with stakes at an all-time high, air laid manufacturers are on the move, ready to make good on their promise of an unprecedented, millennium-style market break-through

A decade ago the big news in filtration was that nonwovens were gaining ground over traditional textiles. Today, as we approach the millenium, nonwovens continue to represent an inexpensive, durable, versatile and disposable alternative to non-nonwoven competitors. In fact, so much growth has taken place in the overall filtration market that nearly everyone seems to have a specialization in this niche-oriented business. Despite growth levels of about 3-5% per year, manufacturers report price pressures from customers as well as for raw materials—which can represent up to 60% of the cost of media—and in some areas of production, overcapacity has lead to consolidation. In low- and medium-end markets, price is often a key parameter over performance. Because it is often easy to substitute different medias to achieve similar performance, a buyer will often make decisions based largely on price.

In terms of applications, the market is made up of two sectors—liquid and air filtration, with the former including applications such as aquarium cartridges and filters for the pet industry as well as water purification filters in residential or municipal arenas. Air filtration end uses include HEPA and ULPA products, as well as HVAC and ASHRAE units. Other uses for nonwovens in filtration include melt blown fabrics that go into food and beverage applications for liquid separation and fabrics that are used in respirators, face masks and vacuum bags.

No Where To Go But Up
Having grown from $850 million in 1988 to $1.3 billion in 1995, the nonwovens filtration market is anticipated to hit the $2 billion mark worldwide by the year 2000 according to Filter Media Consulting, La Grange, GA. At the finished product level, the total value of the global filtration market is estimated at $3.25 billion according to consulting firm The McIlvaine Company, Northbrook, IL, a figure that can be broken down into 41% for the Americas, 35% for Europe and Africa and 24% for Asia. Looking ahead, McIlvaine forecasts that U.S. marketshare will fall from 22 to 20% in the next four years and Japan’s share will decrease from 9 to 8.5%, while China, on the other hand, will enjoy a 12% marketshare with a 10% increase.

While there are differing opinions about where certain geographical locations will fare in the future of the filtration market, most manufacturers believe the U.S. to be the largest market or the area with the most potential for development in the short term. John Reeves, president and CEO of AQF Technologies, Charlotte, NC, said, “The air filtration market in the U.S. is much larger than in Europe in part because most Europeans do not have air conditioners. Much of the air filtration market is represented by HVAC systems.” Mr. Reeves estimated U.S. marketshare at roughly 50%, with Europe and Asia each representing 25%.

In terms of geographical growth sectors, many companies pointed to the U.S., particularly the Midwest, as an area of growth potential. “In the U.S., the Midwest, specifically Detroit, MI, has the highest potential,” said Steve Copperwheat, plant manager for Knowlton Nonwovens, Utica, NY. “I would put the South second,” he added. After the U.S., Western and Eastern Europe as well as China were cited by many companies as areas of growth. “Today the North American and European markets are the largest,” commented Dianne Newman, director of market development and planning for Hollingsworth & Vose, East Walpole, MA. “For the future one would look to China and India, but they’re clearly not there yet.”

As far as which segments or processes are the most widely used in the filtration market, answers range from needlepunched and wet laid technologies to melt blown and spunbonded processes. Many manufacturers pointed to growth in the melt blown sector, which is considered a very strong, growing area. More melt blown composites are being introduced and there is more emphasis on combining materials in order to receive the best possible performance at the most reasonable cost. Mr. Copperwheat of Knowlton Nonwovens shared this viewpoint, “Wet laid nonwovens right now are popular, but I think you’re going to see a gradual shift toward composites where you’re using a different number of fabrics.”

Global Market Conditions—Weak Or Strong?
Another important issue in the filtration sector is excess capacity, which is currently affecting profitability and is expected to lead to consolidation through joint ventures and acquisitions. Two recent examples of consolidation are the purchase of filter manufacturers Puralator-Facet Products Air Filtration, Henderson, NC, and Facet International, Torino, Italy, by Clarcore Inc., Rockford, IL. A second example is the acquisition of Environmental Filter Corporation (EFC), Santa Rose, CA, by Filtration Group, Joliet, IL (see sidebar on page 48 for more details).

Although certain manufacturers defined the filtration market as weak, most characterized it as either strong or on an even keel with small growth percentages. Roger Hattersley, manufacturing representative for Bernard Dumas SA, Bergerac, France, commented on market conditions. “Currently, it’s a very competitive market. I think we’ll see more consolidation of companies because there are just too many companies in the market presently.”

Steve Lister, general manager of the Filtration Division for Johns Manville, Denver, CO, was more hopeful. “The filtration market is still quite healthy. The HVAC market is growing at about 4-5% worldwide and in the HEPA/ULPA cleanroom area, we’re starting to see some signs of recovery in the second half of 1999. Liquid filtration continues to be a very high growth segment at about 6-8% in North America.”

Tony Centofanti, president of National Nonwovens, Easthampton, MA, described the market as steady and pointed to an increased demand for filtration media. In response to such demand, he explained, the company is under way with efforts to create new products and enhance existing ones. Jim Iaquinto, product manager of Carlee Corporation, Rockleigh, NJ, also mentioned new product development initiatives. “We’re working on a HEPA-type filter for air/gas applications and also on our ability to laminate nonwovens or wovens. Our new product is a very high efficiency depth filter, which may be combined with electrostatic properties. We’re also looking to maximize life expectancy of our media.”

Diversity At Its Best
Another key trend in the nonwovens air and liquid filtration markets is an increasing number of niche segments. “The filtration market is slowly gravitating toward specialty products rather than commodity products,” said J.R. Turgeon, filtration sales manager of Tex Tech Industries, North Monmouth, ME. On the one hand there are commodity products—high capacity, ready-to-be-purchased items—and on the other hand companies are treating customers more as clientele, indicating increased cooperation between suppliers and customers necessitated by an increasingly specialized market.

Another related trend in the filtration market is the manufacture of finer and smaller fibers—up to 250 nano-meters in diameter—especially important in cleanrooms and medical uses. Commenting on this trend was Mr. Copperwheat of Knowlton Nonwovens, “I think you’re seeing many high-tech, specialty fibers out there and everyone is becoming more of a specialist within filtration. The filtration market is no longer a case where the customer is coming to you and saying, ‘I need fabric X. They’re now saying ‘I have a need for a fabric that will do X, what can you make for me?’”

One example of such increased cooperation is a recently established distribution agreement between AQF Technologies and Shinwa Corporation, Kawanoe, Japan. Mr. Reeves of AQF commented on the brand new arrangement, “We’re in essence turning over the marketing of our technology to another company and I think that’s a bit different than you would have seen five to eight years ago. It makes more sense for Shinwa to handle it because they know more about the Asian culture and have a reputation with channels in place.”

Other manufacturers agreed on the subject of heightened specialization, referring to the filtration market as an area that is quickly becoming a “science.” “Many more people are starting to understand filtration better and because of that you’ll see more composites in the market,” commented Mr. Reeves. “For instance, taking a melt blown, combining it with a spunbond and then electrostatically charging it makes for a more effective material than any of those materials would ever perform individually.”

Not only is the market becoming more scientific, manufacturers are more aware of the effects products have on the larger community. “Overall, the filtration market will become a more scientific market where companies are trying to market filtration media rather than commodity nonwovens,” predicted Fabrice Werner, director of marketing at Ahlstrom Filtration, Mount Holly Springs, PA. “More filtration OEM’s are now selling filtration performances that bring values to the end user, for instance, health protection, cleanliness and longer life. An excellent example of these values in action can be found in the vacuum bag market with the “Endust” program, which promotes the filtration performance of the bag.”

And The Battle Continues...
Another trend noticeable in the market is an increased usage of synthetic melt blown materials compared to glass wet laid fabrics. While overall manufacturers were divided on this subject, certain companies described glass as a diminishing market. “The synthetic market is gaining remarkable ground on organic products. The death toll has been sounded for organic (glass) products,” said one manufacturer. “That [separation] occurs in very high volume businesses,” said Mr. Iaquinto of Carlee. “There’s a significant amount of capacity and glass usage to reinsulate houses has probably been reduced, which has been the case for the last 15 years or so. There’s an increase in activity for glass in roofing and that’s the area where you’ll find the two (glass and synthetics) will bang heads.”

Offering another viewpoint on the glass versus synthetics division was Mr. Reeves of AQF, who cited a changing of the guard of sorts. “There is a strong trend toward the use of synthetics because they are more durable and possess many positive attributes. As technology evolves, anyone could see synthetics taking over the traditional glass markets.”

Dr. Christian Sandler, managing director of C.H. Sandler GmbH, Schwarzenbach-Saale, Germany, commented on the positive attributes of synthetic materials for use in filtration. “More and more developments of thermal bonded synthetic filter media are carried out, which are very efficient with regard to their arrestance and life. Furthermore, synthetic materials can be processed on high performance machines so that less expensive products can be offered to the end user.”

Despite the bad press glass has received in the past, it has retained its place in the filtration market. “Glass is so inexpensive that in many cases people just wear protective garments to overcome its negative attributes versus switching over to synthetics,” said Mr. Centofanti of National Nonwovens. Other encouraging news regarding glass is that more and more companies are offering a biosoluable microfiber-based material, which is highly absorbent in lung fluid, in addition to a low-boron fiberglass. o

More than 2000 professionals from around the world will gather at the Filtration ’99 International Conference and Exposition at Navy Pier in Chicago, IL this month. Sponsored by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, Cary, NC, the exposition, which will be open Wednesday, November 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will include more than 200 exhibitors showing the latest in filter media, raw materials, filtration components and services. (A complete list of exhibitors begins on page 54.)

The Filtration ’99 conference will take place Tuesday, November 2 from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Thursday, November 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday’s line-up will feature a tutorial session on the fundamentals of filtration followed by an “Ask The Experts” panel. On Wednesday, Robert McIlvaine of McIlvaine Company, Northbrook, IL, will present the keynote address and Thursday’s lectures will look at the end use side of the filtration market. A reception will be held in the Expo Hall on Wednesday night from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Also scheduled to take place during Filtration ’99 is the second annual Filtration and Separation Product Achievement Awards Dinner, which recognizes outstanding filtration and separation products selected through a vote by readers of Filtration & Separation magazine. The event will take place Wednesday, November 3 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on the Riverwalk and will include a four-course sit-down dinner, drinks and entertainment. Award categories will include the following: Environmental Innovation Award, Best Website Award, Filter Media Award, Cartridge Filters Award, Liquid Filters Award, Liquid Separators Award, Membrane Filters Award, Air and Dust Filters Award, Gas and Hot Gas Filters Award, Filter Applications Award, Testing and Monitoring Award, Overall Product of the Year Runners-up Award and the Overall Product of the Year Award.

What follows is a complete list of upcoming sessions and topics for the Filtration ’99 conference:

Tuesday, Nov. 2—1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“Filtration 101—The Fundamentals Of Filtration,” Ken Rubow, Mott Corporation, Farmington, CT; Anthony Flannery, AF Nonwovens; David Paul, DHP Inc.

“Ask the Experts,” Moderator: Lutz Bergmann, Filter Media Consulting, La Grange, GA; Anthony Flannery, AF Nonwovens; William Gregg, Mikropul Environmental Systems, Summit, NJ; John Kroha, Flexon Inc., Leetsdale, PA; David Paul, DHP Inc.; Ken Rubow, Mott Corporation; Tony Shucosky, Memtec America, Timonium, MD.

Wednesday, Nov. 3—

Cartridge And Crossflow Filtration—Moderator: Rob Bender, Evanite Fiber, Corvallis, OR.

“New Pleated Fiber Media For High Temperature Applications,” Stephen Stark, W.L. Gore & Associates, Elkton, MD.

“Nonwovens For Industrial Dust Removal Applications,” Stefan Berbner, Freudenberg Nonwovens, Weinheim, Germany.

“Sorption Removal Of Colloid/Turbid Particles,” Tod Johnson, PhD, Filter Flow Technology, League City, TX.

“Crossflow Microfiltration,” John Richardson, Westech Engineering, Salt Lake City, UT.

For more information on Filtration ‘99, contact INDA, Association of The Nonwovens Industry, P.O. Box 1288, Cary, NC; 919-233-1210; Fax: 919-233-1282; Website: www.inda.org.

Three new absorbent core innovations. Two large-scale capacity additions. One major cross-continental merger. Nowhere is the countdown to the new millennium more apparent than in the air laid market, where the big Y2K question has less to do with computers malfunctioning than with whether air laids have finally reached the “Holy Grail”—the absorbent diaper core. Following years of speculation and industry rumor—stemming from concerns over capacity, cost, run times and delivery systems—it looks like air laid nonwovens have finally “arrived.”

Needless to say, their arrival has not gone unnoticed. With key capacity increases slated for the near-term future and a prominent acquisition about to take place, the air laid market—poised for an unmatched market breakthrough—has earned a reputation as a technology sector well worth watching. And the industry is doing just that.

The Countdown Begins...
Beginning with the topic of growing capacity both Concert GmbH, Berlin, Germany and Buckeye Technologies, Memphis, TN, are under way with plans to significantly boost current air laid production. Expected to start-up in December and reach full production levels late in 2001, Concert’s DM 70 million expansion will triple annual capacity at its plant in Falkenhagen, Germany and will center on the addition of what the company calls the most modern air laid cellulose fiber production facility in the world.

