April 1, 2010 - M-real said that it will invest about EUR 6 million in sheeting operations at the company's Aanekoski paper mill in central Finland.

The sheeting project is designed to increase the sheeting capacity as well as modernize the conversion process and improve package quality.

Project completion is expected in the first half of 2011, M-real said.

“This investment decision is a confirmation on both parties' belief in long term cooperation between M-real and Sappi. The investment improves the Aanekoski paper mill's competitiveness as a high quality coated fine paper production unit," says Mikko Helander, CEO of M-real.

M-real sold its Graphic Papers business area to Sappi Limited at the end of 2008. As part of the deal, the Aanekoski paper mill remained in M-real's ownership and continued Galerie Art production for Sappi under a long-term contract.

The Aanekoski mill, an integrated paper and board mill, produces fully coated bleached paperboards for high performance packaging and graphical end uses as well as triple blade coated woodfree art paper on one paper machine under the brand name Galerie Art.

The mill employs some 400 workers and has an annual production capacity of 210,000 tons of board and 200,000 tons of paper.

SOURCE: M-real