Ahlstrom, a global leader in nonwovens and specialty, announces price increases in the first quarter of 2011 for its filtration materials globally as a consequence of the continued rise in raw material costs such as chemicals and energy.

Even though the price of standard pulp has stabilized in the late 2010, prices of specialty fibers, energy and chemicals have continued to rise steadily over recent months.

The price increase will affect filtration materials produced by Ahlstrom globally. The level and timing of the increase will depend on the markets served, the raw material content of the product and the agreements in place.

The increase will be up to 12%. Specific details will be discussed with each customer individually by the appropriate sales teams in the coming days.