Nokia to increase staff in Finland

Nokia is to take on 150 extra staff at its Salo of its plants in Finland, to meet increasing demand for its handsets.

Analysts at Bank of America said yesterday that they expected handset industry volumes to increase by 19% in the second half of 2003 and it expected Nokia to increase its market share.

Nokia's Salo plant is one of its largest worldwide, employing some 4,400 people. Nokia has a total staff of some 51, 000.