The world nonwovens industry: part 1--the leading ten producers, October 2020

October 2020 | 93 pages | ID: W283CC390400EN
Textiles Intelligence Ltd

Abstracts

In this report, the first in a series of three in which the world’s top 40 nonwovens producers are profiled, Karen Bitz provides the latest information and analysis about the activities of the world’s leading ten producers of nonwovens. For many of these players, sales have increased, reflecting a number of investments and acquisitions in recent years. In addition, more recent acquisitions and planned investments--particularly in melt blowing technology in response to the COVID-19 pandemic--should lead to further increases in sales in the future. Berry Global is adding a number of melt blowing lines around the world and has purchased nine machines for making masks. Freudenberg has acquired two nonwovens producers, namely Filc and Low & Bonar, and it is adding a state-of-the art melt blowing line in Germany. Ahlstrom-Munksj? has expanded production, increased capacity and adapted its current technologies within its medical business to meet demand. DuPont has launched the #TyvekTogether programme in order to increase the overall availability of Tyvek personal protective garments, and it has expanded its Tyvek capacity in the USA and introduced a new specialised Tyvek fabric. Fitesa has acquired a number of companies--including Freudenberg’s South American hygiene nonwovens business, Tredegar Corporation’s Personal Care Films division, and Fiber Dynamics--and it has signed a contract with Reifenh?user Reicofil for four new lines which will be installed around the world. Lydall has committed to adding melt blowing capacity in the USA and France, and Johns Manville has started producing meltblown filtration media with a bacterial filtration efficiency of 95% and has launched a spunbonded nonwoven designed for the production of medical gowns. Glatfelter has added a new line in the USA and acquired Georgia-Pacific’s European nonwovens business, and Toray has added a new line in China and invested in a new facility in India.

Contents

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

The leading ten players
Companies which joined the leading ten players
Companies which exited from the leading ten players
Companies which remained among the leading ten players

1 BERRY GLOBAL, USA

Products and markets
Medical
Hygiene
Industrial and speciality
Capacity expansion
Latin America
North America
Europe
China
Plant consolidation

2 FREUDENBERG GROUP, GERMANY

Manufacturing facilities
Spunlaid operations
Industrial nonwovens operations
Interlinings operations
Filtration operations
Novolon
Comfortemp
Acquisitions, divestments and joint ventures
International strategy

3 AHLSTROM-MUNKSJ?, FINLAND

Product areas
Filtration & Performance
Specialties

4 KIMBERLY-CLARK, USA

Corporate structure
Personal Care
Consumer Tissue
Business-to-Business
Products and markets
Filtration
Delivery systems (including wipes)
Sorbents
Building products
Personal care
Acoustics
Other developments

5 DUPONT, USA

Internationalisation strategy
Tyvek
Construction
Personal protective apparel
Envelopes and packaging

6 FITESA, BRAZIL

7 GLATFELTER, USA

Advanced Airlaid Materials
Composite Fibers

8 LYDALL, USA

Company structure
Thermal/Acoustical
Automotive
Industrial
Performance Materials
Technical Nonwovens
Manufacturing facilities and geographical markets

9 TORAY, JAPAN

Manufacturing facilities
South Korea
China
Indonesia
Products and markets

10 JOHNS MANVILLE, USA

Corporate structure
Products and markets
High Performance Nonwovens
Roofing Materials
Manufacturing facilities
USA
Germany
Slovakia
China

List Of Tables

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Sales by the world’s top 40 roll goods producers, 2019