(UPM, Helsinki, July 2, 2007 at 10.00) – Doctor of technology, Isko Kajanto, has been appointed to the new professorship in paper technology donated by UPM to Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT). Mr Kajanto will work half-time at LUT’s Department of Chemical Technology and the rest at UPM Research Centre in Lappeenranta focusing on nanotechnology research work.
The five years fixed term professorship will start at the beginning of August 2007.
"The new professorship will complete the research work of UPM and the university and it will further strengthen our co-operation. This offers an excellent opportunity to combine the experience of both organisations and to create a solid background for research work in this field", says Director Timo Koskinen from UPM Research Centre.
Mr Kajanto will transfer to UPM at the beginning of September from KCL, which is a private Finnish-based research company owned by the forestry industry. He has been working there as research co-ordinator in the field of composite and packaging materials. At LUT, he will be in charge of teaching and high quality international research in paper technology. The forestry industry is one of the strategic strengths of LUT, and paper technology is one of its essential areas of operation.
UPM's research centres employ over 200 researchers around the world. Some 160 of them work at the Lappeenranta Research Centre, which focuses on fibres and fibre raw materials, papers, coating and printing, as well as production support and the environment.
UPM's recycled fibre research is centred in Augsburg, Germany, and support for North American operations is in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. A new research centre that opened in China in March focuses on the potential use of local fibres in paper production, and supporting production and technical services locally.
For further information please contact:
Mr Timo Koskinen, Director, UPM Research Centre, tel. +358 40 732 5056
UPM in short:
UPM is one of the world’s leading forest products groups. The Group's sales in 2006 were EUR 10 billion, and it has about 28,000 employees. UPM's main products include printing papers, self-adhesive label materials and wood products. The company has production plants in 15 countries and its main market areas are Europe and North America. UPM's shares are listed on the Helsinki and New York stock exchanges. www.upm-kymmene.com
