FINLAND (News release) -- Production at Metsä Group's board mills and sawmills will be temporarily shut down due to the ongoing strikes.

Production at the Rauma, Vilppula, Renko and Lappeenranta sawmills will stop on Friday 22 March. The production of board mills in Simpele, Kyro, Tako (Tampere) and Äänekoski is expected to stop on Monday 25 March.

Previously, the production at Metsä Group's pulp and board mills in Kemi, pulp and BCTMP mills in Joutseno and the BCTMP mill in Kaskinen has been shut down.

The mills can be started up when raw material is available and product transports start.

For Metsä Group, Finland is an important country. We have made major investments of several billion euros in our operations in Finland in recent years. Metsä Group has 21 mills in Finland, which are significantly affected by the prolonged strikes. Impacts will extend more than three weeks, it will take months for the situation to normalise.