Metsä Is Expecting to See an Improvement in Business Development Its Wood Activities

Metsä is expecting to see an improvement in business development its wood activities this year. Owing to decreasing stocks amongst manufacturers and buyers, Metsä is working from the assumption that the softwood lumber markets are going to stabilise and that demand for plywood and kerto is will rise in the coming months. Last year business had suffered particularly under the effects of the slack demand for lumber on the European markets whilst the costs for raw materials rose at the same time. Sales generated in the “Wood Products Industry” division, which covers Metsä’s lumber and plywood activities, fell by 4% in 2012 to €904m. The group primarily attributes the fact that EBITDA and the operating result were nevertheless higher than the year before at €48m and €17m respectively to cost savings and shifts in the product mix.