Walki Group - Technical Laminates and Protective Packaging Materials

Walki Group is a leading producer of technical laminates and protective packaging materials. It specialises in the production of fibre-based, intelligent, multi-laminate products for markets as diverse as energy-saving construction facings to barrier packaging applications. Walki Group has operations in Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the UK, Russia and China with a workforce of about 1,000 people. Annual net sales for the Group are €325m.

The group's main owner is CapMan, a leading private equity investor in the Nordic countries, who acquired the company from UPM-Kymmene in 2007.

Since independence, the group has acquired Ekopak Jatne in Poland, a paper packaging business, and more recently Meuwissen Industries in The Netherlands, a specialist construction facings and membranes company. The company has also just opened a new plant at Svetogorsk in Russia and is about to launch a new business to produce RFID antennas using ground-breaking technology.

The business area sales organisations operate out of each production plant, supported by the company's own sales offices in France, Sweden, Norway, Russia and Malaysia, and an international network of agents around the world.

The company promotes the use of renewable materials and energy-saving solutions, working cooperatively to develop solutions that satisfy customer needs and add value for the whole supply chain.

Energy-saving and intelligent laminates

The Walki Group has three business areas: technical products, consumer board and paper packaging. Walki's technical products business area produces specialist energy-saving, intelligent laminates used in the construction industry, steel industry, industrial packaging industry and specialist flexible packaging industry. The main brand names to note include Walki-Build, Walki-Steelex, Walki-Flex, Walki-Lid and Walki-Biomass Cover.

An exciting new development in the area of technical products is the launch of an innovative, new business technology, Walki-4E, which permits the production of RFID antennas (Walki-Pantenna) by a ground-breaking dry process. This innovative development of laser technology, the first real alternative to using the etching process, means no use of chemicals and easy recycling of process residue as recyclable aluminium. This innovative process allows antennas to be produced in a more exact, economical and more environmentally sound way. It also means antennas can be produced faster than by the existing etching process, making it a truly outstanding innovation.

Barrier-coated and laminated materials for packaged goods protection

Barrier board and lining materials for the solid case and corrugated industry are the focus of the consumer board business area. Specialist barrier-coated and laminated materials are used by these industries to protect the packed products, reduce waste and improve functionality of the finished pack, for example by using easy open tear-strip features. Typical end-uses are chilled and frozen food, detergents, drinks, pharmaceuticals, and fish and meat transit cases. The brand names to note are Walki-Pack and Walki-Line.

Paper Packaging products for paper industry reels, reel-end discs and printed wrappers

Walki-Reel and Walki-Ream are the main product groups in the paper packaging business area. The business produces specialist products for use as wrappers for paper industry reels, including reel-end discs and printed wrappers for A4 and A3 cut size and folio reams of paper.

About Walki Group

The company operates using the three key values of integrity, initiative and commitment, as the basic guiding principles that empower each and every worker, to influence the way they act in relation to each other and all external contacts. These values, developed by company employees themselves help to ensure that each action is made in support of the company brand promise to customers: 'Your Business Covered.' Any company reputation is built on trust and it is by following these values that trust is earned every day, in every contact with the outside world. Walki has built its business on strong strategic foundations, including:

• Relationships: mutual benefit from flexible, co-operative relationships with supply chain partners
• Competitive operations: lean operations, minimum fixed costs, continuous improvement, investment
• Significant growth: organic and acquisition
• Customer-driven innovation process: focus on real needs and development of new features and products of tomorrow in consultation with our marketplace. Central to long term success
• People: motivated, skilful, responsible and empowered people

Visit the Walki Group website to receive the latest news and innovations and for more information about Walki Group.