Ahlstrom announces FSC and PEFC chain-of-custody certifications of all its Release & Label Papers manufacturing plants
Press release March 11, 2009, 15:20
Ahlstrom, a global leader in high performance fiber-based materials, announced today that its release papers manufacturing plant in La Gère, France, received certifications according to the chain-of-custody standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSCTM) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFCTM). The La Gère plant is the third certified unit of Ahlstrom's Release & Label Papers business area, after the Jacareì, Brazil, and Turin, Italy plants received chain-of-custody certifications in 2008. All units already hold ISO 14001 and 9001 certificates.
The recognitions are in line with Ahlstrom's policy to support credible certification systems and to source from pulp suppliers which are either certified or in the process of being certified. They will enable Ahlstrom to supply either FSCTM or PEFCTM labelled papers depending on the availability of certified pulps.
Chain-of-custody standards prescribe the adoption of accurate traceability procedures for the processing of certified pulp into certified paper products and strict standards for control and risk assessment of pulp suppliers. This is to ensure that their raw material did not originate from wood harvested illegally, in violation of traditional and civil rights, in forests where high conservation values are threatened by management activities, in forest being converted to plantations or where genetically modified trees are planted.
"We took a proactive approach to chain-of-custody certifications with the strong belief they will contribute to guarantee sustainability through the value chain" says Daniele Borlatto, Senior Vice President, Release & Label Papers. "Today we can supply either FSCTM or PEFCTM certified release and label papers from any of our plants in Europe and South America. We are proud of this achievement because paper manufactured with carefully controlled cellulose has excellent environmental credentials as a sustainable, renewable material."
With the La Gère plant, the number of Ahlstrom units which achieved chain-of-custody certifications is now nine and it will further grow according to the sustainable procurement policy of the group.
Contacts:
Marco Martinez, Marketing Communications director, Release & Label Papers: +390119260271
Daniele Borlatto, Senior Vice President, Release & Label Papers: +390119260111
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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, 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 6,400 employees serve customers via sales offices and production facilities in more than 20 countries on six continents. In 2008, Ahlstrom's net sales amounted to EUR 1.8 billion. Ahlstrom's share is quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. The company website is www.ahlstrom.com.