Metso Paper renews its organization as of January 1, 2006

Published Sept 20, 2005 09.00.00 +2 GMT

Metso Paper has today published a new organization structure, which will become effective on January 1, 2006. The partly renewed business line structure will bring the decision-making and target setting closer to the operations. Organizing the service operations into an own business line with profit center responsibility emphasizes the strategic importance of service in the changing market situation. Customer service will continue to be developed in line with the customers' production processes, covering their whole life cycle.

The purpose of the change is to strengthen customer service and to clarify decision-making with special focus on on engineering, production, purchasing and high-quality management of customer projects. Supported by these changes, Metso Paper targets to increase the sales of machines and rebuilds in a situation where the demand for complete production lines has decreased.

The business line heads as of January 1, 2006, will be:

Arto Aaltonen (Fiber Business Line), Metso Paper's Executive Vice President Kari Kalliala (Paper and Board) Hannu Mälkiä (Finishing) Marco Marcheggiani (Tissue) Jari Vähäpesola (Service)

The above mentioned persons will report to Risto Hautamäki, President of Metso Paper.

Metso is a global technology corporation serving customers in the pulp and paper industry, rock and minerals processing, the energy industry and selected other industries. In 2004, the net sales of Metso Corporation were approx. EUR 4 billion, and it has some 22,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Metso's shares are listed on the Helsinki and New York Stock Exchanges.

For further information, please contact: Risto Hautamäki, President, Metso Paper, tel. +358 204 84 3101