UPM celebrates 25 years of operations in Uruguay with a photo exhibition

(UPM, Helsinki, 1 June 2016 at 14:45 EET) - UPM opens a photo exhibition on the 2 June at Bioforum, UPM's showroom at the UPM Biofore House, to celebrate company's special relationship with Uruguay. The Natural Commitment photo exhibition provides a cross-sectional overview of company's 25 years in Uruguay. The exhibition shows Andrés Bartet's photographs from the UPM's plantation operations and community engagement activities of the UPM Foundation. In addition, the exhibition offers glimpses into the Uruguayan countryside, its people, and their passionate relationship with the country's most popular sport football. The exhibition is staged in cooperation with the Embassy of Uruguay.

UPM has played a major role in the development of the Uruguayan forest industry since the early 1990s. In addition to certified eucalyptus plantation operations the company produces pulp and energy in one of the world's most modern pulp mills in Fray Bentos.

The UPM Foundation was established 10 years ago to promote education and entrepreneurship through joint work with social organisations and local representatives in Uruguay. The foundation's mission is to bring together local stakeholders, communities and authorities, especially in the fields of education and training in the rural interior of the country. 

"UPM has been privileged to play a substantial role in the development of a successful and sustainable forest industry in Uruguay. Through our forestry, pulp production and related logistics chain we are deeply engaged with the Uruguayan society and will remain highly committed to supporting the positive development of the industry", says Anssi Klinga, Senior Vice President, UPM Pulp

"The establishment and operation of UPM in Uruguay has been a significant milestone in the development of the forestry industry in our country. It was the first major greenfield undertaking in the pulp sector, vertically integrated, environmentally sustainable, socially responsible and technologically advanced. I believe that UPM has found in Uruguay a country well suited for its business with the right natural conditions, a solid institutional framework, good governance and also a qualified and motivated working force", states Pablo Sader, Ambassador of Uruguay.
  
"Natural Commitment photo exhibition offers a unique and rare glimpse into a distant and beautiful country that UPM has a special relationship with. The photographs are more than documentation of UPM's 25 years of operations in Uruguay. They show the beauty of rural Uruguay and its people, celebrating the positive developments we have achieved working together in the local communities", says Elisa Nilsson, Vice President, Brand and Communications, UPM.

Visit biofore.upm.fi (in Finnish) to see opening dates and hours for the Uruguay photo exhibition.

For further information please contact:
Elisa Nilsson, Vice President, UPM Brand and Communication, tel. +358 40 500 3150.

UPM, Media Relations
9.00-16.00 EET
tel. +358 40 588 3284
media@upm.com

UPM
Through the renewing of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper ENA and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve our customers worldwide. The group employs around 19,600 people and its annual sales are approximately EUR 10 billion. UPM shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM - The Biofore Company - www.upm.com

UPM Pulp
UPM is one of the world's leading producers of northern softwood, birch and eucalyptus pulp supplying global customers in many end use segments such as tissue, specialty papers, board, and printing and writing papers through its own sales and technical service network close to the customers. UPM Pulp operates four modern pulp mills, three in Finland and one in Uruguay as well as eucalyptus plantations in Uruguay. UPM Pulp employs approximately 1,500 people. The annual pulp production capacity is 3.5 million tonnes. Pulp Business is part of the UPM Biorefining Business Area. To learn more, visit: www.upmpulp.com

UPM in Uruguay
UPM's operations in Uruguay include the Fray Bentos pulp mill, the UPM Forestal Oriental forestry and wood sourcing company with its two nurseries, as well as the UPM Foundation.

UPM Forestal Oriental owns about 230,000 hectares of land, of which about 60% is planted with eucalyptus. The rest of the land is protected or used for forestry-related infrastructure, cattle grazing and other non-plantation operations. All of UPM's forest plantations are certified to FSC® and PEFCTM standards.

The Fray Bentos pulp mill started operations in 2007 and remains one of the world's most modern and efficient pulp mills. Its annual production capacity is 1.3 million tonnes of chemical eucalyptus pulp. Besides pulp, the Fray Bentos mill is a significant biomass-based energy producer, its electricity production accounting 8% of Uruguay's total energy production. The mill's wood raw material comes from sustainably managed local plantations.

Founded in 2006, the UPM Foundation works in coordination with local stakeholders to promote the development of rural communities through education, training and entrepreneurship, fostering a culture of safety and healthy living.

UPM employs directly and indirectly altogether 7,000 in Uruguay jobs and its contribution to Uruguay's GDP is1.4%.

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