UPM Grada ® New Thermoformable Wood Material

Heat – Press – Cool

UPM Grada wood panel only needs to be heated, formed and cooled. The panel can be surfaced before forming with different materials e.g. laminate, veneer or textile. Heating and forming can also be applied to a selected part of the board, enabling even very large objects to be created affordably.

Heat: The ready-made UPM Grada wood panel must be heated to 130°C throughout the panel to enable forming. A heated flat press is the most efficient heating method. Before heating, lay-up surfaces and cut-to-size or CNC machine the panel to the desired shape.

Press: It is recommended that a mould and pressure are used in forming the wood panel. In the Grada process the mould needs to be cool. The mould temperature should be under 30°C for efficient processing. The hot wood panel is transferred to be formed immediately after reaching the forming temperature at 130°C.

Cool: The thermoformable wood panel cools simultaneously when forming. The formed component needs to be cooled to fewer than 80°C to keep its shape. After cooling the component can be finished, if needed.

Safe

UPM Grada is a safe material, which contains no harmful compounds. Because the material does not contain any added formaldehyde or volatile organic content it is ideal for public and private spaces.

Durable

UPM Grada has been manufactured using a new revolutionary adhesive film which makes products using this wood material strong, of high quality and impact resistant. Thanks to materials durable structure, products made of UPM Grada will make a reliable and long-lasting partner in day-to-day life.

Ecological

UPM Grada is an ecological choice. It is manufactured using PEFC or FSC certified raw materials and following the best practices for sustainable and responsible forestry. UPM Grada material stores CO2 and the products made of the material can be safely recycled or burned at the end of their lifecycle.

Carbon Footprint Profile » (PDF)
Plywood Profile » (PDF)

The wood forming industry, like any other manufacturing sectors in Europe, is continuously looking to increase global competitiveness in the challenging market conditions. This industry sector is relatively labour intensive in comparison with many other manufacturing industries and faces additional pressures from low wage economies such as China and some other Asian countries. European labour costs are the highest globally and are rising rapidly.

According to our extensive research and development to aiming to reduce the pressure in this industry the ready-made UPM Grada panel is an efficient solution and an inspiring way to make form pressed components without additional fingerprints.

UPM is the leading plywood producer in Europe and we have extensive competence in automated veneer handling, high quality and efficient production. With the new Grada technology, manufacturers are able to take actions that will ensure the wood forming industry’s long term success globally, especially in Europe.

• Easy to machine: cutting of the design layout and all openings can be done on the ready-made panel before pressing. Component finishing can be done later, if needed
• Efficient use of material and less waste
• Better quality and more first grade products

• Machining of UPM Grada material is easy since the panel can be sanded before forming to create variable thicknesses. All existing woodworking methods can be used
• The process for creating variable thicknesses is efficient. After sanding, the surfaces are laid-up on the panel and it is formed in half the time taken using traditional methods
• Variable thicknesses can be applied for different profiles in e.g. chairs, lamps, table top rims, panelling for walls and ceilings

• You can reduce panel weight by 80% with creating a hollow gap in the component in which electronics, switches and cables can be hidden
• The hollow gap can also be filled with foam or honeycomb to support the structure
• Lightweight structures can be utilised in lamps, ceiling fixtures, furniture, transportation and logistics

• Convenient to lacquer, paint and lay-up e.g. laminate, veneer, metal, plastic or textile before forming the panel. Thermal resistance or softening point of selected coating should be higher than forming temperature

The UPM Grada panels are made solely from rotary cut birch veneers bonded together in a cross bonded construction. UPM Grada panels are available in full size or cut-to-size panels and CNC machined preforms.

UPM Grada panel standard thicknesses and weights:

Thicknesses and weights

Nominal thickness	Thickness (mm)		Weight (kg/m2)
(mm)	Min	Max	abt
4.5	3.7	4.7	2.6
7	6.7	7.7	4.5
10	9.7	10.7	6.5
13	12.5	13.5	8.5

Other thicknesses are available for special applications. Availability and production is based on mutual agreement with customers.

The UPM Grada panel is not a face grade product for the furniture industry. The final surface e.g. veneer or laminate for the end product is selected and applied by the customer.

Dimensions

• Standard panel sizes: 1250 x 2500 mm, 1500 x 3000 mm
• Cut-to-size dimensions by agreement

Quality and surfaces

Veneer sheets are bonded together with weather resistant bonding (EN 314-2/class 3). Face veneer quality in standard panels complies with EN 635, Quality III (BB) classification. The UPM Grada panel is available with adhesive foil surfaces for special purposes.

