Metsä Group recently published its Interim Report 1 January–31 March 2017. Operating result was EUR 131 million (107). Comparable operating result was EUR 128 million (109).
Result before taxes was EUR 130 million (88). Comparable result before taxes was EUR 126 million (90).
President and CEO Kari Jordan comments on the report:
“Metsä Group's result-making ability improved during the first quarter of 2017 compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. The biggest profitability improvement was achieved in the Paperboard Industry. The capacity of Husum mill’s folding boxboard machine which started up last year has been utilised increasingly efficiently. The new extrusion coating line that came on stream in April supports growth in the food packaging and food service segments.
The commissioning and test run phase of the bioproduct mill, set to start up in Äänekoski in the third quarter of 2017, is proceeding according to plan. This approximately EUR 1.2 billion investment is the largest in the history of the Finnish forest industry, and it is progressing in line with the planned schedule and budget. When the mill starts up, it will increase the use of pulpwood in Finland by more than 10 per cent.
The EUR 100 million investment programme of the Wood Products Industry to be carried out in 2017–2018 is also proceeding well. The construction work on the new birch plywood mill has commenced in Pärnu, Estonia. The construction of a peeling and drying line for birch veneer at Äänekoski and the extension of the Kerto® LVL mill in Lohja, Finland, are progressing according to plan.
Global economic outlook has improved to some degree. Also the economic growth in Finland is picking up. However, there is a lot of room for improvement, since the gross domestic product is still clearly below the level of 2008. The competitiveness of the Finnish industry has weakened markedly after the financial crisis. Improvement of competitiveness has to be steadily achieved in order to succeed in the global market.”
