UPM Raflatac has announced two key additions to its global management team. Tim Kirchen has been appointed senior vice president, Americas Region, and Timo Kekki has been named vice president, Films SBU. Both report to Antti Jääskeläinen, executive vice president, UPM Raflatac.

Kirchen joins UPM Raflatac from SIG Combibloc, where he worked for more than 12 years and since 2013 served as vice president, sales and business development, North America. He is based at UPM Raflatac’s Americas headquarters in Asheville, NC.

Kekki has spent the past 18 years at UPM in a variety of positions. Prior to his new leadership role over the Global Films SBU, he served as vice president of business control and strategy for UPM Raflatac. He will continue to work at UPM’s global headquarters in Helsinki, Finland.

“I am excited and honored to join UPM Raflatac, and very much look forward to working with the Americas and global teams to further strengthen our position with our customers and drive business growth,” Kirchen says. “The pressure sensitive label market in our region continues to expand, and in the past year alone UPM Raflatac has kept up with the demand by opening new facilities in Chile, Argentina and the US.”

“As the world’s most sustainable labeling company, UPM Raflatac is labeling a smarter future beyond fossils, which includes developing innovative film labeling solutions that incorporate recycled content and promote a circular economy,” Kekki says. “That is why I am highly motivated for this opportunity to take UPM Raflatac’s business forward in my new role leading our Global Films SBU. We will continue to innovate and be the sustainability partner of choice.”

“Tim brings to UPM Raflatac valuable experience from the food and beverage packaging industry, working with brand owners and leading a sales and marketing organization in the Americas. Timo’s proven expertise in strategic management, as well as his knowledge and long experience working with the various parts of the UPM Raflatac global organization, will serve him well in his new role. I know they both will have many successes in their new roles,” adds Jääskeläinen.