At the annual general meeting on April 5, shareholders of Stockholm-based Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA voted in favor of the board of director's proposal to split the company into two listed companies.

The hygiene business, including the areas of personal care and tissue, will operate under the name Essity, while forest products operations will continue under SCA.

SCA's shareholders will also receive shares in the newly listed Essity.

The split will be carried out before the second half of 2017, according to a company news release.