Finnforest to strengthen position as building systems supplier in central Europe
17/02/2004
Two strong brands - Finnforest and Merk – together
Finnforest Corporation has acquired the German Merk GmbH and its activities. By acquiring Merk Finnforest will strengthen its position as a supplier of products, systems and solutions serving the central European building markets. Merk is itself one of Europe’s leading companies serving the wood construction sector and it operates in the German-speaking countries as well as in France, Italy and the UK. Merk’s know-how and market strengths will considerably enhance Finnforest’s possibilities to introduce its products, systems and solutions directly to end-users and the wood building industry.
Merk GmbH has a turnover of about 30 million euros and has 100 employees. The company’s head office is in Aichach, Bavaria in southern Germany. Its customers include building contractors, prefabricated house manufacturers, builders of wooden houses and other wood-based structures, and timber merchants.
Merk’s activities are organised in two business divisions: Building Projects plans and implements individual construction projects for wooden and wood-structured buildings while Building Products produces and markets its own customised wood product components, as well as selling sub-contracted products. The product range includes wood products such wood-based panels, Kerto (Laminated Veneer Lumber), glulam, I-joist and also products that combine wood with other materials.
Merk and Finnforest’s Kerto have had an important customer relationship for two decades and have thus already cooperated for many years.
For further information please contact:
Heikki Castrén, Director, Engineered Wood Division, Finnforest Corporation, Tel. +358 1046 94469
Ole Salvén, Director, German Markets, Finnforest Corporation, +49 421 6911 150
Markko Ihamuotila, Director, Marketing and Communications, Finnforest Corporation, Tel. +358 1046 94681
Merk was founded in 1867 and is today one of the leading companies in Europe in the wood products sector. The company’s head office is in Aichach in southern Germany. Merk supplies products and services for projects involving wood construction to building contractors, prefabricated house manufacturers, builders of wooden houses and other wood-based structures, and builders’ merchants. In addition to Germany, Merk’s main markets include Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, the UK and the Benelux countries. Further information: www.merk.de
Finnforest is the largest wood products industry corporation in Europe. Its annual turnover is over 1.8 billion euros and the number of employees is 7,700. Finnforest is a core business of the Metsäliitto Group. Its two industrial divisions are Solid Wood, which produces sawn timber products, and Engineered Wood, which offers higher value-added products. Sales and Distribution network serves in over 20 countries. Finnforest offers wood-based product and service solutions to its customers in the construction, industrial, distribution and retailing segments. In Scandinavia the operations are the responsibility of Moelven. More information: www.finnforest.com and www.moelven.com.