For its part, Buckeye also uses superlatives to describe its expansion plans, which involve the addition of the world’s largest air laid machine. The new 50,000-ton per year system is expected onstream in late 2000 at a yet-to-be-revealed location. The line will be triple the size of traditional machines and will be specifically designed to manufacture a new family of heavier basis weight, multifunctional products for various absorbent applications.

On the acquisition front, Buckeye’s purchase of Walkisoft is another factor set to change the air laid industry as we know it. The deal—which was expected to be finalized early this month—involves the acquisition of air laid manufacturer Walkisoft GmbH, Steinfurt, Germany, the nonwovens business of UPM-Kymmene. The $120 million purchase doubles Buckeye’s air laid capacity to approximately 85,000 tons per year.

While most manufacturers were wary of predicting just what the merger would mean for the market at large, many agreed that its ramifications are not expected to significantly change the face of the business and that the acquisition is not indicative of a trend toward widespread consolidation. This is not to say that manufacturers are not keeping a watchful eye on this area of the market, however. “We are interested to see how this works out,” commented Olof Lundin, marketing manager at Duni AB, Bengtsfors, Sweden. “This is quite a new story and we have yet to see what the effects will be. Buckeye has shown a strong interest in air laids, first through its Merfin acquisition and now through this purchase. One thing is clear,” he added, “a merger of this magnitude is a recognition of air laid technology and its possibilities,” he said.

Susan Stansbury, nonwovens marketing manager at Fort James, Green Bay, WI, described a certain level of consolidation as a positive sign for air laids. “Some of the consolidation in the market suggests air laid technology has moved from a small niche position to taking its place among the larger volume nonwoven fabrics. Converters and customers with larger products can be assured of both capacity and commitment to this business,” she said.

Reaching For The Grail
If there’s a hot topic in air laids, it’s hygiene, and more specifically, the coveted baby diaper core. It seems that anybody who’s anybody—and that means just about everybody with even a peripheral interest in the hygiene sector—is watching this market very, very closely. Just how high are the stakes? According to John McNicol, president and chief operating officer of Concert Industries, Quebec, Canada, “The replacement of traditional fluff pulp/SAP-based materials with air laid nonwovens in diaper core applications would require four times the world’s air laid capacity.” Duni’s Mr. Lundin also described this as a substantial market change. “The air laid baby diaper core will have a huge influence on the business as we know it. This is the next big move for air laids.”

Who will place first among diaper manufacturers in the race toward the air laid diaper core remains to be seen. Jill Langevin, marketing manager for Buckeye Technologies, offered a prediction. “I don’t think we’re going to see the big players taking the lead. We will likely see a small but significant player go first, with other manufacturers following.”

Another question worth asking is when penetration into the baby diaper market can be expected and that—like many questions in the nonwovens industry—is a matter of perspective. In the feminine hygiene and adult incontinence markets, air laid nonwovens have reached at least an initial level of acceptance, with air laids used in both absorbent core and acquisition layer applications. In feminine hygiene, manufacturers report that most progressive panty shield and panty liner SKU’s feature air laid components. So when exactly will the baby diaper frontier become a reality?

According to Paul Boynton, director-specialty pulp sales and marketing at Rayonier, Jesup, GA, air laid cores may already be on retail shelves. “Due to the highly secretive nature of this business and the number of proprietary arrangements, it’s very possible that these products are already available in one form or another without wide acknowledgement of this fact.”

Offering an update on European market penetration was Alexander Maximow, sales director at McAirlaid’s Vliesstoffe GmbH, Steinfurt, Germany, which made its debut early this year. “Trial marketing is already under way in Europe and the first product of this type should hit the shelves in Europe by January.” He added that there is one European baby diaper manufacturing line with air laid converting capabilities already up and running.

“Although there has been a lot of speculation about the potential for air laid in diapers over the past several years,” said Ms. Langevin of Buckeye, “I believe we’re finally there. Several air laid cores developed specifically for diaper applications are now commercially available and a large number of manufacturers are seriously testing them.”

Concert’s Mr. McNicol also predicted an imminent transition. “The missing factor was speed, but now that issue has been addressed. The standard for air laids has been set in the feminine hygiene market and we will see a similar transition take place across hygiene markets in general—in adult incontinence and then in baby diapers. Large-scale capacity investments will help break this open.” He added that the merits of thinner, increasingly advanced air laid structures—along with increased productivity and an ability to hit key value points—make it hard not to replace with air laids.

Even if issues of adequate capacity and production speeds have been addressed, another important challenge remains convincing baby diaper manufacturers to reconfigure existing converting equipment to handle air laid absorbent cores. According to Mr. Maximow of McAirlaid’s—which manufactures “SuperCore,” a brand new modified cellulosic fiber-based product—this is not a significant obstacle for air laids. “It’s really just a matter of modifying existing diaper lines. The hammermills and drum formers need to be eliminated and an unwind system must be added to unpack the layered (festooned) material. Companies can save waste by eliminating these components.”

Ms. Langevin agreed, explaining that Buckeye’s new “Unicore” multilayered, composite technology—which is currently in the process of becoming commercialized—is designed to run easily on existing diaper and feminine hygiene lines. “Manufacturers should be able to simply bypass certain equipment components rather than undertake substantial machine modifications.”

Looking at things from the perspective of R&D was Concert’s Mr. McNicol, who pointed out that while novel product designs may not require drastic machinery changes, a significant amount of research and development work is required behind the scenes. “The first part of the challenge is to prove that the material will provide benefits with value. For instance, there are 12-16 materials involved in a baby diaper and if that number can be reduced to four or five, that’s a real advantage.” Mr. McNicol added that a composite core would allow the replacement of several products, providing improved economics and value through a simpler, better performing product. “Ultimately, this is the vision,” he said, “first the absorbent core and eventually other components such as acquisition layers.”

Rayonier’s Mr. Boynton also cited an array of possibilities for air laids and specifically for the company’s new “NovaThin” product, which was launched earlier this year. The new product—which incorporates SAP and fluff pulp directly into a hydrogen bonded air laid structure—represents Rayonier’s debut as a manufacturer of preformed cores and propels the specialty pulp supplier into a new arena. “We are assessing our options about whether to develop this and future generations of NovaThin on a larger scale through an expanded manufacturing base, in-house or otherwise. We may also form partnerships and/or licensing agreements. No matter what the outcome, these discussions will lead to a broader scope of possibilities. This is a long process and NovaThin is not a one-size-fits-all product. It’s a platform technology, not a single answer. The absorbent core could be a starting point, but there are a lot of possibilities,” said Mr. Boynton.

Fort James’ Ms. Stansbury also commented on product opportunities and variations. “In addition to transfer-acquisition layers and a greater emphasis on absorbent cores, another key product development trend focuses on composites of all kinds, including multilayered laminates, top sheets combined with inner layers and barrier back side webs. In absorbent core markets, customers look at the entire structure’s performance, so even if you provide just a single layer, you must understand how it works in a complete structure. In other markets, customers are seeking additives like antimicrobial treatments, special surfaces, high loft and other features tailored to their segment,” she said.

How Goes The Market?
By most accounts, current conditions in the air laid sector are very strong in terms of sales, with pricing and capacity both acting as important market influences. Offering a hygiene market update was Concert’s Mr. McNicol. “We have seen very strong growth in the market driven largely by hygiene applications. There has been a push in the feminine hygiene sector toward more sophisticated products and better performing structures with improved designs. This transition has increased demand for air laid capacity in its own right, but other sectors have also reported growth.”

Ms. Stansbury described dynamic market conditions and said that major markets, such as feminine hygiene and baby wet wipes, are being carefully monitored as changes occur globally. “Some geographies lead change in some markets and they may be entirely different in other segments,” she said.

Playing a key role in the air laid market is raw material pricing, a fact that is not surprising considering the reliance on fluff pulp in parts of the market. Mr. McNicol offered an overview of the situation, “The case has always been that one apple in the cart is more of an issue than the others. With the exception of fluff pulp, the other raw material markets are generally stable. Capacity for SAP, for instance, has increased when needed, but fluff pulp has always been a moving target with continual ups and downs.”

Mr. Maximow of McAirlaid’s agreed. “The game in air laids is very cyclical; it is a steady wave of change. Anyone who has been in the business for a while is not surprised by this fact. There has never been a steady fluff pulp price—this is an area where you see very dramatic hikes and falls.” He added that there has been slight overcapacity recently in the air laid market, but that fluff pricing is increasing and is expected to go back up by the end of the year.

Rayonier’s Mr. Boynton emphasized the importance of price, particularly in the hygiene sector. “The baby diaper market offers very low margin for retailers. As a result, the price of materials will always be an important factor in diaper design.” He added, however, that lower cost is not the focus of the trend toward thinner, preformed cores. “It’s about increasing manufacturing efficiency with higher throughputs, improving comfort levels and decreasing package sizes to take up less retail space,” he said.

Ongoing Technology Upgrades
Technology improvements—in the form of new machinery twists as well as upgrades to bonding technologies—are also helping to drive air laid growth. “Certainly there has been a lot of progress made,” said Mr. McNicol of Concert. “Ten years ago machines were a lot different. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of machinery designers, manufacturers and customers, we have seen unparalleled technology improvements and the achievement of new thresholds.” Mr. McNicol went on to credit the use of thermal and multibonding technologies as well as other improvements for leading the way to a broader shift toward air laids.

Ms. Stansbury attributed certain improvements in air laid technology to the flexibility of forming systems. “The use of various fibers, additives and layering are all possible. Technology changes in other areas will certainly become part of the air laid line-up. For example, changes in melting points for bicomponent fibers will play a role in thermal bonding improvements. New bonding technologies go beyond just holding fibers together. Functional attributes for use in converting are being developed for improved post-embossing, laminating, resiliency and other characteristics. Developments in superabsorbent powders, fibers and specialty binders continue to offer new air laid possibilities,” she said.

Ms. Langevin of Buckeye also addressed the issue of technological change. “Air laid technology has evolved significantly since the original ‘latex’ or emulsion bonding process was introduced in the 1970’s. In recent years there has been substantial market penetration of multibonded and thermally bonded materials.” She went on to characterize these bonding processes as extremely flexible, allowing for a broad range of fibers to be incorporated—from wood and cotton to various synthetics—as well as superabsorbents, odor control agents and other raw materials in all sorts of combinations and layers. “There are a nearly endless number of design options for highly engineered structures with a range of fluid management functions,” she said.

What Else Is New?
Despite the attention garnered by the up-and-coming air laid baby diaper core application, life goes on in other arenas, where product development trends are under way both within the hygiene sector as well as in other niche and non-absorbent markets.

Discussing this subject was Ms. Stansbury, who explained, “We continue to offer absorbent core options, but may not see the same urgency to commit a major part of our future to webs for baby diaper cores and other commodity, large volume markets as companies who are pulp suppliers to these markets,” she said. Ms. Stansbury added that, as a diversified manufacturer involved in a range of product areas, Fort James is interested in specifically tailoring to converting and user requirements rather than limiting its focus to a few commodities.

Ms. Langevin of Buckeye also alluded to other areas of opportunity. “There is a lot of uncharted territory and market potential for air laid nonwovens. The major air laid players are very busy keeping up with growing demand in traditional hygiene and wipes markets. However, we have R&D resources committed to exploring new applications and some of the smaller air laid producers also claim to be investigating niche markets such as filtration and medical. Based on the early growth stage and flexibility of air laid technology, there is still a lot of evolution to come,” she said.

Scalpel. . . Suction. . . Nonwoven

our annual ‘check-up’ on recent trends and issues in the medical market

The medical market is a booming business for nonwovens. While the medical disposables segment equals $700 million worldwide, $400 million of that is spent on medical apparel, according to consultant John R. Starr, Osterville, MA. Thanks to recent medical market trends such as an increased need for barrier products and cost-effective healthcare materials, everywhere you look, companies are reporting increases in sales figures. These trends reveal that no matter where the medical industry turns next, there is always room for nonwovens and always a company to take up future challenges. One leading market trend is the recent increase in “bloodless,” non-invasive operating techniques such as laser surgery, which not only cut down on the amount of protection needed by both medical worker and patient, but also result in less time the patient actually spends in the hospital. “One of the big factors that nonwovens rested on is cleaning up blood during the operation,” stated a spokesperson for U.S. Nonwovens, Brentwood, NY. Vice president of sales and marketing for American Nonwovens, Beaver Dam, KY, Ken Knudsen agreed. “People are in hospitals less and there are a lot more out-patient procedures, so people are moving in and out more quickly. There are just fewer nonwovens needed per procedure per stay,” he said.

At the same time, some medical roll goods companies suggested the opposite is occurring. According to a spokesperson for DuPont, Wilmington, DE, the use of more increasingly bloodless operating techniques has had a minor impact on the market for nonwoven materials. “Regardless of the type of surgical technique used, there will always be a need to operate with an aseptic field and to use proper precautions,” the spokesperson commented. “Although it does change the balance of protection and comfort that may be required in those specific procedures, it does not eliminate the need for a product that provides adequate protection for the healthcare staff.” In other words, there may be less demand for reinforced garments or specialty gowns, but the staff will still wear a protective garment in the OR.

Src=images/sept9921.gifAccording to some manufacturers, the increase in non-invasive surgery has actually driven demand in some parts of the medical market. Lynda Kelly, business unit manager for the medical and consumer fabrics group of BBA Nonwovens, London, U.K., reported a slight increase in the general wound category as more patients are discharged immediately after surgery and have to personally manage their recovery at home, increasing the use of sponges and bandages. “Here consumers are managing their recovery and the consumer mentality is, ‘I’ll go buy this to fix it,’” Ms. Kelly explained.

