Timber industry research & analytics M&A 
Russian Timber Journal 01-2024: Interview with Russ Taylor, President of the international consulting company Russ Taylor Global; Sawmilling market in Russia in 2023: reducing production volumes for the second consecutive year; Suez Canal traffic down 60%; The volume of transported timber grew by 12.9% in 2023; VLP Group may purchase Metsä’s timber assets in Russia; Ufa Plywood Mill is listed for sale for 1 billion rubles; In 2023, timber transportation by the Russian Railways network reduced by 9.1%, down to 37.1 million t; As of January 1, 2024, the VAT rate for children’s furniture is reduced from 20% to 10%; Saint Petersburg R&D Institute levied 1.3 billion rubles from IKEA after it refused to build the Mega Shopping Mall
February 20, 2024 ` 19:12
Russian Timber Journal 01-2024: Interview with Russ Taylor, President of the international consulting company Russ Taylor Global; Sawmilling market in Russia in 2023: reducing production volumes for the second consecutive year; Suez Canal traffic down 60%; The volume of transported...
Saint Petersburg R&D Institute levied 1.3 billion rubles from IKEA after it refused to build the Mega Shopping Mall
February 7, 2024 ` 15:25
The Commercial Court of Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad Region ruled to award 1.3 billion rubles from Ingka Centers Rus Property E (part of Ingka Holding Europe B.V., the company that used to manage IKEA stores and Mega...
VLP Group may purchase Metsä’s timber assets in Russia
February 7, 2024 ` 15:20
Novy Prospect reports that negotiations are ongoing with several potential buyers of enterprises that used to be part of Metsä Group (Finland), referencing the Natural Resources Committee of the Leningrad Region. This information was confirmed by Oleg Malashchenko,...
Russian Timber Journal 09-2023: Interview with Oleg Fokin, Director for Timber Export at Technonicol; Demand for furniture boards exceeded the supply in October; Global pulp prices have fallen steadily since late 2022, when they reached record highs; Timber products export by trucks to Mongolia and China was allowed for two more years; Segezha Group announces financial and operating results for Q3/2023; Ministry of Industry and Trade suggested cancelling the export duty on pulp and paper products; Russian furniture output surged; Over 9 months of 2023, the Russian roundwood export to EEU countries grew by almost 15%
December 5, 2023 ` 16:51
Russian Timber Journal 09-2023: Oleg Fokin, Director for Timber Export at Technonicol: “Now is a good time to invest in the woodworking industry”; Demand for furniture boards exceeded the supply in October; Global pulp prices have fallen steadily since late...
Russian Timber Journal 07-2023: interview with Segezha Group President Mikhail Shamolin after the announcement of the company’s financial and operating results for Q2 2023; Russian timber industry in 1H 2023: cautious signs of recovery; Mondi announces agreement to sell Mondi Syktyvkar; transaction on International Paper stake buyout by Russian shareholders is closed; Cherepovets Plywood and Furniture Plant and VLP Group have completed a major investment project on building a plywood mill in the Vologda region; Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises of Russia: in H1 2023, the Russian furniture output increased; President of the Russian Federation instructed to accelerate the issuance of documents for building multi-story wooden houses
September 28, 2023 ` 18:39
Russian Timber Journal 07-2023: Mikhail Shamolin, President at Segezha Group: “The price levels we have now reached reflect the current global situation”; Russian timber industry in 1H 2023: cautious signs of recovery; Mondi announces that it has entered into an...
Sale of Ponsse’s subsidiary in Russia completed
September 20, 2023 ` 20:36
Ponsse Plc completed the sale of all shares in OOO Ponsse, its subsidiary that provided PONSSE services in Russia and Belarus. After the conditions of the transaction were met, Ponsse’s business operations in Russia transferred to OOO Bison,...
Mondi announces agreement to sell Mondi Syktyvkar
September 18, 2023 ` 19:46
Mondi announces that it has entered into an agreement to sell its last remaining facility in Russia, Joint Stock Company Mondi Syktyvkar to Sezar Invest LLC for a total cash consideration of RUB 80 billion (approximately €775 million...
Technonicol purchased a timber enterprise in Belarus
August 23, 2023 ` 11:35
Technonicol closed the deal on purchasing SWOODS Export, a subsidiary of VMG Group (Lithuania) in Borisov (Minsk Region), as reported by the corporation’s press office. The company is considering the possibility of implementing technologies for production of planed...
Russian Timber Journal 06-2023: interview with Vitaly Demidenko, Sales Director at Sveza; in 2022, Russian timber harvesting volumes dropped to the lowest level in the last 9 years; Russian timber exporters were able to reimburse up to 80% of their costs of product transportation via sea ports in the Northwestern Federal District; Federation Council suggested introducing prohibitive duties on furniture and paper from unfriendly countries; Essity has exited the Russian market; Luzales plans to open new plywood plant in the Omsk region; Russian plywood output increased in June 2023
August 16, 2023 ` 15:53
Russian Timber Journal 06-2023: Vitaly Demidenko, Sales Director at Sveza: “The period when the demand for birch plywood surpassed the supply in the available markets is over. The approach to sales changed too.”; According to the Rosleskhoz, in 2022, the...
Essity has exited the Russian market
July 19, 2023 ` 11:24
The hygiene and health company Essity has completed the divestment of its operations in Russia for a purchase price of approximately SEK 1.2 billion on a cash and debt-free basis. Essity has thus exited Russia. Essity began work...
VLP Group acquired Hasslacherles
May 25, 2023 ` 17:57
Group Vologodskiye Lesopromyshlenniki has closed the deal to acquire Hasslacherles LLC, as reports the press office of the company located in the town of Vologda. The enterprise is located in the Novgorod region and is engaged in the...
IG Bazalt acquired Sortavala Sawmill and Zapkarelles
May 25, 2023 ` 17:52
Investment Group Bazalt, which owns a pulp mill in the town of Pitkyaranta (RK-Grand LLC), closed a deal to acquire two assets in Karelia – Sortavala Sawmill LLC (a sawn timber enterprise) and Zapkarelles JSC (a timber harvesting...
