Munksjö’s acquisition, which remains subject to the approval of the European competition authorities, would be finalized in the first quarter of 2011. Through the deal, two European paper mills, one in Arches, France, and one in Dettingen, Germany, will be transferred to the Munksjö group.The acquisition is a natural step in Munksjö's growth strategy within specialty paper, according to a company spokesman. Munksö's sales of decor paper will almost double after the acquisition, which will make Munksö a leading international player in the specialty papers segment.“The acquisition is an important step in Munksjö’s growth strategy to become a major player in Decor paper and to grow in profitable niche segments for industrial applications. Acquiring the competency within decor and the new segments will give access to new growth markets for further expansion. It’s a perfect match”, says Jan Åström, CEO of Munksjö.Munksjö is a specialty paper company producing a focused range of high-value-added paper to a selection of industrial sectors. Munksjö has world leading market positions in specialty paper, for example upgrading laminate surfaces for flooring, furniture and interior design, electro technical paper for insulation in high-voltage cables and interleaving to the steel industry. Munksjö’s head office is located in Jönköping, Sweden, and has production facilities in Sweden, Germany, Spain, Norway, and China. Estimated sales for 2010 are 390 million Euros and the number of employees approximately 1,050 persons.With the acquisition Munksjö would form a world leading specialty paper company. Munksjö would almost double the turnover for decor paper and add important growth potential for further expansion within new specialty paper segments, such as abrasive papers, fine arts papers and thin papers primarily for pharmaceutical leaflets. Net sales for the combined group would amount to approximately 600 million Euros 2010, whereof decor sales more than 50 percent. The number of employees would be around 1 750.Arjowiggins is a world leading manufacturer of creative and technical paper. The company, head quartered in Pairs, has operations in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. With 6,300 employees, Arjowiggins generated approximately 1.5 billion Euiros sales in 2009. Arjowiggins is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sequana, which also owns the paper merchant group Antalis.