Finland’s Ahlstrom-Munksjö is expanding production capacity at its Malmedy plant in Belgium, specialised in the production of nonwovens for wallcovering. The €10 million investment, announced in January 2020, will double the capacity of the plant and diversify the production to cover filtration materials. The investment will also create some 40 new jobs.

Ahlstrom-Munksjö is a leading supplier of wallcovering materials with an extensive range of nonwovens for the high-end segment. The market for high-end wallcoverings is expected to continue to grow due to increased demand for digitally printed wallcoverings, new and innovative textures and colours, supported by increased customers’ demand for home decoration and new trends in interior design, the company said in a press release.

“The investment will further strengthen Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s position in delivering unique fibre-based solutions for both wallcovering and filtration markets. It highlights our agility in responding to changes in market demand and enables us to support our customers also in the future,” Pierre Mary, vice president, nonwovens and abrasives, Ahlstrom- Munksjö said.