Espoo, Finland -- Walki Group, which makes technical laminates including facings for rigid foam, has taken an important step in its strategic plan for the emerging markets: it recently celebrated the opening of a new plant in Svetogorsk in Russia. The next step is already in place, the company said: establishing a sales office in Moscow.
The Finnish laminates and protective packagings maker said establishing dedicated production facilities in Russia is a logical consequence of its close co-operation with customers, as well as a first step towards entering new business areas in the Russian market as a domestic supplier.
The new plant is located at the ZAO "International Paper" pulp and paper mill, cementing further the group's "long-standing and successful partnership," Walki said.
For years Walki has been supplying ream wrapping for International Paper Russia's well-known office paper brands Svetocopy and Ballet.
"We have plenty of experience in the Russian market when it comes to, for example, products for the paper industry, flexible laminates and packaging material for steel products. Our new establishment in Svetogorsk will enable us to provide faster and more flexible service to our existing customers," said Timo Finnström, vice president Paper Packaging and Sourcing, Walki, in the company's statement.
"We have a range of products that in due time could be very interesting for the Russian market. A good example is flexible packaging applications and another is our range of high-class insulation facing materials and membranes," Finnström said.
As well as packaging materials, Walki produces laminated energy saving facings for rigid polyurethane foam in construction applications, with production units in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Poland, the UK and China.
PIC: Peter the Great declared Walki's Svetogorsk plant open -- with assistance of Luis Claudio Pereira, executive director, International Paper Russia and Leif Frilund, president of Walki Group
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