NIB Signs a 7-Year Loan Agreement With Valio Ltd. For Research

NIB and the Finnish dairy company Valio Ltd. have signed a 7-year loan agreement totalling EUR 40 million to finance the company’s research programme in 2016–2020.

HELSINKI, 03-Mar-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — Valio’s R&D programme aims to develop new products to expand the company’s offering and to improve consumer insights over the next four years.

The company’s R&D activities have increased during the past decade, which is reflected in the advancement of dairy science and a nutritional expertise that is expected to benefit milk producers, food manufacturers and consumers.

A large number of Valio’s ongoing research projects focus on the development of new nutritionally advanced and health-enhancing food products.

“The R&D programme will allow Valio to maintain its competitiveness by expanding its product range. In addition to this, the company’s participation in agricultural research projects will help to promote more sustainable methods of dairy farming in Finland”, says Thomas Wrangdahl, Head of Lending at NIB.

Valio is Finland’s largest dairy company and sells products in 60 countries. The company is owned by 17 dairy cooperatives and operates one of the largest private research laboratories in in the country. Valio is headquartered in Helsinki.

NIB is an international financial institution owned by eight member countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. The Bank finances private and public projects in and outside the member countries. NIB has the highest possible credit rating, AAA/Aaa, with the leading rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.

SOURCE: NIB

For further information, please contact
Mr Kim Krokfors, Senior Manager Origination, at +358 10 618 0517, kim.krokfors@nib.int

Ms Lisa-Maria Altenberger, Communications Unit, at +358 10 618 0234, lisa-maria.altenberger@nib.int