17% of Finnish Newspapers Are Printed on Russian Paper

In 2002, the second year in a row, Russia's exports of paper to Finland exceeded 45,000 tonnes. At this time, about 17% of Finland's newspapers are printed on Russian paper. This is according to the Finnish Kauppalehti newspaper.

Although the quality of Russian paper is still slightly behind Finland's, what makes is attractive is the price. When large volumes are involved, cost difference may be as large as 10% or more. For once, over 90% of printed matter issued by Kymen Lehtimedia, a subsidiary of Sanoma WSOY, Finland's largest media concern, is printed on Russian paper.

For the most part, paper exported to Finland is made in the towns of Kondopoga and Solikamsk and at the Balakhnin paper plant of the Volga company. Still the amounts of Russian paper exported to Finland are relatively small compared with Finland's own production of 1.3 million tonnes, mostly exported.