INDA, NWI Announce Collaboration Agreement

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, and The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), announced a collaboration agreement to provide continuing education to the nonwovens industry. This agreement expands upon the ongoing partnership between INDA and NWI, whereby the two organizations have successfully presented training programs, covering the full spectrum of the nonwovens value chain from raw materials to processes to products.

Under terms of the agreement, INDA and NWI will develop and present a full roster of training courses, featuring a combination of classroom learning supported by hands-on activities in NWI’s world-class nonwoven production and testing labs on the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University. The two organizations will also work together to explore additional educational programming to serve the needs of the nonwovens industry as they evolve over time.

“This collaboration agreement represents a significant next step in the partnership between INDA and NWI, as we build upon our training course offering to ensure it is meeting the needs of the nonwovens industry now and going forward,” said Matt O’Sickey, director of education and technical affairs at INDA. “We are also committed to pursuing new avenues to expand the knowledge base of professionals working in areas related to nonwovens.”

The current roster of INDA/NWI training courses include:

• Elementary Nonwovens

• Intermediate Nonwovens

• Fiber and Filament Extrusion Fundamentals

• Meltblown Technology

• Nonwoven Bonding Fundamentals

• Nonwoven Fabric Property Development and Characterization

• Nonwoven Product Development and Innovation

• Spunbond Technology

Course registration is open to INDA/NWI members and non-members. The INDA/ NWI Short Course Value Pack program enables companies to purchase a block of registrations, which can be used by any combination of employees to register for any combination of training courses, at a discounted rate, and available in bundles of 5, 10, 15, and 20 registrations, with discounts ranging from 10 percent to 25 percent, depending on the Value Pack size. Visit https://thenonwovens institute.com/short-course-value-pack/. www.inda.org/training

Suominen Invests in Sustainable Products in Bethune, U.S.

Tommi Björnman, President and CEO of Suominen.

Suominen strengthens its capabilities in sustainable products by enhancing and upgrading one of its production lines in Bethune, South Carolina, USA. The investment is made in line with Suominen’s strategy and supports company’s vision to be the frontrunner in nonwovens innovation and sustainability.

“With this investment we strengthen our position as the leader in sustainable nonwovens in America’s market and respond to the increased demand of environmentally friendly products. This investment also enhances our operational performance in terms of safety, quality and productivity,” says Tommi Björnman, President and CEO of Suominen.

The total value of the investment is approximately EUR 10 million and the investment project will be completed in the first half of 2025. www.suominen.fi

Berry and Glatfelter Announce Merger

Berry Global and nonwovens manufacturer Glatfelter Corporation announced they have signed an agreement that will see Berry spin off and merge the majority of its Health, Hygiene and Specialties business, including its Global Nonwovens and Films (HHNF) business with Glatfelter.

Berry announced late 2023 that it was exploring strategic alternatives for its health and hygiene business, which is a major supplier to a broad range of end markets including healthcare, hygiene, consumer, building and construction, and industrials.

Under the terms, Berry is expected to receive net cash proceeds of approximately $1 billion once the transaction closes. Berry shareholders will own 90% of the combined company’s common shares with Glatfelter shareholders owning the remaining 10% of the combined company.

With unanimous approval from the boards of directors of both companies, the combined company will offer a highly complementary range of nonwovens and films including both polymer-based and fiber-based products, with significant geographic diversification and a presence in all major markets. The remaining health and hygiene businesses, including Berry’s tapes business, will be retained by Berry. www.berryglobal.com

INDA Releases 2024 Nonwovens Supply Report

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.

“INDA provides valuable data and actionable industry information to enhance decision making in our capital-intensive industry. This report is the most complete and accurate portrayal for both rolled goods and other nonwoven materials produced in North America. These supply and demand balance metrics are essential for strategic planning and business investment decisions,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA President.

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 with EDANA 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.

“Similar to 2023, we had quite an impressive producer response from the industry. The markets are shifting to adjust to competitive pressure within the global supply chain. This report highlights significant metrics describing the changes and the reasons behind them,” said Mark Snider, Chief Market and Industry Analyst. www.inda.org

Freudenberg Launches Fully Synthetic Wetlaid Nonwovens for Filtration

Freudenberg Performance Materials has unveiled a new 100 percent synthetic wetlaid nonwoven product line made in Germany. The new materials can be manufactured from various types of polymer-based fibers, including ultra-fine micro-fibers.

These unique wetlaid materials from Freudenberg are designed for use in filtration applications as well as other industrial applications. This product line rounds off the wide range of wetlaid nonwoven capabilities from the leading manufacturer of high-performance materials.

Customers in the filtration business can use Freudenberg’s new fully synthetic wetlaid nonwovens in both liquid and air filtration. Applications include reverse osmosis membrane support, support for nanofibers or PTFE membranes as well as oil filtration media. The new materials are suited to use in the building & construction industry or the composites industry. www.freudenberg-pm.com

INDA Honors Three Nonwoven Industry Professionals with 2024 Lifetime Awards

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced three worthy recipients for the INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards.

David Powling, Paul Latten and Arnold Wilkie are being recognized for their key contributions to the advancement of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

“It is our pleasure to recognize David, Paul, and Arnold with these well-deserved awards. INDA appreciates their contributions in advancing the nonwovens industry and being advocates for INDA,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA president and CEO. “These awards honor individuals with long-established records of service and technical achievement. All three have given their best both personally and professionally to the nonwovens industry and INDA.” www.inda.org