PaperAge Magazine

UPM Concludes Employee Consultation Process Related to Paper Machine 10 Closure at Plattling Mill

coated paper production UPM will permanently close paper machine 10 at its Plattling paper mill in Germany by mid-July, reducing the annual capacity of coated mechanical paper in Europe by approximately 155,000 tons.

June 24, 2019 - UPM announced that it has concluded the required employee consultation process related to the company's decision to permanently close paper machine 10 at its paper mill in Plattling, Germany. UPM first announced plans for the machine closure in April of this year.

The decision will affect 155 employees and reduce coated mechanical paper capacity in Europe by approximately 155,000 tonnes.

“The recent weeks have not been easy for the employees at our Plattling site. We are therefore pleased to have led a constructive and fair consultation process to a conclusion which helps diminish the impact of the closure.” said Ruud van den Berg, Senior Vice President, Magazines, Merchants and Office Business, UPM Communication Papers.

“We regret this decision but remain convinced that it will support the competitiveness of both UPM Communication Papers as well as the remaining assets at the Plattling site in the long run. The discipline and commitment of our employees in Plattling during the process has been remarkable,” he added.

Paper machine 10 will be permanently closed by mid-July 2019, while paper production on the remaining machines at the Plattling mill — paper machines 1 and 11 — will continue.

Prior to the closing of paper machine 10, UPM Plattling mill has the capacity to produce 785,000 tons per year of coated and uncoated magazine papers (LWC, SC). The mill employs 590 people.

Through the renewing of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Paper ENA and UPM Plywood. To learn more, please visit: www.upm.com

SOURCE: UPM