CEO

Biofore works in practice

Jussi Pesonen
President & CEO

The World Expo 2010 continues in Shanghai, China. The Finnish Pavilion 'Giant's Kettle' has drawn a lot of interest with its unique design and facade. What is this splendid architectonic building made of?

The structure of the Giant's Kettle is steel. But if you take a closer look at the marble white facade, you can see that it does not resemble any known building material. What is it made from then?

Shanghai Expo's main theme 'Better City, Better Life' looks at the future. It aims to improve the quality of life while decreasing the burden on the environment.

The material developed by UPM − UPM ProFi − used in used Giant's Kettle aims at the same goal. The shingles used in the Finnish Pavilion are made of UPM ProFi. Twenty tonnes of recycled paper and plastic that are by-products from UPM Rafla­tac's label production have been used in them.

This is just one example of UPM as the frontrunner of the bioforest industry. We develop new innovations from biomass and seek new applications for products that support sustainable development. And these can be found!

UPM's Engineered Materials business group as a whole is a concrete example of Biofore thinking. The Label business constantly renews its products in a sustainable manner resulting in thinner and lighter,
yet stronger labels. In Plywood, we have introduced the WisaTwin innovation that combines lightweight spruce with the excellent surface properties of birch plywood. Our RFID tags have already for a decade helped companies all over the world to streamline their operations and therefore reduce material leftovers and waste. Not to mention UPM ProFi, the composite that combines the best characteristics of wood fibres and plastic in a sustainable way.

We combine the bio and forest industry and develop products innovatively and in a new manner. In this way, Biofore is realised in practice.