Type
Internal restructuring
Country
Finland
Region
Manner-Suomi;
Location of affected unit(s)
Pietarsaari, Valkeakoski
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Wood And Paper Materials
Manufacture Of Paper And Paper Products
17 - Manufacture of paper and paper products

131 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
7 January 2008
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date
31 December 2008

Description

The packaging materials manufacturer Walki, the Finnish subsidiary of Walki Group, concluded personnel negotiations on 27th of February 2008. Total of 131 employees are to go, from which 85 from Pietarsaari plant and 46 from Valkeakoski plant.

Walki started personnel negotiations on January 14, 2008. The initiated performance improvement program was to affect all employee groups at Walki's Finnish plants in Pietarsaari and Valkeakoski. It was estimated that the personnel reduction need is 150 employees.

The difficult situation of the European paper industry, and increased raw-material and other production costs has had a negative impact on the company's development.

The restructuring process will be carried out during 2008. In order to further improve the productivity of the Finnish plants an investment program will be implemented in connection with the restructuring measures.

Walki's production units in Finland, Germany, the U.K. China and Sweden combined have an annual production capacity of 300,000 tonnes, an annual net sales total of 300 million euros and a workforce of 1,000 employees.

The Pietarsaari plant employs some 350 and the Valkeakoski plant some 300 employees in Finland.


Sources

  • 28 February 2008: Helsingin Sanomat
  • 8 January 2008: Helsingin Sanomat (www.walki.com)

Citation

Eurofound (2008), Walki, Internal restructuring in Finland, factsheet number 66191, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/66191.