A working group chaired by Mr Esko Aho, Finland's former Prime
Minister, presented in the end of September its report on forest
sector’s future. The working group believes that the forestry branch
will be able to renew itself and to create new preconditions for growth.
A
working group chaired by Mr Esko Aho, Finland's former Prime Minister,
presented on 30th of September to Mr Matti Vanhanen, the present Prime
Minister, its report concerning the future prospects of the forest
sector.
The working group was set up last November for the purpose of
considering the future prospects of the forestry sector in a situation
were the company Stora Enso had published its intentions to close down
the Kemijärvi and Summa plants.
The group's report contained an evaluation of the challenges facing the
sector and of factors promoting its success in the middle and long
term. The forest industry and as a consequence the entire forest
cluster is faced with the greatest crisis in its history because of
changing markets and technologies.
Nevertheless, the working group believes that the forestry branch will
be able to renew itself and to create new preconditions for growth, as
it has done in previous similar situations.
Finland still has many competitive advantages, such as high quality
fibres, know-how and a basically strong forestry sector. There are also
new advantages, for example new ways of using wood in IT, bio— and
nanotechnology.
The working group proposes a comprehensive development programme for
the entire forestry sector. The programme should focus on three areas;
development and exploitation of forest resources, increase of added
value obtained from wood and creation of a competitive economic
environment.
The core conclusion of the development programme is that the basis of
success of the Finnish forestry sector in the future is still
high-level know-how, technology and the competitive advantages offered
by the forestry cluster. Increasing global demand for wood based
materials created by environmental and energy related challenges will
create good prospects for implementing such a strategy.
A working group chaired by Mr Esko Aho, Finland's former Prime
Minister, presented in the end of September its report on forest
sector’s future. The working group believes that the forestry branch
will be able to renew itself and to create new preconditions for growth.
