Helsinki, Finland, 28 October 2008 -- Metso’s customer Aracruz has temporarily suspended the expansion of its plant in Guaíba in Brazil. In late August 2008, Metso announced that it had won an order for the main technology for Aracruz’s new 1.5-million tons/year bleached hardwood kraft pulp line, to be built at the Guaíba mill in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The new pulp line was scheduled to start up during the second half of 2010. The order is valued at close to EUR 400 million.

Metso is negotiating with Aracruz about the new implementation schedule of the Guaíba project. Metso is continuing work, within the cost frame covered by the down payment received from Aracruz, to allow an easy restart of the project.

Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2007 net sales of more than EUR 6 billion and more than 27,000 employees in approximately 50 countries who serve customers in the pulp and paper industry, rock and minerals processing, the energy industry, and selected other industries.

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