Download:

• Fact sheet » (PDF)
• Technical Data Sheet » (PDF)

The surface material (e.g. laminate, veneer) on the UPM Grada panel can be bonded with UPM Grada Foil adhesive foils under heat and pressure. Minimum gluing temperature is 130°C and typical pressure 0.5N/mm2. UPM Grada Foil adhesives do not contain any formaldehyde.

UPM Grada Foil adhesive films

Product	Type and Dimensions
Core	Roll, 1280 or 1560 mm width
	Sheets in roll, 1560 x 3120 mm
Top	Roll, 1280 or 1560 mm width
	Sheets in roll, 500 x 500 mm
	Sheets in roll, 500 x 1000 mm
Top+	Roll, 1280 or 1560 mm width
	Sheets in roll, 1560 x 3120 mm

Download:

• Fact sheet » (PDF)
• Technical Data Sheet » (PDF)

(UPM, Lahti, 27 January 2011 at 12:00 EET) UPM Plywood has developed a new way to manufacture layered composites. The first application of the new technology is formable plywood which will be introduced at the furniture industry's international Interzum trade fair in Cologne, Germany on 25-28 May 2011.

The core of the new technology is a special adhesive film which allows the plywood to be formed after manufacturing. Formable plywood can be used to make bent wooden structures for example for furniture easily and effectively. Owing to the new adhesive technology, the products will also be stronger and more stable. UPM has applied for patents for the technology and its applications.

The forming process starts by heating the plywood boards after which they can be bent to the desired shape. As the plywood cools down, it will remain in the given shape and maintain its original strength properties.

The Finnish furniture manufacturer Isku will be the first to take formable plywood into use in mass production. The company has also been a partner for UPM in applying the new technology to furniture manufacturing. "By using the formable plywood instead of traditional form pressing technology, we can simplify and enhance our production and make stronger and more durable products easier than before. Easy formability of the plywood allows furniture designers to explore whole new opportunities. The stability and accurate formability of the new plywood will also decrease production loss significantly", says Kari Soljamo, Product Development Director at Isku.

The new adhesive bonds not only wood but many minerals (rocks, ceramics etc.), glass, metals, textiles, paper and cardboard. Materials can also be combined to create multi-material composites. However, the uniqueness of the technology is best seen when bonding together flexible materials - especially wood veneer, as in plywood.

Formable plywood is very well suited for many end uses such as furniture and various industrial applications. Applying the technology to other materials will broaden the end use field still further. "Formability allows plywood to enter many new end use areas were superior strength to weight ratio is needed. It also diversifies the usage of plywood in many existing end uses", says Kaido Kukk, Director, New Business Development at UPM Plywood.

Formable plywood will be introduced at the furniture industry's international Interzum trade fair in Cologne, Germany on 25-28 May 2011. UPM's stand number is C-080 in hall 5.1.

For further information please contact:

• Mr Kaido Kukk, Director, Development, UPM Plywood, tel. +358 40 7764751

(UPM, Lahti, 4 April 2011 at 12:00 EET) UPM announced in January a new technology to manufacture layered composites. Products and services, which are based on the new technology, will form a new UPM Grada product family. The first product group to be launched under the UPM Grada family - formable plywood - will be called UPM Grada Plywood.

WISA®, the leading trademark of high quality special plywood and veneer products, will remain as the trademark of UPM's traditional plywood and veneer products.

Plywood products based on the new technology have been located under the new trademark as their technical capabilities are fundamentally different from those of traditional plywood. The end use areas of formable plywood are also significantly more versatile. In the future, many of them may also be offered other UPM Grada products and services based on other raw materials than wood.

Premiere at the Interzum fair

The first member of the UPM Grada product family - UPM Grada Plywood - will be introduced at furniture industry's international Interzum trade fair in Cologne, Germany on 25-28 May 2011. UPM's stand number is C-080 in hall 5.1.

(UPM Plywood, Lahti, 2 May 2011 at 10:00) UPM's new ground-breaking UPM Grada Plywood will be introduced to the furniture industry at the Interzum trade fair in Cologne, Germany, 25-28 May 2011 (stand C-080 in hall 5.1). UPM Grada Plywood enables furniture manufacturers to revolutionize their form pressing supply chain, cut costs and to enhance production efficiency easier than ever before.

