Apr 13, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Stora Enso and International Paper have closed the previously announced acquisition of Papeteries de France (PdF). The regulatory authorities have approved Stora Enso's ownership of the French paper merchant PdF. The acquisition is a further step in strengthening the Papyrus presence in France and Western Europe. PdF will become part of Papyrus, the Stora Enso Merchants division, which has annual sales of about Euro 260 million and 345 employees in France. "As a customer interface for the Group, our merchant business Papyrus is an important component of Stora Enso's value chain and takes us one step closer to the customer," says Kai Korhonen, Senior Executive Vice President, Stora Enso Paper. "Papyrus's strategy is to be a leading player in the markets and segments where it operates. This acquisition will clearly help us achieve this objective in France and therefore Western Europe. We believe that by creating a stronger position we can serve our customers better and generate improved financial returns," says Mats Nordlander, President of Papyrus.