Finland lost Russian refractory bricks due to sanctions

In Finland, local masonry specialists are facing problems after imports of Russian refractory bricks were stopped due to sanctions, state broadcaster Yle reports.

Russian refractory bricks were previously widely used in Finland for cladding interiors and frames of fireplaces and stoves. “Russian fire bricks were strong and completely intact, while new imported bricks very often had cracks. Personally, I wasn’t too confident in their quality,” stone specialist Samu Toivanen from Pieksämäki, who was trying to find an analogue to Russian brick, told the television company.

Also, after the cessation of brick imports, the demand for heating fireplaces in Finland and Central Europe has increased significantly, Yle notes. In this connection, the company Seppälä Tiile, which produces fireplaces, had to develop domestic heat-resistant bricks. The company's CEO , Jari Seppälä, said that the product is ready and will go on sale in about a month. “Of course, the raw material base is different. However, the fireproof ingredients are approximately the same as in Russian ones,” he noted.

In October 2022, analysts at the Pellervo Economic Research Institute (PTT) predicted that Finland would increase deforestation due to the cessation of Russian imports.

Imports of timber from RUSSIA also ceased due to EU sanctions , which were imposed after the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine . The restrictions apply to firewood and wood chips in all their forms, as well as unprocessed wood and lumber.

According to PTT, in 2022 the cessation of imports of Russian timber did not become a problem, but in 2023 the situation will be different - the demand for timber will increase and Finland itself will be forced to increase the volume of deforestation.

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