Stora Enso Oyj - Company Announcement

Stora Enso CEO Jouko Karvinen comments on third quarter results announced today

“Another strong earnings performance - time to build our future”                

STORA ENSO OYJ STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 27 October 2010 at 09.01 EET              

“The third quarter was yet another proof point of Stora Enso in action,         
determined to build a business that creates value for our shareholders. A very  
significant part of our earnings improvement again came through early cost      
reductions and active management of both pricing and customer mix. Only this    
year we are permanently removing about 700 000 tonnes of paper capacity or four 
machines in Europe, a demonstration of our commitment to do what it takes to    
improve our cost position and productivity. The recent quarters should also     
prove that our actions are starting to pay off.                                 

“We are also continuing to build the future of Stora Enso in line with our      
strategy of fibre-based packaging and plantation-based pulp in growth markets,  
as well as a focussed competitive paper portfolio. We have been tested in       
unforeseen ways during the past few years, and now we are coming out stronger   
through our own actions. That is a good starting point for the next part of our 
journey.                                                                        

“As a concrete sign of the next part of our journey, we have today announced the
acquisition of the majority shareholding in Chinese packaging company Inpac     
International, which is strategically a perfect fit for our portfolio. The      
acquisition offers us an excellent opportunity to increase our presence in China
and India, the two fastest-growing consumer packaging markets in the world.     

“Looking into the fourth quarter, the market outlook remains generally          
favourable, but pressure on variable costs, seasonal demand weakness in some    
products and maintenance stoppages are expected to decrease our fourth quarter  
earnings quarter-on-quarter. As before, these challenges will only make us      
strive harder to improve the things we can influence ourselves.”                

For further information, please contact:                                        
Jouko Karvinen, CEO, tel. +358 2046 21410                                       
Lauri Peltola, Head of Communications and Global Responsibility, tel. +358 2046 
21380                                                                           
Ulla Paajanen-Sainio, Head of Investor Relations, tel. +358 2046 21242          


www.storaenso.com                                                               
www.storaenso.com/investors                                                     


Stora Enso is a global paper, packaging and wood products company producing     
newsprint and book paper, magazine paper, fine paper, consumer board, industrial
packaging and wood products. The Group is the world leader in forest industry   
sustainability. We offer our customers solutions based on renewable raw         
materials. Our products provide a climate-friendly alternative to many          
non-renewable materials, and have a smaller carbon footprint. Stora Enso is     
listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Index. Stora Enso
employs some 27 000 people worldwide, and our sales in 2009 amounted to EUR 8.9 
billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and 
Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs 
(SEOAY) in the International OTCQX over-the-counter market.                     


STORA ENSO OYJ