Dec 14, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Latvian paper mill Liepajas Papirs based in south-western Latvian city of Liepaja next year plans to open its representation office in Lithuania. Liepajas Papirs president Janis Vilnitis said that at present the company was selling its products in Lithuania through a local distributor but the arrangement was not good enough. "Our products are in very high demand in Lithuania, clients themselves are looking to establish contacts with us therefore we decided to open a representation office there," said Mr. Vilnitis. In the first half of 2006 the company expects to find a place for the would-be representation office either in Vilnius or Kaunas, to set up the representation office and hire the staff, so that the representation could become functional in the second half of the year. At present Liepajas Papirs has representation offices in Riga and Mr. Vilnitis said they were also looking for a way to open a representation office in Estonia but it was very difficult because most of Estonian companies are owned by Finns, who place orders with their fellow countrymen and are unwilling to let companies from other countries to enter the market. Liepajas Papirs last year showed a turnover of LVL 1.433 million ($2.5 million) and earned a profit of LVL 86 300 ($148 793). The company is owned by a number of individual and corporate shareholders but Mr. Vilnitis is the largest holder with 20% of shares. Liepajas Papirs exports 25% of its output, and 75% of the company's exports go to Russia and 25% to neighboring Lithuania and Estonia.