Displaying items by tag: Ahlstrom Corporation

Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, announces price increases on its masking tape materials produced by the Food and Medical business area. The price increases will be made to compensate for the continued high costs of raw materials in euro terms.

The price increases will affect all masking tape products manufactured globally and will be effective on April 1, 2015. The increase will be up to 7% depending on markets as well as the product and the agreements in place. Specific details will be discussed with each customer individually by the appropriate sales teams in the near term future.

Ahlstrom offers the widest range of masking tape base papers for a perfectly sharp finish line and optimal protection on even the most delicate surfaces. Our masking tape products are produced in France, China and Finland. Food and Medical business area's end-use applications include teabags, coffee pods and capsules, food packaging, baking papers, masking tape, surgical gowns and drapes, and sterile barrier systems.

For more information, please contact:
Liisa Nyyssönen
Vice President, Communications
Tel. +358 10 888 4757

Ahlstrom in brief
Ahlstrom is a high performance fiber-based materials company, partnering with leading businesses around the world to help them stay ahead. We aim to grow with a product offering for clean and healthy environment. Our materials are used in everyday applications such as filters, medical fabrics, life science and diagnostics, wallcoverings and food packaging. In 2014, Ahlstrom's net sales amounted to EUR 1 billion. Our 3,400 employees serve customers in 22 countries. Ahlstrom's share is quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. More information available at www.ahlstrom.com.

Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, has completed the earlier announced EUR 7 million investments at its Stenay plant, France. With the investment, the plant successfully expanded its product portfolio of one-side coated papers for metalized labels and flexible packaging.

The grades produced at Stenay's paper machine 3 span now from 50 to 160 g/m². These coated papers can be used for metalized beer labels and flexible packaging applications such as biscuits, sweets, coffee bags, pharmacy, pet food bag outer liners, tea envelopes, tobacco pouches, as well as bundle wraps for yoghurt pots.

"By lowering the weight of a paper used for metalized labels, flexible packaging and other graphics and industrial applications, Ahlstrom responds to the need for lighter papers to reduce the weight of packaging and labels and consequently lower their environmental footprint," says Daniele Borlatto, EVP, Label and Processing.

Stenay's main brands for flexible packaging papers include the well-known Gerbier HDS, Gerstar HDS, Gerstar 404, Gerstar 604, Gersan, Gervalux as well as Metalkote for metalized labels.

With the investment, Ahlstrom offers additional benefits to its customers, such as improved performance during the converting process.

The Stenay plant is part of Ahlstrom's Label and Processing Business Area, which operates a total of six production sites in France, Germany, Italy and Brazil.

Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, strengthens its focus on wallcoverings by continuing to invest in product development and production. Ahlstrom is a world leader in the production of materials for wallcoverings.

As part of Ahlstrom EasyLife(TM) product offering, Ahlstrom has developed a nonwoven wallcovering substrate at its Osnabrück plant in Germany. The products have been very well received by customers, and the product range will be expanded during this year with a number of new product launches.

In line with these product developments, an investment program has been carried out to ensure the high quality standards and efficiency needed. "We are fully committed to serving our customers from Osnabrück as well as developing the nonwoven product offering further and completing ongoing investments on the production line at the plant," says Laura Raitio, Executive Vice President, Building and Energy.

Ahlstrom is a global leader in wallcover substrates, offering the most comprehensive product range on the market. Its materials are manufactured in Europe and North America and are part of Ahlstrom's Building and Energy business area. In order to further support the development of the Chinese wallcovering market, Ahlstrom will start manufacturing nonwoven wallcover substrates in Binzhou, Shandong province in China. Production of the high quality and innovative wallcover substrates will start during the second half of 2013.

Additionally, Ahlstrom is investing in Malmedy, Belgium, to produce embossed substrates for digital print applications. This will offer enhanced design possibilities to customers.

Ahlstrom is in the process of demerging its Label and Processing business and merging it with Munksjö AB. The transaction is under the European Commission's review with respect to abrasive backings and pre-impregnated decor paper. The transaction has no effect on Ahlstrom's commitment to provide leading-edge product offerings in wallcoverings and other key focus areas in high performance fiber-based materials.

Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, announces that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Dow Water & Process Solutions (DW&PS), a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW), to use Ahlstrom's Disruptor® technology in drinking water applications. Ahlstrom Disruptor® is a unique nanoalumina technology designed for a wide range of water filtration applications.

