UPM signs contract with Aliplast for release liner recovery in France

(UPM, Helsinki, 2 April 2013 at 11:00 EET) – UPM has announced cooperation for release liner recovery with the French subsidiary of Aliplast, an Italian company specializing in the collection and treatment of recovered plastic films. This partnership expands Aliplast’s recycling services to polypropylene (PP) and paper-based release liners through UPM Raflatac’s RafCycle^® waste management concept. Aliplast now collects, sorts and distributes all types of release liner to different recycling processes, avoiding landfill or incineration.

Large collection bags are installed by Aliplast for use by self-adhesive label end-users like drinks bottlers and companies from the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Aliplast collects the bags regularly and directs them to its two sorting centres near Strasbourg and Lyon. After sorting, the waste is transported to its final place of re-use.

Polypropylene liners, including UPM Raflatac’s ProLiner PP30, are re-used as raw material in the manufacture of wood-plastic composite products at the UPM ProFi^® factory in Bruchsal, Germany. Other wrapping films are recycled into various packaging products by Aliplast Italy.

Aliplast also collects paper-based release liners for fibre re-use. The recovered paper liners are re-pulped and de-siliconized, and the pulp is used for papermaking at UPM’s paper mills.

Through the partnership with Aliplast, UPM Raflatac has extended the reach of its RafCycle concept to even more label end-users. This unique service provides a sustainable solution for recycling paper and film release liners, reducing the environmental impact and bringing down waste management costs. By giving release liner a second life, UPM is making yet another advance in the sustainable management of the labelstock lifecycle.

For further information, please contact:
Mr Franck Accornero, Sales Director, UPM Raflatac France, tel. + 33 609 489 002
Mr Erkki Nyberg, Business Development Director, UPM Engineered Materials, tel. +358 40 864 3204

UPM Raflatac, part of UPM’s Engineered Materials business group, is one of the world’s leading suppliers of self-adhesive label materials. UPM Raflatac has a global service network consisting of 15 factories on six continents and a broad network of sales offices and slitting and distribution terminals worldwide. UPM Raflatac employs around 2,900 people and made sales of EUR 1.2 billion (USD 1.6 billion) in 2012. Further information is available at www.upmraflatac.com.
 
UPM leads the integration of bio and forest industries into a new, sustainable and innovation-driven future. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. UPM consists of three Business Groups: Energy and pulp, Paper, and Engineered materials. The Group employs around 22,000 people and it has production plants in 17 countries. UPM's annual sales exceed EUR 10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on the Helsinki stock exchange. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com