Ahlstrom to close down its Nümbrecht plant in Germany

Ahlstrom Corporation STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 29.9.2006 at 8.30

Ahlstrom, a global leader in high performance fiber-based materials, has decided to close down its Nümbrecht plant in Germany. The closure, effective in April 2007 at the latest, will affect 37 employees. As a consequence of the closure, Ahlstrom estimates to book a non-recurring cost of approximately EUR 2.5 million in its Q3 result of 2006. The decision supports Ahlstrom's strategy to improve its profitability by a number of actions, including closing down non-competitive manufacturing units.

The Nümbrecht plant is focused on the production of wallpaper base paper. Negotiations with the employees of the plant have started. Ahlstrom strives to minimize the impact on its customers by serving them from other production platforms within the Group. The company is in contact with its customers to discuss the required actions in detail.

For further information, please contact:

Jukka Moisio, President & CEO, tel. +358 10 888 4700

Patrick Jeambar, Senior Vice President, Technical Papers business area,

tel. +33 47 645 3515 or +33 68 289 6772

Distribution:

Helsinki Stock Exchange

Main media

www.ahlstrom.com

Ahlstrom in brief

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, e.g. in filters, wipes, flooring, labels, and tapes. The company has a strong market position in several business areas in which it operates, built upon the company's unique fiber expertise and innovative approach. Ahlstrom's 5,800 employees serve customers via sales offices and production facilities in more than 20 countries on six continents. In 2005, Ahlstrom's net sales amounted to EUR 1.55 billion. Ahlstrom's share is listed on the main list of the Helsinki Stock Exchange. The company website is www.ahlstrom.com.

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