UPM buys Russian logging company

UPM has acquired a Russian logging company to improve availability of quality timber to its operations in Russia and Finland.

The Finnish group has bought 99% of the shares of ZAO Tikhvinsky Komplexny Lespromkhoz from 200 private owners.

Tikhvinsky has a logging licence covering almost 200,000ha of forests in Tikhvin, about 250km east of St Petersburg, and also owns two sawmills. About 500-700 people are employed depending on the season.

UPM plans to improve Tikhvinsky's operations, including development of forest management and wood sourcing practices fulfilling the criteria of international forest certification standards.