One company positively impacted by the increase in laser surgery is Bio Med Sciences, Bethlehem, PA. With a product line almost exclusively made up of medical nonwovens, the company manufactures wound care and scar treatment products. According to sales manager Mark Dillon, Bio Med has seen a significant increase in the number of laser surgeries due to the smaller reimbursement levels doctors receive from managed care in the U.S. for certain surgical procedures.

A Need For Protection
On the flip side of the coin is the increased need for barrier products, such as drapes and gowns and germ-eliminating products used to treat hospitalized AIDS, hepatitis and multiple-resistant pneumonia patients. “Universal precautions have been the standard in place for several years and these require consistent use of effective procedures and products to protect healthcare providers and patients,” explained DuPont’s spokesperson.

An increase in medical product sales was also cited by Isolyser, Norcross, GA, which it attributes to the recent launch of its “EnviroGuard” spunlaced material for gowns, drapes and other medical applications. “In markets where reusables dominate, concerns over cross-contamination, strike-through and nosocomial infections appear to be shifting the emphasis towards disposables,” stated Marty Paugh, marketing director of Isolyer’s “Orex” Technologies International’s Healthcare Division.

Wovens Vs. Nonwovens
As is the case in many market segments, the medical sector sees its share of competition between nonwovens and other textiles. Disposability is one of the main reasons hospitals and operating rooms prefer nonwovens over woven fabrics, say most suppliers to the medical industry. “In the hospital there is a freshness factor,” explained a spokesperson from U.S. Nonwovens. “When you are finished with disposables, you throw them away and that’s it. Other textiles retain stains even after washing, which people don’t want to see in a hospital.”

Other manufacturers feel nonwovens offer more possibilities than wovens, allowing them to better adjust their product lines to potential customers. Lantor (U.K.) Ltd., Bolton, U.K., is one producer that credits dry laid nonwovens for offering maximum flexibility in specialty medical products. “This is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve with woven or knitted products,” stated Richard Kiedish, general manager.

Src=images/sept9922.gifNonwovens’ ability to meet specific needs have helped them slowly steal the show from woven products in various areas including gauze. At Hainan Xinlong Nonwovens Industry, Xinlong, China, spunlaced medical gauze products account for 20% of sales, which is an increase from last year that is expected to continue. “Spunlaced products will increasingly replace traditional gauze thanks to characteristics such as breathability, absorbency, lint-free, soft hand, low cost, antibacterial and anti-adhesion properties,” commented Guo Kaizhu, chairman.

Malik Industries, Kennett Square, PA, is also looking for its needlepunched gauze to take the place of traditional woven gauze materials. According to Abdul Malik, president, the conversion from gauze to needlepunched nonwovens has been slower than anticipated due to corporate red tape, along with the time needed for R&D, lab and clinical trials and FDA approvals. “The future of nonwovens has arrived and it is only a matter of time before we see a gradual replacement of gauze and woven fabrics in many applications,” Mr. Malik declared.

Medical wipes have experienced a similar trend toward nonwovens over the past two years, according to Mr. Knudsen of American Nonwovens. “Doctors want to move toward nonwoven wipes due to their disposability and the education that goes along with them—less cross-contamination and less cross-infection,” Mr. Knudsen explained.

‘Examining’ New Products
Src=images/sept9923.gifIf nonwovens are the fabric of choice for medical applications, then new product developments are needed to maintain this trend. At AET Specialty Nets and Nonwovens, Middletown, DE, Mark Abrahams, vice president and general manager of the Specialty Nets and Nonwovens Division, reported that the company this year has begun to manufacture melt blown products for use in face masks, blood filters and specialty medical areas. AET is also currently experimenting with combining melt blown material with its existing “Delnet” apertured film and other nonwovens to make composites for the medical industry. “I think when you start looking at face masks, wound care products or some specialty gowns and drapes, combining different nonwovens has extra benefit,” Mr. Abrahams explained.

Also on the new product front, U.S. Nonwovens will be introducing an antimicrobial wipe that prevents the growth of different types of bacteria within a certain amount of time. The company is working on placing an indicator within the wipe that will let the user know when the antimicrobial within the wipe has expired. At BBA Nonwovens, “Softex” spunbonded nonwovens have recently been launched for the gown and scrubsuit markets. For its part, DuPont is broadening its “Tyvek” product line with “Tyvek 2FS” for less demanding flexible packaging applications.

Is There A Medical Nonwoven In The House?
As medical nonwoven manufacturers concentrate on the new products of today, they are also contemplating what will be required tomorrow. One up and coming trend is increased global market demand in Europe for medical nonwovens, which continues to drive nonwovens growth. “Outside the U.S., the conversion of textiles to nonwovens remains significantly lower than in the U.S.,” said Randy Davis, vice president sales and marketing, Dexter Corporation, Windsor Locks, CT. “We expect that nonwovens will play an increasingly important role in these markets in the future.”

Another future focus for medical disposable nonwoven producers is pollution, which continues to grow on a yearly basis. This is especially true considering the size of hospitals and the number of patients and employees that use medical disposables each day. “As reusables markets move to disposables, there will be a corresponding increase in the amount of waste generated,” Mr. Paugh of Isolyser said. “We believe that this is a critical issue from both a cost-of-disposal and environmental perspective.”

Another factor expected to play a part in the future of medical nonwovens is the Y2K issue and contingency plans set up by hospitals. “I do think we’re going to see some growth in late 1999 more attributable to Y2K contingency planning by hospitals than true market growth,” explained Ms. Kelly of BBA.” Hospitals are very concerned about Y2K and the easiest solution for contingency planning is to build inventory.”

No matter how you slice it, there will always be a place in the medical market for nonwovens. Thanks to their flexibility, disposability and cost-effective nature, nonwovens will continue to tighten their hold in the marketplace through new products and innovations into the next century and beyond.

a quick peek at the ins and outs of this key bonding technology

By Guy A. Gil
National Sales Manager Chase Machine & Engineering

The uses for nonwovens continue to increase dramatically. Applications include hospital gowns, face masks, hygiene products, wound care, wipes, air and liquid filtration media and many more. New uses continue to be found every day as both nonwoven materials—and the methods and equipment for handling and working with them—improve.

Ultrasonic bonding has opened doors to many new nonwoven product opportunities. For applications that require high loft, softness, breathability and/or high absorption, ultrasonic bonding provides precise bonding without stiffening of material. Ultrasonic laminating and slitting also produce a finished edge without loose fibers, critical for medical applications and filtration media.

There are two major ways to apply ultrasonic bonding: through a plunge mode, for single-strike bonding such as spot welding, button holes and attaching ties and straps; and through a rotary drum for continuous web bonding. Maintaining the integrity of the media while maximizing throughput and production speeds is critical.

Sometimes the products or manufacturing methods require that the nonwoven media be modified in order to make manufacturing a new product possible. One such example is the area of extended pocket air filters (pictured at right) using ultrasonics, where the inconsistencies in nonwoven materials can be a major problem. When using melt blown materials, polymer “pellets” can occasionally turn up in the fibers and get stuck between the ultrasonic horn and anvil, and tear the web.

In addressing this problem, nonwovens manufacturers have greatly improved the consistency and quality of the nonwoven media. Using ultrasonics to manufacture filters eliminates the puncture holes required by conventional sewing with needles and thread, and there are no puncture holes to be sealed.

fiberglass continues to hold its rightful place in nonwovens despite competition from synthetics

No doubt about it, fiberglass has been around for a long time. It was 1932 when an Owens-Corning experiment aimed at improving the production of architectural glass mistakenly resulted in fine glass fibers. Since then, glass-based roll goods have found their way into key markets such as filtration, roofing, insulation and composites, not to mention a host of high end, niche technical applications.

Belying its popularity in certain sectors, glass has undergone an almost unparalleled degree of scrutiny over its health effects and, for a while anyway, had earned the “bad rap” of a potentially dangerous carcinogen. It’s not surprising then that when synthetic media came on the scene, many guessed this more glamorous alternative would threaten the hard earned marketshare of its traditional precursor, particularly in markets such as filtration.

Although in some arenas—such as lower efficiency filtration applications—the battle between synthetics and glass wages on, for the most part each seems to have found its place in a market that is typically believed to be big enough for both. Certain value-oriented geographical areas such as Europe, for instance, have traditionally shown a predilection for glass, while synthetics have achieved great inroads in high turnover applications worldwide.

And how have synthetics managed to avoid being subjected to the same rigorous testing standards as glass? The answer is twofold: synthetic fibers are a newer entity and, secondly, they are not thought to pose the same risks because of their larger size, which makes them less soluble and less readily airborne. Generally speaking, synthetic fibers are not small enough to inhale and therefore are not assumed to be directly transported into the lung.

As for growth, synthetics are taking the lead and growing at a double digit rate, while glass is plodding along at a more conservative 5% or so (compared to a previous high of about 11%). Just the same, glass continues to serve the vast majority of high efficiency air filtration applications and—because of its mechanical properties and performance advantages—is expected to maintain this position for the long term future.

In terms of price, glass has an advantage—it can cost as much as 50% more in some cases to replace glass with a comparable synthetic product in sub-micron sizes. In the air conditioning filtration arena, the largest area supplied by blanket glass, synthetics and wet laid paper have begun to erode glass’ historically strong marketshare. In the HEPA air filtration market, some companies are shifting from a dependence on glass to an expansion into melt blown materials, a trend with obviously significant potential long term implications.

One company responding to increased demand for specialty synthetic media for cleanroom, HVAC, indoor air quality and face mask/respirator segments is roll goods producer Hollingsworth & Vose (H&V), East Walpole, MA, which recently finalized plans to add a third melt blown line at its Floyd, VA plant. The $4.8 million, 44,800 square foot capacity increase—which is expected to be up and running within the next 12 months—is reportedly a response to a combination of current market demand, anticipated growth and increased sales resulting from a new set of NIOSH standards, which became effective last month.

Roll goods producer Lydall, Manchester, CT, has also increased activity in this sector with its recent entrance into the melt blown arena. The company has added two 60 inch wide machines at its Technical Papers Division in Rochester, NH, which complement its wet laid and needlepunched nonwovens portfolio. The new lines, Lydall’s first foray into melt blown technology, target air and liquid filtration end uses, with an emphasis on liquid filter applications.

The Economy: A Waiting Game
On the economic front, most insiders report that the glass market is in a state of quasi-suspended animation, with only a select few manufacturers adding capacity and most waiting for a reprieve from lowered stock prices, reduced demand and the fear of further economic downturn. Following a peak of robust activity and capacity increases in late 1995, the glass market has been more or less on hold ever since, with improvement glimmering either near or far on the horizon, depending on your perspective. Many manufacturers are expecting improvement in the short term future and are biding their time by making plans cautiously and concentrating on current demand.

In response to these market conditions, Evanite Fiber, Corvallis, OR—like many of its competitors—has undergone what it calls several “mini expansions,” which have improved its ability to respond to future demand. Commenting on the move was Robert Bender, Evanite’s director of sales, “We have made changes to our infrastructure in order to handle future waves of growth over the next three or four years,” he said. Mr. Bender added that the company is responding to this comparatively slow period by being very judicious about expenditures and future deals.

Another glass fiber supplier looking ahead with cautious optimism is Lauscha Fiber International (formerly Fibron International), Summerville, SC, which recently completed a 25% capacity increase at its facility in Lauscha, Germany. This completes its first phase of expansion, with the second phase expected to be implemented by the year 2000.

As for roll goods producers, Ahlstrom Filtration, Mount Holly Springs, PA, recently initiated proprietary machine upgrades to improve the efficiency of its production of high quality glass grades. A substantial volume run at its Mt. Holly Springs headquarters was shifted to the Taylorville, IL mill, providing additional capacity for glass. The company also recently expanded its binder-free glass nonwoven product offerings for specialty filtration and medical device applications and—in support of its engine filtration business—developed a range of glass fiber grades for hydraulic filters; media with retentions of 7, 12-15, 20-25 and 50 microns is available.

Such capacity expansions may be causing other less positive repercussions in the market as well, with manufacturers such as Johns Manville, Denver, CO, reporting heightened levels of competition. According to Ann Doelling, director of filtration, “There is extreme pricing pressure and it is a very tough market. Prices in some segments are eroding faster than the market is growing and in the end, this means a loss in net dollars. There is currently slow growth due to the Asian recession in many areas and JIT delivery requirements have become more stringent as well,” she said.

Christopher Coates, vice president, general manager of Ahlstrom Filtration’s Technical Specialties unit, cited a strong level of competition in the HEPA market. “The most significant trend here seems to be the swing from tight supply to excess capacity. Deliveries have gone from months to weeks and the market is much more competitive. For us, however, the economic climate has been positive as our specialized applications are somewhat insulated from the pressure in other market sectors.” Mr. Coates added that raw material prices are currently flat with much more pressure on suppliers to stay cost competitive.

R. Vijayakumar, director of marketing for high efficiency filter media at H&V, also offered an update on the current economic climate. “The glass market is a bit mixed and will be for the next 12 months; however, the rest of the filtration market remains relatively strong.” Mr. Vijayakumar then pointed to the Far East as an exception. “Very minimal new semi-conductor construction is going on in Asia,” he said, “and almost all projects are on delay. This is devastating for some companies, which have been forced to scale back as much as 80%.” He added that the current crisis in Asia has had a significant but not catastrophic influence on business at H&V due to the company’s level of diversification. “By the most optimistic estimate, things will improve by the end of this year, although it will probably be mid-1999 before we see any real change,” said Mr. Vijayakumar.

