Aus der Branche

EDANA Innovation Forum 2025 is open for registration, inviting pioneers from across the nonwovens industry to gather at Station F, Paris, on June 11-12, 2025. Designed as a hub for bold ideas, breakthrough technologies, and fresh perspectives, this event promises an inspiring mix of keynote sessions, interactive discussions, and innovative ideas.

This year’s forum is all about collaboration and cross-industry learning. By bringing together start-ups, researchers, scientists, and business leaders, the event aims to bridge gaps, spark new ideas, and challenge the status quo. Expect engaging workshops, thought-provoking discussions, and real-world case studies that push the boundaries of what’s possible. Whether you’re looking for fresh insights, new partners, or the next big breakthrough, this is where the future of nonwovens takes shape.

Call for Papers: Share Your Innovations!
Innovation is a condition for business continuity and growth. As such, and as part of the event, EDANA has issued a Call for Papers to welcome best practices and real-life examples for innovating in the nonwoven industry! Presentations should align with one of the three key focus areas:

• - Materials
• - Technology
• - Applications

Abstracts shall be sent to giovanna.merola@edana.org, by 20th February 2025, with the following information:

• - A suggested title
• - 3-4 bullet points
• - Contact details of the speakers

EDANA, the global association for the nonwovens and related industries, concluded its annual Sustainability Forum at the KBR Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels. This year's forum, themed “Building a Sustainable Future Together,” featured a series of keynote addresses, panel discussions, and collaborative sessions focused on environmental responsibility, corporate social responsibility, and circular economy innovations within the nonwovens sector. With an agenda that bridged policy and practice, the Forum highlighted the latest advancements and strategies aimed at tackling climate change, reducing waste, and enhancing sustainability practices.

Keynote Highlights
The forum featured two keynote speakers: Ana Rovzar, Founder of Polygon AR, opened the Forum with a keynote on the accelerating transition to clean energy. In her speech, she discussed the shift from conventional energy investments to renewables, noting a 50% growth in renewables in 2023 alone. “It is accelerating much faster than people think” she remarked, emphasizing that “real progress requires a united front from governments, businesses, and communities to remove regulatory and technological barriers”.

In another keynote, sustainability expert Mike Barry, formerly of Marks & Spencer, stressed the importance of aligning corporate strategy with sustainability. “Citizens see climate change as a top priority, and companies must act boldly to reduce emissions, especially Scope 3”, he said. “Sustainability is now a vital part of brand identity, and consumers expect more transparency and commitment than ever”.

Innovative Industry Perspectives and EU Policy Impacts
Brieuc Lits, Public Affairs Director at EDANA, examined the potential effects of the EU Green Deal on the nonwovens industry. “The EU’s shift towards balancing sustainability with competitiveness will shape not only policy but the very framework within which we operate”, he noted, emphasizing that the sector must adapt to stay competitive and aligned with regulatory expectations.

Lastly, Paolo Haeusermann, Senior Brand Director and Europe Sustainability Leader at Procter & Gamble, shared insights on advancing sustainability in absorbent hygiene products and emphasized the importance of these items. “We are talking about essential products in people’s lives”, he remarked.

Corporate and Product Sustainability: A Deep Dive
Several industry leaders shared insights on integrating sustainability at every level of business. Carsten Ruff from Nitto Advanced Film Solutions discussed the challenges and strategies of embedding sustainability in corporate culture, particularly in a multinational setting. “Sustainability is not a contradiction to industrial applications; it’s a powerful driver of innovation”, he observed.

Martijn Gipmans from Sphera Solutions highlighted the business value of transparency and life-cycle assessments (LCA). “LCA and transparent ESG reporting can catalyse both business growth and environmental progress”, he explained, stressing the importance of integrated sustainability assessments to reduce the carbon footprint of entire product portfolios.

Christophe Morel-Fourrier, Sustainability Leader for Hygiene, Packaging, and Converting Adhesives at Bostik, introduced the Archimedes tool as a strategic asset for Portfolio Sustainability Assessment. “Archimedes allows us to make transparent, informed decisions that align with our long-term sustainability goals”, he explained. He highlighted that this tool helps companies evaluate the sustainability of their product portfolios, empowering them to make impactful choices that support environmental goals.

The Path Forward: Advancing Circularity and Green Innovation
One of the most discussed topics was the industry's transition toward a circular economy. Albert Hammerschmied from Freudenberg Performance Materials highlighted the importance of post-industrial waste in achieving circularity, particularly in the automotive sector. “The potential for nonwovens in the automotive circular economy is vast, but requires industry-wide collaboration”, he commented.

