The world nonwovens industry: part 1 - the leading ten producers, April 2023

The world nonwovens industry: part 1 - the leading ten producers, April 2023

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 the top ten players, sales were up in 2021, reflecting, primarily, heavy investment in new production lines in response to a surge in demand for nonwovens for medical applications - and face masks in particular - following the outbreak of COVID-19. Berry Global has installed melt blowing lines around the world, and has installed a new Spinlace line in North America and a spunlacing line in Europe. Fitesa has installed several Reifenhäuser Reicofil melt blowing lines in different countries and improved existing lines. Freudenberg has added a melt blowing line in Germany and lines based on other technologies in China, Slovakia and Taiwan while Alkegen - comprising the businesses of Lydall and Unifrax - has added melt blowing capacity in France and the USA. DuPont has expanded its capacity for producing Tyvek flashspun nonwoven material in Luxembourg and the USA, and Toray has added a spunbonding line at an existing facility in China and at a new facility in India. Ahlstrom-Munksjö - which is operating as Ahlstrom after divesting its Decor business - is investing in a number of lines to make nonwovens for its filtration business. Kimberly-Clark has invested in two of its nonwovens manufacturing sites in the USA and Glatfelter has acquired Jacob Holm Industries and Georgia-Pacific's US air-laid operations. Johns Manville continues to invest and innovate in air filtration and has made advancements to machinery which have allowed it to make complete filter media.