HELSINKI (News release) -- Ahlstrom-Munksjö will implement a new business and reporting structure as of January 1, 2020. The new organizational structure is a natural next step following the completion and initial integration phase of the Expera Specialty Solutions acquisition. With the new structure, Ahlstrom-Munksjö will promote its core business capabilities, sharpen its strategic targets and align the business characteristics of each business area.

In the new organizational structure, businesses are combined which share the same core capabilities, strategic targets, and characteristics. This enables Ahlstrom-Munksjö to strengthen and further promote its capabilities in areas of product development and innovation, global key customer account management, product and production technology as well as process improvement and production optimization. The reorganization will support profitable growth, competitiveness as well as customer service.

The transformative acquisition of Expera Specialty Solutions was completed on October 10, 2018. The acquisition almost tripled Ahlstrom-Munksjö's net sales in the U.S. This specialty paper business is highly complementary to Ahlstrom-Munksjö's fiber-based solutions businesses and provides attractive cost and business synergies. The integration work has proceeded successfully. In the new business structure, where the acquired fifth business will be integrated into Ahlstrom-Munksjö's operating platform, the full potential of the business combination will be realized.