Ahlstrom's fiber-based materials match the global megatrends, such as environmental awareness, resource scarcity and urbanization. As a response to the need for clean water, Ahlstrom has developed the Disruptor® technology that can be used in removing a wide range of tiny contaminants from water. DW&PS will incorporate Ahlstrom's high performance, break-through Disruptor® filter medium into a new set of drinking water purification products that provide excellent pathogen rejection while operating at high flow and low pressure.

"One of the key goals in our product development is to create products that purify air and liquids in a sustainable way. We are excited about the opportunity to work with Dow since we see a wealth of opportunities for providing pure water solutions through combining our expertise with Dow's industry-leading product offering," says Fulvio Capussotti, Executive Vice President, Advanced Filtration, Ahlstrom. 

Ahlstrom Disruptor® virtually removes microorganisms that can cause sickness. Its unique combination of large pore size and very high electrical attraction potential enable efficient removal of virus-sized particles at a high flow rate at very low pressure. Ahlstrom Disruptor® can be utilized in a number of drinking water applications, such as under-the-sink purification, tap water filters and water pitcher filters. It can be used in areas with no electricity, it requires no use of chemicals, and does not generate waste water.

"Global trends such as population growth and urbanization put pressure on already strained water sources," said Snehal Desai, global business director for DW&PS. "We see a real need for new innovations to expand access to clean safe drinking water in an easy, effective and sustainable way. Our collaboration with Ahlstrom extends our product offering to people who need effective water treatment but may not have access to pumps or electricity."

Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, presents its expanded Ahlstrom Easylife(TM) wallcover range at the China Wallpaper Exposition in Beijing on March 7-10, 2013. The company is developing new products in order to strengthen its leadership in the Chinese wallcover market.

Ahlstrom Easylife(TM) product offerings range from 3D appearances to new backing and coated facing materials. Additionally, Ahlstrom will be partnering with HP, presenting its EasyLife(TM) digital printing products with HP's latest Latex printing technology. Ahlstrom EasyLife(TM) is quickly expanding into the digital arena and is positioned as one of the leading substrates for nonwoven digital wallcover applications.

Furthermore, Ahlstrom will sponsor the Ahlstrom EasyLife(TM) Cup, Wallcovering Design Contest at the China Wallcovering Expo, March 5-7, 2013. Here talented wallcovering designers will gather together, displaying their creative and exquisite work, many of which are based Ahlstrom EasyLife(TM) nonwoven materials. This type of contest is a great way to encourage creative and unique designs, facilitating the positive growth of the Chinese wallcover market.

All Ahlstrom's new wallcover substrates have been developed to reduce environmental impact, as sustainability is a key focus for Ahlstrom. All products utilize FSC pulp and are CE and RAL approved. Recycled polyester is used in several new products, a process that has reduced our cradle-to-gate environmental impact by 10%

Ahlstrom is a global leading producer of wallcover substrates, producing the widest product range on the market. Its materials are manufactured in Europe and North America and are part of Ahlstrom's Building and Energy business area. In order to further support development of the Chinese wallcovering market, Ahlstrom will commence manufacture of nonwoven wallcover substrate in Binzhou, Shandong province. Production of high quality and innovative wallcover substrates will start during late 2013.

Ahlstrom booth at 12th China (Beijing) Wallpaper Exposition by Build Decor is E4-C08.

Ahlstrom's Annual Report 2012, including the financial statements, the report of operations and Corporate Governance Statement, has been published today on the company's website in English and Finnish. The publications can be viewed as PDF files at www.ahlstrom.com > Investors.

In addition, Ahlstrom will publish next week its Sustainability Report 2012. The publication will available in English on the company's website. 

Ahlstrom's Corporate Governance Statement 2012 and Remuneration Statement 2012 have also been published today as separate documents. The statements are available as PDF files in English and Finnish on the company's website at www.ahlstrom.com > Investors > Corporate governance.

Printed reports will be available next week and can be ordered via the company's website or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The English version of the Annual Report 2012 is attached to this document as a PDF file. 

Ahlstrom will publish its financial statements bulletin 2012 on Thursday, January 31, 2013, approximately at 12.00 noon Finnish time (CET +1).

Ahlstrom's President & CEO Jan Lång and CFO Seppo Parvi will present the report in Finnish at an analyst and press conference in Helsinki on Thursday, January 31 at 2.00 p.m. Finnish time. The conference will take place at event arena Bank, Unioninkatu 20. The name of the meeting room will be displayed on the board in the lobby.

