New executive vice president in Stora publication paper

Claes-Inge Isacson has been appointed Executive Vice President of Stora Publication Paper in Düsseldorf, with responsibility for the Division's production units. His duties also include responsibility for the Division's research and development and investment activities. He succeeds Rolf Richard Jansen, who is retiring at year-end 1998. Most recently, Claes-Inge Isacson held the position of Executive Vice President at Norske Skog and will assume his new position on March 1, 1998. He will report to Per Knuts, President of Stora Publication Paper, and be a member of the Executive Board (Vorstand) of Stora Publication Paper AG. "Quality and productivity issues as well as research and development matters are extremely important for our operations, and have been assigned high priority for some years. Our aim is to further strengthen our position through internal restructuring measures, which have already been initiated, and quality and productivity enhancing investments in the area of Graphic Papers, one of the STORA Group's core areas. Claes-Inge Isacson's years of experience in these areas are a valuable addition," says Per Knuts. STORA is one of the world's leading forest industry groups. Paper and board production capacity amounts to 6 million tonnes. Group sales total approximately USD 7 billion, with about 21,000 employees in some 20 countries. Stora Publication Paper is the world's third largest manufacturer of printing papers, including newsprint, coated and uncoated magazine paper and technical office papers, with a production capacity exceeding 3 million tonnes per year.