Day after Xinjiang link disclosed, Finnish wood pulp giant Stora Enso says it will leave viscose market
- Executive announces the policy change in response to Finnish news media’s questions about SCMP’s article on exports to Xinjiang
- Industry analyst says the decision is a ‘massive surprise’
In a statement published on Stora Enso’s website on Monday, chief financial officer Sepp Parvi said the company was “moving away from the global soluble pulp segment for viscose production”.
“This segment is not the core of our operations and represents only a very small part of our entire business. Soluble pulp is produced at the company’s Uimaharju pulp mill, which produces both soluble pulp and ordinary pulp,” Parvi said.
He initially announced the policy change in response to questions from Finnish media outlets about the Post’s story on the rise of Xinjiang’s viscose sector.
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Industry experts were taken aback by the announcement. “It’s a massive surprise to everyone,” said one analyst who did not want to be named.
