Oct 09, 2014. /Lesprom Network/. Södra is pooling its sawn and planed timber resources with interior wood by merging the Södra Timber and Södra Interiör business areas. The merger also strengthens Södra forest owners' range of sawn timber and interior wood, and thus also the profitability of forest estates, as the company said in the press release received by Lesprom Network. 

"By merging Timber and Interior, we are taking a structural approach to sawn and planed timber as well as interior wood. We are strengthening our market presence and industrial structures, enabling us to realise synergies throughout the supply chain, from raw material to customer. By doing this, we will be able to provide an enhanced offering to our customers, thereby boosting their competitiveness," commented Lars Idermark, CEO of Södra.

Håkan Svensson, currently President of Södra Timber, has been appointed President of the merged business area. Håkan Svensson has worked in the Södra Group since 2005 and has served as President of Södra Interiör and Södra Skog.

Södra Timber produces sawn timber and reported revenue in 2013 of approximately SEK 3.3 billion ($461 million).

Södra Interiör produces planed and turned timber products for interior use, such as mouldings, panelling, flooring, poles, glued-joints and other interior fittings in wood and reported revenue in 2013 of approximately SEK 1.2 billion ($167 million).

The new business area, which will be called Södra Wood, will have a combined revenue of approximately SEK 5.5 billion ($768 million) and about 1,500 employees.