Metsäliitto to reform the organisation of Wood Supply in Finland (7 February 2007)

Metsäliitto Group will reform the organisation of Wood Supply in Finland.
According to the plan, the wood supply's area organisation as it exists in its
present form will be abolished while wood supply districts will be
strengthened. 

“For the purpose of operative control of Wood Supply, our intention is to
establish three Wood Supply units as part of head office organisation. These
will be located in Tampere, Joutseno and Kemi, and the Delivery units will be
located in the same offices,” says Yrjö Perälä, SVP, Resources and
Administration, Metsäliitto Cooperative, who is in charge of the organisational
reform. 

However, the organisational structure of the wood supply districts and profit
groups will be maintained, except in eastern Finland where the number of
districts is to be revised. 

The reform does not apply to Purchasing and Harvesting Foremen and therefore
does not have a direct impact on forest owners. 

The aim of the reform is to simplify and streamline the organisation, to secure
the supply of wood raw material for the mills and to increase the
cost-effectiveness of wood supply. 

Statutory negotiations will be initiated due to the planned changes. The
possible reductions in personnel are estimated at 30 people at the most. The
aim is to carry out the reductions in the form of various transfers and pension
arrangements, but terminations are also possible. 

Yrjö Perälä has been appointed SVP, Wood Supply, Finland, as of 1 March 2007.
He will report to Juha Mäntylä, Forest Director, Metsäliitto Group. 

The new organisation will begin on 1 January 2008. 

Further information:

Yrjö Perälä, SVP, Resources and Administration, Metsäliitto Cooperative, tel.
+358 500 615 399 
Ilari Pirttilä, Communications Manager, Metsäliitto Cooperative, tel. +358 50
598 9920