UPM Biofore Magazine 1-2019

UPM FLAGSHIP STORE ON JD.COM

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glassine production capacity by more than 40,000 tonnes by early 2020. “Parcel delivery in China has been growing 30 to 35% annually in the past years. When you calculate what that means for paper, it’s quite a large market in terms of volume,” Ali says. “We have identified the logistic label segment as a sizeable and fast- growing segment. Last year, we launched a new glassine product, UPMBrilliant™Express, specifically tailored for this end use. Other new products that address growth in this area are also in the pipeline.” Sights on sustainability While e-commerce brings convenience and greater freedom of choice, both the Chinese population and government have become increasingly conscious of the burden that the shopping boom places on the environment. “The private sector is also active here, primarily international companies, but I believe that more and more leading Chinese companies will also start using sustainable packaging materials,” Malassu adds. The government recently issued new standards promoting the use of sustainable packaging materials, and consumers are showing a clear preference for sustainably packaged products. “UPM is certainly recognised as the leader in sustainable labelling and packaging materials. That’s one of the reasons we are looking at new opportunities in these segments. We believe our sustainability credentials can create more value for our customers on this sizeable and growing market”. 

TEXT Ni Xiao Hong   PHOTOGRAPHY JD.COM

Early last year, UPM launched its flagship store on JD.com, one of the largest online retailers in China. Altogether, five different office paper brand families are sold on JD.com: UPM Jetset®, UPMCopykid®, UPMYes®, UPMFuture® and UPM Soho®. “With 99% of the population in China under JD’s logistic network coverage, now, no matter where you are in China, you can have a ream of UPM copy paper delivered to your doorstep within a day or two,“ notes Simon Wu , Sales representative, E-channel, Specialty Papers APAC, who is responsible for the online sales of UPMproducts in China. Customers can visit the shop on their mobile app or through a social media channel like WeChat, where they can browse product categories, study and compare product specifications, chat with online customer services, receive information about in-store promotions, place an order anytime and have them delivered quickly.

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