In a session addressing the future of sustainable practices in building insulation, Alexandre Butté of ANDRITZ Laroche emphasized the importance of sustainable materials and collaboration among stakeholders. “The building industry faces unique sustainability challenges, but with innovation and eco-friendly materials, we can bridge the gap between goals and achievable practices”, he said.

Building a Sustainable Health Sector
Danielle van Horzen, Global Marketing Manager for Hygiene and Healthcare at SABIC, discussed advanced recycling solutions in the healthcare sector. Addressing the challenges of medical waste recycling, she stated, “A significant amount of medical waste is not contaminated, offering us opportunities to create circularity in healthcare.” She pointed to the potential for advanced chemical recycling to enable circular models, helping to tackle the pressing issue of sustainable medical waste management.

The day concluded with a session on the circular potential within healthcare. Kristien Depraetere, Sustainability Coordinator at UZ Leuven, outlined sustainable practices in hospitals, from waste reduction to advanced recycling in medical waste. “Healthcare can lead by example in the transition to circularity, yet we need practical and legislative support to address unique industry challenges”.

Visit to the European Commission
The third day of EDANA’s Sustainability Forum 2024 concluded with an insightful visit to the European Commission, offering attendees a unique opportunity to engage directly with policymakers and gain firsthand insights into the EU's sustainability agenda. Hosted at the Charlemagne Building, discussions centered on pivotal elements of the EU Green Deal, including the establishment of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the scope and implementation of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.

Featuring presentations from prominent EU officials like Vicenzo Gente and Werner Bosmans, attendees delved into how these regulations are shaping sustainability strategies across industries. Bridging policy and practice emerged as essential, reinforcing the forum’s dedication to aligning industry actions with current EU regulatory frameworks. The session offered a strong conclusion to the event, reinforcing a shared commitment to a sustainable future in collaboration with EU leaders and regulatory bodies.

OUTLOOK™ 2024 took place on 24-26 September 2024 in Rome, gathering a record of 549 delegates from 212 companies and 37 countries across the nonwovens personal care, hygiene & wipes products value chain.

OUTLOOK24 Conference
The conference, structured across five key sessions, featured 26 speakers covering a diverse array of critical topics impacting not only the nonwovens industry but society at large. These topics included cutting-edge innovations and eco-design, evolving market dynamics, navigating new EU regulations, the future of absorbent hygiene products, sustainability, retail strategies, and the challenges posed by China's influence on European commerce.

The event's first day opened with a compelling presentation by Joachim De Vos, Managing Partner and Founder of Living Tomorrow & TomorrowLab. As an expert in strategic innovation and scenario planning, he shared valuable insights on guiding organizations towards future-readiness. He highlighted the emerging success factors, emphasizing how Generative AI can be leveraged to develop scenarios for the nonwovens industry, serving as a powerful roadmap for future innovation.

On the second day, James Kynge, the Europe-China correspondent for the Financial Times, delivered a keynote address., "The China Challenge", emphasizing China's rapid rise as a global tech superpower, noting that the country produced more than half of the world's robots last year. He explored the far-reaching impact of this growth on European commerce, highlighting the challenges and outlined strategies for European companies.

The final day of OUTLOOK™ Jack Stratten, Director of Insider Trends. highlighted in his presentation, “The polarization of choice: How retailers and brands are responding to market and product saturation,” in an unprecedented market saturation that leaves 64% of consumers feeling overwhelmed by choices. He discussed how massive retail platforms drive product saturation, influencing both quality and variety and concluded that differentiation in this crowded landscape occurs by focusing on high-quality, curated selections.

OUTLOOK24 Exhibition
As part of its commitment to fostering connections within the industry, OUTLOOK™ 2024 continued its tradition of offering extensive networking opportunities to its delegates. This year’s event featured a tabletop exhibition, where 20 companies had the chance to showcase their expertise over the 3 days.

The next edition of OUTLOOK™ will take place from 23-25 September 2025, in Budapest, Hungary at the Marriott Hotel, Budapest.

Die Division Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions der Schweizer Oerlikon Gruppe erweitert ihr Kundenservice- und Ersatzteilgeschäft im Bereich von Maschinen und Anlagen für die Produktion von Teppichgarnen (BCF) und technischen Garnen (IDY). Hierzu hat das Unternehmen im August eine Vereinbarung mit der in Mönchengladbach, Deutschland, ansässigen Trützschler Gruppe geschlossen. Technologieexperten und Servicemitarbeitende der Oerlikon Neumag sind ab sofort neue Ansprechpartner für den Kundenservice und das Ersatzteilgeschäft der im Markt installierten BCF- und IDY-Technologien von Trützschler. Der Mönchengladbacher Textilmaschinenbauer zieht sich aus diesem Geschäftsfeld zurück, um sich zukünftig auf die Unternehmensbereiche Spinning, Garnituren und Nonwovens zu konzentrieren.

Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions bietet Gesamtlösungen für die Chemiefaserindustrie. Sie reichen von Extrusions- und Polykondensationsanlagen bis zum texturierten Garn und werden von Automations- sowie digitalen Lösungen begleitet. Durch die Lieferung sämtlicher Prozessschritte aus einer Hand wird eine aufeinander abgestimmte Technologie gewährleistet, die die hohe Qualität der jeweils produzierten Garne sicherstellt.

Die in Neumünster, Deutschland, ansässige Oerlikon Neumag, Zweigniederlassung der Oerlikon Textile GmbH & Co. KG und Marke der Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division, ist ein seit Jahrzehnten etablierter und international breit aufgestellter Anbieter mit ausgewiesener Expertise im Bereich BCF. Das Know-how im Bereich der IDY-Anlagen steuert die Divisions-Schwester Oerlikon Barmag aus Remscheid, Deutschland, zu.

From September 11 to 14, 2024, the Trützschler Group will present its latest innovations at CAITME in Tashkent, Uzbekistan - featuring machines and technologies in spinning, card clothing and nonwovens.

Trützschler Spinning
A highlight will be Trützschler’s next generation card, the TC 30i. In recent customer trials, the TC 30i has achieved up to 40 % higher productivity while reducing energy consumption by up to -18 %. In addition, the team will share insights about the Integrated Draw Frame IDF 3, which enables shortened processes that save resources, energy and production space. Visitors will also have the opportunity to discover the TCO 21XL, a 12-head comber. This comber makes it possible to increase productivity by 50 %, while requiring 25 % less space.

Visitors will also get the chance to learn about Trützschler’s new brand for textile recycling, TRUECYCLED. The company enables its customers to produce high quality tapes while turning waste into value.

Trützschler Card Clothing
Trützschler Card Clothing (TCC) will present a range of technologies from its card clothing portfolio, covering the full spectrum of applications in the spinning and nonwovens markets. A key feature will be the Flexible Bend Control (FBC), which ensures flat setting for all card models within a few seconds and guarantees optimum quality.

Trützschler Nonwovens
Trützschler Nonwovens will focus on solutions for the production of cotton nonwovens for wipes, pads and medical products from virgin fibers, comber noils or blends. In addition, the team will provide insights into T-SUPREMA needle-punching lines and show its solutions for the specific requirements of high-potential markets such as geotextiles, filter media, automotive textiles or other durable products.

Sioen Technical Felts hat den internationalen Technologiekonzern ANDRITZ mit der Lieferung einer kompletten Nadelvlies-Linie für sein Werk in Lüttich, Belgien, beauftragt. Mit dieser neuen Anlage wird Sioen schwere Vliesstoffe in einem Schritt herstellen können.

Das Sioen-Werk in Lüttich ist auf die Produktion von technischen Vliesstoffen für verschiedene industrielle Anwendungen spezialisiert, darunter Schlauchlining (CIPP), Akustik und Filtration. Die Anlage von ANDRITZ ermöglicht es dem Kunden, in einem Schritt Vliesstoffe mit mehr als 3.500 g/m² zu produzieren, wobei verschiedene Fasertypen (recyceltes PET, OxPan, Bikomponenten, ...) und Faserfeinheiten zum Einsatz kommen können. Normalerweise müssen zwei oder drei Lagen in einem zweiten Schritt außerhalb der Linie vernadelt werden, um ein solches Materialgewicht zu erreichen.

Das Verfahren in einem Schritt führt zu einer höheren Qualität des Endprodukts, da das Risiko der Delamination, d. h. der Trennung der Schichten während des Gebrauchs, minimiert wird. Außerdem wird eine höhere Produktivität erzielt, da die Handhabung des Materials weniger aufwendig ist.

Die DF-4-Nadelmaschine von ANDRITZ kann im Doppel- und Einzelhubmodus betrieben werden und bietet Sioen somit hohe Flexibilität bei der Verarbeitung von technischen Vliesstoffen mit unterschiedlichen mechanischen Eigenschaften. Die Modi können einfach über den Touchscreen der Fernbedienung gewechselt werden. Die Anlage wird mit der neuesten ANDRITZ-Technologie zur Gewichtsprofilierung, ProWin™, ausgestattet, um eine möglichst gleichmäßiges Bahngewicht zu gewährleisten.

Die Inbetriebnahme der neuen Nadelvlies-Anlage ist für das 1. Quartal 2025 geplant.

