Consumables

UPM establishes new Biorefinery Development Centre in Lappeenranta, Finland

Tuesday 02. September 2008 - UPM establishes a new UPM Biorefinery Development Centre for the research of biofuels and biochemicals.

The centre will be located on the premises of UPM Kaukas paper mill in Lappeenranta, Finland. In the facility, pilot machinery will be built for the research and technology development. The development will be done in cooperation with Lappeenranta University of Technology.

The first machinery will start operations in October 2008, while the main operations will begin at the beginning of 2009.

“Establishing a new research centre is one more step in developing new business areas for UPM. The centre will also serve UPM’s other ongoing biomass research projects,” Pekka Hurskainen, VP R&D, says.

The new centre is a part of UPM R&D Centre. As part of the project, some of UPM R&D Centre’s personnel and equipment is directed to support UPM’s new business areas. The UPM Biorefinery Development Centre is expected to employ about 15-20 people.