English

Finnforest strengthens market position in Germany

Report this content 
05.04.01


Karl Schweyer and Schütte-Lanz acquired 

Finnforest Corporation has signed agreements to acquire the operations of two
German companies: Schütte-Lanz and Karl Schweyer. The acquisitions will
reinforce the Corporation's position in Germany. 

Based in Bremen and Mannheim, Karl Schweyer is Germany's leading wholesaler and
importer of wood panels (plywood and OSB). Its wholesale business in this
segment generates annual turnover of 116 million Deutschmarks (€59.3 million).
The annual delivery volume is about 135,000 cu. metres. Operations are being
centralised in Bremen. 

Brühl-based Schütte-Lanz's operations comprise importing and wholesaling panel
products as well as annual production of 15,000 cu. metres of blockboard in its
own factory. The company's annual turnover is 51 million Deutschmarks (€26
million). Its import and wholesale volume of 30,000 cu. metres will be
integrated into Finnforest Baillou Deutschland and Finnforest Deutschland will
form one operating entity. The purchase of Schütte-Lanz will increase
Finnforest's share of the German building and transport-equipment customer
segments. The coated-blockboard output of Finnforest's Baco factory in Romania
is aimed at these growing segments. 

Following the acquisitions, Finnforest Deutschland's turnover will increase to
about 450 million Deutschmarks or €230 million. Germany contributes about 17
per cent of Finnforest's turnover and ranks alongside the UK as the
Corporation's biggest market. 

Sales of Finnforest wood panel products in Germany total 430,000 cu. metres, of
which 340,000 is plywood, about 70,000 OSB as well as 27,000 Kerto LVL
(laminated veneer lumber) and gluelam. Finnforest Deutschland's expanding range
also includes 180,000 cu. metres of sawn timber and 50,000 of DIY products. 

The Corporation's market position in Germany is being further strengthened and
the product palette broadened. To facilitate this, Finnforest Deutschland's
sales functions are being reorganised into a more coherent totality to serve
new customer segments. 

Additional info: 

CEO Ari Martonen, tel. GSM 050 2406

DirectorWolfgang Hattendorf, Finnforest Deutschland, 
tel. +49 4216911150 

Director Florian Burkheiser, Finnforest Baillou, 
tel. +43 223 662 64012
 
Finnforest Corporation's core business is the production and marketing of
engineered wood products, plywood and sawn timber. Its customers are industrial
end-users, DIY stores and timber merchants as well as building supplies
providers. Finnforest is Europe's leading provider of solutions and services in
relation to the use of wood and wood products. It has operations in 20
countries, 4,000 employees and turnover of €1.2 billion. 

Plywood is manufactured by gluing together several sheets of wood (veneers).
Its many applications include furniture, transport equipment and
concrete-casting panels. 

Blockboard is a type of plywood with a core layer made of solid wood strips
7-30 millimetres wide. 

OSB (oriented strand board) is a panel product made of long, narrow strands of
wood and used in construction. End-use areas are building and construction,
industry and packaging.

Subscribe