Ahlstrom-Munksjö has completed the initial analysis and design phase of its ongoing project to strengthen manufacturing platform for high performance filtration and energy storage applications. In response to growing customer demand, the company has now decided to proceed with the second phase of the project, which consists of a significant expansion of its micro glass capacity and a further growth in industrial filtration capacity.

Actions in the second phase include:

• Industrial filtration production capacity expansion at the Malmedy plant, Belgium, that will be implemented without affecting the company's ability to continue to serve existing customer base in the future.
• Micro-glass based media production capacity expansion at the Fabriano plant, Italy.
• Micro-glass based media fully dedicated new line at the Turin plant, Italy. This line will be specifically designed to serve applications where micro-glass is required, supporting the company's growth initiatives in industrial and automotive filtration as well as energy storage applications, such as Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM).
• A machine rebuild at the Binzhou plant, China, adding capabilities and production capacity that will enable further development of the company's offering for the Asian industrial and transportation filtration markets.

“The investment supports Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s strategic ambition to maintain a leading position in selected niches of the global fiber-based solutions market that offer positive growth outlook and are supported by sustainable market drivers,” says Daniele Borlatto, executive vice president of Filtration & Performance Solutions business area. “The company has responded to growing customer demand by successively expanding its filtration manufacturing capabilities globally through several new and expansionary investments in the past few years.”

The total investment will be approximately €28 million, as announced in June 2018, and the entire project is expected to be fully completed in the second half of 2021.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Filtration business develops and produces filtration materials for engine oils, fuels and air, as well as industrial air, used in vehicles or for industrial purposes. The Filtration business also has applications and is further developing filtration solutions for hybrid and fully electric vehicles. Close to 20% of sales are generated in industrial applications and around 80% of sales derive from transportation applications, both for passenger cars and heavier duty applications such as truck and heavy machineries. In transportation applications, sales come primarily from the aftermarket.