Marimekko - Company Announcement

MARIMEKKO TUOTANTO OY STARTS STATUTORY EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE NEGOTIATIONS RELATED TO THE REORGANISATION OF ITS WAREHOUSING OPERATIONS

Marimekko Corporation, Stock exchange release 8 March 2011, 9.00 AM

MARIMEKKO TUOTANTO OY STARTS STATUTORY EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE NEGOTIATIONS RELATED
TO THE REORGANISATION OF ITS WAREHOUSING OPERATIONS 

Marimekko Corporation's subsidiary Marimekko Tuotanto Oy is planning the
reorganisation of its warehousing operations in the Herttoniemi district of
Helsinki and is starting statutory employer-employee negotiations on possible
permanent reductions in staffing. The estimated overall need for reductions in
personnel is at most 18 jobs. 

The decision to start negotiations was made in the light of the operational
changes required by the Marimekko Group's Finnish online retailing project as
well as measures aimed at enhancing the general cost-effectiveness of
warehousing operations. At present, goods deliveries are handled by two main
warehouses. The company's aim is to boost the efficiency of warehousing
operations and to consolidate them in a single location. In this way,
e-commerce deliveries could also be handled most smoothly and profitably. 

“We find it very regrettable that we have to go through a process like this,
which is difficult for Marimekko employees. E-commerce is becoming more and
more common, and our project for this is essential for the development of our
business. Since we have decided to invest in e-commerce, we are also obliged to
see how all related operations could be arranged in the best possible way.
Delivering goods from two main warehouses is not a workable solution for
e-commerce and it isn't cost-effective from the viewpoint of other deliveries
either. For this reason we aim to consolidate the warehousing operations in a
single location,” says President and CEO Mika Ihamuotila. 

In the course of the negotiations, it will be determined how much the reduction
in functions can be compensated for by transfers within the Group and whether
pensions or special arrangements can be used. 

Marimekko Tuotanto Oy is responsible for operations including those of
Marimekko's textile printing factory and warehouse, and at the end of February
2011 it provided a total of 93 jobs. Warehousing operations provide jobs for 23
people. 

For additional information, please contact Thomas Ekström, CFO and acting CEO,
tel. +358 9 758 7261. 

MARIMEKKO CORPORATION
Group Communications

Piia Pakarinen
Tel. +358 9 758 7293
Email: piia.pakarinen@marimekko.fi

DISTRIBUTION:
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd
Key media
Marimekko website www.marimekko.com

Marimekko, established in 1951, is a leading Finnish textile and clothing
design company renowned for its original prints and colours. The company
designs and manufactures high-quality clothing, interior decoration textiles,
bags, and other accessories. Marimekko products are sold in about 40 countries.
Products with Marimekko designs are also manufactured under licence in various
countries. In 2010, the company's net sales amounted to EUR 73.3 million, of
which international sales accounted for 29.4%. The Group has about 390
employees. Marimekko's shares are quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd.