HELSINKI, Finland, June 5, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metso Paper will supply a board making line to the Sun Paper Industry Group in China. The new line is scheduled to start up in October 2003. The value of order is somewhat less than EUR 25 million. This is the second board machine delivery to the same customer in two years.
The ordered line has been designed for the manufacture of art board and liquid packaging board. The delivery consists of a new board machine, five coating stations, calenders and a broke handling system. The machine's annual production capacity is approx. 200,000 tons. Participating in Metso Paper's delivery are its joint venture in Xian, China and units operating in Finland and Sweden. Metso Paper's previous delivery to Sun Paper was also implemented together with the joint venture.
The Chinese market has become the most important market area for Metso in the Asia-Pacific region. During the past year, Metso Paper has sold paper and board technology to China worth of EUR 150 million.
Sun Paper's mill is located in the Shandong Province in Northeast China, where a considerable part of China's paper industry is located.
Metso Corporation (NYSE:MX) is a global supplier of process industry machinery and systems, as well as know-how and aftermarket and services. The corporation's core businesses are fiber and paper technology (Metso Paper), rock and mineral processing (Metso Minerals) and automation and control technology (Metso Automation). In 2001, the net sales of Metso Corporation were EUR 4.3 billion and the personnel totaled approximately 30,000. Metso Corporation is listed on the Helsinki and New York Stock Exchanges.