UPM Grada Plywood is based on UPM's patent pending Grada composite technology which enables plywood to be formed after manufacturing. Whereas the current form pressing process contains much labour intensive and low value phases, UPM Grada Plywood only needs to be heated, formed and cooled. Heating and forming can also be applied to a selected part of the board, enabling even very large objects to be formed affordably. Furthermore, form pressing with UPM Grada Plywood can be fully automated making significant efficiency improvements easy to achieve.

Due to the special adhesive used in UPM Grada Plywood, components made of it are stronger and more stable than traditional form pressed components. UPM Grada Plywood's glue line is highly homogenous and behaves in a uniform way on every press. As a result, variation between formed components is minimized. This, together with higher overall strength, will reduce production rejects and quality claims dramatically.

Furniture made of UPM Grada Plywood has major benefits also to the end users. The adhesive is free from formaldehyde and other harmful compounds. This makes UPM Grada Plywood particularly suitable to conform to ever growing demand for safer furniture. As the furniture is also stronger, their durability in hard wearing uses is better, reducing need for maintenance and renewal. UPM Grada Plywood is manufactured of certified wood raw material, ensuring that sustainable forest management and harvesting practices have been followed. The material can also be safely recycled or used as a carbon neutral source of energy at the end of life.

UPM at the Interzum

UPM's stand at the Interzum is C-080 in hall 5.1. During the fair, UPM will showcase - in practice - how easy form pressing is with UPM Grada Plywood. There is a fully functional form press at the stand manufacturing form pressed giveaways for the stand visitors. In addition to stand activities, UPM will give a presentation titled "The Magic in Plywood" at the Speakers' Corner in hall 5.1 on 25 May, 2011.

Furniture at the UPM stand features new innovative design demonstrating the exceptional capabilities of UPM Grada Plywood. The meeting room chairs - courtesy of Isku - feature the seat and armrests made from one single piece of UPM Grada Plywood. The chairs have been designed by the awarded Finnish designer Mikko Laakkonen as a concept of form pressed furniture which has been impossible to make affordably until now.

In addition to UPM Grada Plywood, UPM will also have its WISA-Structural veneer and WISA-Parquet veneer presented at the fair.

For further information please contact:

• Mr Kaido Kukk, Director, Development, UPM Plywood, tel. +358 40 7764751

(UPM Plywood, Lahti, 14 Sep 2011 at 11:00) UPM Grada Plywood's unique formability and strength inspire young design students. A group of Finnish and Japanese students designed a new concept for the Finnish maternity package using UPM Grada Plywood. For more information about the project and the design process, please visit the project website at www.tupafinland.com

(UPM Plywood, Lahti, 8 Dec 2011 at 11:00) Two Finnish design houses, Vepsäläinen and Artek, together with Furniture Factory Korhonen and UPM have launched a new Aalto chair called "Nousukausituoli" to boost the economic climate in Finland. The backrest of the chair is made of UPM Grada Plywood.

The Nousukausituoli chair ("The economic boom chair") is Alvar Aalto's chair model 66, designed in 1935. All the blue chairs sold during the campaign have been numbered and are sold as collector's items. The backrest of the chair is manufactured using UPM's new Grada technology. "UPM Grada Plywood's, safety, durability and ecological features, are perfect for the backrest material of the classic chair. In addition, the formability of plywood enables a more cost effective form pressing process", explains UPM Grada's sales manager Sirkku Heinonen.

With this campaign Artek and Vepsäläinen hope to inspire consumers to invest in domestic production and competence during these times of economic turmoil. Design house Artek and furniture retailer Vepsäläinen, together with UPM as raw material supplier and Furniture Factory Korhonen as the traditional manufacturer of Aalto furniture, have made this exceptional campaign a reality through intense co-operation. "In the best case scenario, the consumer's decision may cause a reaction that really boosts the economy", says Mirkku Kullberg, the CEO of Artek, in the Vepsäläinen press release.

A limited edition of the Nousukausi chair will be sold at Vepsäläinen furniture stores in Finland starting December 5th for the price of 195 euro.

One Nordic Company is a new furniture brand that bridges the gap between high-end design and flat pack furniture with clever digital and design solutions. Online thinking is the core of the brand, with their online store the main distribution channel. One Nordic Company focuses on interpreting Nordic designs in its collection, which customers can also influence by giving feedback.

