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(UPM, Helsinki, 17 September 2013 at 10.00 EET) – Tregren, a Finnish company, introduces a new, more sustainable way of growing lettuce and herbs indoors. The new Genie kitchen garden is based on hydroponics and uses the UPM ForMi biocomposite developed by UPM. Hydroponics and adequate lighting allow the plants to grow up to three times faster than plants grown in a traditional flowerpot. "The Genie kitchen garden is a completely new kind of Finnish product. We paid special attention to design and environmental responsibility when developing Genie. ABS plastic was replaced with UPM ForMi, which consists of up to 50% wood fibre. This provides a major competitive advantage. Furthermore, UPM ForMi's carbon footprint is more than 50% smaller than that of ABS plastic," explains Tregren's Development Director Markus Nilsson. Consumers are more and more interested in the origins of their food, cleanliness and the environmental impact of production. The ease of hydroponics has revolutionised the cultivation of plants at home. UPM ForMi was selected for the garden base mainly for environmental reasons. With UPM ForMi, half of the oil-based, non-renewable raw materials could be replaced with natural renewable wood fibres that come from sustainably managed forests. At the end of its lifecycle, the kitchen garden can be burned and used as an energy source; a highly sustainable approach. The biocomposite will replace the food grade ABS plastic in all of Tregren's products. "Environmental requirements are becoming increasingly stricter in all sectors, and this generates more demand for UPM ForMi. The Genie kitchen garden is another new application that will make our biocomposite even more well known globally," says the head of the UPM ForMi business, Stefan Fors. The Genie kitchen garden will be introduced at the Habitare fair in the Helsinki Fair Centre on 18–22 September. Genie was designed by Sebastian Jansson. For further information, please contact: UPM, Media Desk,
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 (until 31 October 2013). The Group employs around 22,000 people. The company is present in 67 countries and has production plants in 17 countries. UPM's annual sales exceed € 10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.fi
Tregren develops and manufactures consumer products intended for cultivation in urban areas, particularly indoors. The products are examples of a new kind of Finnish design where functionality and form support each other. Tregren's product philosophy is based on consumer-friendly functional design. Tregren operates in fourteen countries. The products are developed and manufactured in Finland. www.tregren.fi
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