Reportlinker Adds The World Nonwovens Industry: Profiles of Ten Leading Producers - 1 of 3, 2009/10

NEW YORK, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

The World Nonwovens Industry: Profiles of Ten Leading Producers--1 of 3, 2009/10

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0170714/The-World-Nonwovens-Industry-Profiles-of-Ten-Leading-Producers--1-of-3-2009/10.html

Worldwide sales of nonwoven roll goods grew by only 3% in 2008 to reach US$17.3 bn. Sales of the world's leading ten companies ranged from US$250 mn to US$1.45 bn and totalled almost US$8.9 bn.

All companies except Fiberweb and DuPont increased their sales. Freudenberg remained the number one player, although poor economic conditions have forced the company to close operations serving the automotive market and improve efficiencies at others. In 2008 it launched a new product range in the USA made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) polymer obtained from polyester (PET) bottles, and has plans to develop its Evolon microfilament spunlaced fabric. DuPont Nonwovens' sales rose slightly in 2008 thanks to a focus on brands, technology and added value, as well as investment in Eastern Europe, South America and Asia. The company has combined its nonwovens business with its Advanced Fiber Systems and Personal Protection units. Kimberly-Clark's Partnership Products business achieved success in 2008 thanks to market recovery and geographical expansion. The company stands to benefit from an improvement plan and fast growth in emerging markets in BRICIT (Brazil, Russia, India, China, Indonesia and Turkey) countries. Ahlstrom's nonwovens business also achieved growth in 2008 but the company has faced significant challenges throughout many of its businesses. These have led to some staff reductions and the consolidation of some of its operations, particularly in the wipes sector. Sales at Polymer Group Inc (PGI) have been boosted by new spunmelt capacity in Argentina, Mexico and China, and by success with the company's new generation Spinlace nonwovens. In November 2009 the company purchased the Tesalca-Texnovo nonwovens businesses in Spain from Grupo Corinpa. At Fiberweb, the benefits obtained from a turnaround programme continue to drive up profits. This company has joined with Brazil's Fitesa to re-enter the North American spunmelt market with a new investment in Simpsonville, South Carolina. Johns Manville has benefited from new products and international expansion, notably in Central and Eastern Europe and China. At Fibertex, the personal care division continues to thrive but the industrial side of the business is awaiting recovery. Avgol is on track to complete its second Chinese line in mid-2010 as its facility in Mocksville, North Carolina, undergoes improvements. First Quality Nonwovens, a maker of spunmelt nonwovens for hygiene and medical, continues to expand in diapers and has diversified into spunlaced nonwovens.

Table of Contents

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

The global nonwovens market

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 FREUDENBERG, GERMANY

Manufacturing facilities

Management changes

Company restructuring

Company divisions and other business units

Spunlaid Division

Industrial Nonwovens Division

Interlinings Division

Freudenberg Filtration Technologies

Novolon

Acquisitions, divestments and joint ventures

Investments in Asia

International strategy

2 DUPONT NONWOVENS, USA

Internationalisation strategy

Market strategy

Technology strategy

Tyvek

Construction

Personal protective apparel

Envelopes and packaging

Sontara

Advantages of Sontara over competing materials

Suprel

Softesse and Acturel

3 KIMBERLY-CLARK, USA

Corporate structure

Personal Care

Consumer Tissue

Business-to-Business External nonwoven fabrics business

Products and markets

Filtration

Delivery systems (including wipes)

Sorbents

Personal care

Acoustics

Other developments

4 AHLSTROM, FINLAND

Company structure

Nonwoven products and markets

Home & Personal Nonwovens

Advanced Nonwovens

Filtration

Glass & Industrial Nonwovens

Regional breakdown of sales

Acquisitions

5 POLYMER GROUP INC (PGI), USA

Recent investments and acquisitions

Products and markets

Medical

Hygiene

Industrial and speciality

Plant consolidation

Capacity expansion

Latin America

North America

China

Rebranding strategy

6 FIBERWEB, UK

Demerger from BBA to form Fiberweb plc

Acquisitions and joint ventures

Investments

Divestments and closures

Manufacturing facilities

Products and markets

Hygiene

Industrial

7 JOHNS MANVILLE, USA

Corporate structure

Products and markets

High Performance Nonwovens

Roofing Materials

Manufacturing facilities

USA

Germany

Slovakia

China

Expansion

8 FIBERTEX, DENMARK

Ownership

Company structure

Products and markets

Personal Care Division

Technical Division

Production facilities

Malaysia

Czech Republic

Denmark

9 AVGOL, ISRAEL

Manufacturing facilities

Products and markets

Development of manufacturing capacity

10 FIRST QUALITY NONWOVEN, USA

List of tables

Table 1: Sales by the world's top 40 roll goods producers, 2008

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Clothing and Textile Industry: The World Nonwovens Industry: Profiles of Ten Leading Producers--1 of 3, 2009/10

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