April 12, 2023
(press release)
–
Stora Enso
plans to consolidate its book paper production and permanently close one of the two paper machines at Anjala in
Finland
. The Group will start change negotiations concerning all employees at the integrated Anjalankoski site.
The Anjalankoski site in
Finland
includes the Ingerois packaging board production unit and the Anjala paper production unit. Today, the Anjala production unit produces coated and uncoated book papers, coated magazine paper and improved newsprint on two machines. Due to prevailing weak paper demand and high input costs,
Stora Enso
has initiated a plan to concentrate all book paper production to one line. With the remaining paper machine, the Group would be able to continue producing its selection of book paper grades. The planned closure of the line producing uncoated mechanical grades would reduce the site's annual capacity by 250,000 tonnes and sales with approximately
EUR 100 million
.
To proceed with this plan,
Stora Enso
will start change negotiations concerning all employees at the integrated Anjalankoski site, including the Anjala paper unit and the Ingerois board unit. The closure would take place during the fourth quarter of 2023 and affect an estimated 110 people. No decisions regarding the planned closure and employee reduction will be taken until the change negotiations have been concluded.
Stora Enso
would be committed to work closely together with other
Stora Enso
locations, the local community and other stakeholders to support in re-employment and training of the possibly affected employees.
The planned closure of the production line would not have a material impact on
Stora Enso's
operational EBIT. Due to the further deterioration of the long-term market demand,
Stora Enso
has recorded
EUR 19 million
of non-cash asset write-downs related to the Anjala site in its Q1/2023 results as an item affecting comparability (IAC). Additionally, during 2023,
Stora Enso
expects to record a cost of approximately
EUR 16 million
as an IAC, of which about
EUR 13 million
would have a cash impact, relating to the potential lay-offs and restructuring expenses at the site.
"The decline in newsprint and publication paper demand has further accelerated, and has also reached the previously more stable book paper market. Hence, to ensure the vitality of our book paper offering, we plan to focus all our efforts on the remaining Anjala production line and continue to serve our book paper customers with high quality products," says
Hannu Kasurinen
, EVP Packaging Materials division.
The integrated Anjalankoski site is reported under the Packaging Materials division since the beginning of 2023. The site includes the Ingerois packaging board production unit and the Anjala paper production unit, the latter which was previously reported under the now dissolved Paper division.
Stora Enso
will continue to harness the site's synergies between board and paper production.
For further information, please contact:
Carl Norell
Press officer
tel. +46 72 241 0349
Investor enquiries:
Anna-Lena Åström
SVP Investor Relations
Tel. +46 70 210 7691
Part of the global bioeconomy,
Stora Enso
is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials and wooden construction, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow.
Stora Enso
has approximately 21,000 employees and our sales in 2022 were
EUR 11.7 billion
.
Stora Enso
shares are listed on
Nasdaq Helsinki Oy
(STEAV, STERV) and
Nasdaq Stockholm AB
(STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the
USA
as ADRs (SEOAY). storaenso.com/investors
STORA ENSO OYJ
For further information, please contact:
Carl Norell
Press officer
tel. +46 72 241 0349
Investor enquiries:
Anna-Lena Åström
SVP Investor Relations
Tel. +46 70 210 7691
https://news.cision.com/stora-enso-oyj/r/stora-enso-plans-to-close-down-one-paper-line-at-its-anjala-production-unit-in-finland,c3749332
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