New factory in Poland – high quality service for the ... - UPM Raflatac

2 34New factory in Poland – high quality servicefor the European labelling industryUPM Rafl atac is completing itsglobal development programmewith the opening of a new labelstockfactory in Wroclaw, Poland.The state-of-the-art productionand logistics centre serves theEuropean labelling industry witha wide range of high-quality labelstock,and offers a solid platformfor growth in Eastern Europeanmarkets.UPM Rafl atac’s new labelstock factory is located in Biskupice Podgórne, near Wrocław.Jussi Vanhanen,President,UPM Rafl atacThe new world-class factory supplies a widerange of high-quality film and paper labelstocksfeaturing water-based acrylic and hotmeltadhesives. It makes UPM Rafl atac the firstcompany to set up self-adhesive labelstockproduction in Poland. Construction work inWroclaw began in August 2007, and operationsstarted in November 2008.“This new production and logistics centresupports UPM Raflatac’s strategy and assiststhe future growth of labelstock customers inEurope. UPM Raflatac aims to be the leadingsupplier of label materials in Europe, whereeastern Europe is a key growth area,” saysJussi Vanhanen, President of UPM Raflatac.The Wroclaw factory investment of approximately90 million euros is the final part ofUPM’s strategic global investment programmewhich has seen greenfield labelstock factoriesbuilt in Illinois, USA and Changshu, China,and new coating lines built in Finland andNorth Carolina, USA.

In the heartof EuropeUPM Rafl atac has a long history of operations in Poland,first as a sales office and later as a slitting and distributionterminal. The next step was taken in 2007 with theannouncement of a new labelstock factory.“We wanted to set our state-of-the-art greenfield factoryin a central location with the best possibilities toserve both Central Europe and the fast-growing labellingmarkets in Eastern Europe,” explains Tapio Kolunsarka,Senior Vice President of UPM Raflatac’s labelstock businessin Europe.“Poland also has a growingdomestic market for self-adhesivelabelstock and the locallabelling industry is developingrapidly. Our customers andmultinational brand owners aremaking major investments inPoland,” Kolunsarka adds.Tapio KolunsarkaSenior Vice President,UPM Rafl atac EuropeCutting-edge technolog“Planning for the new factory started from the best product quality achievable,”says Jon Lenck, General Manager for UPM Rafl atac Poland.In Wroclaw, labelstock is manufactured using the most innovativesolutions in the industry. “The entire production process is automated,from receiving the raw materials all the way through the coating lines,slitting, packing and despatch. The factory is also equipped with laboratorieswhere the quality of our products is carefully monitored,” confirmsOperations Director Jani Konkarikoski.UPM Raflatac’s cutting-edge technology for coating and dryingsilicones and adhesives guarantees optimal product characteristics thatGlobal ISO 14001 certificationfor environmental performanceUPM Rafl atac has one set of environmental rules which are referencedglobally to ensure worldwide compliance in all aspects of legislationand also in the implementation of continual improvements to reduce theimpact on the environment.UPM Raflatac is aiming to achieve a single ISO 14001:2004 EnvironmentalManagement System certification covering all the factoriesglobally. The global certificate already covers all UPM Raflatac’s factoriesin Europe, the Changshu factory in China and a labelstock facilityin North Carolina, USA.UPM Raflatac’s recently opened factory in Wroclaw, Poland is workingfor certification to both ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certificationsduring 2009. Factories in Malaysia, Australia and Durban have ongoingprojects to achieve certification to ISO 14001 in 2010.“ISO 14001 certification is a very public way of demonstrating thecompany’s commitment to the environment and continual improvementin our environmental performance. UPM Raflatac is an industry leaderin environmental issues, shown for example by the innovative waste solutioncreated in the UPM ProFi project,” says Environment and QualitySystems Manager Lesley Crookes.RH 9 optimized for ‘0 to 10 C’food applicationsUPM Rafl atac has developed a cost-effi -cient adhesive – RH 9 – which covers themajority of food applications in the 0 to10 C temperature range.Hotmelt adhesives are ideal for coldand chilled food applications involvingexposure to moisture, provided they followthe maxim ‘less bleed means morespeed’. This is exactly where RH 9 provesits worth, as it’s less susceptible to bleedingat a temperature range broad enoughto cover the majority of cold food labellingapplications. Less bleed reduces thetime spent cleaning die-tools and enablesfaster conversion speeds.RH 9 offers versatility and cost-efficiencyin a single adhesive available across awide range of labelstock combinations.2RAFLATALK EXPRESS

