Stora Enso has divested 100% of its shares in the Finnish Puumerkki Oy and the Estonian Puumerkki AS to Mimir Invest AB, a global investment firm. Puumerkki is a specialised wholesaler of wooden building materials and was 100% owned by Stora Enso. This divestment supports Stora Enso’s Wood Products division in focusing on its growth strategy and further build on the strength of the premium portfolio of products and services. Puumerkki’s wholesale business does not belong to Stora Enso’s core business. The new owner is in a better position to give Puumerkki the attention it deserves and ensure its long-term development. Puumerkki will continue to be a key customer for Stora Enso’s renewable building materials also going forward. Click Read More below for additional information.

Metsä Board Corporation’s long-term CEO Mika Joukio has decided to step down from his CEO position as of 7 April 2025 in accordance with the agreement he has made today with the Board of Directors of the company. The Board of Directors of Metsä Board Corporation has appointed Metsä Group’s EVP, Strategy, Esa Kaikkonen (LLM, trained on the bench), as the new CEO of the company as of 7 April 2025. Joukio will continue with Metsä Board until the beginning of October 2025 and support Kaikkonen during the transition period. Ilkka Hämälä, Chair of the Board of Directors: “Mika Joukio has had a long and successful career in Metsä Board’s paperboard business. His career began 35 years ago at company’s Tako board mill and he advanced to become the CEO of Metsä Board in 2014 through leadership responsibilities at various mills and businesses. Mika is renowned for his strong expertise regarding clients, products and paperboard business as well as for leadership that is clear, straightforward and inspiring for his organization. Over the last few years, Metsä Board has made significant investments, among others, at Husum pulp and paperboard mills and Kemi linerboard mill. In addition to these completed investments, the first investment phase of a remarkable modernisation project of Simpele paperboard is ongoing. Also the industrial structure of the company, especially at its Pirkanmaa mills, has been substantially developed. The company is now at a stage of development where it is a good time to transfer leadership to a new CEO. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to warmly thank Mika for his achievements and significant contributions for the company.”

Rayonier Advanced Materials announced that Joshua C. Hicks is joining the company as Senior Vice President, High Purity Cellulose to lead the High Purity Cellulose business. Hicks brings nearly 20 years of business leadership experience in the chemical and advanced materials industries, most recently as Vice President, Global Industrial Solutions for Univar Solutions, a global chemical and ingredients distributor and provider of value-added services. In this role, he was responsible for a $1.3 billion global specialty chemicals and ingredients division. He previously worked for Nexeo Solutions, acquired by Univar in 2019, in various specialty chemical business unit leadership positions overseeing coatings and construction, personal care, and energy. Hicks began his career with Dow Chemical in various commercial and leadership roles of increasing responsibility across multiple business units.