About UPM

UPM Plywood has developed a new technology for manufacturing layered composites. The first application is formable plywood UPM Grada.

UPM Plywood’s new composite technology is a result of years of determined scientific research and development. The core of the new technology is a special adhesive film that allows the plywood to be formed after manufacturing. Traditionally, bonding wood is a one-time operation. The bond-line remains intact and it cannot be altered after the adhesive has set.

UPM’s new adhesive creates a unique chemical bond with wood, which can be altered afterwards by heating. The adhesive will set again as it cools down. This characteristic enables the plywood to be formed into a desired shape in a simple three-step process of heating, forming and cooling. The use of formable plywood in form pressing is also safer, as working with it does not involve handling hazardous chemicals. It can also be recycled at the end of its life, by grounding it down to produce raw material for other composites.

Formable plywood is very well-suited to many end-uses, such as furniture and various industrial applications. Applying the technology to other materials will broaden its range of end-uses yet further.