On January 23, 2008, M-real USA Corp. opened a new $26-million, 215,000-sq-ft warehouse at the Port of Baltimore for shipping, receiving and stocking of its paper and paperboard and to serve the Finland-based company exclusively.

According to Cliff Kaufman, vice-president of graphics operations and the chief architect of the supply chain partnership, "the opening of thiswarehouse is the culmination of our long-term strategic plan to simplify our supply chain by consolidating locations and suppliers. The removal of complexity has allowed Mreal to remain competitive."

Rick Schiappacasse, director of forest products for the MPA (Maryland Port Administration), said, "the addition of M-real and the over-all growth in paper imports have made Baltimore the number one port for forest products in the US. Forest products imports have grown from 185,000 tons a year six years ago to 1.4 million tons today."

In 2005, M-real, BalTerm and the MPA signed six-year renewable contracts. M-real agreed to consolidate its North American bulk importing and distribution operations in Baltimore for six years and guaranteed specific annual import volumes whilst BalTerm agreed to be M-real's exclusive thirdparty logistics company for ship unloading, warehousing and the loading of outbound trucks, containers and rail cars. The MPA allocated sufficient land, facilities and dock space to BalTerm to serve M-real's needs, including building the new warehouse and installing a $6-million stern ramp to more than triple the unloading productivity of larger vessels. "M-real has consolidated its bulk shipments from Philadelphia to Baltimore, doubling local imports to 300,000 tons annually," said Jorma Sahlstedt, president of M-real USA. M-real now ships between 1,000 and 1,400 truckloads of paper per month to customers from Baltimore.