Valmet's OptiConcept M awarded honorable mention in Fennia Prize 2014 design competition

Valmet Corporation's press release on February 3, 2014 at 15:30 p.m. EET

Valmet's paper and board making concept, OptiConcept M was awarded honorable mention in Fennia Prize 2014, one of the biggest design competition for companies in Finland, on 30th of January. The competition is arranged by Design Forum Finland and the Fennia Group.

The Fennia Prizes are awarded to companies in recognition of the comprehensive and innovative use of design for creating and realizing products, services and business concepts, and in product development, manufacturing and corporate image matters.

The Fennia Prize 2014 competition aroused much attention. 80 companies, of which eighteen were start-ups, registered in the competition. 40 products, 30 product families, six services and four concepts participated.

OptiConcept M design makes difference

Valmet selected the customer experience as a starting point of the new paper and board production line design instead of the traditional paper making process. Modular design ties together all the elements of a long production chain from layout, operations, and manufacturing to assembly. Excellent working conditions and easy maintenance are important. Technical innovations enabled the machine structure design to be 3-6 m lower. Also life-cycle costs and carbon dioxide emissions decreased remarkably. OptiConcept M is strategically important concept for Valmet in highly competitive market.

Jussi Salojärvi, member of the design team of OptiConcept M, is happy for the honorable mention the concept was awarded. "This is a great achievement in our long development work. We have clearly managed to choose the right product properties for OptiConcept M. Getting this honorable mention is one indication of this success. This is a good place to continue from. We have had a large team developing OptiConcept M and certainly this prize is for everyone who have positively affected to the concept. Thanks to everyone!", says Salojärvi.

All the award-winners are presented in Design Forum web pages: http://www.designforum.fi/prizes/fenniaprize/2014_en

VALMET CORPORATION
Corporate Communications

Further information, please contact:
Jussi Salojärvi, Industrial Design Manager, Paper business line, Valmet tel. +358 10 672 6720

Valmet Corporation is a leading global developer and supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industries. Our 11,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day.

Valmet's services cover everything from maintenance outsourcing to mill and plant improvements and spare parts. Our strong technology offering includes entire pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bio-energy production.

The company has over 200 years of industrial history and was reborn through the demerger of the pulp, paper and power businesses from Metso Group in December 2013. Valmet's net sales in 2012 were approximately EUR 3 billion. Valmet's objective is to become the global champion in serving its customers.

Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd.