Nordic Business Report-February 8, 2007-Metso Paper to establish and operate maintenance services at paper mill in Germany (C)1994-2007 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com Finnish engineering and technology group Metso Corporation (NYSE: MX) said on Thursday (8 February) that its subsidiary Metso Paper, through its Scandinavian Mill Service (SMS) subsidiary, will establish and operate maintenance services at the new Plattling Papier paper mill, next to Myllykoskis MD Plattling mill in Germany. The agreement covers both the establishment of a maintenance infrastructure, such as building up an organisation and computerised maintenance management system, and the maintenance operations themselves. The operations consist of roll maintenance and daily maintenance, the focus being on preventive and predictive activities. SMS will be responsible for mechanical, electrical, automation and civil maintenance for the entire mill. The value of the long-term, full-scope agreement was not disclosed. The mill is scheduled to start up in the first quarter of 2008. The Scandinavian Mill Service Group operates and develops pulp and paper industry maintenance. The group employs approximately 500 people in Finland, Sweden, Norway, the Czech Republic and Spain, and now also in Germany. Finnish-based Myllykoski is a family-owned international paper group with manufacturing in Finland, Germany, Switzerland and North America, and sales offices around the world. Its group companies employ approximately 3,600 people. Metso, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, has 25,000 employees in more than 50 countries, and reported net sales of EUR4.2bn in 2005. Metso is listed on the Nordic Exchange in Helsinki and on the NYSE. One British pound (GBP) is worth approximately 1.49 euros (EUR). ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected]))