Stora Enso to Restart Sunila Pulp Mill in Finland

Stora Enso, Helsinki, Finland, is restarting production at its Sunila Pulp Mill in Finland. The company notes that although the pulp market has improved since the beginning of the summer, uncertainties remain concerning trends in the market, profitability of the Sunila Mill in the long term, and availability of reasonably priced wood in Finland. Thus next spring, Stora Enso says it will reassess the option of permanently closing down the Sunila Pulp Mill at Kotka, which has been temporarily shutdown since this past April. The co-determination negotiations that commenced when the initial closure plans were announced in August 2009 have concluded, and production at the mill is scheduled to resume by the end of the year.

"We are very aware that although the mill is being restarted, for the employees uncertainty will persist, and we very much regret that. However, we think this is on the whole the best alternative for our employees. We hope long-term measures will soon be found to secure the viability of the forest products industry in Finland and a lasting favorable solution concerning Russian wood duties can be reached. Solutions to those issues could extend the economic life of Sunila Mill," says Juha Vanhainen, country manager, Finland.

TAPPI
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