Sept 24 (Reuters) - Finnish paint maker Tikkurila's

products manufactured at plants in Russia will be sold under a

new brand, Tikkivala, from the first quarter of next year,

Tikkurila's Russian subsidiary said on Tuesday.

Tikkurila's owner PPG has been trying to exit Russia

since June 2022 and divested its industrial coatings business in

Russia in 2023. Tikkurila said in a February statement that it

complies with all sanctions and has no means of influencing

operative decisions made by the Russian subsidiary, OOO

Tikkurila.

PPG, which did not immediately respond to a request for

comment on Tuesday, has been awaiting approval from authorities

in Russia to sell its architectural coatings business, OOO

Tikkurila, Tikkurila said in February.

"The exit process has been extremely long and difficult,"

Tikkurila said.

Scores of companies have exited Russia since Moscow invaded

Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, but Russia has steadily tightened exit

requirements, demanding government approval, a 50% discount on

any sale and a contribution to the federal budget of at least

10% of the sale price, dubbed an "exit tax" by Washington.

Russia is now discussing a significant hike to that exit

tax, the RBC daily reported last week, one of a handful of

factors prolonging company exits.

"Before the war, PPG's business in Russia was approximately

1% of net sales; it is significantly lower now," Tikkurila said.