Ahlstrom Retires Barcelona Paper Machine

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Ahlstrom Corp., Helsinki, Finland, reports that it will close a paper machine for filtration materials at its Barcelona, Spain, mill. Negotiations with personnel representatives at the mill were started this past November as part of the Group restructuring program underway globally, and due to the global overcapacity in some filtration materials. The negotiations concerned all employees of the plant, excluding the sales office.

Closure of the paper machine will result in a reduction of 37 positions, impacting both blue-collar and white-collar employees. The layoffs will be implemented flexibly from the end of 2009.

The non-recurring items related to the closure amount to approximately EUR 7.5 million, of which EUR 5.5 million are asset write-downs and EUR 2.0 million cash related items. The non-recurring items are included in the total amount of approximately EUR 34 million announced to be booked in the financial results of Ahlstrom Group in 2009.

The Barcelona plant employs 92 people, of whom 10 work at the sales office. The plant produces filtration media for transportation and liquid applications. In addition to the paper machine, the plant operates a saturator, slitter winders, liquid converters, and a warehouse, which are not impacted by the closure.