Stora Enso is planning to permanently close its Veitsiluoto sawmill in Kemi, Finland, and centralise pine timber sawing to its other sawmills in Northern Finland, particularly Oulu and Kalajoki, as part of ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and competitiveness, according to Stora Enso.
The planned change would result in the permanent closure of the Veitsiluoto sawmill, with Stora Enso Veitsiluoto Oy and Stora Enso Oyj initiating change negotiations covering approximately 60 employees, expected to last three weeks. According to the current plan, the sawmill would not restart production in October 2026 after the ongoing temporary curtailment, with no decisions on closure or personnel reductions made before negotiations conclude.
Matti Lielahti, Head of Stora Enso Business Unit Oulu, stated that Veitsiluoto has operated for over 100 years and continuing production there would require significant investments, while the modern Oulu sawmill is ramping up, with the company committed to conducting negotiations responsibly and supporting personnel throughout the process.
The Business Unit Oulu employs approximately 900 people across its board mill, port operations, and sawmills in Oulu, Veitsiluoto, Oulainen, and Kalajoki, with the planned closure expected to have only a minor impact on the business unit's wood consumption.