Ms. Doelling also discussed the effects of the Southeast Asian economy.

“This geographical sector represents a substantial portion of the market,” she said, “and manufacturers are attempting to compensate for this loss in other markets such as Europe and North America. This will be very difficult to do. As a result, we are seeing more aggressive pricing because less of the ‘pie’ is now available,” she said.

Environmental Action Upped
The glass market, perhaps because of its deep roots in the filtration industry, has always been concerned with environmental issues, albeit not always as a direct result of actual regulations or formal legislation. In many cases, advancements in product development—such as the addition of an environmentally friendly product feature—are more a result of marketing savvy than actual environmental compliance. As one manufacturer put it, “The adoption of new bells and whistles more often stems from hyper-competitiveness in the market than from actual environmental concern.” Nevertheless, several environmentally-related topics have been attracting attention recently, most of which specifically impact the filtration sector of the glass business.

Heading up the list is a developing EU directive that regulates the use of fiberglass in certain filters. “This will increase the use of more bio-soluble glass in order to avoid warning labels on roll goods,” said Ms. Doelling. “The new regulation will call for glass fibers that, when breathed in, can break down faster in lung tissue and body fluids,” she said. Ms. Doelling added that Johns Manville is moving toward more bio-soluble glass and has developed a range of new glass products such as “902” glass, which was developed for the European market but will soon be available worldwide. Johns Manville is currently converting all its equipment to produce this product. “This regulation will necessitate compliance throughout the entire industry, including U.S. manufacturers exporting into the European market,” said Ms. Doelling. “The new glass will compete with synthetics and may affect the use of synthetics in certain markets,” she said.

H&V’s Mr. Vijayakumar offered a different perspective. “There are ongoing discussions about the labeling of glass microfiber out of Germany and the EU but it is not yet clear what effect this will have on roll goods producers. Testing is not yet complete and since glass fiber is not being sold directly, it may not really be an issue.”

Another environmental concern relevant to the glass market is a proposed ASHRAE standard for electrostatically charged (synthetic) media. The new standard will separate synthetic from glass media and will offer synthetics higher efficiency status though a distinct ASHRAE rating. The standard, which was delayed due to strong challenges from glass manufacturers, is currently in the process of being adopted. At the heart of the debate lies the industrial HVAC market, a business that is obviously valuable to both glass and synthetic media manufacturers.

Another recent “green” issue is the review of “PM10,” which is an EPA regulation that has been in effect for approximately two decades. Essentially the regulation allows the release of particulate matter (PM) that is smaller than 10 microns. The agency recently decided, however, that the standard needs to be revised to allow the release of only that particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns. The regulation, which will take effect following a three-year testing period, will impact the nonwovens filtration industry directly because it will require the use of baghouse filtration systems, which are almost always made of synthetic media.

The EPA is also underway with a regulation concerning antimicrobial claims. The action stems from concern over false or misleading product labelling and is not expected to have a drastic effect on fiberglass-based products such as filters since most do not yet make antimicrobial claims. The EPA regulation’s most significant influence is on manufacturers of filtration media who may be holding off on getting involved in antimicrobial air filtration products until the issue is settled.

A Shrinking Supply Chain?
While some companies look on a potential trend toward integration in the glass sector as a lot of fuss over a single acquisition—last year’s purchase of Evanite by a company owned primarily by H&V—others contend it is the start of a vertical and horizontal integration blitz that will have a long lasting impact on the future of the glass market. These manufacturers claim that this trend is being driven by an overabundance of players in the filtration sector and incessant pressure to cut costs.

“The real story,” said one manufacturer, “is too threatening for most of us to even talk about. In filtration there is a move toward fully integrated producers, a trend that has taken hold in Japan already. Filter manufacturers are buying melt blown lines and are starting to produce their own media. Roll goods producers are also beginning to make their own fiber (H&V’s purchase of Evanite is an example of a type of soft integration at least). The question is ‘how long will it take before second parties do not exist any more?’” 31.Japan Vilene Launches Mask - Nonwovens Industry

John’s Manville’s Ms. Doelling did not agree. “Integration is not a major trend in the filtration sector,” she said. “Forward integration is a very tough move that the market may not support. Customers—filter manufacturers—do not want to compete against one of their roll goods suppliers. As for filter manufacturers integrating backwards, we have seen a few but they generally lack the required technical expertise and purchasing power—they are at a cost disadvantage when it comes to purchasing raw materials,” she said.

Mr. Vijayakumar, of H&V, saw vertical integration as a possibility but one that is limited generally to the synthetic market. “A glass machine is much more expensive to purchase,” he explained. “It also requires production expertise and a water source. The cost of melt blown lines has also come down, so it is much cheaper to acquire this technology.”

Evanite’s Mr. Bender agreed. “Licenses are not expensive and melt blown technology is being bought up right and left. This may lead to overcapacity in the melt blown area eventually, which will be a problem for synthetics,” he said.


Study Charts Disposable Medical ApplicationsPosted on March 20, 2008 @ 06:48 am
With increase in range of infectious diseases and regulations put into effect in healthcare and hospital facilities, nonwovens has emerged as a goldmine for roll manufacturers fuelled by consumer demand, according to a new report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Nonwoven disposables are rapidly making inroads into the medical sector, principally driven by growing consumer awareness against spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis. The stringent standards being imposed by various regulatory agencies globally are also impacting the use of nonwovens positively. Though the medical market is increasingly moving towards non-invasive surgeries, overall impact on the nonwoven disposables market remains miniscule. Not surprisingly, nonwovens industry is witness to developments of new manufacturing, compound and finishing processes. Consumer demand higher protective apparel largely influences production of nonwoven materials.

The U.S. is the largest medical nonwovens market in the world and is projected to exceed $3.4 billion by the year 2010, according to the report titled Medical Nonwoven Disposables: A Global Strategic Business Report. With volume of sophisticated hi-tech surgical intervention growing rapidly, Europe is projected to experience high growth in medical nonwovens sector in the coming years. Alternatively, Asia-Pacific offers massive potential in the long run largely driven by some of the fastest growing global economies, including China and India. A large consumer base in these countries coupled with improving healthcare system and safety awareness bodes well for the medical nonwovens disposables market. Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing medical nonwovens market and is projected to register a CAGR of more than 5% during the 2000-2010 period.

About 3.3 billion square yards of nonwoven material is used in medical and surgical applications in North America alone. This indicates the potential of the market lying ahead and opens up newer avenues for the producers. Aging population worldwide is also fueling demand for medical nonwovens disposables. The old age is characterized by increased incidences of acute diseases, necessitating the need for more number of surgical procedures. Nonwovens disposables are more preferred in such procedures due to higher safety and usage convenience. As the population of old people continues to grow alarmingly throughout the world, surgical procedures using nonwoven disposables such as surgical gloves, masks, and adult diapers are also expected to multiply.

Among product segments, surgical nonwoven products market is the largest and the fastest growing segment and is projected to cross $5.0 billion by the year 2010, at a CAGR of about 5%. Though the medical nonwovens disposable market offers significant growth prospects, few hurdles do exist that are likely to pose as a constraint to market growth. The continuing slowdown in the fiber industry on which the nonwovens market is largely dependent could restrain the market from rapidly achieving its potential. The issue of proper comprehension of nonwovens disposable applications in medical industry among consumers in various countries is also likely to influence the market. Countries with low awareness about the product's medical usages would experience low market development, thereby limiting the overall market growth.

More information: Global Industry Analysts, Inc.: 408-528-9966.


Posted on April 19, 2007 @ 01:01 pm
As part of the U.S.-based Glatfelter Company, two long-established players in the European paper industry, Schoeller & Hoesch and Lydney (formerly JR Crompton), are operating jointly as Glatfelter Composite Fibers effective of last month. “The aim of this move is to pool the expertise of the mills in Germany, France and the U.K. in order to provide even better service to long-standing customers throughout the world by enhancing our products and services,” said Martin Rapp, vice president and general manager of the business unit. Following its acquisition of Schoeller & Hoesch in 1998, Glatfelter has demonstrated its confidence in its European operations by making major investments in a new plant and equipment and by acquiring another business.

Glatfelter Composite Fibers holds leading global positions in long-fiber papers and wetlaid nonwovens. In the technical specialties segment it offers a variety of products for use in general industry and in the medical and consumer goods sectors. These include nonwovens and specialty papers for the manufacture of car batteries, wet wipes and adhesive tapes. The range also covers materials for further automotive applications, the air and liquid filtration market, the apparel and consumer textiles industry and surgical masks.

Borealis To Bring Meltblown Line Onstream
Posted on March 1, 2007 @ 08:48 am

Plastics solutions provider Borealis is investing in a polyolefin meltblown line to increase nonwoven innovation. The investment includes the installation of an in-house pilot line alongside other laboratory equipment. According to Borealis, this is the first time a polyolefin supplier has installed an in-house meltblown pilot line.

Located in Borealis’ international innovation center in Linz, Austria, the new pilot line will support the cost-effective testing of meltblown concepts together with customers and enable the delivery of innovative products to the market more quickly. Polyolefins for the meltblown industry are used predominantly in hygiene applications, such as baby diapers and feminine care products, for medical and protective clothing, and facemasks and other air and water filtration applications.

Axel Becker, international sales manager for machinery manufacturer Reicofil, who supplied the new line, said: “Borealis’ investment opens up new opportunities for the meltblown industry to research advanced applications. The in-house pilot line will make small-scale testing of a large number of samples economically viable. This will encourage exploratory testing that pushes existing boundaries, expanding meltblown into exciting new application areas.”

K-C Sales Hit New Quarterly High

Finalists Named For 2007 Visionary Award

Posted on October 10, 2006 @ 07:20 am

EDANA Tackles Infection Control

first-ever IN CONTROL! conference held in Prague

Health Care Associated Infections (HCAI)

Healthcare Procurers Must Make The Right Choices to Prevent Infection

Infection Prevention

European Standard EN 13795

The Role of Nonwovens In Infection Prevention

Nonwovens Used To Combat SARS in China

Sterilization and Packaging

M鰈nlycke To Close Mexican Plant

Posted on May 18, 2006 @ 11:11 am

Five Finalists Named for 2006 Visionary Award

Posted on October 28, 2005 @ 08:09 am

Visionary Award Competition Kicks Off

Posted on May 19, 2005 @ 11:13 am

Improving quality while lowering costs. This is the paradoxical challenge suppliers to the hygiene industry face daily. Particularly in the baby diaper market, where intense competition, pricing pressures and market maturity have created an unwillingness among producers to increase prices, leaving the makers of superabsorbent polymers, elastics and other product components caught in a balancing act between price and performance. Striking this balance continues to be harder as raw material prices skyrocket and intellectual property becomes more fiercely protected.

“The big challenge is ‘make it better and make it cheaper,’ which is a contradiction in itself,” explained Frank Priessdorf, director of sales at films producer RKW. “The solution has been to reduce materials and reduce weights. The same pressure is on all suppliers throughout the industry.”

This intense rivalry in the market has actually driven down diaper prices. In 1990, the price of a standard disposable diaper was 22 cents. Today it’s 15 cents. Considering the remarkable technological advances witnessed by the market during the period, this trend is astounding. Within the past 15 years, diapers have become thinner, more absorbent, more textile-like, better fitting and are now an overall better product than ever before.

Also to blame for pricing issues in the diaper market is the ever-increasing dominance of Wal-Mart and other mass merchandisers in the consumer goods market. These retail outlets demand constantly lower prices from their vendors and, considering Wal-Mart alone is responsible for about 60% of diaper sales in the U.S., diaper manufacturers are extremely dependent on these chains for sales.

Despite these obstacles, in recent months, there have been some rumblings that diaper prices are set to rise. During the past six months, nearly every major nonwovens producer and raw material provider has announced pricing increases, blamed largely on rising petroleum costs brought on by tension in the Middle East and natural disasters in the gulf coast. And, in early November, Kimberly-Clark announced it would levy 6% increases on its consumer tissue businesses. While no mention has been made of diaper prices, many industry pundits feel increases in that segment will be next.

And, suppliers to the diaper and other hygiene markets are hoping this will give them more success in levying increases to their customers. “Tredegar was fortunate to have both global capabilities and strong supplier relationships in place to be able to meet customer needs.” said Rebecca Hoberland, global market man-ager—absorbents of Tredegar Film Products, a major supplier of apertured, breathable, elastic and nonwoven laminates and films.

The Three Fs

In recent years, the hygiene market has ascribed to a three-point holy grail that defines product success—form, fit and function. The form has been achieved through the incorporation of superabsorbents, which make products thinner, and textile-like backsheets, which make them softer. Fit continues to be honed through the increasing use of elastics and other stretchable materials throughout the chassis of the diaper. Once found only in the leg cuff, elasticized material is now found in the waistbands, on the side panels and is even being incorporated into closure systems. Larger sized baby diapers as well as adult incontinence products are becoming more pant-like and less discrete, meaning more comfort for the wearer.

While form and fit are increasing in importance, they can never surpass function in performance. After all, what is the point of a disposable garment, if it doesn’t achieve its function? For baby diapers, this means no leaking and less frequent diaper changes; for adult incontinence, this means a more active lifestyle and for feminine hygiene, this means discretion.

