Ahlstrom Group, a leading developer and manufacturer of nonwovens and specialty papers, celebrates the inauguration of its new facility in Binzhou, Shandong province, in northeastern China. The plant produces transportation filtration materials and currently employs 170 people. Ahlstrom acquired the plant from Purico Group which it announced earlier this month.

According to Ahlstrom´s President & CEO Jan Lâng the acquisition plays a significant role in Ahlstrom´s growth strategy in Asia.

In addition to the Binzhou plant, Ahlstrom has three other manufacturing sites in Asia: one in Hyun Poong, South Korea, one in Mundra, India, and one in Wuxi, China. The Hyung Poong plant also manufactures filtration materials for automotive industry where as the Mundra plant produces nonwoven fabrics for the medical market and the Wuxi site for dust filtration. In addition to the manufacturing plants, Ahlstrom has sales offices in nine major cities in Asia. Altogether, Asia currently accounts for about 10% of the Group´s net sales.

Source: China Textile Leader