Jul 03, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. M-real has sold on June 30 the Pont Sainte Maxence paper mill in France to a German company Arques Industries. The sale of the mill causes about Euro 35 million sales loss which is booked in the result of the second quarter. The annual capacity of the Pont Sainte Maxence mill is 120 000 tonnes and it employs 200 people. As a result of the transaction M-real's turnover will be decreased by about Euro 70 million. In addition, an efficiency programme has been started at the French Alizay paper mill, as a result of which the number of personnel at the mill will be reduced by about 100 persons. The non-recurring cost of Euro 13 million arising from this weakens the result for the second quarter. "The profitability of our French mills has been for a long period at a very unsatisfactory level. The efficiency programme at Alizay and the sale of Pont Sainte Maxence will have a positive effect on M-real's result in the future", says Hannu Anttila, president and CEO. According to Hannu Anttila, M-real has now achieved the savings objective of Euro 200 million set for the savings programme launched in the spring of 2004. Planning of new savings programmes is already in progress. M-real Corporation, headquartered in Finland and employing over 15 000 people, focuses on four business areas: consumer packaging, publishing, commercial printing and office papers. M-real is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange. In 2005, the sales of the company totalled Euro 5.2 billion.