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Highest Accolade to Kevin Lyden OBE
At
a packed Stationers' Hall on Thursday 12th May 2005 Lord Heseltine presented
the 2005
Paper Industry Gold Medal
to
Kevin Lyden OBE, Managing Director of UPM -Kymmene (UK).
(Click Image for Biogaphy)
The award, the highest honour bestowed by the British paper industry is in recognition of Lyden's pivotal role in the dramatic recovery of UK newsprint production - a 14-fold increase by 2004 since its nadir in 1983. Peter Ingram, Chairman of the Awards Committee emphasised the magnitude of Lyden's achievement. "He developed and implemented a successful business concept for UK newsprint production at a time of despair and despondency following several years of paper machine closures. What makes the achievement remarkable is that newsprint is a low cost standardised product traded globally. UK output continues to rise." Kevin Lyden received his Gold Medal at Stationers' Hall amongst his many peers in the paper, printing and publishing industries attending the Stationers' Company Charter Dinner. He now automatically becomes a member of the exclusive Paper Industry Gold Medal Association.
The Paper Industry Gold Medal is for an outstanding personal contribution to the industry above and beyond the achievement of a successful career.
Kevin Lyden OBE is the distinguished and very worthy winner of the 2005 medal. His legacy is a shining example of modern UK based manufacturing industry successfully competing in the global market.
The award is made for Kevin Lyden's role in the post 1980s revival, of the British paper industry, particularly the newsprint sector. By 1983 annual newsprint production had dropped to 80,200 tonnes from a peak of 795,000 in 1969. His outstanding achievement was to be in the vanguard of reversing this downward spiral at a time of universal despair and despondency in the future of papermaking in Britain.
Following the closure of the last but one British newsprint mill in 1981 Kevin Lyden created the business concept and plans for a totally new paper mill. He then engaged, enthused and energised others to back the scheme, eventually persuading UPM, the international paper company, to take up the plans and invest £120m in a new paper mill. He then led and directed the construction and operation of the mill. The mill is Shotton Paper Company, built on the site of the old Shotton steel works in North Wales.
Subsequently, further newsprint capacity has been added at Shotton and Aylesford. Together with Bridgewater Mill, re-commissioned in 1983, the new mills produced 1.12 million tonnes of newsprint in 2004, a 14 fold increase in just over 20 years.
The winning formula, devised by Kevin Lyden and replicated in further expansions, is a model for all UK based mass production in the 21st century. In essence it combines:
-
State of the art technology
- Top class management
- Strong domestic market
- Local raw materials
Kevin Lyden's contribution to the British paper industry is an inspiration to everyone involved in maintaining a dynamic manufacturing sector in the UK economy.
Biography - Kevin Lyden
A graduate in Economics and a Chartered Accountant, Kevin Lyden has spent almost 30 years in the paper industry.
Before becoming a founder Director of Shotton Paper Company in the early 1980s he was the Finance Director of Bowater (UK) Paper.
Shotton was started by Lyden and United Paper Mills of Finland. This was at a time when the UK paper industry was in severe decline with many paper mills closing. This major investment was a significant confidence-booster for the whole industry and led to a number of other major investments.
Kevin Lyden is currently the Managing Director of UPM-Kymmene (UK) having returned to the United Kingdom from the USA in 2004. He went to the USA as President of UPM (North America) nearly seven years previously, at the time UPM was making its first major acquisitions in North America.
Lyden has been a Director and President of the British Paper and Board industry Federation, now known as CPI, a Director of CEPI, a Director of the American Forest and Paper Association and The Forest Products Association of Canada.
Lyden was awarded the OBE in 1986.
He has a keen interest in education and life-long learning, serving on numerous academic advisory bodies including being a founder Board Member of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications.
Lyden and his wife reside in London and have a farm in the Vale of Clwyd in North Wales. They have three grown-up children and three grandchildren. His hobbies include golf, fly fishing and wine.
İPaper Industry Gold Medal Association 2005