UPM to Use Alternative Transportation in France


Helsinki, Finland, 24 November 2010 – UPM has inaugurated a terminal for unloading and storage of suspended calcium carbonate for its UPM Stracel mill. The raw material will be transported by inland waterways and rail, achieving a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. The terminal is located near the Rhine River in Strasbourg.

The new transportation system replaces 4000 trucks a year that previously transported calcium carbonate mixes to the mill. This logistic enables to greatly reduce traffic around the mill and to reduce logistic CO2 emissions by 50% per year. UPM thus reinforces the use of alternative transportation modes in France. With the river shuttle established by the Group in 2008 between Paris and Rouen, close to 8500 trucks are now taken off the road annually.

The terminal was delivered through a financial partnership between UPM, local authorities, and the Strasbourg harbor (Port Autonome de Strasbourg) who are owners of the facility. The investment of nearly EUR 5 million includes the construction of a wharf, a discharge structure, and three storage towers.

This project fully meets UPM environmental policy that aims at reducing environmental impacts of its operations and products over their entire life cycle.