“At the new factory in Wroclaw, we implement all the best workingpractices achieved in our units worldwide. First and foremost, the highlycompetent staff at the Wroclaw factory is crucial to getting the bestout of our peerless proprietary technology,” says Lenck.Sustainability built iny serving customersfurther improve the convertibility of the label materials.New innovations in in-line mixing processes and lay-flat controlare also bringing additional benefits to customers in terms of productquality, consistency and reliability.The highly automated material flow and customer coil handling systemstogether with UPM Raflatac’s IT system for planning and monitoringorders further increase the speed and reliability of customer orderprocessing. The Wroclaw factory is integrated to UPM Raflatac’s Europeandistribution network, and effective logistics guarantee a high levelof service and accurate delivery.UPM Rafl atac places a high priority on environmental issues and hasimplemented a comprehensive strategy focusing on responsible raw materialssourcing and usage, increased energy and production efficiency,and the reuse and recycling of waste.Labelstock production at the new Wroclaw factory is highly energyefficient with emphasis on waste reduction in all areas. Advanced technology,such as the new wastewater treatment process, is used in reducingthe environmental impact.Another innovation is an alternative use for the production waste collectedat Wroclaw factory. Some of the waste will eventually be transportedto a special UPM production facility in Karlsruhe, Germany forthe manufacture of an innovative wood-plastic compositecalled UPM ProFi Deck.All self-adhesive labelstocks from UPMRaflatac feature solvent-free adhesives andsilicones. UPM Raflatac also offers PEFC certifiedVellum, Raflacoat Plus and Raflabritegrades produced using raw materials fromwell-managed forests and controlled sources.Jon Lenck, General Manager,UPM Rafl atac PolandNew RP 30 adhesivefor wine labellingThe wine labelling market has undergone profound change as traditional wet-glue labelscontinue to be abandoned in favour of more functional and attractive labels producedfrom self-adhesive materials. Add to the equation modern printing and labelling systemsand you have the recipe for higher quality labels produced faster, more fl exibly and withless waste.One of the latest developments from UPM Raflatac is the RP 30 water-based acrylicadhesive designed for all permanent wine labelling applications – reds, whites, sparklingwines, champagne and rosés – where wash-off properties aren’t required.RP 30 tolerates fluctuations in temperature and humidity on the bottling line and duringbottle storage, and provides excellent performance from high initial tack to lasting waterresistancein the ice bucket. Very good resistance to edge-lifting also makes this adhesivea good choice for neck labelling. RP 30 is also available with a PET backing for top performanceon high-speed dispensing lines.RAFLATALK EXPRESS 3

Fast Web for non-adhesive materialsTwo factors have been driving growth in non-adhesive materials: demand for shorter runs in thepackaging industry and the continued development of modern narrow web presses. Moving inpace with the market, UPM Rafl atac now offers narrow web converters rapid delivery on lowervolume, custom-slit orders of non-adhesive products.The new Fast Web range covers a wide selection of coated and uncoated papers, boards,liners and films, all available in low minimum quantities starting from just 1,000 m 2 . Thesematerials open up a world of opportunities with applications as varied as tags, tickets, businessforms, coupons, point-of-sale materials, flexible packaging, cartons and more.Fast Web also makes life simpler by offering a single channel for all narrow web materialneeds. This one-stop shop approach makes ordering faster and easier while allowing printersto adjust their product portfolios in a way that’s cost-efficient and enables a fast reaction to newbusiness opportunities.Raflacoat Plus forbetter-looking labelsUPM Rafl atac has taken its market leading mid-gloss paper, Rafl acoat,and made it even better. The result of this continuous product developmentis Rafl acoat Plus.Available throughout Europe, this new machine-coated 80g mid-glosspaper is stronger and more rigid, which means less downtime,less waste and faster conversion speeds. A new, evenprinting surface contributes to a precise and consistentprint quality with all conventional printingmethods.With increased opacity assisting a higherlevel of print contrast, Raflacoat Plus deliversbrighter colours and superior print-definitionfor more complex designs and even better-lookinglabels.Good newsfor your business!Be among the first to know what’s going on at UPM Rafl atac!Sign up for our free eRafl atalk newsletter atwww.upmraflatac.com for the latest news, productlaunches, useful tips and more – deliveredstraight to your inbox.Raflatalk Express May 2009The UPM Rafl atac Customer NewsletterPublished by UPM Rafl atac, P.O. Box 53, 33101 Tampere, Finlandwww.upmrafl atac.com, communications@upmrafl atac.comSee you atLabelexpo Europe 2009!UPM Raflatac is exhibiting at Labelexpo 2009 in Brussels on September23–26. At the world’s largest event for the industry, UPM Rafl atac willbe presenting a wide range of advanced film and paper-based labellingmaterials which combine performance, eco-friendliness and economywith uncompromising quality.The last Labelexpo Europe in 2007 was a great success with over24,000 visitors and 500 exhibitors attending from all over the world.Let’s meet again this year, at booth 5D60!For more information on our products,contact your nearest UPM Rafl atac representative.Visit www.upmrafl atac.com for contact details.Paper: UPM Finesse premium silk 150g/m 24RAFLATALK EXPRESS