21.3.2014

Nordea Bank Finland – Castrén & Snellman Advised the Financiers in Metsä Board Corporation’s Issue of a Bond and in Refinancing of a Syndicated Credit Facility

We advised Nordea Bank Finland Plc in coordinating and arranging, together with other lead arrangers Danske Bank A/S, Pohjola Bank plc, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) and Swedbank AB (publ), a senior unsecured bond of EUR 225 million issued by Metsä Board Corporation mainly to institutional investors. The bond matures on 13 March 2019, and it carries a fixed coupon interest rate of 4.00% per annum. The model terms and conditions for bond issues published by the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) were used for the first time in drafting Metsä Board Corporation’s bond terms. Castrén & Snellman was represented in EK’s working group by Partners Tero Tuomisto and Janne Lauha as well as Senior Associate Mikko Heinonen, and both Tero Tuomisto and Mikko Heinonen were also members of the team assisting the financiers in this transaction.

In connection with this arrangement, Castrén & Snellman’s team also advised Nordea Bank Finland Plc and other financiers in arranging a new unsecured syndicated credit facility of EUR 250 million for Metsä Board Corporation. Nordea Bank Finland Plc acted as the coordinator and lead arranger, while the other lead arrangers were Danske Bank A/S, Pohjola Bank plc, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) and Swedbank AB (publ). In addition to the banks mentioned above, Danske Bank Plc and DNB Bank ASA also participated as lenders.