The countdown has started for HIGHTEX 2024 International Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Exhibition, Turkey's first and only exhibition in this field. HIGHTEX 2024, which will be held between 4-8 June 2024 at Tüyap Fair and Congress Center (Istanbul), will host nonwoven products, raw materials used in production and the latest technologies in the field of technical textiles.

Technical textiles and nonwovens will be integrated into more industries and living spaces in the future. HIGHTEX 2024 Exhibition wants to be an important platform for those who are going to accelerate this integration process and shape the future of the industry. A wide range of products will be exhibited - from medical textiles produced with advanced technology to high-performance materials used in the aviation and automotive industry, from hygiene products to innovative solutions developed for the agriculture and food industry. Especially the products to be presented in innovative areas such as smart textiles and geotextiles will be among the most remarkable elements. Thanks to the B2B meetings organised at the exhibition, companies can establish new and permanent commercial connections.

INDA, the Association of the Nonwovens Fabrics Industry, announces the publication of the eleventh edition of the annual North American Nonwovens Supply Report.  

Based on extensive research, producer surveys and interviews with industry leaders, this report provides a comprehensive view of the North American supply of nonwoven materials including the key metrics of capacity, production and operating rates, and regional trade through 2023.

The Executive Summary from annual Supply Reports, the quarterly INDA Market Pulse and monthly Price Trends Summary are provided to INDA members on a complimentary basis as part of their membership. The data gathered for this annual report serves as the foundation for both the biennial Global Nonwoven Markets Report to be published in October 2024 and the biennial North American Nonwovens Industry Outlook, which was published in October 2023.

Findings from this year’s Supply Report include:

• North American capacity continues to increase with investments being made across all processes and for a variety of end-uses. Production output is shifting and has slowed down in 2023 to reflect larger machine installations just now coming on-line.
• In 2023, the capacity of nonwovens in North America reached 5.713 million tonnes, an increase from the previous year of over 230,000 tonnes.
• Many new nonwoven production lines were installed in 2023, but mostly in the long-life sectors which shows a positive move towards sustainable goals across the board.

Der internationale Technologiekonzern ANDRITZ hat erfolgreich die an Teknomelt Teknik Mensucat San. ve Tic. A.S., Kahramanmaras, Türkei, gelieferte Vliesstoff-Produktionslinie in Betrieb genommen. Die neue Linie des Typs neXline wetlace CCP (Carded-Carded-Pulp) produziert Vliesstoff-Rollenware für biologisch abbaubare, kunststofffreie Feuchttücher.

Da in dieser Linie Spunlace- und Wetlaid-Technologien kombiniert sind, können biobasierte Fasern wie Viskose und Zellstoff verwendet werden, um ein leistungsstarkes und nachhaltiges Feuchttuch herzustellen, das die gleichen technischen Produkteigenschaften und Qualitäten wie ein herkömmliches, aus synthetischen Fasern produziertes Feuchttuch aufweist und darüber hinaus die Umwelt schont.

Teknomelt ist einer der führenden Hersteller von Meltblown-, Spunbond-, SMS- und SMMS-Vliesstoffen in der Türkei. Das Unternehmen bedient eine Vielzahl von Märkten und exportiert 45% seiner Produktion. Mit der neuen ANDRITZ Wetlace CCP-Linie erweitert das Unternehmen seine nachhaltige Vliesstoff-Produktion für Feuchttücher.

INDA is warmly remembering CK Wong, a veteran of the nonwovens industry for more than five decades and long-time member of INDA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Wong passed away on March 22, 2024 at the age of 86.

Wong recognized the importance of the emerging nonwovens industry in the early 1970s. He began his career in the 1980s as a marketing consultant and, one year later, Wong set up his corporate headquarters in Hong Kong to convert nonwoven roll goods into disposable medical and industrial protection products. Over the past 35 years, Wong’s business grew to include household, beauty salon, sports applications, and other value-added products.

In 1994 Wong’s company officially became U.S. Pacific Nonwovens Industry Limited. His business expanded with a new converting plant in Dongguan, China, and in 2007 he invested in an adjacent building to handle his growing business. In 2018 Wong’s business broadened to include manufacturing PLA nonwovens. In addition to converted products, Wong’s business provided sales, service, and training for nonwovens equipment.

Wong was an active member at INDA since the late 90s. He served as Vice Chair of Finance on the Board of Directors for many years before becoming an Appointee on INDA’s Executive Committee. Wong was instrumental in helping INDA set up partnerships with key contacts and associations in China. He was also the Honorable Chairman for the Guangdong Nonwovens Association (GDNA) and the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (Spunbond Division).