June 2, 2003 -- UPM-Kymmene North America has been recognized as one of retail giant JC Penney's top 15 suppliers. UPM-Kymmene was awarded for its broad range of quality paper products. In addition, UPM-Kymmene's technology and its service and transportation infrastructure investments have shortened the lead time for its paper deliveries. Also the mills' commitment and flexibility as well as the production and sales personnel were acknowledged. UPM-Kymmene paper supplied to JC Penney is produced at six mills: Blandin Paper Company in the US, UPM-Kymmene Miramichi in Canada and UPM-Kymmene's Jämsänkoski, Kaipola, Kaukas and Rauma mills in Finland. J.C. Penney Company, Inc. operates 1,045 JC Penney department stores throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. It also owns Eckerd Corporation, which operates 2,689 Eckerd drugstores in the United States. JC Penney Catalog, which includes the company's e-commerce sales, is the nation's largest general merchandise catalog merchant. JC Penney spends $12 billion annually with more than 300 suppliers. The company employs about 230,000 people.