The World Nonwovens Industry: Part 1—the Leading Ten Producers, December 2018
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. Furthermore, more recent acquisitions and planned investments should lead to increases in sales in the future. Berry Global, for example, has invested in a new carding line in Italy and a welding line in France, and is adding other lines in China and the USA while Freudenberg has added new lines in the USA and is adding a line in Taiwan. DuPont is to invest US$400 mn in expanding its capacity for producing Tyvek in Luxembourg, and Johns Manville is focusing on enhancements to existing lines. Several companies are focusing on acquisitions. Lydall, for example, has acquired Gutsche, Interface Performance Materials, the Precision Filtration division of Precision Custom Coatings and Texel. Meanwhile, Fitesa has acquired a stake in CNC International in order to expand into South-East Asia, and Glatfelter has entered into an agreement to acquire Georgia-Pacific's European nonwovens business
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 (FORMERLY AVINTIV), 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
Investments in Asia
International strategy
3 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
4 AHLSTROM-MUNKSJ?, FINLAND
Product areas
Filtration & Performance
Specialties
5 DUPONT, USA
Internationalisation strategy
Tyvek
Construction
Personal protective apparel
Envelopes and packaging
6 FITESA, BRAZIL
7 JOHNS MANVILLE, USA
Corporate structure
Products and markets
High Performance Nonwovens
Roofing Materials
Manufacturing facilities
USA
Germany
Slovakia
China
8 GLATFELTER (FORMERLY CONCERT INDUSTRIES), USA
Advanced Airlaid Materials
Composite Fibers
9 LYDALL, USA
Company structure
Thermal/Acoustical
Automotive
Industrial
Performance Materials
Technical Nonwovens
Manufacturing facilities and geographical markets
10 SUOMINEN NONWOVENS, FINLAND
Company structure
Convenience
Care business
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 (FORMERLY AVINTIV), 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
Investments in Asia
International strategy
3 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
4 AHLSTROM-MUNKSJ?, FINLAND
Product areas
Filtration & Performance
Specialties
5 DUPONT, USA
Internationalisation strategy
Tyvek
Construction
Personal protective apparel
Envelopes and packaging
6 FITESA, BRAZIL
7 JOHNS MANVILLE, USA
Corporate structure
Products and markets
High Performance Nonwovens
Roofing Materials
Manufacturing facilities
USA
Germany
Slovakia
China
8 GLATFELTER (FORMERLY CONCERT INDUSTRIES), USA
Advanced Airlaid Materials
Composite Fibers
9 LYDALL, USA
Company structure
Thermal/Acoustical
Automotive
Industrial
Performance Materials
Technical Nonwovens
Manufacturing facilities and geographical markets
10 SUOMINEN NONWOVENS, FINLAND
Company structure
Convenience
Care business
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Sales by the world’s top 40 roll goods producers, 2017
Table 1: Sales by the world’s top 40 roll goods producers, 2017
