Baltic birch plywood producer Latvijas Finieris is moving forward with the expansion of its Riga Wood Finland Oy plant in Sastamala, part of a \u20ac15m investment aimed at increasing production capacity and modernising operations.<\/p>\n
Construction work has already advanced. At the end of 2025, the foundations for the finishing basin of a new birch veneer peeling line were completed, while preparations are underway to concrete the basin walls during 2026. In addition, the roof of the existing plant building has been raised over an area of around 550m\u00b2 to accommodate the new production line.<\/p>\n
Contracts for the supply of production equipment and technological systems have already been signed. Installation of the machinery is scheduled for autumn 2026, with the new peeling line expected to start operating in early 2027.<\/p>\n
The investment forms part of Latvijas Finieris\u2019 long-term development strategy, designed to increase production volumes, improve automation and introduce modern technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence in production processes.<\/p>\n
J\u0101nis Ciems, chairman of the board of Latvijas Finieris, described the project as a key step for the company\u2019s future development.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe expansion of the Sastamala plant is a strategically significant milestone in the long-term development of Latvijas Finieris,\u201d he said. \u201cThrough targeted investments in modern technologies and expanded production capacity, we are reinforcing our position in the birch wood resources market and securing competitive, sustainable production for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
The project also reflects the company\u2019s strategy of expanding processing operations outside Latvia. According to Ciems, approximately half of the group\u2019s veneer log volumes are expected to be processed outside Latvia in the coming years, partly in response to increasing competition in Europe for industrial land and wood resources.<\/p>\n
The Sastamala project was first announced in autumn 2024, when Riga Wood Finland Oy, a subsidiary of Latvijas Finieris, revealed plans to build the new birch veneer peeling line as part of the \u20ac15m investment programme. Construction work began in autumn 2025, with the project supported by financing from OP Corporate Bank.<\/p>\n
Once completed, the expanded facility is expected to strengthen the company\u2019s presence in the Nordic wood processing sector<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n