What’s Inside

According to a diaper market sustainability report issued by EDANA, Brussels, Belgium, the average baby diaper is comprised 43% of fluff pulp, 27% superabsorbent polymer, 15% polypropylene, 7% polyethylene, 3% adhesives and 1% elastics.

Disposable baby diapers were first introduced in the early 1960s and since then have been marked by continuous product innovations including the addition of SAP, resealable tapes and elasticized waistbands. In fact, diapers today are much thinner and more absorbent than they were even a decade ago. Modern diapers have a layered construction, which allows the transfer and distribution of urine to an absorbent core where it is locked in. The top sheet, made from a soft nonwoven material, is closest to the skin. It transfers urine quickly to the layers underneath. The distribution layer receives the urine flow and transfers it to the absorbent core, which is made of a mixture of cellulose pulp and SAP. The backsheet, or exterior of the diaper, is made from a breathable polyethylene film, or more recently, a nonwoven and film composite, which prevents wetness transfer.

Comprising the largest portion of the diaper, fluff pulp, and its availability, has a large influence in the diaper market with leading suppliers including Rayonier, Koch Cellulose (Georgia-Pacific) and Buckeye Technologies. Because pricing of these materials is largely dictated by the market, success or failure for these suppliers is driven by economies of scale.

Meanwhile, the SAP market has been characterized by extreme shortages in recent years. In fact, run ups in SAP prices have presented major challenges for smaller and mid-tier diaper producers. According to one industry supplier, SAP producers have been able to name their price in the market, particularly with smaller and mid-tier hygiene producers.

Increases in petroleum and other feedstocks have driven up pricing of polypropylene and polyethylene, which have created ominous conditions for the nonwovens suppliers that use these materials to make products for the hygiene market. While all of these companies have levied pricing increases in recent months, industry observers wonder how accepted these increased have been.

The role of elastics in the baby diaper, now only 1%, has been steadily increasing in recent years, as manufacturers try to achieve better fit. Whether it be elastic strands, films or netting, stretchable nonwovens or a composite material, stretch is being added to landing zones, waist bands and other parts of premium diapers, in addition to more traditional areas such as the leg cuffs, to minimize leakage and achieve better fit.

Supply Shortages

The hygiene market is constantly characterized by the struggle between supply and demand. A market can experience an oversupply one year that turns into a shortage the next year. Most recently, the hygiene market had to respond to rapidly changing conditions in the superabsorbent polymer business. “Two years ago, there was a glut in the market and now there’s not enough,” explained Jim Cree, CEO of topsheet maker Pantex. “In any segment, it can just take one company to enter or leave a market to dramatically change conditions.”

Caused by a shortage of acrylic acid, which can be attributed to increased demand from China as well as an overall failure among manufacturers to bring more capacity onstream, this shortage has impacted the global diaper market, the largest consumer of SAP worldwide. While capacity expansions are underway in all of the world regions, small and mid-sized hygiene producers are feeling the pinch of short supply. “The balance (of supply and demand) is returning to the industry in the medium term,” said Frithjof Netzer, business director for BASF’s Superabsorbent and Acrylic Monomers business in the Americas. “BASF is monitoring the demand growth and will strive to align its capacity with the long-term market trend.”

A major supplier of SAP, with plants in North America, Europe and Asia, BASF is also a maker of acrylic acid, making it well poised to serve the hygiene market. The company is currently consolidating the capacity of its two North American plants which will be closed, in Virginia and Mississippi, into one single plant of equal capacity at its Freeport, TX, facility, near BASF’s acrylic acid operation. Dr. Netzer said that increases in BASF’s SAP capacity would coincide with market growth.

As the SAP market awaits new capacity, component suppliers are working to lessen the diaper market’s reliance on the material. Tredegar’s AquiDry family of products can reduce SAP use by as much as 25% without compromising performance, according to third party test reports. The AquiDry transfer layer family covers a full range of specialty needs from a full brief’s high void volume to bladder control pads with AquiDry Lite and new AquiSoft to meet needs for extreme softness.

Likewise, superabsorbent producer Lysac Technologies has introduced Lysorb for feminine hygiene items and Actofil for baby diapers. Both products enhance the diffusion of superabsorbents in hygiene items to reduce SAP levels by up to 20%, according to Vladimiro Nettel, business development executive for Lysac Technologies.

Lysac is well positioned to benefit from another problem facing the hygiene industry—its dependence on petroleum-based raw materials. Founded in 1999 to explore the use of natural-based materials in superabsorbents, Lysac’s starch-based ingredients are receiving attention from companies eager to cut their raw material costs, which have been driven up as much as 30% in the past 12 months alone. “Two years ago, people saw us as dreamers,” Mr. Nettle said. “Now companies that we tried talking to years ago are knocking on our door. This is because two years ago, they didn’t see any reason for a change.”

In fact, research into non-thermoplastic fibers is permeating the hygiene market. While spunbond nonwovens lines can only handle polypropylene—a plastic—other materials like thermal bonded or carded nonwovens, as well as films, can be made from alternative fibers. “This has been receiving more attention recently as raw material prices have escalated so sharply,” said Pantex’s Mr. Cree. “It’s still at its infancy but once a major producer makes a commitment to support these types of fiber, resin prices would immediately stop their spiraling out of control.”

Economies of Scale

Rapid raw material increases have forced hygiene suppliers to cut costs creatively. While their customers want costs to be minimal, they don’t want to sacrifice on performance, aesthetics or any other feature visible to the consumer.

For many hygiene suppliers, costs have been cut by lowering basis weights and lowering the overall amounts of raw materials consumed per unit. “The solution demands less expensive, better performing products is often reducing weights or the amount of material used,” RKW’s Mr. Priessdorf explained. “The same pressure is on everyone in the market.”

Even hygiene producers themselves are cutting costs. One trend being witnessed in the diaper market is manufacturers moving away from laminated backsheets. Instead, the companies are buying films and nonwovens separately and then putting them together during diaper production, according to executives.

Tape closure specialist Koester has responded to the need for economy with a new budget-friendly line called ECO-Line. “For this range we defined raw materials in a close cooperation with our suppliers,” one executive told Nonwovens Industry. “Despite the cost savings these product line still meets the requirements of our customers completely.”

Koester has been able to create this cost-effective product by using proprietary machine processes that have been optimized continuously, according to executives.

Make Way For Comfort

Tredegar continues to focus on consumer-noticeable innovations that differentiate themselves from competitors’ offerings in the hygiene market. Most recently, the company added ComfortAire to its line of coverstock products. Designed for the feminine hygiene market, ComfortAire is a high loft nonwoven laminate. The result is more like a fabric than a film.

Launched in early 2005, ComfortAire has successfully targeted the feminine hygiene market because of its ability to offer comfort with the required performance, according to Ms. Hoberland.

Tredegar had been combining nonwoven and film technology since the early 1990s and market research conducted in 2002 found that women want softness and protection in a marriage of two products.

While the bulk of Tredegar's film-based hygiene business is conducted in the feminine hygiene market, the company sees the need for a hybrid product like ComfortAire throughout the hygiene segment. As the need for active-lifestyle adult incontinence products continues to rise, so is the need for soft, smooth products that materials like ComfortAire, can provide. “There is a need for products to be more garment-like,” Ms. Hoberland continued. “New coverstocks can create products that are thinner, lighter and more comfortable to the skin that are designed for increased volume and can be worn every day.”

She continued, “The products need to let (their wearers) feel as if they are going about a normal life.”

A Stretch, For Some

In recent years, much of the hygiene market’s innovation has centered around stretch and 2005 is no different. The incorporation of more stretchable materials—in the leg cuffs, at the waistband or even through the overall chassis of the diaper—has been ongoing and component suppliers have been eagerly coming up with their own solutions to adding stretch.

The challenge here is adding stretch to the diaper in both the machine and cross directions. While the use of spandex fibers has contributed to improved stretch in leg cuffs and waist bands, now manufacturers are examining ways to add stretch into the entire diaper, particularly in the topsheet or backsheet, to not only make the diaper more comfortable but also to better control leakage. While there have been some developments in stretchable spunbond nonwovens, the costs of these materials have been prohibitive to date. Still, there are a number of other options out there for diaper manufacturers looking to add stretch.

Conwed Plastics, for example, has used its experience in providing netting solutions to industrial markets to develop Rebound, a stretchable netting that is ideal for baby diapers and pull-on style training pants. Among this product’s attributes are its breathability and its ability to stretch in all directions. “It can replace single-strand spandex fibers, which break and impact the appearance of the diaper,” said Keith Misukanis, strategic business manager. “Appealing to the aesthetics of the diaper is very important.

“This product has really allowed private label suppliers to find something that works without stepping on other patents,” Mr. Misukanis added. Additionally, netting, in place of individual strands can be more efficient for machines because rethreading is not needed after breakage.”

And, the breathability of nettings has made them more attractive than films and they are more stretchable than recently developed stretchable nonwovens, Mr. Misukanis said. Rebound is capable of stretching up to 10 times its original size.

Also incorporating stretch are film producers who are hoping these efforts will increase the amount of film used in each diaper.

All of this interest in stretch could eventually expand the use of pull-on style diapers. Similar to training pants, pull-on style diapers are already popular in Asian markets and already K-C is offering a product that can be pulled on or side fastened, Huggies Convertibles. As this type of product gains popularity, expect to see fewer traditional training pant products and more hybrid items that can serve the purpose of both diaper and pant, industry observers predict.

That’s not to say that there is no more room for standard spandex threads in the diaper market. Invista, formerly DuPont Textiles & Interiors, continues to dominate the diaper market and RadiciSpandex, a Gastonia, NC thread maker, has been honing its product line to make it more attractive in hygiene. Once targeted only at apparel applications, RadiciSpandex’s Dry Spin product has been made stronger and more robust to better handle the riggers of diaper machinery, according to Radici’s Marty Moran. “The challenges are to make threads stronger and smaller,” he said. “The smaller the fiber, the more customers can save on poundage costs.” Of course less poundage means less volume but spandex manufacturers have no choice. “If we want to be successful in the business, we have to lower our customers’ costs.”

Also optimistic is Hyosung. The Korean maker of Creora spandex called the market “very competitive in general.” “We are able to remain competitive through our inherent competitive advantage in manufacturing and technology and our constant drive for innovation, product and research development,” said Greg Hearn, global business manager personal hygiene. For future growth, Hyosung is increasing its capacity, seeking out new Greenfield opportunities, expanding global staffing and launching new brand campaigns.

Beyond threads, elastication is also being added to closures. Tredegar’s products include StretchTab laminate, a combination of elastics, nonwoven and hook-on-one roll for closure systems, and ForceField and UltraMask surface protection specialty films. And, Aplix is offering a mechanical fastener with an elastic hook. “All of our new products are designed to import comfort, softness and aesthetics while reducing costs,” said David Keough, vice president, global marketing and sales. “We are seeing new opportunities for growth by increasing the penetration of stretchable products. Only premium products have stretch in their systems.”

The premium-tier products is where innovation lives in the hygiene market. But, what is one year new and exciting for the premium market become de rigeur in mid-tier products the next year. For instance, once textile-like backsheets were considered a frill in diapers, but now they are standard on most diapers. Today, the newest thing to hit premium diapers is stretchable closure systems, but these features, like ones before them, will likely become standard before long.

And, this constant upgrading has kept hygiene producers constantly looking for new ways to wow consumers, decrease costs or, preferably, both, and their suppliers are finding a way to help them.

In 2004, China accounted for nearly half of the nonwovens output within the Asia-Pacific region. In the past 10 years, its production capacity increased more than five-fold, from 115,000 to 650,000 tons. This represents industry growth exceeding 18% a year during the past decade. INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, in its report examining the Asia-Pacific region, estimated that China's nonwovens industry will continue to expand but at a more moderate rate of 12% a year.

One of the main risks facing China is a potential shortage of raw materials, electrical power, which is already strained, and oil. Demand for oil has risen sharply and within the past few years, China has changed from a small exporter of crude oil to a net importer. The country currently consumes nearly six million barrels of oil per day and accounted for 40% of the global growth in demand during the previous four years. The U.S. Energy Department projects that China's oil consumption will rise to nearly 13 million barrels per day within 20 years.

Table 1 illustrates a decade of China's nonwovens production by technology from 1994 to 2004 with a forecast through 2009. Currently, the country has an estimated 500-600 nonwovens manufacturers producing nonwovens on an estimated 1000 to 1500 lines. This volume will require the addition of an estimated 60-80 nonwovens production lines to meet the country's forecast needs.

China is industrializing and the government is encouraging private enterprise to expand with efficient factories-a policy they have pursued for two decades. The country is also investing in communications, highway and transportation infrastructure and modernizing its cities. However, the country is still very much an agrarian economy with incredible rural poverty.

One example of the development of the rural nonwovens industry was the establishment of small carded thermal bonded factories that produce cover stock for locally made feminine sanitary napkins. From a western business perspective, these nonwovens producers are inefficient. Often the workers are local farmers and work only part time. While the nonwovens quality leaves a lot to be desired, these plants have expanded the industry to the agricultural areas of the country where there is little industry.

