Finnish company Suominen's sales up 3.4% in Q1 FY25

The net sales of Suominen Corporation, a global leader in nonwovens innovation and sustainability, has increased by 3.4 per cent and amounted to €117.5 million (~$132.15 million) in the first quarter of fiscal 2025. While the company sales volumes were lower than in the comparison period, higher raw material prices, an improved sales mix and strong commercial execution led to increased sales prices. Additionally, currency fluctuations had a positive impact on net sales, contributing €0.9 million (~$1.01 million).

Suominen has two business areas, Americas and EMEA. Net sales of the Americas business area were €73.6 million (~$82.78 million) and net sales of the EMEA business area were €43.9 million (~$49.37 million).

Comparable EBITDA decreased to €4.1 million (~$4.61 million) primarily due to higher operating expenses. There were no items affecting comparability in the first quarter of 2025.

“The market remained volatile in the first quarter of 2025, making for a challenging start to the year. Global supply chains are being impacted by geopolitical uncertainty, particularly around tariffs, prompting stakeholders to take precautionary measures. Stock levels for Asian-imported goods are increasing across both of our business areas. Despite a decline in consumer confidence, demand for our products remained stable during the first quarter of the year. Notably, 27 per cent of our net sales in the quarter came from new products launched in the last three years, demonstrating our ability to innovate and meet market needs,” said Tommi Björnman, president & CEO.

Suominen prioritises safety and accident prevention, aiming for zero lost time accidents (LTA). One LTA occurred in the first quarter at Suominen sites. Another goal is to achieve a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) index of 80 per cent by 2030. It is committed to improving production efficiency and resource utilisation, targeting reductions in scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement (limiting global warming to 1.5°C), and achieving zero manufacturing waste to landfill by 2030.

The company’s portfolio includes sustainable nonwovens, and it continuously develops innovative solutions with reduced environmental impact. It aims for over two-thirds of consumed raw materials to be from plant-based resources and for more than half of new R&D initiatives to focus on advancing the development of sustainable products, the company said in a press release.

“Sustainability is integral to our strategy and a key factor in our long-term success. We are committed to being the frontrunner in sustainable nonwovens and our innovation work is strongly focused on developing more sustainable nonwoven solutions that meet our customers' needs. In March, we published our new sustainability agenda for the period 2025–2030. The most important topics for us and our stakeholders are people and safety, sustainable nonwovens, low impact manufacturing and corporate citizenship. The KPI’s presented in the agenda reflect our commitment to sustainability and help us measure our impact as well as drive meaningful change. Last year, we announced two large investments, in Spain and in the US, to enhance our capabilities in sustainable products. These projects, totaling approximately €30 million (~$33.74 million), are progressing as planned,” Björnman explained.