Ahlstrom Corporation PRESS RELEASE February 17, 2012 at 1.30 p.m.

Ahlstrom, a global high performance materials company, announced today it will launch a new metalized poster paper for outdoor billboards at Fespa Digital 2012, the largest European event for digital wide format print industry, held in Barcelona on February 21-24.

Advertising today requires companies and brand owners to continuously develop innovative marketing activities for maximum impact. Out-of-home advertising is no exception.

To help companies making their brands stand out boldly from the crowd, Ahlstrom has developed Ahlstrom Chantaffiche^TM Metalized, the first metalized poster paper for outdoor billboard. This new one-side coated paper provides a premium metallic effect to posters for enhanced brand image. It is a supreme medium for advertising high-end cars, watches, perfumes, beers or fashion lines.

To develop the new paper, Ahlstrom combined two unique areas of competence: expertise in base paper for metalization and know-how in blueback poster paper for optimal visual impact, easy posting and lasting stand-out.

"As a leading producer of base paper for metalization, which we traditionally produce for labeling and packaging end-use, we cooperate with the biggest key players of the metalizing industry for product development. At Ahlstrom we've been using progressive technology for over 50 years to advance the standards of the poster paper industry. This newly developed metalized poster paper demonstrates our readiness to continue providing with new solutions to the market. We believe that this development will bring a new impulse in the outdoor billboard market with new opportunities for outstanding advertising campaigns, in particular for demanding high-end products." explains Jan Witt, Product Manager, Poster paper.

Ahlstrom is the leading producer of poster papers offering the widest product range for all printing methods and applications, indoor and outdoor. Ahlstrom poster papers are produced in Germany and France and are part of the Label and Processing business area.

Ahlstrom booth at Fespa Digital is Hall 3, stand F22.

For more information, please contact:
Jan Witt, Product Manager, Poster papers, Tel. +49 (0) 541 604 338
Liisa Nyyssönen, Vice President, Communications, Tel. +358 10 888 4757

Ahlstrom in brief
Ahlstrom is a high performance materials company, partnering with leading businesses around the world to help them stay ahead. Our products are used in a large variety of everyday applications, such as filters, wallcovers, flooring, labels and food packaging. We have a leading market position in the businesses in which we operate. Our 5,200 employees serve customers in 28 countries on six continents. In 2011, Ahlstrom's net sales amounted to EUR 1.6 billion. The company's share is quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. More information available at www.ahlstrom.com.