Finland’s Oldest Sawmill, Kotakamills, to Close Its Doors by Year’s End

Citing the high cost of raw materials and the declining price of sawn timber, Finland’s oldest sawmill, Kotkamills, will close its doors by the end of the year, according to a report by Yle News (11-5-23).

The sawmill was founded by Norwegian businessman Hans Gutzeit in Kotka and was competed in 1872. It was the largest sawmill in Finland at the time. The sawmill’s closure will result in 64 employees being laid off, bringing 150 years of operations to an end.

Gutzeit’s sawmill eventually launched the firm Enso, which later merged with the Swedish company Stora to become Stora Enso.