FINLAND (News release) -- Metsä Wood has started test runs on the new 65,000-cubic-metre Kerto LVL line at the Punkaharju mill in Finland. The investment will increase the mill's production of Kerto LVL by about 50%. The installation phase of the investment project, launched at the beginning of 2018, was completed on schedule. The first products from the new line will be available for sale in April.

The production capacity of the new Punkaharju line is 65,000 cubic metres, and the value of the investment is Euro 52 million. At the moment, there are some 500 people working at the Punkaharju Kerto and birch plywood mills, including all operations within the mill area. In January, 43 new employees were recruited to the mills, of which 35 were recruited through apprenticeship training. Most of the new employees come from the surrounding area, Savonlinna and Parikkala.

The investment will increase the use of logs by 160,000 cubic metres per year, which adds about 40 person-years to the subcontracting chain.