UPM biocomposite contract coup
12 April 2013UPM’s promotional drive of its ForMi biocomposite material has yielded a major coup - with speaker manufacturer Genelec choosing the material for its new high-end speaker model.
The contract, with one of the world's leading speaker manufacturers, comes shortly after UPM said it wanted to extend the reach of ForMi in the furniture and construction industries.
Finland-based Genelec said ForMi - made from raw pulp and 50% virgin plastic - was easy to mould, had excellent acoustic features and environmental credentials and did not require grinding or surface treatment, enabling a more efficient productin process.
"It took several years to develop a finished speaker using this kind of material," said Harri Koskinen, Genelec speaker designer.
Genelec will produce two M series speakers using ForMi.
"Gaining the business of a world-class manufacturer known for high quality is yet another huge step forward for us," said Stefan Fors, director at UPM ForMi. "I also believe that this will lead to other manufacturers contacting us in increasing numbers."
UPM predicted ForMi will soon replace chipboard as the main raw material in Finnish kitchen unit frames, while the company is also targeting the construction sector, with 3mm ForMi sheets touted as a possible replacement for 12mm chipboard.
