UPM Raflatac at Labelexpo Americas 2008: Labeling more and more of the Americas

(UPM Raflatac, Fletcher, NC, September 9, 2008) – With a brand-new pressure sensitive labelstock factory, a diverse labelstock and RFID product portfolio and an industry-leading sustainability initiative, UPM Raflatac has been making significant investments to strengthen its globally known, high quality products and services.

With the theme 'Labeling more and more of the Americas' at this year's Labelexpo Americas, UPM Raflatac will showcase an extensive, continuously expanding prime paper and film labelstock product portfolio and a diverse HF and UHF RFID product range for the global market. In addition, UPM Raflatac will proudly show off its new state-of-the-art factory in Dixon, Illinois, as well as how the company's sustainability initiative is helping to set a new standard for the industry.

Dixon facility enhances service to Midwest market
With the most successful factory startup in its history, UPM Raflatac's state-of-the-art labelstock manufacturing facility in Dixon, Illinois, officially opened its doors in April 2008. The $100 million USD investment enables the company to offer even shorter delivery times and a wider selection of high quality labelstock products to the Midwest market. And with its end-to-end automation, the Dixon factory is the most innovative labelstock production and distribution facility in the industry.

During Labelexpo Americas 2008, UPM Raflatac will be offering tours of its Dixon labelstock manufacturing facility, which features the latest advances in automation and coating and finishing technologies.

New terminal in Brasil to offer local service
UPM Raflatac will open a slitting and distribution terminal in Jaguariúna, Brasil, approximately 135 km (86 miles) north of São Paulo. The terminal will allow the company to extend its product offering in the region and respond to increasing demand for its renowned labelstock products and services. The new facility, located in the heart of a world-class industrial center, will be operational by the end of 2008.

Being Pro Green is in our nature
As part of UPM, one of the world's largest forest companies, environmental concerns have always been important to UPM Raflatac. To underline its commitment to the environment, the company has achieved chain of custody certification from the world’s three prominent forest certification organizations – the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI). The certifications cover UPM Raflatac’s North America labelstock manufacturing facilities located in Fletcher, North Carolina, and Dixon, Illinois, and the company's slitting and distribution terminal located in Ontario, California. UPM Raflatac is also targeting to attain ISO 14001 Environmental Certification for its Fletcher labelstock factory by the end of 2008 and its Dixon facility during 2009.
 
UPM Raflatac will offer a Pro Green seminar regarding the steps the company is taking in support of sustainability in the labeling industry and reducing its impact on the environment. During the seminar the company will also discuss the label converter's role and how sustainability is a joint responsibility.
The seminar will take place on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, from 4:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. in Grand Ballroom A at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare.

RafCycle™ and UPM ProFi™ take waste recycling to a new level
Currently in Europe, UPM Raflatac is test driving a new service called RafCycle™, which involves collecting waste from label printers to be utilized in the production of UPM's new product, UPM ProFi™. This wood-plastic composite is a tough, humidity-resistant material ideal for extrusion- and intrusion-molded products such as decking, reusable containers, pallets and flooring, among others. UPM is opening its second wood-plastic composite factory in Europe by the end of 2008 to meet growing demand for this innovative new product, and after gaining experience with the RafCycle™ service, both UPM ProFi™ and RafCycle™ will be introduced to the North American market.

Products for diverse applications
At Labelexpo Americas, UPM Raflatac will also highlight new, innovative products and services for a wide variety of applications including:

• The company's new range of RafEco™ products constructed with certified face papers, post-consumer waste face papers, biodegradable films, recycling compatible adhesives, repulpable liners and recyclable liners.
• UPM Raflatac's new Fast Face product and service offering for select non-adhesive products
• A product range for shelf marking applications
• New Polyjetlaser Matte Transparent filmstock for laser and ink-jet printing applications
• A diverse HF and UHF RFID product range for the global market that helps industry leaders optimize closed-loop applications, stripping cost and complexity from critical business processes.

UPM Raflatac will be present at Booth 1339.

For more information, please contact:
Ms Linnea Keen, Marketing Director, UPM Raflatac, Inc. Tel. + 1 828 275 2516
Ms Patricia Lähepelto, Marketing Communications Manager, UPM Raflatac, Inc. Tel. +1 828 279 6340

About UPM Raflatac
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, the company 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 USD 1.4 billion (EUR 1 billion) in 2007. The company 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.