While there are many small rural operations, most of the nonwovens industry is centered in the eastern industrialized areas of the country. For example, the province of Guangdong, which borders Hong Kong, is one of the principal nonwovens production areas within China and accounts for one-third of the country's total nonwovens production. The region has 140-150 nonwovens producers with about 330-340 production lines representing each of the various nonwovens technologies. Many of these facilities are relatively new with state-of-the-art nonwovens technologies. Reportedly, about half of Guangdong's nonwovens are exported as roll goods. The other main nonwovens production regions of China are the provinces of Fujian, which also borders Hong Kong, as well as Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Hebei in the north.

Spunlaid Technologies

Spunbonded and SMS Polypropylene: China's spunbonded polypropylene and SMS polypropylene nonwovens output in 2004 was estimated at 240,000 tons. This production came from at least 120-130 production lines by 75-90 producers. The first spunbond production lines were installed in the late 1980s and were built mainly by western companies such as Reifenhauser, STP Impianti, NKK, NWT and Mechannica Moderne. Since the 1990s, Chinese domestic machinery producers have entered the market. Their production lines are single-beamed, 3.2-meter-wide units with an annual capacity of 2000-2500 tons per year but in fact many of these lines operate at a much lower rate of output, in the 1000-1500-ton-per-year range. INDA has located nearly 25 of these domestic lines throughout the country and understands that there are others.

The domestic machinery producers' technology is based on the Lurgi circular spin pack technology rather than on the curtain drawing system typical of the Reifenhauser system. Nonwoven spunbond quality from many of these domestically built lines still does not meet world quality standards, particularly lightweight materials such as coverstock. Thus, spunbonded producers using this technology target the medium and heavy weight markets of furniture and bedding, banners, disposable apparel, shopping bags and the like.

These domestic machinery producers have been successful in selling their technology in China and the prices are reasonable-reportedly less than $5 million. We are aware of only one possible sale outside of China to a company in India, which could begin production next year. The country has four spunbonded/meltblown composite lines that have been operating for several years. Most of the output fuels the coverstock and medical apparel markets. Further SMS technologies are scheduled for start-up in 2005 by PGI, Liaoing Petroleum & Chemical and the Avgol/Hubei Goldking joint venture. These lines are Reifenhauser systems. Two other SMS lines are being installed by Nordson with a 2007 start-up planned.

While actual spunbonded polypropylene output in 2004 is estimated at 240,000 tons, total production capacity is estimated around 330,000-360,000 tons, indicating that the industry is operating at about 65-70% of capacity. However, spunbond polypropylene and SMS production is forecast to double to 480,000 tons by 2009, indicating that roughly 48,000 tons per year during the next five years of spunbonded and SMS will be added to China's production base. To meet this projected rise in output, an additional four to seven high capacity, state-of-the-art spunbonded polypropylene lines will need to be installed in China each year.

Spunbonded Polyester

China produced an estimated 24,000 tons of spunbond polyester in 2004 on at least nine production lines. These nine lines have a capacity estimated at 30,000-35,000 tons. The first two lines were installed in 1995 with the most recent in 2002 and 2003. All the lines are technically up-to-date and principal markets for their output are geotextiles, modified bitumen roofing substrates and small quantities of filtration materials. We forecast that the spunbonded polyester technology will produce at least 43,000 tons of material by 2009. Yizheng Nonwovens is possibly the largest producer, operating two 4.3-meter lines using Toray technology.

Meltblown

Monolithic meltblown production in China was at 13,000 tons in 2004 and there are about 30 lines using the technology in China. This technology had a major boost in China with the outbreak of Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). A considerable amount of the material is consumed annually in disposable masks used by medical and dental professionals. When SARS broke out, Chinese producers were working hard to meet demand for these masks from China as well as North America and Europe. Other markets for meltblown in China are liquid filtration, battery separators and thermal insulating materials used in footwear, gloves and outerwear.

Carded Technologies

Thermal and resin bonded: China's carded thermal and resin bonded production nearly tripled between 1994 and 1999, rising from 51,000 to 143,000 tons. Since 1999, these technologies have been declining and volume output has dropped about 2% a year since 1999 to an estimated 130,000 tons last year. This drop is expected to continue because of the replacement of carded coverstock with spunbond and SMS materials and the growth of spunlaced and airlaid pulp technologies replacing carded resin bonded materials. Resin bonded materials are also decreasing worldwide but some lines are being revitalized by the use of the material as a transfer layer in absorbent hygiene products. PGI Nonwovens, for instance, is installing a carded resin bonded line in its Hainan plant to service that market.

Spunlaced: This technology has grown rapidly in China since the first production lines were installed by Hainan Xinlong after 1994. From 1999 to 2004, output rose from 8000 tons on 10 lines to 49,000 tons on 44 lines.

Needlepunched: Needlepunched nonwovens continue to advance in China, rising from 39,000 tons in 1994 to 103,000 tons in 1999 and 165,000 tons in 2004. Demand is growing in several end use markets including geotextiles and automotives, two markets that are growing extremely quickly in China.

Needlepunched technology was one of the first nonwovens technologies developed in China in the early 1970s. Since then, a number of lines have been imported from western machinery producers. Shoo Shyng, a large Taiwanese producer, has been a major supplier of production equipment over the years but domestic producers have equipped the bulk of the machines.

Airlaid Pulp

INDA estimated that 23,000 tons of airlaid pulp nonwovens were produced in 2004. There are at least six known producers. Most of the 23,000 tons come from a BBA operation that is producing wipes materials but making primarily absorbent hygiene core materials for feminine sanitary products. Two other companies, Nanning Quaohong New Materials Company and Honggao Industrial Development, announced their intention to install a single, high capacity, multibonded line to make absorbent core and wipes materials. These two lines make 50,000 to 60,000 tons per year.

Wetlaid

An estimated 6000 tons of wetlaid nonwovens were produced in China in 2004. Hangzhou Xinhua Paper Making Company is the principal wetlaid producer, producing at least two-thirds of the country's wetlaid output. Several other paper mills are also producing small quantities of specialty wetlaid nonwovens. Major markets include disposable vacuum cleaner bags and stencil papers.

Attention nonwovens brand owners, product managers and salespeople. Take the nonwoven product that you make, market or sell, hold it up and examine it. Think carefully about how all of its parts梪nique fibers, layers, finishes, elastics or adhesives梬ork together to provide the end user, the consumer, with a valuable, trustworthy product. That is precisely what raw material suppliers must do everyday.

In order to improve the performance, functionality and marketability of nonwovens, it is helpful to think as a raw material producer would. This can not only help enhance an existing product offering and innovate new ones, it can help you better understand the benefits and features of nonwovens to better market and sell your nonwoven materials and brands.

These goals are particularly important as nonwovens applications begin to compete more closely with those of traditional textiles. Raw material providers and nonwovens producers have to continue to work together to make a better, more affordable product with greater performance and functionality.



Do Not Underestimate The Value of Adhesives
In the nonwovens industry, hot melt adhesives have a public image problem to overcome. Because very little of the adhesive is visible to the product end user, and as their purpose is largely internal to the end product, adhesives are often viewed as commodity ingredients by nonwoven goods producers. In reality, the picture is quite different: there is real value in an adhesive抯 ability to bond dissimilar substrates under a wide range of process conditions梐nd to keep them together afterward. Imagine a diaper that falls apart on a child as it comes into contact with baby lotion, or a car mat that softens and becomes sticky in the excessive heat of the noonday sun. Adhesives formulated with the right tackifier resins and polymers can help overcome these challenges.

New tackifiers and polymers for adhesives are set to revolutionize the production, structure, look and disposability of nonwoven products. Formulated into low viscosity adhesives, they enable adhesives to be applied at lower application temperatures than before. This enables the use of thinner, softer substrates, helping the nonwovens producer to develop innovative designs with improved customer appeal. Using tackifiers with better thermal stability improves the appearance of and reduces odor in the final product, reassuring the end user of its sterility and integrity.

Novel polymers for adhesives are leading to the development of readily disposable products such as diapers, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene products. These polymers are engineered to hold together when in contact with bodily fluids, but to break apart in tap water. In an age where convenient, environmentally friendly products are key selling points, adhesives matter.



Understand the Function and Value of Polymers
Polymers are the basic building blocks of a nonwoven, affecting the key properties brand owners seek in a finished nonwoven. They can impart softness, absorption, elasticity, strength, elongation, drapability, moldability and rigidity to a nonwoven product. Yet the choice of polymer for a nonwoven is generally removed from the brand owner. In most cases, a brand owner goes to a roll goods supplier for a sheet of pre-fabricated nonwoven material and handles the assembly of the complete product in-house.

In medical gowns and drapes, for example, the choice of polymer in the base structure can provide several benefits to the end user. A low-melt viscosity polymer will create a nonwoven with finer denier fibers, offering enhanced water and viral resistance to medical nonwovens. At the same time, the breatheability of these fibers helps to keep them comfortable. Certain polyesters and co-polyesters are engineered to better handle hospital sterilization processes, such as gamma radiation. Others may more readily accept certain dyes, which will enable them to maintain their color through launderings and UV exposure. The right polymer will enable the product to last and look better longer.

In choosing a polymer, brand owners must also consider polymer adaptability and suitability to specific processing technologies, such as staple fibers, spunbond and meltblown polymer fabrics. Raw material suppliers can work with fiber and roll goods manufacturers and brand owners to select materials that balance production and performance needs, such as processibility and ease-of-assembly with fabric softness, temperature-resistance and sterility.



Distinguish Yourself with Fiber and Surface Enhancements
The addition of additives in polymer or topical treatments can be a cost-effective means to enhance the performance of nonwovens without a significant investment in new equipment.

The addition of an antimicrobial to a polymer fiber, fiber blend or nonwoven can help to retard odor, maintaining fabric freshness. Such treatments offer huge, marketable benefits to the makers of bed linens, worker uniforms and sportswear. By retarding body odor, antimicrobials keep fabrics smelling fresher for longer.

Nonwoven wipes treated with cellulose esters also have enhanced product delivery capabilities. This benefit helps end users get more from each wipe, offering a real sense of value to end-users. For example, a medical wipe treated with cellulose esters can better transfer a sterilizing cleaner from the wipe to a surface. Less of the cleaner stays in the wipe and more is transferred to a surface, actually improving the ability of a single surface wipe to do its job.

Imagine how important that benefit is in a hospital setting where patient safety is paramount. Similarly, facial wipes treated with cellulose esters can ensure that more of the skincare product reaches a consumer抯 skin in each wipe, reducing product waste.

Advancements in bicomponent fiber technologies can further extend the benefits of nonwoven substrates. The latest in these technologies actually increases the surface area of the unique fibers in a nonwoven, enabling a household wipe, for example, to pick up more dust in a single wipe. That is a powerful selling tool in the competitive market for household cleaning goods.



Think in Terms of Layers
The use of multilayered materials in a single nonwoven item can provide significant moisture management attributes. Such an approach can wick moisture away from the skin in one layer, absorb it in another layer, and, if need be, release moisture into the air though yet a third layer. For example, consumers demand a thin diaper that is dry next to a baby抯 skin but also retains moisture to prevent messy leaking. In athletic and active wear, the ability to manage moisture is of critical importance. Athletic socks, head bands, ski wear and running gear can all be enhanced by new nonwoven fabrics that pull perspiration away from the skin and then slowly release that moisture into the air to keep skin dry and comfortable.

While polymer selection, discussed previously, can help provide these performance attributes, varying the extrusion techniques of nonwovens within one single item can also help. In SMS fabrics, a single layer of material extruded using meltblown (揗?) methods is sandwiched between two spunbond (揝?) layers of material. The spunbond layers provide strength and durability and encase a more fragile, but tighter-woven melt-blown layer. SMS fabrics are ideal for medical and surgical gowns and masks because the spunbond support layer holds the item together and prevents splattering blood from absorbing into the gown or mask, while the meltblown layer, engineered for smaller pore sizes, actually traps viral germs. Such an item might help prevent the spread of viruses in emergency rooms or surgery, freeing up staff to treat patients while reducing the threat of the spread of disease.

The challenge for raw material suppliers and nonwovens producers is to engineer and combine these materials in the most efficient, cost-effective manner. Today, researchers are actively working on developing extrusion systems that will enable the varying layers of a nonwoven to be produced simultaneously in-line, leading to significant increases in production speed and making these moisture management technologies more affordable.



Add Value by Combining Multiple Polymer, Adhesive and Film Technologies
During the past 10 years, the nonwovens industry in North America has gone through considerable consolidation, which has led to the commoditization of many nonwoven goods. Commoditization in the industry has opened the door for inventive producers and brand owners to innovate in order to gain a competitive advantage. Engineered, multilayer composite fabrics can help nonwovens producers and brandowners de-commoditize their product offerings.

Think of it this way. The addition of each value-added feature to a nonwoven product increases the return on investment in that product. The more value-added features in its nonwovens, the more a company can distinguish its products from the competition, and the more product it will sell.

For instance, in athletic wear, as discussed earlier in this article, the padding on a baseball cap can be engineered to manage perspiration. In addition, polymer fibers in the padding can be extruded to add acoustical properties that dampen or sharpen sound. Or, a lightweight ski jacket can be made with enhanced insulating properties, while offering absorption properties and remaining breathable. These are serious value-adds to downhill skiers, who may perspire coming down the mountain but otherwise sit cold in wet skiwear riding the ski-lift back up to the summit.

This philosophy can even be applied to something as simple as a household sponge. You can adhere a rougher, scrubbing side of a sponge to a softer layer extruded for better breatheabililty, then treat the entire sponge with an antimicrobial to prevent food odors from holding in the sponge. The sponge scrubs better and lasts longer.