In addition, CEO Lång and CFO Parvi will hold a conference call in English on the same day at 4.00 p.m. Finnish time. To participate in the teleconference, please dial +358 (0)9 6937 9543 in Finland or +44 (0)20 7136 2050 outside Finland a few minutes before the conference begins. The confirmation code is 2482850.

The event can also be viewed as a live audio cast at www.ahlstrom.com. Registration is required. It is possible to participate in the Q & A session via online.

An on-demand audio webcast of the conference will be available on Ahlstrom's website for twelve months after the call.

The presentation material will be available at www.ahlstrom.com > Investors > Reports and presentations > 2012 after the financial statements bulletin 2012 has been published.

Ahlstrom, a global leader in high performance fiber-based materials, provides preliminary information on net sales and operating profit excluding non-recurring items from continuing operations for 2012.

In 2012, net sales from continuing operations amounted to approximately EUR 1,011 million and operating profit excluding non-recurring items from continuing operations was approximately EUR 18 million.

Ahlstrom had previously expected net sales from continuing operations to be EUR 960 - 1,040 million and operating profit excluding non-recurring items from continuing operations to be EUR 22 - 32 million in 2012.

The operating profit excluding non-recurring items for 2012 is lower than the company had earlier anticipated because of weaker sales mix and volumes across all key markets towards the end of the year, as well as longer than expected production downtime taken during the last quarter.

The figures are based on unaudited preliminary financial results. Ahlstrom will publish its financial statements bulletin 2012 on January 31, 2013.

Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, has completed its range of Silco(TM) Flat release papers for Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) graphics, with the addition of newly developed products for the most demanding graphics applications and for plotter cut films.

Large format self-adhesive graphics are applied on large surfaces to create appealing decoration or advertising in architecture, retail, vehicles or exhibitions. Release liners used for such laminates need to be specially designed to perform well during lamination, printing or plotter cutting, in order to deliver outstanding visual effect once the film has been applied on the surface.

As a leading global release papers supplier, Ahlstrom has developed through the years a range of sustainable paper products for PSA graphic laminates, supplied to the key players in this industry. To be aligned with the latest advances in printing and cutting technologies, the Ahlstrom Silco(TM) Flat range was recently enlarged with new high performance materials.

Ahlstrom Silco(TM) Flat Premium has been developed for the most demanding graphic applications. Its increased top and backside smoothness enhance the vinyl film glossiness while its backside moisture barrier ensures outstanding planarity for faultless performance during printing.

Additionally, Ahlstrom Silco(TM) Flat HB has been designed specifically for plotter cut films. Its high internal bond enables a cut with a high degree of precision, even with the most complex shapes or smallest letters. Its high top side smoothness delivers a high gloss and avoids orange peel effect, ensuring perfect finish of the most sensitive vinyls or thin transparent films.

Made of natural fibers, release papers are the most sustainable release liner substrates. Entirely based on renewable raw materials, they are derived from responsible forestry, are recyclable and biodegradable.

Ahlstrom, a global high performance fiber-based materials company, updates its 2012 outlook for net sales and operating profit excluding non-recurring items after the Extraordinary General Meeting of the company approved the demerger of the Label and Processing  business area.  

Ahlstrom's Extraordinary General Meeting of the Shareholders today resolved to approve the demergers of the Label and Processing business in Europe and the Coated Specialties business in Brazil according to the respective demerger plans. Consequently, the Label and Processing business area will be classified as an asset held for distribution to owners and reported separately as discontinued operations in the Financial Statements Bulletin 2012.

Ahlstrom's view of the market environment remains unchanged. However, the outlook is only adjusted to reflect the resolution by the EGM to approve the demerger of the Label and Processing business area.

Ahlstrom now expects net sales from continuing operations to be EUR 960 -1,040 million and operating profit excluding non-recurring items from continuing operations to be EUR 22 - 32 million in 2012. Ahlstrom had previously estimated, including the Label and Processing business area, net sales to be EUR 1,550 - 1,630 million and operating profit excluding non-recurring items to be EUR 48 - 58 million.

The cost structure of the continuing operations has been adjusted with the costs historically allocated to the discontinued businesses to the extent such costs will remain with Ahlstrom after the demergers.

Earlier this month, Ahlstrom announced that the company intends to rightsize its cost base to reflect the future size and scope of the company following the closing of the Label and Processing transaction. The company aims to achieve a total of EUR 15 million in cost savings within one year after the closing of the transaction.