Stockholm, Sweden 02 December 2015 -- Today Holmen Paper restarted production on PM 12 at Hallsta Paper Mill. The machine has not been in operation since the fire in the pulp factory stopped the mill on 20 November.

PM 12, with an annual capacity of 230 000 tonnes, manufactures the book paper Holmen BOOK and the magazine paper Holmen TRND.

"We're naturally glad that we're once again able to produce paper and start delivering to our customers," says Nils Ringborg, CEO of Holmen Paper.

The clean-up and repair work will continue in order to be able to fully restart the entire pulp factory and thus also paper machine PM 11.

"Damage to the cabling and engines is more extensive in the section that provides PM 11 with paper pulp. Our current assessment is that PM 11 will be restarted in mid-January," says Nils Ringborg and adds:

"We're working intensively and in close dialogue with all our customers to meet their needs for paper."

The fire took place in the pulp factory in the north of the factory site. The two paper machines at the mill were not affected or damaged by the fire. An enquiry into the cause of the fire is in progress but has not yet been concluded.

As previously announced the incident is expected to have a negative impact on results for the fourth quarter amounting to SEK 30 million.