UPM celebrates opening of Asia R&D Center and labelstock factory in Changshu, China

(UPM, Helsinki, April, 3, 2007) - UPM today celebrates the completion of further investments at the Changshu mill site in Jiangsu, China with the official opening ceremony of Asia R&D Center and a new labelstock factory. 

UPM Asia R&D Center will be responsible for local fiber raw material research as well as manufacturing and technical customer service support for UPM's production units in China and Asia Pacific Region. The Chinese R&D Center will complement the knowhow of UPM's other R & D Centers in Finland, Germany and the USA.

UPM Raflatac labelstock factory serves fast-growing demand for labels to meet packaging needs in China and the Asia Pacific region by supplying paper and film label materials for standard and special applications. The UPM Raflatac facility in Changshu increases UPM's labelstock offering locally and creates new opportunities to serve markets across Asia.

"Research and product development as well as high-added value products such as labelstock are important components in UPM's strategy for growth in the world's most important markets", said Jussi Pesonen, President and CEO of UPM.

UPM Changshu site is the location of a 800,000 tpy fine paper mill, R&D Center and labelstock factory. The site is logistically well located by the Yangtze River, about 100 kilometres from Shanghai and its 16 million inhabitants. The nearly 200 hectare mill site has a harbour, a power plant and an effluent treatment plant.

For further information please contact:
Mr Heikki Pikkarainen, President, UPM Raflatac, tel. + 358 40 760 5758
Mr Pauli Hänninen, Executive VP, Technology, UPM, tel. +358 40 581 4720