Ahlstrom, a fibre-based speciality materials provider, has inaugurated a new ‘parchmentiser’, PMZ5, at its Saint-Séverin plant in France, with an investment of €15m ($16.8m) to support sustainable innovation and customer collaboration within the food packaging market.
The parchmentiser is an industrial equipment used to produce durable, grease- and water-resistant vegetable parchment by treating cellulose-based paper, using the parchmentisation process.
Ahlstrom president and CEO Helen Mets said: “For our Saint-Séverin colleagues, this is a major milestone: Ahlstrom’s next step in growing our portfolio of solutions that are safe and sustainable by design.
“This is a great plant, with great people to match. We believe in you wholeheartedly, and that is why we are investing in Saint-Séverin’s growth.”
The investment in the new PMZ5 parchmentiser will increase the plant’s production capacity and flexibility, allowing Ahlstrom to better serve its customers with high-quality parchment products.
The investment reinforces Ahlstrom’s role as a notable employer and economic contributor in the Charente and Dordogne regions.
Ahlstrom has worked with the local community for more than 150 years, ensuring that the company’s growth also benefits the surrounding areas.
The company says its commitment to the region is evident in its economic impact, with net sales in 2024 reaching €3bn and providing employment to approximately 6,800 individuals.
In March 2025, Ahlstrom launched LamiBak Flex, the latest addition to its LamiBak collection of base papers.
Last month, meanwhile, US-based speciality paper company Pixelle Specialty Solutions entered into a binding agreement to divest its facility in Wisconsin, US, to Ahlstrom.
