Monticello Mill Hits 1M Tons After Bottom-Up Culture Shift

Ahlstrom-Munksjö's sterile barrier systems offer excellent bacterial barrier thanks to cellulosic fibers that create a tortuous path for excellent sterility maintenance of surgical instruments up to the point of use. Thanks to their features, our high-performance sterilization wraps play a key role in the prevention of hospital-acquired infections, protecting patients’ health. Dextex wetlaid sterilization wraps have a long history of use in the sterilization industry and are well recognized throughout the globe for their reliable performance. In our continuous effort to facilitate our customers and help their businesses succeed, we have decided to harmonize the wetlaid portfolio of high performance sterilization wraps in the United States under our globally recognized Reliance® brand.

Consolidated net sales of $269.3 million in the second quarter of 2021 increased 67 percent compared with $161.4 million in the second quarter of 2020. The increase includes strong volume growth in both segments, including net sales from the Itasa acquisition of $33.2 million. The impact from lower net selling prices was mostly offset by favorable currency effects. Excluding the Itasa acquisition, net sales grew 4% from the first quarter of 2021. Operating loss of $32.6 million in the second quarter of 2021 decreased compared to operating loss of $58.5 million in 2020. The operating loss of $32.6 million in 2021 resulted primarily from non-routine charges of $51.9 million, including asset restructuring costs resulting from the Appleton Mill closure, loss on debt extinguishment, acquisition and integration costs, pension settlement losses and other restructuring items as detailed in the GAAP reconciliation table.

Ahlstrom announces the execution of a binding agreement to acquire Stevens Point, a high-end solutions provider in food, consumer packaging and e-commerce applications, from Pixelle Specialty Solutions. In parallel, Ahlstrom will create a dedicated Performance Materials cluster to sharpen its strategic focus and optimize growth opportunities. These two transformational steps are part of Ahlstrom's ongoing commitments to innovation and customer satisfaction. The acquisition of this best-in-class business includes premium-quality products, long-standing customer relationships, and the experience and expertise of its 260 people, representing a significant milestone in Ahlstrom’s growth transformation. Based in Wisconsin, USA, the business adds unique capabilities that will support customers’ transition to sustainable packaging and strengthen Ahlstrom's leadership and footprint in its Food & Consumer Packaging segment. This step aligns with the company’s long-term growth objectives and will deliver more value to its customers and stakeholders. The acquisition is highly complementary to Ahlstrom’s existing product portfolio. Stevens Point’s superior technical expertise include state-of-the-art finishing and coating capabilities that will significantly enhance the company’s ability to meet growing customers’ needs.