UPM-Biofore-Magazine-2-2017-ENG

UPM innovations are protected by patents and other intellectual property rights, which are critical as the company ventures into new business areas. A strong patent portfolio not only provides a competitive edge, but also a solid basis for future value creation.

Jyrki Ovaska

T he innovation performance of a company is oftenmeasured by the number of new patent applications it files. Every year, UPMfiles approximately 350 patent applications across the world. In Finland alone, the company was granted over 50 patents in 2016—more than any other Finnish company. Jyrki Ovaska , Executive Vice President of Technology at UPM, sees patents and other intellectual property rights as a key competitive advantage and value creator. “This is why UPMhas always protected its intellectual property rights by filing for patents, which is becoming evenmore important as the company expands into new business areas in line with the Biofore strategy.” Patents protect innovations Wood-based biofuels and biochemicals are among the areas where UPM is generously focusing its R&D resources. Every new innovation entitles the creator to a variety of intellectual property rights. “Developing a new product is like going on an expedition. It’s a long journey where new routes open up along the way, allowing us to developmaterials for different end-use applications. This journey also leads to new technologies being discovered and patents being filed to protect them,” Ovaska explains. UPMhas already applied for patents on several innovations in these new business areas, such as its bio-based UPMBioVerno diesel and naphtha. In addition, the company has patented technologies used to manufacture biofuels fromwood-based crude tall oil, an innovation developed at the UPMResearch Centre in Lappeenranta. Patents are also pending on technologies developed by UPM for manufacturing lignin-based products for a wide range of applications. These wood-based products can be used to replace oil-based components in

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