Ahlstrom has decided to close its Bishopville plant in the U.S.
The plant, which manufactures glassfibre specialty reinforcements, has suffered from weakening demand in the wind energy business in North America. As a result, a total of 74 employees will be affected starting from January 2012. The co-operation negotiations, started in September at the Mikkeli plant in Finland, will lead to a reduction of 7 employees, starting from December 2011. The production of glassfibre reinforcements at the site will continue as before. The company has to date announced profit improvement measures impacting a total of 305 employees in Karhula, Osnabrück, Turin, Bishopville and Mikkeli.
Ahlstrom has to date booked a non-recurring cost of appr. EUR 32 million relating to the program: EUR 25 million in the third-quarter 2011 results and for the decisions announced today, a non-recurring cost of appr. EUR 7 million in the fourth-quarter 2011 financial results.