Metso acquires Bender Machine Services Ltd. in UK

Published July 19, 2007 12.00.00 +2 GMT

Metso Paper has acquired Bender Holdings Limited and its subsidiary companies in United Kingdom to further strengthen its aftermarket business. Bender operates in mill site services, thermal spraying and grinding of Yankee and MG cylinders, and workshop services for paper machine rolls and ancillary equipment.

With the acquisition, Metso Paper becomes the global market leader in Yankee cylinder grinding and coating services for tissue machines. The acquisition will also strengthen Metso Paper's overall mill site and roll services on the UK market.

The main locations of Bender Machine Services are situated in the United Kingdom and in the United States, with the head office in Darwen, UK, nearby Manchester. The company employs 97 persons and its net sales in 2006 amounted to about GBP 16 million (approx. EUR 24 million).

One of Metso's strategic goals is to increase aftermarket services and strengthen its service network close to customers. The Bender acquisition is in line with Metso's strategy of profitable growth and it will complement and further strengthen the company's position as a life cycle service provider for the pulp and paper industry.

Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2006 net sales of approximately EUR 5 billion. Its 25,500 employees in more than 50 countries serve customers in the pulp and paper industry, rock and minerals processing, the energy industry and selected other industries. www.metso.com

For more information, please contact: Petri Lakka, Senior Vice President, Mill Site Services, Metso Paper, Inc. Tel. +358 40 521 1087, petri.lakka@metso.com

Barry P. Brown, Managing Director, Bender Machine Services Ltd. Tel. +44 (0) 1254 819050, bbrown@bendermachine.com