There has been a consolidation in the European market for wood polymer composite (WPC) products. NATURinFORM acquires parts of the production facilities of the Finnish company UPM, which announced in June that it was withdrawing from the production of WPC decking boards. The German WPC specialist NATURinFORM will rebuild these facilities and continue the production of the Piazza Pro and Piazza One decking boards formerly marketed by UPM. The agreement will enter into force as of October 2024.
NATURinFORM has announced that it will scrutinise the market opportunities resulting from this in the upcoming weeks and ensure the smooth supply of both products for customers. The company thus assumes a key role in the growing market segment of WPC decking boards.
Growth based on sustainability and quality
NATURinFORM has always been the epitome of highest quality and sustainability. The company only uses PEFC-certified wood from regional forestry and homogeneous polymers for its WPC products. Strict quality controls and load tests guarantee the consistently high quality of the wood-based materials. NATURinFORM’s in-house return system also ensures that valuable raw materials remain in the production cycle to maximise the service life of the materials.
UPM’s co-extruded products, Piazza Pro and Piazza One, are well-known for their durability and sustainability. They impress with their high resistance to stains and weather influences. These products have proven their worth, particularly in high-stress environments, such as public swimming pools or the food service industry, and have created a high market share throughout Europe.
NATURinFORM focuses on expansion in the co-ex decking board segment
With the acquisition of the UPM product lines, NATURinFORM is specifically strengthening its commitment to the co-extrusion (co-ex) segment of decking boards – co-ex decking boards are WPC decking boards with an additional coating of the WPC core, which guarantees an exceptionally high level of robustness. At the same time, the company is driving its own previously announced investments in the production of a new co-ex product line, which is expected to be presented to the global public at the BAU trade fair in Munich.
“We couldn’t have imagined a better successor for our WPC products,” explains Edward Robinson, Director UPM Profi. “NATURinFORM shares our values regarding quality, sustainability, and service. We are convinced that our products will continue to be in the best hands in the future and that the market will be reliably supplied.”
Horst Walther, founder and Managing Partner of NATURinFORM, sees the acquisition as a significant opportunity for growth: “The integration of UPM products significantly strengthens our position in the international market. Together with our own co-ex product range, we are convinced that we can continue to advance NATURinFORM successfully in the long term and open up new growth opportunities and markets.”
Pia Hobeck, Managing Director at NATURinFORM, emphasises: “We are thus remaining true to our strategy of continuously focussing on innovation, product diversity, and sustainability as a leading provider of WPC solutions.”
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