History

Papermarking has a long tradition

The basic principles of papermaking have remained almost unchanged for two thousand years. Fibres are distributed evenly in water and the water is drained, leaving the fibres bonded together. Today, we utilise the most advanced technology, not only to make paper, but also to ensure that the process utilises raw materials in the most sustainable way, with a minimal impact on the environment at every stage from resources to recycling.

The paper business has a long tradition with UPM and has long been a very important business sector of the Group. UPM as we know it today has its roots in the Finnish paper-, pulp- and sawmill industry. Over the decades, numerous forest-based companies in Finland have joined forces to form a globally operating and export-oriented corporation. Some of the mills, e. g. Kymi, Kaukas or Rauma, are still important parts of UPM Communication Papers today.

Our paper mills through history

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Discover our paper mills today

Through bigger acquisitions, like the German Haindl Group (2001) and the Myllykoski Group (2011), UPM further strengthened its position in the European market for graphic papers and reinforced its portfolio in the area of recycled fibres.

UPM expressed its commitment to sustaining its global graphic paper business by naming the business area into UPM Communication Papers in 2018. The name underlines the industry focus and the global reach of the business area. It further builds on the view, that printed products will remain a reliable and trusted communication channel, even over the long-term.

At the pulse of time

Throughout the decades, UPM Communication Papers along with the whole paper industry, has adapted to a variety of societal, economic and technical developments. None of these changes, however, has had a more lasting impact on our business than digitization, starting at the beginning of the 21st century. Digitalization has caused our main product, paper, to take on a new role. Print is no longer an independent format, but it has proven to be a cornerstone of the modern media mix, providing an unrivalled haptic experience that facilitates focus and informational transfer, not the least in education.

UPM Communication Papers today

The UPM Group has sharpened the corporation's strategic focus by envisioning a future beyond fossils. Paper as a product is ideally embedded within this strategic approach, it serves as The blueprint for a bio-based circular economy, made from renewable materials and efficiently recyclable. Nowadays our sustainable papers are produced in 13 modern paper mills located in Europe and North America.