Suominen Oyj - Company Announcement

Suominen confirms it invests in a new production line at its Bethune plant, focusing on nonwovens for household, industrial and flushable wipes

Helsinki, Finland, 2015-05-27 08:30 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Suominen
Corporation   Stock Exchange Release   27 May 2015 at 9:30am EEST 

SUOMINEN CONFIRMS IT INVESTS IN A NEW PRODUCTION LINE AT ITS BETHUNE PLANT,
FOCUSING ON NONWOVENS FOR HOUSEHOLD, INDUSTRIAL AND FLUSHABLE WIPES 

Suominen, a globally leading supplier of nonwovens, confirms that it has
decided to invest in a new wetlaid production line in its Bethune plant, South
Carolina, USA. Since the negotiations with machinery and service suppliers are
still pending, the total cost of the investment project will be disclosed
later. The investment is expected to create at least 25 jobs at the Bethune
plant and the new line is anticipated to be installed during the second half of
2016. 

The investment constitutes the most significant single initiative in Suominen's
EUR 30 - 50 million growth investment program launched at the end of 2014 and
supports Suominen's targeted growth during the strategic period of 2015-2017.
Through successful strategy execution, as announced earlier, Suominen would
become a company with net sales of roughly EUR 500 million by the end of 2017. 

“To achieve the targeted substantial growth, we seek to increase both our sales
volumes and the share of products with higher value-added in our portfolio.
Therefore, the new production line will focus on supplying nonwovens with
higher added value for household and industrial wiping as well as for flushable
applications,” says Ms Nina Kopola, President & CEO of Suominen Corporation. 

The demand for nonwovens is expected to continue to develop favorably, thanks
to several global megatrends. “Global growth in the number of hospital-acquired
infections, for example, boosts the demand for hygienic single-use industrial
wipes for healthcare institutions. At the same time, consumers desire top-notch
cleanliness and convenience in daily housekeeping routines, which drives the
demand for easy-to-use, antibacterial disposable wipes for housekeeping and for
flushable and dispersible toilet wipes. These are just examples of the
megatrends that accelerate the demand for nonwovens,” Nina Kopola continues. 

To celebrate the investment, Suominen holds a VIP event at its Bethune, SC
plant on 2 June 2015. The company hosts, among others, Ms Nikki R. Haley,
Governor of South Carolina, as a guest of honor. 

Suominen Corporation
Nina Kopola, President & CEO

For further information, please contact:
Nina Kopola, President & CEO, tel +358 10 214 300

Distribution:
NASDAQ Helsinki
Main media
http://www.suominen.fi/

Suominen in brief

Suominen manufactures nonwovens as roll goods for wipes as well as for medical
and hygiene products. The end products made of Suominen's nonwovens - wet
wipes, feminine care products and swabs, for instance - bring added value to
the daily life of consumers worldwide. Suominen is the global market leader in
nonwovens for wipes and employs approximately 600 people in Europe and in the
Americas. Suominen's net sales in 2014 amounted to MEUR 401.8 and operating
profit excluding non-recurring items to MEUR 26.9 (continuing operations). The
Suominen share (SUY1V) is listed in NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Stock Exchange. Read
more at www.suominen.fi.