Moelven Wood takes over the operation of Moelven Tom Heurlin AB

The planing mill Moelven Tom Heurlin in Ånimskog is being absorbed into Moelven Wood Sverige and becoming a production unit under Notnäs Moelven Wood AB.

Moelven Tom Heurlin AB has a long history as   sawmill and in more recent years as purely a planing mill. In 2013 a new planing line was invested in, and the operations of Moelven Tom Heurlin AB have been export-oriented within the division Moelven Timber. 

Serious problems with profitability
- The business has for several years, despite many efforts and different measures, grappled with severe profitability problems that are mainlyrelated to various problems and turbulence in the various external markets. In the autumn of 2016 it was determined that it was inappropriate to continue operations without a totally radical change, says Division Manager Anders Lindh of Moelven Timber.

In December it was assessed that the business fitted well into the structure operated by Moelven Wood in Sweden and that production could be adjusted and adapted, in a good way, to a mainly Scandinavian market.  

Coordinating operations
The coordination of the operations will also affect Moelven Wood's business Moelven Värmlands Trä AB in Säffle.

- This means that the planing mill at Moelven Värmlands Trä in Saffle will be closed. The merger gives us space to fully concentrate on continuing to develop and invest in the business' already very successful surface treatment, says Mikael Axelsson, CEO of Moelven Wood AB. 

Fewer employees
The merger means, unfortunately, that the number of employees in both Ånimskog and Säffle will be reduced.

- The number of affected posts is provisionally16 in Ånimskog and 9 in Säffle. We have entered into negotiations with the trade unions and will do everything we can to try to find jobs for as many as possible of those affected, says Axelsson.

Well skilled
Axelsson says that the takeover of operations in Ånimskog means that Moelven Wood in Sweden will acquire a very skilled, almost new, and moreover run-in, production facility. 

- We can in this way continue to develop our already very successful focus on interior panels, says Axelsson.  

Competitive solution
Axelsson believes that the two planing lines in Ånimskog and Torsby - after coordination and the specialisation of the product range - will together become a very competitive solution with considerable development potential.

- And in Moelven Wood Värmland, we are looking at a parallel major investment in new technology and increased capacity for the surface treatment of new and trendy panels for the Scandinavian market, he says. 

Scandinavian focus and exports removed
Operations in Ånimskog will be reset to Moelven Wood's marketing strategy, which means that a large part of the volumes sold outside Scandinavia will be removed.

- The plan is that we will be running on one shift. The management and planning of operations will take place from Moelven Notnäs Wood in Torsby, while some posts will also be coordinated with Moelven Värmland Trä in Säffle.

For further information: 

Mikael Axelsson, CEO Moelven Wood AB, Mobile +46 10 122 500 
Anders Lindh, Division Manager, Moelven Timber,Mobile +47 94 833 445 

Moelven industrier ASA is a Scandinavian industrial group that supplies products and associated services to the Scandinavian building market. The Group's businesses employ over 3.600 persons and have a total annual turnover of some NOK 10 billion. The Group's close to 52 business production units are organised into three divisjons: Timber, Wood and Building Systems.
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