Viljanmaa Awarded 2012 Marcus Wallenberg Prize
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Mika Viljanmaa, development manager at Metso's Järvenpää unit in Finland, has been awarded the 2012 Marcus Wallenberg Prize for his ground-breaking development of metal belt calendering technology, resulting in better paper print surfaces with less fiber materials and higher production efficiency. Viljanmaa's invention also paves the way for applications in other paper machine sections with the opportunity of becoming a wider platform technology expected to substantially enhance production efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability of paper and board making.
As shown in the photo below, Viljanmaa was recently presented the award by H.M. Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden, in a ceremony in Stockholm. In the background is the chairman of the Foundation, Marcus Wallenberg.
Viljanmaa, M.Sc., joined Valmet Corp. (now Metso) in 1996 as a development engineer at its Järvenpää unit, where he also completed his Master's thesis at the Helsinki University of Technology. Since 2003, he was in charge of calendering research and development at Metso Paper and since 2009 has been responsible for R&D in surface treatment technology.
 Viljanmaa is a highly prolific innovator, with a total of 120 protected inventions, 57 of them being related to metal belt technology. He is the sole inventor for 12 of them.
The Marcus Wallenberg Prize is an international prize established in 1980. Each year the prize recognizes a single research breakthrough by one scientist or a small group of collaborating scientists. The selected breakthrough will have a significant effect on the forestry and forest products industries. In addition to rewarding the winner, the prize is also intended to encourage further research around the world. The prize sum is SEK 2 million.
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