Metso Paper's cost reduction program advances

Published Sept 2, 2004 12.00.00 +2 GMT

Metso Corporation's program for Metso Paper to reduce annual fixed costs by a total of EUR 50 million is advancing. The program was published in June 2004. As a part of the program, Metso Paper will initiate within the next few weeks employee negotations concerning approximately 700 jobs in Finland, Sweden and North America.

Metso Paper's negotiations to be initiated will affect approximately 450 jobs in Finland, approximately 130 jobs in Sweden and approximately 120 jobs in North America. The impact of the negotiations on personnel in Finland is estimated to be 100 to 140 jobs in Jyväskylä and 90 to 120 jobs in Järvenpää. In addition, the options for the Karhula production unit will be reviewed, and the negotiations in that location will affect 150 jobs. To a lesser extent, the planned personnel reduction will also affect the units in Valkeakoski, Turku, Pori and Tampere, Finland. In Sweden, the negotiations will concern the reduction of 80 to 100 jobs in Karlstad and 40 to 60 jobs in Sundsvall. In North America, the personnel reductions will be divided among several locations.

For other parts, the plans will be specified later. As a whole, one half of the program's effects on personnel are estimated to consist of reductions and one half of outsourcing and actions comparable to outsourcing. The arrangements are estimated to affect in total 1,100 to 1,300 employees. The planned measures are scheduled mainly for 2004-2005.

Of Metso Paper's 9,000 employees, approximately 5,000 work in Finland, approximately 1,500 in Sweden and approximately 1,250 in North America.

More information: Bertel Karlstedt, President, Metso Paper, tel. +358 204 82 5100 Eeva Mäkelä, Vice President, Investor Relations, Metso Corporation, tel. +358 204 84 3253