Operations of the Kemi integrated site will be streamlined - proposal for statutory negotiations given

Operations of the Kemi site will be streamlined by integrating the management
of the pulp and board mills. Lauri Verkasalo from Metsä-Botnia is appointed as
Mill Manager. Pertti Lehmonen has been appointed Production Manager of the Kemi
site reporting to Verkasalo. 

At the same time, an investigation to further improve the efficiency of the
Kemi site is started. The statutory negotiations concerning the white-collar
jobs as well as the laboratory and maintenance jobs in Kemiart Liners were
initiated on 17 August 2009. 

The negotiations will affect 103 employees and the estimated reduction will be
at the most 52 persons. 

The streamlining actions are essential and a natural phase of development to
improve profitability and efficiency of the Kemi integrated site. M-real,
Metsä-Botnia and Metsäliitto Group will profit from the new more cost efficient
and streamlined operating model. The physical closeness of the units makes the
integration process flexible and will compress the cooperation of the
integrated site further. The two units will also in the future remain separate
legal entities. The units will get business goals and the steering of
operations from the company in question. 

These streamlining measures have no connection to the preliminary agreement
concerning the restructuring of Metsä-Botnia's ownership. 

For more information, please contact Mr. Ismo Nousiainen, SVP Production, phone
+358 50 5987378.