Helsinki, Finland, 18 December 2008 -- As of 31 December 2008, Metso will have sold its composites manufacturing business and related assets in Oulu, Finland to xperion Oy. The divestment is not material to Metso and the company books a small profit from the sale.

The composites manufacturing business is part of Metso's Paper and Fiber Technology segment. Its annual net sales has been less than EUR 5 million. All 21 personnel will transfer to xperion Oy.

With the divestment, Metso will concentrate in its core business of providing technology and related services to the global pulp and paper industry. Concurrently with the divestment, Metso and xperion Oy have agreed upon a long-term supply contract for composite products.

xperion Oy is 100% owned by the German company xperion GmbH, which specializes in composite manufacturing for printing, converting, and paper industries. xperion has additional production units in Germany, Denmark, and North America. The company has 250 employees and 2007 net sales of EUR 50 million.

Metso (www.metso.com) is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining and construction, power generation, automation, recycling, and the pulp and paper industries. The company has more than 28,000 employees in more than 50 countries.