One Nordic Company pre-launched its Bento chair and table in the design studio Form Us With Love in February during Stockholm Design Week. A new approach was also applied to the selection of materials. UPM’s Grada™ technology, which allows the heating and bending of plywood panels in simple steps, was used to make the prototypes of the Bento furniture presented in Stockholm.

Stefan Mahlberg, the carpenter who made the table and chair showcased during Design Week, was very impressed by UPM’s new formable material, UPM Grada Plywood, especially how perfectly it suited easy and quick prototyping.

“Grada Plywood enables a totally new way of form pressing. With Grada, the steps are simple. The panel is cut to the desired shape, heated and formed in a press and - voilà, the chair structure is ready. No time is wasted in waiting for the wet glue to dry,” Stefan explained. “I have experimented positively with Grada material in couple of projects and already it feels difficult to go back to form pressing in the traditional way.”

Find out more www.onenordic.com

UPM, Finavia, Martela, Fortum, Karelia-Upofloor and Clear Channel have created a lounge concept, called Suvanto, at Helsinki Airport. Suvanto is an oasis comprising work and rest locations, where people can work and relax. Suvanto also provides recharging stations for different electronic devices.

The Suvanto concept has been created as a joint World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project by UPM Plywood and partner companies. It will be a visible part of the Design Capital Year offering at Helsinki Airport all the way to 2013. A total of three Suvanto lounges will be built at the airport.

Suvanto furniture has been designed by Martela's Main Designer Pekka Toivola in cooperation with Interior Decoration Architect Iiro Viljanen. A plywood arc, which is made from UPM's formable UPM Grada Plywood and "protects" the person using the chair, is the most striking feature of the furniture. "Implementing form-pressed pieces of this size by traditional means would be very expensive. However, the shaping features of the UPM Grada Plywood enabled this at a feasible cost," says Kaido Kukk, Development Director at UPM Plywood.

UPM Grada Plywood is based on UPM’s patent pending Grada composite technology which enables plywood to be formed after manufacturing. Whereas the traditional form pressing process contains much labour intensive phases, UPM Grada Plywood only needs to be heated, formed and cooled. Due to the special adhesive used in UPM Grada Plywood, components made of it are stronger and more stable than traditional form pressed components.

UPM Grada Plywood is particularly suitable to conform to ever growing demand for safer furniture. The adhesive of plywood is free from formaldehyde and other harmful compounds. As the furniture is also stronger, their durability in hard wearing uses is better, reducing need for maintenance and renewal.

UPM Grada Plywood is manufactured of certified wood raw material, ensuring that sustainable forest management and harvesting practices have been followed. The material can also be safely recycled or used as a carbon neutral source of energy at the end of life.

As a frontrunner of bio and forest industry UPM takes part in design by developing new sustainable materials and businesses, which inspires architects and designers. UPM’s Plywood products are also impressively displayed also in the unique meeting place of WDC Helsinki, in Pavilion, which is a result from a collaboration between UPM, Aalto University, Design Museum, Museum of Finnish Architecture and World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 foundation.

Finavia's press release and pictures of Suvanto lounges:

Finavia press release
Suvanto lounge picture gallery

Finnish and Russian designers came together at St. Petersburg Design Week “Scandinavian Design” event last week in May. Five talented young students from St. Petersburg Academy were awarded for their designs in the “Inspiring Meeting” -competition.

More than 20 designs participated in the competition launched in the beginning of this year by the Finnish furniture manufacturer Isku in cooperation with UPM and St. Petersburg Academy. The goal of the “Inspiring Meeting” was to find a fresh look for business meetings and environments.

The material used in the designs is UPM’s formable material UPM Grada.

In the winning design – Array, pieces of bended UPM Grada material builds the backrest of the chair similar to the technique in building wooden boats. In Array, modern design and tradition were successfully combined to a design which has all the ingredients of becoming a classic. Isku has been the first to take UPM Grada Plywood into use in mass production and has been a trendsetter with designer Mikko Laakkonen’s Kaava-chair. Isku hopes to get the winning design into production as a part of its collection.

Find out more www.isku.fi and www.isku.com

Designers Pasi Kärkkäinen and Marius Temming have won first prize for their Pumpa stool in the Slow Wood 2012 awards, a Finnish design competition focusing on innovative wood products. The results of the competition were announced on 14 November in Lahti, during an international design industry event called OLO.MUOTO’12.

