UPM to build a wood plastic composite mill in Germany

UPM is expanding its wood plastic composite production by building a new mill in Karlsruhe, Germany. This new production unit is aimed at responding to the fast market growth and increasing demand for wood plastic composite in Central Europe. The mill is scheduled to start production by the end of this year. It will offer employment to about 50 people. The investment value is approximately EUR12 million.

The new mill will manufacture UPM ProFi Deck decking boards mainly for the growing Central European market.

UPM ProFi wood plastic composite products are manufactured from surplus paper and plastic left over from the production of self-adhesive label materials. The first commercialised ProFi product is UPM ProFi Deck. Production in Lahti, Finland, started a year ago. In recent years, UPM has strongly developed new business opportunities, one of which is UPM ProFi.

"A mill in the middle of Europe strengthens our position in the fast growing markets, now that the demand for materials suitable for outdoor building has considerably increased in Central Europe. Furthermore, the Karlsruhe mill can effectively utilise the residue materials from nearby self-adhesive label industries. Also the surplus material from UPM Raflatac's mill located in Nancy, France, can be utilised by the German mill," explains Director Markku Koivisto, who is responsible for the UPM ProFi business.