Sep 28, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. The boards of directors of Metsдliitto Group, Finnforest Corporation and Metsдliitto-Yhtymдn Tehdasmittaus Oy have accepted a plan to merge Metsдliitto Groups wholly owned subsidiaries Finnforest Corporation and Metsдliitto-Yhtymдn Tehdasmittaus Oy to Metsдliitto Cooperative. According to plan these subsidiaries will be merged to Metsдliitto Cooperative as such and the assets and liabilities of the subsidiaries will be transferred to Metsдliitto Cooperative. Mergers have no immediate effect on the business or customers either of the subsidiaries or Metsдliitto Cooperative. The aim is to simplify the Metsдliitto group structure and Finnforest organisation and therefore reach synergies and cost savings. CEO of Finnforest, Mr. Ari Martonen has decided to leave his position. Mr. Ole Salvйn, CEO and president of Moelven, part of Finnforest Group, has been appointed as the new CEO and head of Finnforest operations within Metsдliitto Cooperative. Mr. Timo Pekkola, head of wood products industry business area, has been appointed as executive vice president. Both appointments will be in effect as of September, 27. Besides his new appointment Ole Salvйn continues also as CEO for Moelven as a interim solution. The merger process is estimated to take approximately six months. The registration of the merger is planned to take place in the end of March 2006. The official cooperation procedure will be initiated immediately in order to evaluate the possible effects on personnel. Finnforest is the largest wood products industry corporation in Europe. Its annual turnover is close to Euro 2 billion and the number of employees is 8 000. Finnforest is a core business of the Metsдliitto Group. Finnforest serves in over 20 countries.