1. Home
  2. Company
  3. Strategy

Sustainable value creation

Ahlström Capital is a family-owned investment company. We focus our investments on industrial holdings, real estate and forests. We develop our investments with a sustainable, long-term approach.

Ahlström Capital combines the best features of an industrial company, an investment company and a family-owned company. We invest assets that the Ahlström family has accumulated during almost 170 years. We hold significant financial resources as one of the largest investment companies in Finland. Our mission is to create sustainable long-term shareholder value growth with attractive cash returns.

Our industrial investments include substantial holdings in listed companies as well as direct investments in non-listed companies. They offer opportunities for strong value growth with a flexible holding period. Real estate and forest investments form the firm basis of our portfolio that provides strong cash flow and solid value growth. As a responsible investor we also want to impact the environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies and performance of our investments.

Ahlström Capital invests in established companies that have strong positions in attractive markets and offer further development and value creation potential. We look for medium-sized companies (EUR 50–500 million) with Nordic presence and a global potential. Our aim is to have the leading role in listed companies and to be the majority owner in non-listed companies. However, we welcome co-investment opportunities with reputable investors.

For screening new potential acquisition targets and for developing our existing businesses we apply a comprehensive set of evaluation criteria. Understanding market attractiveness, companies’ strengths and weaknesses as well as the value creation potential is essential. As part of the process we evaluate management, customers operations and ESG related issues. We develop our portfolio companies through active board and strategy work, as well as through mergers and acquisitions. We support and develop the companies by forming effective boards that possess in-depth industrial expertise and support the management to succeed in leading their business.

The values of the Ahlström family – ambition and responsibility – guide all our operations. We have a long history and we want to continue that legacy and increase the company’s value for future generations. We are a reputable owner that leads our own and our companies’ operations with a Nordic governance approach. We develop our portfolio together with our vast network, consisting of our owners as well as the boards and management of Ahlström Capital and its portfolio companies.

In real estate, we invest in properties in central locations in Southern Finland. We create value through active ownership and use our ability to execute real estate development and conversion projects.

Our forests are concentrated in the Satakunta region, and in Central and Eastern Finland. As a private forest owner, we are one of the largest in Finland. Maintaining the carbon sink is one of the main objectives of our forestry strategy. Our real estate and forest assets are managed by A. Ahlström Real Estate Limited.