UPM-Kymmene Corporation Investor News April 3, 2008 at 14:00
UPM Raflatac celebrates the opening of its new North American pressure sensitive
labelstock manufacturing facility in Dixon, Illinois, approximately 100 miles
west of Chicago. The new USD 100 million (EUR 70 million) facility will offer
UPM Raflatac's full product range of paper and film label products and features
the company's latest proprietary technical solutions in both the coating and
finishing areas.
"Our mission is to continuously develop our product offerings and service
concepts and provide substantial value to our label printer customers. The Dixon
factory is one of the key strategic investments we have made to increase our
capabilities and build capacity in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific
region," says Heikki Pikkarainen, President of UPM Raflatac. "With the new
facility we're further enhancing our service capabilities to remain our
partners' number one choice in the important North American market."
With its end-to-end automation, the Dixon factory will be the most innovative
labelstock production and distribution facility in the industry.
"We're excited to bring our new processes, new technology and new people to the
Midwest market," says Jouko Lähepelto, Senior Vice President, Americas. "The new
Dixon factory will significantly enhance our capabilities to serve this
marketplace and to further develop our business here."
UPM Raflatac has been present in North America since the company began sales and
slitting operations in Fletcher, North Carolina in 1985 - until 2001, when the
company began production operations at its first North American manufacturing
facility in Fletcher, North Carolina. The company further strengthened its North
American product and service network by opening slitting and distribution
terminals in Ontario, California and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 2001 and 2004
respectively. In 2005, UPM Raflatac opened its first U.S. RFID tag and inlay
production facility in Fletcher.
UPM has invested significantly in the global expansion of its self-adhesive
label materials business in the past years. This new factory is an essential
part of a nearly USD 270 million (EUR 200 million) worldwide investment program.
For further information please contact:
Mr Heikki Pikkarainen, President, UPM Raflatac, mobile +358 40 760 5758
Mr Jouko Lähepelto, Senior Vice President, Americas, UPM Raflatac, mobile +1 828
275 0243
UPM is one of the world's leading forest products groups. The Group employs
around 26,000 people and in 2007 made sales of EUR 10 billion (USD 14 billion).
UPM's main products include printing papers, label materials and wood products.
The company has production units in 14 countries and its main market areas are
Europe and North America. UPM's shares are listed on the Helsinki stock exchange
and the company has an ADR program on the OTC market in the United States.
www.upm-kymmene.com
UPM Raflatac, the Label Division of UPM, is a world-leading supplier of
self-adhesive label materials for a wide variety of needs in product and
information labeling. In addition, UPM Raflatac is at the global forefront in
the development and high-volume production of HF and UHF radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags and inlays. UPM Raflatac has around 2,700 employees
and made sales of approximately EUR 1 billion (USD 1.4 billion) in 2007. UPM
Raflatac has a global service network consisting of 12 factories on five
continents and a broad network of distribution and slitting terminals and sales
offices worldwide. Further information is available at www.upmraflatac.com
UPM-Kymmene Corporation
Pirkko Harrela
Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications
DISTRIBUTION
OMX Nordic Exchange Helsinki
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www.upm-kymmene.com
UPM Raflatac opens USD 100 million labelstock manufacturing facility in Dixon, Illinois, USA
| Source: UPM-Kymmene Oyj