Ahlstrom announced that it has begun the production of specialty glass fiber reinforcements for the Chinese wind energy market. This represents a significant step for the company’s growth strategy in Asia.
The specialty reinforcements, along with other materials, are used to toughen wind mill blades. The production will take place at Binzhou facility located in the Shandong province, China and is scheduled to begin in the Q4 of 2011. In order to support the production of glass fiber reinforcements, the company will deploy multiaxial equipment at its Binzhou plant.
The current investment will help Ahlstrom to better serve its customers in China and offers an opportunity to the company to expand its position in the rapidly developing wind energy markets in China and across Asia.
Ahlstrom had acquired a filtration plant in 2010 and has also planned a joint venture in China to produce medical papers and masking tape substrates. On June 2011, the company has made an investment to manufacture wallcover materials in China.
Source: http://www.ahlstrom.com/