Ahlstrom's Annual General Meeting 2013: President & CEO Jan Lång comments on focus areas for 2013
Ahlstrom Corporation STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE March 27, 2013 at 13.30
Ahlstrom's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders' is being held today in Helsinki. In his presentation, Jan Lång, President & CEO, summarizes Ahlstrom's strategic development from 2009 to present and describes the company's focus areas for 2013.
In 2013, Ahlstrom will focus on bringing new products to the market successfully and growing sales especially to smaller customers.
"We will double the amount of new products launched to the market in 2013 compared with the previous year," Lång states. Examples of recent product launches include a product for the automotive industry that takes soot filtration to a new level as well as hybrid wallcoverings.
Ahlstrom has also initiated a strategic program called 'Growth 2020' to drive long-term sustainable growth for the company. The program addresses the growth potential of the current businesses, adjacent businesses close to the company's current businesses as well as new segments with highly differentiated product offering. Growth opportunities in all these markets will be built on our current capabilities.
The presentation material will be available on Ahlstrom's internet site following the AGM.
Preliminary restated financial segment information for 2012
As of January 1, 2013 the former Filtration business area was divided into two segments: Advanced Filtration and Transportation Filtration. Ahlstrom today publishes preliminary financial segment information on the two new business areas for 2012. Full restated segment information will be published prior to the publication of January-March 2013 interim report on April 25, 2013.
Net sales in the Advanced Filtration -business area amounted to approximately EUR 76 million euros in 2012. Operating profit excluding non-recurring items was EUR 9 million.
Net sales in the Transportation Filtration -business area amounted to approximately EUR 294 million euros in 2012. Operating profit excluding non-recurring items was EUR 12 million.
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. Our products are used in a large variety of everyday applications, such as filters, medical gowns and drapes, diagnostics, wallcoverings, flooring and food packaging. We have a leading market position in the businesses in which we operate. In 2012, Ahlstrom's net sales from the continuing operations (excluding Label and Processing business) amounted to EUR 1 billion. Our 3,800 employees serve customers in 28 countries on six continents. Ahlstrom's share is quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. More information available at www.ahlstrom.com.