WWF - Forests For Life
September 25, 2000

Press Release

Szczecinek, Mielec, Poland - Two of the largest European plants for wood-based boards and panels, Kronospan PL SP. z o.o. and Kronowood Sp. z o.o. in Poland, have been awarded Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, Chain-of-Custody certificates. The mills with an annual capacity of 600,000 m3 particle boards and 650,000 m3 fibre boards will from now on supply the furniture industry and do-it-yourself sector in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Spain and Italy with FSC certified products.

"As a progressive company, Kronospan fully supports FSC certification and is responding to the signals of time", says Peter Kaindl, Manager of the two Kronospan plants." The demand for FSC certified products is constantly growing, and we are pleased to be able to meet this increasing interest now."

Besides from particle boards and mid and high density fibre boards the Kronospan Group Poland will from now on produce interior panelling, ceiling panels, window sills, work surfaces and strips out of FSC certified timber.

Robert Knysak, Forest Officer, WWF Poland Project Office, welcomes the company's initiative: "With this decision, the Kronospan Group Poland takes its environmental and social responsibility. This is an important step to open the market for large quantities of wood products from environmentally sound forestry."

In Poland 3.4 million hectares of forests, nearly 40 percent of the forest area, are FSC certified. The Polish timber and furniture industry delivers around half of its products to Germany. The UK, Scandinavia and the Benelux are also important markets.

For further information:

Agnieszka Cmielewska, Kronospan PL Sp. z o.o., phone: +48 94 373 1181.

Robert Knysak, Forest Officer WWF Poland Project Office, phone: +48 606 29 5399.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Chain-of-Custody certification: In order to FSC label a consumer product the FSC certified raw material in the product must be traced through the sawmill or pulp mill and through all other manufacturing stages. This is done using a verification process called Chain-of-Custody certification.

2. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization enabling independent certification of forestry around the globe. More than 180 forest areas in 32 countries world wide have been independently certified under its auspices and around 10,000 FSC-labeled products are now available to the consumer. Visit the FSC website for more information: www.fscoax.org Error: Unable to read footer file.