Ahlstrom financial statements release 2024 published

Helen Mets, President and CEO, comments on the full year 2024 results:
In 2024, Ahlstrom made notable progress on its growth journey. We have positioned the company and our technology around major global trends and placing decision-making close to customers. In 2024, we simplified our divisional structure from five divisions into three. We have strengthened both our opportunity pipeline and innovation pipeline. We have also progressed in sustainability, and our efforts are recognized by EcoVadis and CDP carbon disclosure.

Record strong profitability
Ahlstrom has delivered record high profitability for the full year 2024. We had record-level comparable EBITDA and operating cash flow. Our comparable EBITDA margin was at an all-time high, landing at 15,2%. Despite the market not offering a tailwind, we successfully grew our deliveries by 3% on a comparable basis. We saw growth in most of our specialty materials businesses, including Filtration, Technical Materials, Food and Medical. Margin on variable costs per ton is increasingly strong, thanks to improved operational performance resulting from our transformation initiatives.

Strengthened business portfolio, innovation, and sustainability recognition
We undertook several strategic measures to strengthen our business portfolio, including the divestment of the Aspa pulp mill and the closure of the Bousbecque and Falun plants, as part of our ongoing efforts to focus on high growth areas. To further expand our capabilities in specialty materials, we acquired ErtelAsop, a company specializing in life-science filtration.

Innovation is at the core of our strategy. In 2024, we launched several innovative products, including sustainable packaging materials and advanced filtration solutions. 31% of our sales now come from products that we have launched in the last 5 years.

In alignment with Ahlstrom’s commitment to sustainability, our climate targets were verified by the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi). Our commitment to sustainability has been recognized with a Platinum Medal in the EcoVadis sustainability assessment, as well as a Leadership score A- in the CDP carbon disclosure.

Looking ahead
I am confident that the steps we continue to take are strengthening our ability to lead in sustainable specialty materials. Our customer loyalty score remains in the top decile in our industry, reflecting our dedication to customer satisfaction. I would like to thank our employees, customers, and partners for their unwavering support and collaboration. Our solid profitability and cash flow, combined with our commitment to co-innovating with our customers, position us well for the future.