May 07, 2010. /Lesprom Network/. Stora Enso has signed an agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) for a Euro 165 million loan to be used for research and development. The loan agreement is part of the commitment by EIB to lend altogether Euro 230 million to Stora Enso, company said in a statement received by Lesprom Network. "We have a long and good relationship with EIB. This is its third loan for Stora Enso's research and development projects. We are pleased with the competitive terms of the loan," says Stora Enso CFO Markus Rauramo. "Stora Enso invested Euro 71.1 million in research and development in 2009. Research and development concentrates on steering of networked strategic research as well as operations and product development in three research centres: Imatra in Finland, Karlstad in Sweden and Monchengladbach in Germany. The Packaging Business Area, for instance, focuses its research and development on sustainable fibre-based packaging materials and solutions," says Jukka Kilpelaeinen, Senior Vice President, Group R&D. Stora Enso is a global paper, packaging and wood products company producing newsprint and book paper, magazine paper, fine paper, consumer board, industrial packaging and wood products.