Group 1 - The construction of a new battery materials factory in Kotka, Finland, is facing delays, prompting the hiring of a significant number of workers from China to ensure timely completion [1][4] - The factory aims to produce 60,000 tons of cathode active materials (CAM) annually and is part of a larger plan to create one of Europe's largest battery materials clusters [3][4] - The project is led by Easpring Finland New Materials Oy, with 70% ownership by Beijing Easpring Materials Technology Co., Ltd., and 30% by a Finnish mining group [1][3] Group 2 - The factory is expected to create approximately 270 direct jobs upon completion, contributing to the development of Finland's battery supply chain and accelerating Europe's positioning in this sector [3] - Due to a lack of skilled local labor, the project has submitted over 150 work permit applications for Chinese workers, most of whom will take on key roles such as project managers and site supervisors [4][6] - The introduction of Chinese construction workers is seen as a pragmatic solution to address the skills shortage in Finland, which requires about 140,000 new technical workers annually [8]