The inspiration for the winning stool was a pumpkin with eight rounded sides forming the legs of the stool. The Pumpa stool is made from UPM Grada which is UPM’s new thermoformable wood material. This creative and technically challenging shape was only possible using Grada technology rather than with traditional form pressing methods.

“I got familiar with UPM Grada when finalising my diploma work. As Marius and I had an idea on utilising the compressed air in a balloon in the manufacturing process to achieve the shape, UPM Grada was the only material that could be used. Now we are looking for a manufacturing and commercial company to take the stool to the international market. The Milan furniture fair would be the perfect forum to present the winning piece,” concluded Pasi Kärkkäinen.

Panu Turunen’s North door design won third prize in the competition and this also utilises UPM Grada. The unique possibilities of UPM Grada material were again realised in this winning design as lighting is hidden under the curved door panel, emphasising the vibrant wooden surface.

“This design is the first example of the possibilities of UPM Grada. By utilising the material and the new manufacturing process, Skaala can smoothly build a wide commercial product family around the winning North door design. The material lends itself perfectly to curved acoustic panels as well appealing ceiling and wall interiors,” says door designer and window and door manufacturer Skaala’s design manager Panu Turunen.

“The designers had great insight in implementing these exciting designs with UPM Grada. We are happy that the possibilities of the new material are realised in beautiful products and also in new and efficient manufacturing processes,” said Mikko Tilli, the Manager responsible for UPM Grada.

UPM Grada is a new thermoformable wood material for the form pressing industry. Grada technology renews the forming of wood with heat and pressure and opens up new opportunities for designs not achievable with traditional technology. UPM Grada’s unique forming properties enable high quality and ecological designs which are also visually appealing.

UPM Grada – Safe, durable, ecological – www.upmgrada.com

For more information please contact:
Mr. Mikko Tilli, UPM Plywood , tel. +358 40 674 3809

UPM, Corporate Communications
Media Desk, tel. +358 40 588 3284
media@upm.com
www.twitter.com/UPM_News

UPM leads the integration of bio and forest industries into a new, sustainable and innovation-driven future. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. UPM consists of three Business Groups: Energy and pulp, Paper, and Engineered materials. The Group employs around 24,000 people and has production plants in 16 countries. UPM's annual sales exceed EUR 10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange. UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com

UPM Plywood offers high quality WISA® plywood and veneer products mainly for the construction and transport industries as well as UPM Grada® thermoformable wood material for the furniture and manufacturing industries. The sales of UPM Plywood in 2011 were EUR 376 million and it has about 2,500 employees, including 1,700 in Finland. UPM has six plywood mills and a veneer mill in Finland as well as plywood mills in Russia and Estonia. – www.wisaplywood.com

Awarded Finnish designer Mikko Laakkonen presents his Northern lamp design made of UPM Grada material at Meet My Project exhibition in Paris, France on Jan 18–22.

The Northern is the outcome of the possibilities provided by innovative UPM Grada thermoformable wood material as well as lighting manufacturer Innojok’s knowledge of lighting and LED light sources.

The Northern is a longitudinal suspension lamp for public spaces made of a single piece of UPM Grada thermoformable material. The new lighting fixture is designed to illuminate work areas and large open spaces. The Northern succeeds in creating high-quality LED lighting through indirect light, combined with Mikko’s refined sense of form.

”We are inspired by UPM Grada for being a sustainable material. In addition, the new innovative material contains no added formaldehyde. These qualities make it a perfect material for public spaces. UPM Grada is also an easy material to work with which is great since we have little previous experience in working with wood,” concludes lighting manufacturer Innojok’s Brand Manager Milla Ahti.

Meet My Project exhibition presents a selection of innovative objects in the world of textile, furniture and new technologies. The aim for the exhibition is to increase appreciation for design across the society and make it approachable to the large public.

Meet My Project exhibition, Jan 18–22.2013
Address: 9, rue d’Abbeville 75010 PARIS
Tel: +33 1 56 41 39 02
info@meetmyproject.com

Mikko Laakkonen was born in Espoo in 1974. After graduating as a musical instrument maker, he studied furniture design at Kymenlaakso University of Applied Sciences, and later received his Masters degree from the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. After working in design and architecture firms for several years, Mikko founded Studio Mikko Laakkonen in 2004.

