers are increasing their focus on digital manufacturing systems as the industry faces tighter margins, shifting
demand and a shrinking pool of experienced operators. Arti昀椀cial Intelligence is emerging as a key enabler.
Why paper mills need digital execution now
Paper and 昀椀bre producers are increasing their focus on
digital manufacturing systems as the industry faces tighter margins,
shifting demand and a shrinking pool of experienced operators.
Arti昀椀cial Intelligence is emerging as a key enabler.
Manufacturing Execution Systems, or MES, are one tool
for mills seeking to connect business planning with production
operations. The systems are designed to provide real-time visibility,
standardize work昀氀ows and support decision-making across the
order-to-cash process.
Industry pressures have increased as oversupply weighs
on prices, production runs become shorter and sustainability
expectations continue to grow. Companies are also managing
retirements that reduce access to operational knowledge.
Digital systems take on a larger role
In response, mills are using digital systems to reduce
manual work, capture process knowledge and support smaller
operating teams. Advocates say these tools can help operators
make more consistent decisions while giving managers a clearer
view of production performance.
MES links planning and production
MES platforms sit between enterprise resource planning
systems and shop-昀氀oor automation. They collect operational data,
coordinate production activities and help align mill execution with
customer orders and business priorities.
Common use cases include production planning, quality
management, order tracking, cost monitoring and reporting. By
centralizing information, the systems reduce errors and improve
the reliability of updates shared across commercial and operational
teams.
Deployment models broaden
Vendors are also offering a wider range of deployment
options. MES platforms can be installed on-premises, hosted
by customers through subscription models or delivered as fully
managed software-as-a-service systems.
AI added to execution tools
Arti昀椀cial intelligence is increasingly being added to MES
platforms as suppliers look to help mills interpret large volumes of
operational data. The aim is to identify patterns, 昀氀ag issues and
support faster responses to changing production conditions.
Some systems are beginning to incorporate agentic AI
features, which can move beyond recommendations to initiate
controlled actions within de昀椀ned limits. Such use depends on
approved data, access rights and governance rules.
Supplier example
Tieto’s TIPS Industry Solutions & Services is the leading
MES positioned for this market. The platform is designed to
operate between ERP and shop-昀氀oor automation. Its operations
management functions consolidate information such as instructions,
meeting records, root-cause analysis, work permits and anomaly
tracking, while its costing tools provide visibility into standard and
actual production costs.
Analysts and suppliers say adoption of AI-enabled execution
systems is likely to grow as mills seek to improve productivity,
preserve technical knowledge and respond to cost pressures.
The pace of deployment, however, will vary by company, site and
investment strategy.
Author: Jyri Jokinurmi, Head of Business Development, Pulp,
Paper, Board & Nonwoven, Tieto.
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