UPM Plywood aims to earnings growth by investing in the competitiveness of its Joensuu plywood mill – committed personnel essential to the investment project

Press Release 13.12.2021 9:30 EET

(UPM Plywood, Helsinki, 13 December 2021 at 09:30 EET) UPM is investing EUR 10 million in the development of UPM Plywood's plywood mill in Joensuu. The investment includes new production lines, new workspaces and 720 square meters of completely new production space. UPM's investment strengthens the mill's competitiveness by improving the mill's security of supply and ensuring the high quality of demanding products.

UPM Joensuu manufactures plywood and plywood components for demanding industrial applications, such as the floors of heavy-duty trailers and the insulation elements of LNG tankers carrying liquefied natural gas. In industrial applications, the consistent and high quality of the products as well as the reliability and punctuality of deliveries are emphasized. Defective or untimely components cause difficulties in the production of customer companies.

“Personnel plays a significant role in the success of the mill. High-quality products come from the hands of committed experts, and the pride in keeping the customer promise ensures timely deliveries to customers. By investing in the upgrading of the plant and new premises, the company also strives to provide the best possible prerequisites for work,” says Mika Kekki, Executive Vice President, UPM Plywood.

"Last week, UPM Plywood signed a three-year collective agreement, and in addition to that, the mill has renewed all local agreements that, in addition to this investment, support the smooth running of the work and the success of our own unit," says Antti Rinkinen, Mill Director, UPM Joensuu.

"New modern production lines make work easier, and with the help of new locally agreed models, we are able to optimize production and at the same time organize work in the best possible way from the employees' point of view," says Tomi Vikla, Chief Shop Steward, UPM Joensuu.

The investment now being made is a continuation of the development projects of recent years at UPM Joensuu mill. In 2020, a new bioboiler was commissioned, and many production lines were upgraded in 2018–2020.

UPM Joensuu plywood mill employs about 170 people and has an annual production capacity of about 55,000 m3.

For further information, please contact: 
Mika Kekki, Executive Vice President, UPM Plywood Oy, tel. +358 40 5455803 

UPM, Media Relations
Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00 EET 
tel. +358 40 588 3284 
media@upm.com

UPM Plywood
UPM Plywood offers high quality WISA® plywood and veneer products for construction, vehicle flooring, LNG shipbuilding, parquet manufacturing and other industrial applications. In 2020 UPM Plywood sales was EUR 400 million and it had 2,100 employees. UPM has five plywood mills and one veneer mill in Finland as well as plywood mills in Russia and Estonia. – www.wisaplywood.com  

UPM
We deliver renewable and responsible solutions and innovate for a future beyond fossils across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood. As the industry leader in responsibility, we are committed to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the science-based targets to mitigate climate change. We employ 18,000 people worldwide and our annual sales are approximately EUR 8.6 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. UPM Biofore – Beyond fossils. www.upm.com


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