Studio Mikko Laakkonen offers product design services, with the main focus on everyday items. Mikko’s designs have been on display in several exhibitions around Europe, the United States, China and Japan. He has been awarded the number of international prizes, including: Reddot design award (2012), Chicago Athenaeum's Good Design Award (2010) and the Young Designer of the Year prize (2009).

Today, Mikko Laakkonen cooperates with several Finnish and international companies, such as Marimekko, Inno, Isku, Martela, Bosa, Casamania, Covo and Offecct.

UPM Grada^® is a new thermoformable wood material for the form pressing industry. Grada technology renews the forming of wood by using only heat and pressure. It also opens up new design opportunities unachievable with the traditional methods. UPM Grada’s unique forming properties enable high quality and ecological designs which are also visually appealing. www.upmgrada.com

Innojok, founded in 1993, is a company specialising in the design, manufacture, import and marketing of lamps. Our brands are the Innolux Design range of lights and Innosol bright light therapy lamps. We also offer visually ergonomic office lighting and outdoor and interior lamps.

Our Innolux Design range includes highly regarded, timeless classic lamps by well-known Finnish designers, as well as new models with 21st-century designs. Innolux Design range has been designed and manufactured in Finland. www.innojok.fi

Awarded Finnish designer Samuli Naamanka presents his Myfly lounge chair made of UPM Grada material at Meet My Project Exhibition in Milan on April 9-13.

The Myfly lounge chair prototype is outcome of the possibilities provided by innovative UPM Grada thermo-formable wood material.

“I’m excited about the new designs UPM Grada enables as the panel can be premachined before moulding the component. As sustainability is essential to me as a designer, UPM Grada makes it possible to continue my ecological furniture collection in the future” explains Samuli.

The chair will be manufactured and sold by Finnish furniture manufacturers Piiroinen for public spaces and Arktis for private interiors. Both furniture companies focus on aesthetic, functional and high-quality furniture.

Meet My Project, April 9-13, 2013
Studio Next
Viale Crispi 5
20121 Milan – metro: Moscova
Open all days: 11 am- 7pm
Free entrance

Read more about Samuli's work at Meet My Project »

The thermo-formable UPM Grada wood material plays a role as Artek, the well-known and iconic Finnish design company, launches two of its Classics made of UPM’s revolutionary material at Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, Italy on April 9-14, 2013.

The lounge Chair 26, designed by architect Alvar Aalto in 1932, launches in Milan 80 years after the first prototype was made. The chair has a challenging structure as its backrest and armrests are made of single piece of wood. UPM Grada enables the chair to be manufactured easily and cost efficiently as the chair layout, including the required openings, can be cut out off a straight panel and coated before forming the chair into shape.

The second launch is the Lukki stool, belonging to Ilmari Tapiovaara’s Lukki series designed in 1951-56, is also made of UPM Grada wood material and presented at Artek’s stand in Milan. The seat has a triangle shape with two sides bent down. UPM Grada allows the layout of the stool to be cut from a panel and bend only the two small parts instead of using a full size form press mould.

“UPM Grada material enables easy and efficient manufacturing and ensures high product quality which Artek furniture require”, explains Ville Kokkonen, Design Director at Artek.

Artek stand is located in Milan fair centre, Rho, Hall 20/C08.

Read more about Artek exhibition in Milan »

Aalto University space and furniture design department’s graduating bachelor students have explored the technical and visual properties of the thermo-formable UPM Grada wood material. The outcome is an exciting collection of furniture of which 11 pieces are presented at Taipuu Exhibition (N.B. Bend exhibition) in 23.5.-14.6. in Isku Showroom in Helsinki.

Displayed furniture varies from partition boards and acoustic elements to different chairs and a swing for public spaces. The design process has been overseen by designers Timo Ripatti and Timo Sairi. The exhibition is arranged in collaboration with Aalto University, Isku and UPM.

“The assignment was to study the possibilities of thermo-formable UPM Grada wood material and design furniture which is difficult or impossible to make with traditional form pressing. This target was well achieved and I’m very excited about it. The material makes it possible to CNC machine the panel before forming and to create variable thicknesses easily when the right equipment is available. “, explained Timo Ripatti, overseeing teacher at Aalto Yliopisto, School of Arts.

Taipuu exhibition 24.5–14.6.2013
Isku Showroom, Fabianinkatu 19, Helsinki

www.tks2010.fi

Read blog on design process in English
Read blog on design process in Finnish