Ahlstrom broadens its operations in Russia

Ahlstrom Corporation, global leader in fiber-based materials, today celebrates the inauguration of its new glassfiber tissue production facility in Redkino, Tver Region, Russia. The plant produces glassfiber tissue for Russian construction and plastic composite industries and employs initially 80 people. The Tver plant is Ahlstrom’s first fully owned production facility of fiber-based materials in Russia.

The investment including the plant facility, glassfiber tissue machine and required infrastructure is worth approximately EUR 40 million. The production capacity of the plant is 250 million square meters per year, which raises Ahlstrom’s total glassfiber tissue production capacity in Europe to half a billion square meters. The plant’s main product application is cushion vinyl floor coverings and other applications include wall coverings, laminate surface layers, building panels, pipe wrapping and bitumen roofing.

“The Tver operation strengthens our position as a leading developer and manufacturer of specialty glassfiber tissues. We have a strong customer base in Russia, which we are now able to serve locally from the plant. Enhancing our local presence also supports our other expansion possibilities in Russia, as well as in Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia”, says Ahlstrom’s CEO Risto Anttonen.

Senior Vice President Tommi Björnman, Ahlstrom’s Glass Nonwovens Business Area, sees Russia’s glassfiber tissue market as a very attractive business for Ahlstrom. “The growth in glass fiber tissue products is between 15% and 40% depending on the end application. With the Tver plant, we expect to grow our market share in Russia, as we have the state-of-the art technology and production capacity the customers are looking for.”

Tver plant’s General Director Seppo Mustonen stresses that Ahlstrom brings new jobs to Redkino and stimulates regional economy through its needs for services and subcontractors. The personnel of the plant were recruited from Redkino and Tver. All of the 80 new employees were trained in Karhula plant in Finland. In addition to professional training, they were trained on security and quality issues and familiarized with Ahlstrom’s business.

Glassfiber tissue products are part of Ahlstrom’s growing glass nonwovens business that comprises approximately 8% of the Group’s net sales. Besides the Tver plant, glassfiber products is manufactured in Ahlstrom’s Finnish plants in Karhula and Mikkeli, and in Bishopville, South Carolina, the USA.

In addition to the Tver plant, Ahlstrom has a sales office in Moscow and a minority shareholding in a specialty paper company Troitskaya in the Kaluga region.

Tver investment milestones
• Investment decision March 2006
• Laying the cornerstone October 2006
• Machinery installation August 2007
• Operation started March 2008
• Inauguration June 2008

TVER region in brief
• Located in Central Russia about 160 kilometers from Moscow to St Petersburg direction.
• Approximately 1.5 million inhabitants, the biggest town is Tver with 400,000 inhabitants.
• Rich stocks of water, timber and land.
• Situated on crossroads of major routes, i.e. it is the junction of motor, rail and water transportation, electricity transmission lines as well as gas and oil pipelines. The Federal highway Moscow – St Petersburg runs via the region.
• The most important sources of livelihood are industry (machine engineering, energy, food processing), agribusiness, construction industry, retailers and transport.
• In investment climate the Tver Region has raised up to 24th place in the ranking of 89 Russian regions.

About Ahlstrom:
Ahlstrom is a global leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of high performance fiber-based materials. Nonwovens and specialty papers, made by Ahlstrom, are used in a large variety of everyday products, such as filters, wipes, flooring, labels, and tapes. Based upon its unique fiber expertise and innovative approach, the company has a strong market position in several business areas in which it operates. Ahlstrom's 6,500 employees serve customers via sales offices and production facilities in more than 20 countries on six continents. In 2007, Ahlstrom's net sales amounted to EUR 1.8 billion. Ahlstrom's share is listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange Helsinki. The company website is www.ahlstrom.com.

For more information
Risto Anttonen, CEO, tel. +358 10 888 4166
Tommi Björnman, Senior Vice President, Glass Nonwovens, tel. +358 10 888 2649
Seppo Mustonen, General Director, Tver Plant, tel. +7 (4822) 35 3356 - ext 1-56

www.ahlstrom.com

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