Lahti Fair Ltd.
Press release 10.11.2008

The Future of the Plastics Industry in Finland

- Plastics Industry aims at the future

Worldwide economic depression starts to show also in Finnish plastics industry. Production in the field almost scored its records last spring, but now production expectations according to the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK are weak. Managing Director of the Finnish Plastics industries Federation Kari Teppola says that it is important now to concentrate on the future as well as save the costs. Product development can be a positive and crucial step.

Last December Finnish industry made voluntary agreement to improve energy efficiency. Plastics Industry is one of the contracting parties and now plastics industry starts to put effort on energy efficiency. The aim of this is to optimize the use of energy in production in the near future.

Plastics industry has already some solutions to save energy as well as save the costs. Kari Teppola presents for example better thermal insulation in construction industry by using new, effective plastic insulations. Other example is to replace vehicle parts with light and durable plastic parts. This helps decreasing fuel consumption. And today in new vehicles there are much more parts made of plastics and composite structures than before. And opportunities are great, because 46 % of the oil used in Finland is consumed in traffic. Instead only 4 % of the oil consumption in the world is used in producing plastic parts.

Bright future for some areas

Managing Director of Conenor Markku Vilkki says that in some areas like wood-plastic composite products are expecting a bright future. These products have important features like durability, environmental friendliness and profitability, which is important criteria now and in the future. Good example of this kind of products are outside terraces. Also Managing Director of Ekin Muovi Ltd. Erkki Lappi says that they are educating their employees and enlarging their premises. Economic depression is not so strong in their field of industry, than for example in boat industry, which is almost stopped.

Plastics 2008 -fair

The Plastics 2008 special fair is for professionals in plastics industry. On display there will be materials, semifinished articles and finished products, machines and much more concerning plastics and rubber industry. Educational events of the fair will place great emphasis on training in the use of plastics. For example seminars on Friday called “Plastics, design and technology” (in Finnish) or on Thursday “Plastics in change” (partly in English). Also interesting lecture will be on Wednesday evening, when Director Europe, Middle East & Africa Polyolefin Studies CMAI Europe GmbH, Michael D. Smith speaks about current situation of the Plastics market. The lecture is in English.

The main themes of the Plastics 2008 are:
• Developing manufacturing technology
• Solving environmental challenges with the aid of plastics
• New materials and composite structures

Plastics – a high-tech industry

Plastics industry employ some 15,000 people. Over 600 companies are involved in the manufacture of plastics and plastic products, generating an aggregate turnover of €2,9 billion.

Plastics 2008 is arranged in cooperation with the industry’s main organizations:

The Finnish Plastics Industries Federation
The most important employer federation of the plastics industry in Finland. Its main activities are lobbying for the interests of the industry and dealing with the authorities. The Federation has 117 corporate members.

The Finnish Plastics Association
The association’s 1,400 individual members represent over 800 companies involved with the plastics industry. Its main task is the handling of intra-sector communication of information.

The Muovipoli Association
Community for corporate experts in plastics technology, development and education.

Muovi Plastics 12.-14.11.2008

Opening hours: from 10 am to 5 pm

Further information:
Lahti Fair Ltd.
Project Manager Olli Patja
P.O. Box 106, FIN-15141 Lahti
Tel. +358 3 525 820
GSM +358 40 584 0840
Telefax +358 3 525 8225
olli.patja@lahdenmessut.fi

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Lahden Messut Ltd.
Press Release 18.10.2008

Visitors were satisfied with WoodWorking 2008
– International Trade Fair in Lahti 15.-18.10.2008

Professionals in the field of woodworking and the sector’s linkage groups once again gathered at the Lahti Fair Centre for a special trade fair arranged by Lahti Fair Ltd and the woodworking section of the Finnish Association of Technical Traders. Four days Woodworking fair has been arranged in Lahti every second year since 1991 with many new product groups on display and plenty of supplementary events. This year Woodworking 2008 had 106 stands and there were over 200 products and services on display which was over 20 % more than in the year 2006. Exhibition area was also bigger than ever –over 4800 m2 in three halls. Total number of the visitors was almost 8.000.

Novelties and the Best Knowledge

The best knowledge and novelties were on display at the Fair. Raw materials, surface treatment machinery and fixing technology are fields which were presented at Woodworking 2008 more widely than ever. Traditionally machines were operating at the Lahti Fair Centre to provide customers with a realistic display of what equipment can do. This area was also very popular as well as smaller machines and equipment interested enthusiastic visitors also. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland presented benefits of RFID remote identification technology in forest industry. It is quickly developing technology, which enables for example to follow a tree from the woods all the way to the mill and to final product (www.vtt.fi).

Häfele Functionality presented in demonstrations a kitchen, which can be modified mechanically or manually so that the space will be multifunctional.

Cooperation is the key word

Entrepreneurs of the Wood Industry Association announced on Friday their members´ opinions about the future and economic trends. About 50 % of members answered the questionnaire and they employ all together 3.472 people. The message was clear, that after the summer orders have been decreasing. Although there were some positive signs in profitability, which was better than in last year inquiry. International economic trends influence to this, but how, it is still a question mark.

Both the Managing Director of the Lahti Fair Ltd. Jussi Eerikäinen and the Chairman of the Isku Group Seppo Vikström asked for cooperation to promote the whole industry in their statements. Also the Chairman of Entrepreneurs of the Wood Industry Association, Olli Heinonen said: “Cooperation between companies and building the subcontracting chains should be more the way in Finland, like it is in Europe.”

Concrete example of this kind of cooperation was on Friday, when the Woodworking section of Finnish Association of Technical Traders and Entrepreneurs of the Wood Industry Association discussed about service and maintenance and how it should be developed in cooperation with the customers and woodworking machines salesmen. International competitiveness and economical effectiveness were also important issues. The associations decided to start in cooperation a development program so that targeted issues could be achieved.

More Effort to Development and Wood Construction

Lahti Science and Business Park organized a seminar on Wednesday which concentrated in future aspects of the wood construction. Also there were presentation of the SouthWood – project which aim is to improve the conditions and business of the companies of the wood industry.

Jarmo Kivistö, the Chairman of the woodworking section of the Finnish Association of Technical Traders said that insecurity in the area of woodworking machines and related tools is increasing. Competition is getting harder and next year will be more difficult. Kivistö said, that companies should focus on product development now more than ever.

Visitors were Interested

Total number of the visitors was almost 8.000 (7.727). According to the inquiry, visitors were satisfied with the fair. A great number of answerers are in leading role in companies. Friday was the most popular day as thought beforehand.

www.lahdenmessut.fi/puuntyosto2008

For more Information:

IRINA LEHTONEN

Marketing Manager

Lahden Messut Oy

Tel. +358 (0) 400 710 836

irina.lehtonen(at)ahdenmessut.fi

JARMO KIVISTÖ

Chairman

Finnish Association of Technical Traders, Woodworking

Tel. +358(0) 500 353 453

jarmo.kivisto(at)penope.fi

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Entrepreneurs of the Wood Industry Association represents 600 Finnish furniture- and woodworking companies which make furniture, windows, doors, kitchen equipment and much more. The most companies are micro- or small- and medium-sized companies. Association is Finland´s leading trustee in the field, which main target is to promote Finnish woodworking in Finland and abroad. www.puuteollisuusyrittajat.fi