With the increasing complexity of needs, the best raw material suppliers continue to work to ensure that their materials are compatible and stable under an array of manufacturing processes and end use applications. They work closely with nonwovens producers and brand owners from product development, manufacturing and assembly to ensure that the materials that are used can be manufactured affordably and efficiently and to enable brand owners to deliver the best performing product possible to the marketplace.

Population Factor
Nearly 48% of the Indian population falls within the 18-to-35 age group. This group of consumers is receptive to new products and is well exposed to international situations and practices. This population of nearly 500 million residing in urban and rural areas makes it a potential consumer for many disposable nonwoven products. This section of the population is also well educated and has high enough disposable income to afford nonwoven disposable products.

The strong Indian middle class of 250 million has purchasing power and living standards nearly equivalent to the middle class of developed countries. They tend to use the products based on availability and convenience. The children in these families are potential customers for all kinds of baby diapers, baby wipes, etc. The currently low penetration of these products provides an untapped market for new entrants to India. However, Indian customers are value-driven, hence only a product with a true value will succeed. The high birth rate also ensures a recurring huge demand for infant-related nonwoven products.

The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of India is $153.3 billion. The Indian economy encompasses village farming, modern agriculture, a wide range of modern industries and a multitude of support services. Private industries have grown rapidly and privitization by the government has been quite quick in the last few years. The economy has grown at 6% on average in the last few years and is poised to grow at 8-10% in coming years. India has a trade surplus in the export markets, and import restrictions are being dismantled rapidly. The import duties are 5-25% for most of the goods.

The purchase power parity (PPP) of the Indian population is nearly $2.7 trillion, which is higher than the total PPP of the South American continent (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Columbia, Venezuela and others put together).

The cost of living in India is much cheaper than in the U.S. or Europe. As the purchasing power increases, there is more income available to spend on consumer products. The average income is $2800 at present and has been rapidly increasing during the last few years.

The consumption of nonwovens is rising rapidly. This has been caused by increasing imports of disposable products in the country by private marketing companies and also established players such as K-C and P&G. It is well known that the per capita consumption of nonwovens will increase as the nation抯 per capita income rises. The per capita consumption of nonwovens in India is 0.001 kilograms, which can only rise given the industry抯 potential to grow by a thousand times during the next few years. The per capita consumption level is approximately 2.25 kilograms in developed countries. This makes India a nascent market in which the nonwovens industry worldwide can invest.

Market Overview
The value of nonwovens consumed in India was estimated at $200 million in 2002. No previous study was made and the industry is very fragmented, with many manufacturers operating under different industry headings. A large quantity of disposable nonwovens is also imported as tissue and paper. The garment industry also imports substantial quantities of interlinings material, which accounts for nearly $75 million in additional imports. Geotextile applications have picked up under various world bank infrastructure projects and this has amounted to nearly $35 million in 2003. As there is no high quality producer of spunbond and thermal bonded materials, the disposable manufacturers such as K-C, Johnson & Johnson and P&G import substantial quantities of nonwovens. The nonwoven uses and the industry are growing rapidly. High value and performance filter fabrics made with Nomex, glass, Teflon and other fiber types are also in demand. With the economy poised for a rapid growth of more than 8% during the next five years, nonwovens production and consumption is expected to see rapid growth.

No accurate estimate is available on the exact quantity of disposable and durable nonwovens production. However, by discussions with various manufacturers and end users, we estimate that the total consumption of durable nonwovens is 60,000 tons and 38,000 for disposable nonwovens. A substantial portion of disposable nonwovens is currently imported for various reasons. By discussion with industry personnel and output figures from major companies, a realistic estimate of the sale of converted disposable nonwoven products is made in Table 1.

The disposable surplus is increasing rapidly and the disposables market in India is expected to grow at 10-15%.

The most important consumer disposable markets are hygiene and medical disposable products. J&J, K-C and P&G dominate the hygiene market. A considerable quantity of bleached cotton wool and woven bandages is still used in the medical market. As better products, such as spunlace, become available, this market is expected to rise rapidly. The substitution of traditional markets for nonwovens will be rapid due to tremendous economic and performance advantages.

The market penetration of feminine hygiene is only 15% and sales are mainly in the urban areas. When the price barrier is broken, this market will explode in a big way. Increasingly, small local manufacturers have arrived on the scene competing with large multinational companies. With more than 250 million eligible customers of hygiene products, India will be a huge market when penetration reaches 60%.

One can see that the consumer wipes market is negligible at present. The improvements in this market will come when spunlace is made locally. Premoistened baby wipes have been recently introduced and have become popular in urban settings. The market is expected to grow 10-15%.

The industrial disposable nonwovens market essentially revolves around packaging and insulation products. And, disposable wipes usage will pick up as resources increase, as labor is very cheap in India. Reusable cotton wipes and rags are still the most popular cleaning tools.

Most of the disposable gowns and surgical drapes are still imported as this type of spunbond, meltblown and spunlaced materials are not made in the country.

Among the disposable markets, the diaper market is still in its infancy in India. Diapers are still very expensive as they are mostly imported to or repackaged in the country. With the urban population increasing and the increasing trend of working women with higher earnings, the diaper market will grow rapidly in the next few years. Pampers and Huggies are already present in the market, but the pricing is at a level where it cannot stimulate demand.

The average life expectancy in India is only 65 years. This means the population over the age of 65 is not high. The problems of incontinence associated with old age are less of a concern in India so the adult diaper market at present and in the immediate future is not expected to be big. The diapers needed for surgical procedures will be in demand.

Raw Materials For Nonwovens
Reliance Industries in India is the second largest polyester producer in the world. However, most of the fibers available are commodity-type, which are suitable for use in textile and general nonwoven applications. The microfiber and specialty low shrinkage polyesters are still imported from beyond India. Located in India, Grasim is the second largest viscose fiber producer in the world, with more than a 30% marketshare. This bodes well for developing India as a base for absorbent nonwoven materials.

There is only one PP fiber producer making standard PP fibers for carpets, nonwovens and spun yarns. A new PP fiber producing line is currently under construction. Acrylic fiber is available and produced in large quantities.

Bleached cotton fiber is also available in large quantities. India is the third largest exporter of this product for surgical and other end uses. Unfortunately, there is no spunlace plant in the country to help the situation but several projects are rumored to be in the planning stages.

Disposable Applications Market
It may be observed that feminine disposable hygiene is the biggest market in India. With the advent of medical insurance and improvement in the healthcare systems across the country, medical disposable markets are poised for rapid growth. The healthcare industry grew 23% in 2003.

The penetration of the market by sanitary napkins is hardly 15% of the theoretically available market. With the increased affluence and urbanization of India, this market is expected to grow very fast in the coming years. This fact is reinforced by the entry of many private label manufacturers in the last few years. K-C, P&G and J&J have a strong presence in the market. With the younger population ready for new products, this is an important market for nonwoven disposables. A typical potential estimate based on per capita consumption of 50 units per annum by the eligible population of nearly 300 million users (age group 15 to 40) will give a theoretical total market size of approximately 15 billion pieces. This could result in market sale value of $1.5 billion at 10 cents per piece.

Baby wipes is expected to grow rapidly among the urban population, whereas the general moistened wipes will take some more time for the concept to be accepted by the Indian population. Overall the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector is growing more than 10% in most categories in India.

Infant diapers are expected to grow at the same rate as FMCG products through high niche market penetration. The incontinence products will have much slower growth. The low penetration level of diapers in the theoretically available market shows a huge potential in this segment.

Some 24 million babies are born in India every year. If we typically calculate that 25% of these infants in the period between birth and 24 months use at least 28 diapers a week, the theoretically available market for diapers is 8.7 billion pieces per year. This is a big number for any industry. With rising income levels, the consumption levels of this order is achievable in the near future, if the prices are kept right.

Training pants as a concept has not been introduced in the country.

Widespread penetration of wet wipes for household uses in the near future is not expected. India is the right place to introduce wet wipes as it could save a lot of water use for cleaning桰ndia has scarce water resources梙owever, for reasons unknown wipes have not expanded in the country. As a concept, the wet wipes in the beginning can catch up only in restaurants and in travel situations. Carded chemical bonded and spunbond polypropylene is the most common wet wipe used in the country by airlines and other establishments. On the supermarket shelves, some local converters offer the wet wipes made from spunlace nonwovens.

The medical products considered in the study include surgical gowns, packs, caps, masks, shoe covers, nonwovens used in surgical gauze, sponges, disposable pillow cases and sheetings are difficult to estimate individually. Cotton wool and woven gauzes are still popular in the country as spunlace material is not made locally and imports can be expensive. Doctors exposed to the new types of surgical disposables in the west and coming back to the country to set up specialty hospitals have created demand for nonwoven disposable products. Otherwise the health care industry is still using reusable caps, gowns and drapes. A significant portion of this market will remain with woven reusable material until necessary legislation for hygiene standards are introduced by the health authorizity in the government. However, a high growth rate and demand is foreseen in this segment in coming years due to proliferation of private hospitals in the country. The penetration of spunlace products into the traditional cotton wool and woven bandages will provide a strong demand for these products.

The typical estimate of disposable products market in India in terms of percentage is shown in Table 3.

There are numerous other disposable applications, such as shopping bags, tablecloths, towelettes, airline head rests, pillow cases, sorbents, sponges, etc., which are made and marketed in a small way. These applications? volume will grow proportionately to the rising income and is estimated to grow at 8%.

Durable Nonwoven Uses In Asia
Indian nonwovens consumption in 2003 was nearly 60,000 tons for durable applications, including 20,000 tons of fiberfill material. This market is expected to grow rapidly in coming years due to increased spending in infrastructure projects such as highways and overall higher industrial activity.

A 25% growth in the automotives industry during the last year is expected to be maintained. This includes a sizable amount of interlinings, geotextiles and shoe felts that are imported regularly into the country. As the industry is extremely fragmented, only major applications can be analyzed and projected.

Automotives
In the last two years, the Indian automotive industry has grown rapidly at nearly 25% a year. About 1.1 million cars are currently produced in the country. The major producers are Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, General Motors and Toyota. India also has a large transport truck production by Iveco, Leyland, Tata and Volvo. This is an important segment using nonwovens. Typically about nine square meters of nonwovens is used in the car for the headliners, trunk liners, seats, hood liners, trim insulation, etc. Needlepunched nonwovens are the most common material used in the country for this purpose. For many uses, the fabric is used in composite form. Including the trucking industry, about 10,000 tons of nonwovens are used in this industry. The industry is expected to maintain this momentum and grow 20% in the next five years. Colored polyester and polypropylene fibers are the predominant raw materials used in this industry. India has only one polypropylene fiber producer, limiting the competition and availability of a variety of fibers. Plans for a new polypropylene fiber plant are underway and this should help increase nonwoven consumption for automotive end uses.

Geotextiles
This has become an important segment of the Indian nonwovens industry. The increasing investment in the infrastructure of industry, particularly new coastal roads connecting the major cities in the country has spurred demand for geotextiles. A large quantity of these geotextiles are imported as only one company has installed a wide-width needlepunching machine. As is the case elsewhere in the world, woven geotextiles compete with nonwovens in many applications. It is estimated that the nation consumed about 700 KM of geotextiles in highway projects. Indian railways use geotextiles extensively to reduce track maintenance costs. With more than 10,000 kilometers of coastal roads planned for the next five years, the market is expected to have exponential growth. Major players like DuPont and Amoco are present in the market. India is also implementing a project to connect all the rivers in the country; this would again use a large quantity of geotextiles. This market is expected to consume about 5000 tons of nonwovens every year based on current projects. Indian rural road projects are underway, which are also expected to consume large quantities of geotextiles.

Coated and Laminated Fabrics/Shoe Linings
The shoe lining segment is quite important in India as the country is the manufacturing base for many European brands. The lining for these shoes is made locally by needlepunch manufacturers. If any special product or performance is required, the felt is imported from Europe. The athletic shoe market uses needlepunched nonwovens coated with PVC/PU for shoe uppers. This is a growing segment and has very good potential in India. Increasingly spunlace material is being considered as backing fabric in place of knitted fabric. Indian exports in the shoe sector are growing and this market has good potential for nonwoven material.

The automotive segment consumes a substantial amount of fabric for seat backs, door panels, instrument panels, stick shaft covers, panel coverings, airbag covers, etc. The consumption in this market is proportional to market growth.

Carpets
The hot and dusty weather conditions in most parts of the country restrict the use of carpets extensively. Carpets are used essentially in commercial buildings for noise suppression and insulation in air conditioned buildings. To a limited extent, they are used for aesthetic enhancement and to aid in interior decoration.

Needlepunched nonwovens are essentially used in commercial buildings and public places. The major producers of needlepunched nonwoven carpets are also supplying to the automotive markets. With increasing affluence, the carpet usage for domestic purposes is likely to increase; however, the lack of availability of colored PP fiber has restricted the growth of this market.

Interlinings and Waddings
India has a significant need for interlinings in its domestic market. There are a few established manufacturers of chemical bonded nonwovens and thermal bonded nonwovens. But, a large quantity of product is also imported as special colors and copolymer products are not made in the country. Many small-scale manufacturers have spray and dot paste coating conversion for interlining. The non-availability of special types of polyester fibers has restricted the expansion and export of these products. Essentially, interlinings are used in collars, pockets, fronts and dresses. Women's dressy articles also use interlinings in significant quantities.

