Espoo, Finland 01 April 2019 -- All production lines at Metsä Wood's Pärnu birch plywood mill have now been started. Bringing the upgrading lines into use means that the investment program has been completed in Pärnu. More workforce has been recruited for the new lines, the mill currently employs some 170 people in production.

"We are pleased that this stage has now been reached," says Mill Director Kaarel Tali. "The introduction of upgrading lines means that we have the technical capability to get the most out of the investment. Now we are able to manufacture all the products that are designed for the mill's product range. Our main products, XL and King Size panels manufactured with many different coatings, are the cornerstone of our competitiveness."

Investing in a modern birch plywood mill in Pärnu is an important step in increasing the value of Metsä Wood's products and improving the efficiency of production. The mill makes use of latest technology and it is also Metsä Wood's first production facility utilizing digital modeling.

With its investment, Metsä Wood is responding to the growing demand for birch plywood worldwide, especially in the construction and light transport industry. The Pärnu mill with its versatile product offering is designed to efficiently serve new customers and market areas. The extended range of sizes and coatings is ideal for, for example, light vehicles and castings molds used in concrete structures.

The construction of the Pärnu birch plywood mill began in spring 2017 and production was officially started on 27 August 2018. The factory is expected to reach its full production capacity by the end of 2019. As a raw material, the mill uses high quality Finnish birch veneer, which is produced at Metsä Wood's veneer mill in Central Finland.

Metsä Wood is one of the leading European producers of engineered wood products. We are committed to serving three segments: construction, industrial and distribution customers. Our primary products are Kerto® LVL, plywood and other wood products. We also sell Nordic timber produced by Metsä Fibre.

In 2018, Metsä Wood's sales were EUR 0.4 billion, and it employs approximately 1,500 people. Metsä Wood is part of Metsä Group.