Albany International will discontinue operations at its press fabric finishing facility in Jarvenpaa, Finland. Over the last several years, similar steps have been taken to match capacity to the global demand for paper machine clothing as the global paper industry has continued to consolidate and eliminate capacity, particularly in Europe. The proposal would affect up to 43 employees and is subject to review under local law and would be implemented in accordance with such law and in consultation with the Works Councils and Trade Unions.
   
The planned action at Jarvenpaa in no way reflects on the fine performance of the affected employees; it is a business necessity, driven by the existing and anticipated market conditions. To ensure continuity of customer supply, technical and manufacturing personnel would oversee the transition of the finishing operations to other Albany facilities in Europe.