BOTNIA IS PLANNING TO BUILD A SAWMILL IN
M-real Corporation Stock Exchange Bulletin 17.9.2003 at 13.45 BOTNIA IS PLANNING TO BUILD A SAWMILL IN RUSSIA Botnia is planning to build a sawmill in the town of Podporozhye in north-west Russia. The town is located in the Leningrad Region some 300 km north-east of St. Petersburg. The medium-sized sawmill will be equipped with modern sawmilling technology. The final decision of the investment will be made when all the needed clarifications are made and the necessary contracts and permits with the local and regional authorities and contractors have been clarified. The intention is that the sawmill production will start in 2005. Botnia is also planning to build a second sawmill in Suda in Vologda Region. Botnia, Europes second largest producer of chemical pulp, is owned by UPM-Kymmene (47%), M-real (47%) and Metsäliitto (6%). It produces bleached softwood and hardwood pulps around 2.7 million tonnes a year. When operating at full capacity, Botnia processes around 13 million cubic metres of wood annually. For more information contact: Erkki Varis, President & CEO, Oy Metsä-Botnia Ab, tel. +358 50 2409 Heikki Sara, Executive Vice President, UPM-Kymmene Corporation, tel. +358 204 150 040 Heikki Saarinen, Chief Financial Officer, M-real Corporation, tel. +358 50 598 7142