Ilkka Hämälä, CEO of Metsä-Botnia, and Hans Sohlström, Executive Vice President of UPM, were appointed Vice Chairmen.The Executive Committee also consists of Pekka Kopra, Versowood Oy, Olli Poutanen, ER-Saha Oy, Sari Rämö, SCA Packaging Finland, and Jouko Virranniemi, Pölkky Oy.Representatives of 29 member companies were elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation in 2012. Ilkka Hämälä, Metsä-Botnia, and Tapio Pitkänen, Finndomo Oy, are the only new members.“Finland has excellent competence and modern factories, but we cannot build our future on these factors alone. The industry needs new products and innovations, as the consumption of paper is decreasing in our traditional markets,” the new Chairman, Juha Vanhainen, says.”A cost-effective logistics chain is needed to enable success in international competition. From the customers' point of view flexible and undisturbed labour market is crucial,” Vanhainen says. The autumn meeting of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation was held in Helsinki 25 November 2011. /AA