Finnish forest industry gives financial boost to university research

Finland’s forest industry is continuing to donate large sums of money to the country’s universities, with UPM giving €500,000 in the latest donation.

UPM is giving the money to five Finnish universities for research and education. They are Oulu, Lappeenranta, Helsinki, Abo Akademi and Hanken School of Economics.

The Finnish Forest Industries Federation announced a €4m donation earlier this year to Aalto University.

UPM said top-level scientific research at universities created a foundation for innovations which were prerequisites for the renewal of the forest industry and for its future success.

“The Finnish forest industry has a unique position to be the frontrunner of the bioeconomy which is based on renewable raw material and recyclable products,” said UPM president and CEO Jussi Pesonen.

“The renewal of the forest industry requires large co-operation in the society.”