Waddings for shoulder pads, thermal insulation, etc. are made by many manufacturers. Both chemical and thermal bonded products are made in the country. Waddings are also used in quilts in large quantities. The volume of wadding requirements is growing steadily as wadding has replaced the soaking mat in Desert Coolers, which is extensively used during dry summer days in most of the north and western states of India.

Furnishings and Bedding
The beds used in India are very traditional and do not have the sophistication of springs, backings, dust covers, etc. The climatic conditions and traditions do not demand sophistication in beds. Only high-end hotels use the beds similar to those in European countries.

Dry filtration process is the main consumption area for nonwovens. Needlepunched polyester fiber-based filters are mainly used in industry. A few needlepunch fabric manufacturers cater to the basic requirements of industry抯 filtration needs. This segment is growing fast with increasing emphasis on pollution control and product recovery. India, being the second largest cement producer in the world, has a lot of bag house units. Mining, the mineral processing industry and power generation plants are significant users of nonwoven filters. The high-end filters from PTFE, P84, ceramics, etc. are not made in the country. Some efforts have been made to use Nomex successfully. The future for this industry is very bright in India. India still doesn't have the filter fabric classification rating such as BIA of Germany. Most of the membrane-laminated filters are imported. HVAC filter for air conditioning, automotive filters, cleanroom filters, etc. are made within the country using thermal bonded and chemical bonded nonwoven systems.

Wet filtration in the food processing industry imports the filters due to specific FDA requirements. The general requirements of the fertilizer and mineral process industries are met by local suppliers. Indian filter equipment manufacturers like FLakt, ABB, Door-Oliver are original equipment suppliers operating worldwide.

Other Applications
Agriculture and landscape application is limited to the size of the farms in India, which are small with farmers not educated in the use of the materials. The country's legislation is currently undergoing a change and corporate farming is being introduced. This will increase demand for nonwovens used in agriculture. Horticultural companies are already using some sort of films for mulch and weed control. Nonwovens, when available at the right price, can find use in the segment.

Bitumized roof linings in India is an established market for glass fiber nonwovens and jute woven material. The nonwoven substrates of needlepunch types are more expensive than the glass tissue, which appears to do the work. Spunbond polyester is not made or available in the country. The National Building Code in India is not very strict on the roof lining material; hence the use of nonwovens will be dictated by the economics rather than performance.

Battery separator and cable wrap are two important end uses. India has a large manufacturing capacity for both products. Nonwovens for the jelly-filled cable wrap with special treatment are imported from Europe and the battery separators are imported from Japan. No specific study was conducted to estimate the quantity, but these are high-value products and will be produced within India once the volumes increase to an economical level for production.

Papermaker felt nonwovens are made in India by two companies that have been established for many years. The paper industry in India has been very stagnant due to non-availability of local raw material; therefore the growth of these felt makers over the year is also limited.

Consumption of Nonwovens By Process
Table 6 summarizes the products from different technologies consumed in the country. A small portion of others include spunlace for meltblown materials imported into the country for specific end uses.

The needlepunch area has grown steadily during the last three years due to increases in automotive, filtration and geotextile end uses. This technology is expected to grow rapidly as more applications are adapting to this technology.

Spunbond has seen a sudden growth in business both in domestic markets and exports. More capacity is planned and steady growth is predicted as two companies are already in the advanced stages of installing the technology in India. The product is already imported and is under test marketing. The response to these products has been good. There are very few converters in India to make the roll goods into a consumable product. This missing link in the business has delayed the development of many nonwovens projects in India.

Thermal bonded nonwoven manufacturers have a limited range of production and supply interlining and hygiene markets. Commodity polyester and polypropylene is available in the country. Most of the specialty, bicomponent andspecial finish fibers have to be imported. This has led to slow growth of this technology in the country. The four manufacturers present in this market have low width product set up and limited capability.

Chemical bonded nonwovens are essentially made with viscose fiber and viscose polyester blends. This is catering mainly to the interlinings market and to a small extent to the wipes market. Interestingly, a large quantity of chemical bonded nonwovens have been used as a substitute for paper for invitation cards and packaging material. About 10 machines are making these products in India.

More than 18 small- and medium-sized companies manufacture needlepunched nonwovens. Those catering to the automotive and filtration field have good equipment whereas the remaining companies make products with used equipment. The range of products made is quite wide considering the limited availability of raw materials. One plant with a more than five-meter-wide machine is now able to deliver goods to the geotextiles market.

There are five highloft material manufacturers using thermal bonded and chemical spray technology. This equipment is primitive but adequate to meet the none-too-critical requirements of the filter market, waddings and insulation. Increasing air conditioning markets is seen as a good avenue for these manufacturers.

Stitchbonding technology has been started successfully on a commercial scale by one manufacturer for shoe linings and mops. The progress is being watched keenly by many entrepreneurs.

Existing manufacturers are examining meltblown technology. The market for sorbents is small as of today. For further use, the establishment of a converting capability (for laminating with other substrates, calendaring, conversion to wipes and filters, composite technology, etc.) is the key to the use of such products.

Conclusion
India has a very small manufacturing base for nonwovens. Currently, the market for durable nonwovens is bigger than for disposables. Blessed with a large population of over one billion, the country is poised for high economic growth that will make it one of the largest consumer markets in the world during the next decade. Given the geographic and logistic complexity, there is an urgent need to create manufacturing and converting capacities within the country for disposable and durable nonwovens. The availability of raw materials, skilled personnel and environment for growth, make it the right time for India to establish a manufacturing base for nonwovens. The author sees a good market in India for nonwovens made using the spunbond, spunlace and needlepunched technologies.

This month, INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, will hold its fourth annual Vision Consumer Products Conference in New Orleans. Like in past editions of the conference, a highlight of the event will be the annual Visionary Awards competition, which continues to attract a diverse pool of entries.
The requirements for the competition are simple. To qualify, a product must be available in consumer markets, must comprise a nonwoven material and have been launched since the last Vision conference. As the Vision conference has gained in popularity, so has the awards competition, and this year, more than 30 products were entered. Of these products, six, which were deemed the most impressive and innovative uses of nonwovens, were narrowed down as finalists by INDA抯 technical advisory board (TAB). Attendees of Vision will hear presentations on these six finalists, including a filter, a feminine hygiene product, a diaper, a tooth cleaner, a disposable wash cloth and print media, and will then be asked to vote on the winner, which will be announced the last day of Vision. Past winners have included Procter & Gamble for its Swiffer product, FMJ ChemBio抯 Civilian Quick Escape Mask and Brillo Scrub 憂 Toss disposable cleaning pads, marketed by Church & Dwight.

This year抯 finalists are:

Resolution Print Media, BBA Fiberweb
Resolution Print Media, developed by BBA Fiberweb, represents an entry into a market where nonwovens have not yet ventured梩he consumer at-home printing industry梐ccording to company executives. Able to outperform photo paper in terms of water resistance, tensile strength, uniformity and drying time, Resolution Print Media is engineered from continuous polyester filaments permanently bonded by heat and pressure. Its super white appearance gives excellent color vibrancy for photo quality output. It is available with a standard surface or with BBA抯 coating enhancement for rapid drying, higher resolution and color saturation.

Introduced in April 2004, Resolution Print Media comes at a time when sales of digital cameras are at an all-time high as are sales of inkjet printers and photographic paper. Its applications include photographic prints, where it provides excellent resolution for artwork reproductions, for flexible packaging and wraps, when high print quality and color depth is needed, banners, trade show graphics, backdrops and signs, where its polyester composition works well for outdoor use and its highly printable surface allows signs and banners to stand out. Other applications include tags and labels because of its strength and durability, even when wet.

Oral-B Brush Ups, The Gillette Company
Introduced in June 2004, Oral-B Brush-Ups comprise a proprietary combination of nonwoven materials to create a new way to keep breath fresh and a smile bright on the go. The disposable, textured dental wipes provide discreet 揵rush-ups? that can clean teeth without water or paste. According to Peter Gladstone, oral care business management for The Gillette Company, the cleaning side梞ade from alternating layers of fiber and polyethylene梙as been formed to create the textured 慴ristles? that collect and remove plaque from the tooth抯 surface while also protecting the finger from moisture. The elastic backing provides a comfortable fit to almost any size finger.

揃rush-Ups were designed to be an effective and convenient method for cleaning teeth and freshening breath while on-the-go,? Mr. Gladstone explained. 揟he textured surface cleans teeth and the burst of mint flavor freshens breath. The single-use finger wipes are individually sealed for convenient portability.?
The use of nonwoven material was critical to making Brush-Ups a reality because it made them disposable, one-size-fits-all and sanitary by creating a moisture barrier. 揟he material is disposable, the elastic backing accommodates a variety of finger sizes and the nonwoven front creates a moisture barrier so germs are not passed from the finger to the mouth,? Mr. Gladstone continued.

Automotive Oil Filter, Mann + Hummel (Germany)
Introduced in September 2003, this new oil filter is described as 搕he world抯 first fully synthetic oil filter element for automotive applications.? The filter material uses a polyester fleece, which is up to 15 times more resistant to aging than cellulose. The two-layered filter medium consists of a support and drainage layer as well as an active filter layer.

The first fully synthetic oil filter media, the Automotive Oil Filter was developed by Mann + Hummel of Germany. Unlike typical automotive filters, which are cellulose based, this filter is not attacked by the lube oil while the car is running. This allows these polyester-based filters to last three to five times longer than paper products, depending on the vehicle, according to Markus Kolczyk, head of filter development.
Launched at the Frankfurt motor show in 2003, these filters comprise a support and drainage layer as well as an active filter layer with an optimized layer set-up. This set-up and the individual layers are specifically matched to one another to guarantee maximum filtration performance with regard to filter fineness, dirt-holding capacity and pressure loss. The completely synthetic filter element technology and the filter media can be used for all engine applications and designs of filter elements and can also be used retro-compatibly for existing applications. Additionally, this filter抯 disposal is more environmentally pleasing than cellulose materials.

Soft-Fit Training Pants, Tyco Healthcare Retail Group
Tyco Healthcare Retail Group抯 Soft-Fit Training Pants are made using a filament core instead of a fibrous core that is typical in baby diapers and absorbent products. Calling it 搕he first true step out of differentiated core technology,? vice president of research and development Don Sheldon said, 搕his new technology was created by marrying technologies developed by companies acquired by Tyco in recent years.? Originally applied to a pull-on style training pant, the technology could be used in virtually any absorbent product.
Among the benefits of this product, which is being described as the next step in the evolution of diaper technology, is simpler processing for manufacturers and better fit and improved comfort for the consumer. The absence of fluff pulp in the diaper also eliminates the need for various diaper line components and creates a more environmentally friendly, lighter weight product.

In development for one year prior to its October 2003 launch, Soft-Fit Training Pants are already performing at 20% above marketing projections. To protect its investment, Tyco has applied for more than 30 U.S. patents covering the technology and has already received eight.

A private label supplier, Tyco tested the product with one of its major retail partners, Wal-Mart, and expects the product to be extremely popular with store brands. As for taking it on the branded front, Mr. Sheldon said that Tyco will probably leave marketing efforts to its customers. 揑 don抰 see us going through the expense of forming a marketing and advertising department,? he said. 揥e would rather focus on innovation and product performance and development. The absorbent products diaper market is a commodity market and the performance of a product should overshadow marketing efforts.?

Love扤 Sanitary Napkin and Panty Liner,
W.I.P. (Wellness Innovation Project)
Love 慛 sanitary napkin and panty liners were introduced in Italy in 2004. Featuring a mix of eco-friendly raw materials, the product hopes to reverse the trend of limiting innovation in disposable markets. 揑nnovation in disposable markets has been limited,? said Marco Benedetti, general manager. 揜eally, most decisions are made on cost.?

The products use eco-friendly PLA fibers, which are developed from natural resources by Far Eastern Textiles, a natural superabsorbent, Lysac, developed by Lysac Technologies and Mater-Bi biodegradable film from Novamont. Packaging also incorporates the Mater-bi biodegradable film.

According to Mr. Benedetti, there is no marked difference between these biodegradable products and conventional products. 揅ommunicating this to the customers is our biggest problem,? he said. 揥e really don抰 want to mention the biodegradable thing prominently. We just call it 慹co-friendly.挃

The decision to market an environmentally friendly product was born as much out of environmental consciousness as it was from a goal of diversity. The products create a new niche in the disposable market, providing nice growth opportunities for WIP. 揥hy should we do something that everyone can do?? asked Mr. Benedetti. 揥e have no chance when competing head to head against a giant corporation unless we do something different.?

Huggies Wash Cloths, Kimberly-Clark
Huggies Wash Cloths, part of Kimberly-Clark抯 expansion into baby toiletries, are made from a proprietary, multi-layered, composite material manufactured to provide optimal strength, flexibility, thickness, softness and texture as well as gentle cleaning with cloth-like durability. To further enhance product performance, a secondary process impregnates lathering baby wash solution capable of lasting throughout the bathing experience.

Available in an unscented version, without soap, or in lavender and chamomile or extra gentle scented, soaped varieties, Huggies baby wash cloths, are preferred by parents who overwhelmingly agree that they make bathtime much easier, according to K-C. The product, which was launched in early 2004, makes Huggies the only brand with a presence in all four major non-food baby categories-diapers, training pants, wipes and toiletries. In December, K-C company expanded its presence in this category with the introduction of a full line of bath and body products including a liquid powder, a shampoo, baby lotion and disposable wash mitts.