Stora Enso to centralise sawmilling in Northern Finland and close Veitsiluoto
- Pine sawing at Veitsiluoto would be centralised to other Northern Finland mills, primarily Oulu and Kalajoki, and Veitsiluoto would close permanently if implemented.
- Change negotiations cover all Veitsiluoto employees, about 60 people, and are expected to last three weeks.
- Under the current plan the sawmill would not restart production in October 2026 after the ongoing temporary curtailment; no decisions will be made before negotiations conclude.
- Company says Veitsiluoto has operated for over 100 years and would need significant investments to continue, while the modern Oulu sawmill is ramping up; Business Unit Oulu employs ~900 people.
Planned centralisation and closure
Stora Enso plans to centralise pine timber sawing from its Veitsiluoto sawmill in Kemi to other Northern Finland sawmills, particularly Oulu and Kalajoki. If implemented, the plan would result in the permanent closure of the Veitsiluoto sawmill.
Employee negotiations
Stora Enso Veitsiluoto Oy and Stora Enso Oyj will open change negotiations covering all Veitsiluoto employees, approximately 60 people. The negotiations are expected to last three weeks, and no decisions on the planned closure or possible personnel reductions will be made before the negotiations conclude.
Timing and operational status
According to the current plan, the sawmill would not restart production in October 2026 after the ongoing temporary curtailment.
Rationale and impact
Management says Veitsiluoto has operated for over 100 years and continuing production there would require significant investments, while the modern Oulu sawmill is ramping up. Stora Enso Business Unit Oulu employs about 900 people across its board mill, port operations and sawmills in Oulu, Veitsiluoto, Oulainen and Kalajoki, and the company expects the planned closure to have only a minor impact on the unit’s wood consumption.
Source: Stora Enso
