Textiles, Home & Personal Care
O
ntex is the clear global leader in the production of hygienic disposables, and Europe’s biggest player by far in the field of disposable non-wovens. Ontex offers a diverse range of hygienic disposables for the baby-care sector including nappies and wipes, as well as for the feminine-care sector, with products such as sanitary towels, panty liners and tampons. Ontex is also a major supplier to the adult incontinence sector through its fast growing healthcare division. All Ontex products are produced either for private label customers or for its own generic consumer brands. Ontex is able to adapt swiftly to market trends and takes a nimble, fast-lane approach to new product development and implementation. According to the company, “We make, sell and distribute our products in more than 110 countries worldwide through leading retail brands, as well as under our own brand labels. As the world’s leading suppliers of disposable, personal hygiene products, we are proud to make a difference to the daily lives of people across every generation. “With 19 manufacturing sites around the globe, we employ more than 11,000 people and in 2017 generated sales of €2.6 billion. Our cutting-edge product research and development teams draw on extensive consumer insights to help our retail and health industry clients stay ahead of rapidly changing markets and meet the needs of the world’s growing populations.”
Delivering change worldwide In true keeping with its enviable reputation for driving change for healthier, more sustainable disposables, Ontex has taken the lead once again with its launch of its ‘Little Big Change’ nappies on 24th September this year.
The company’s ‘Little Big Change’ nappies are a true (r)evolution with 0 per cent Chlorine, 0 per cent perfume and 0 per cent toxic products. This range of products is a fresh new entrant in the market and is also novel in that the products are available through online subscription and delivered to any address at an affordable price. On average a baby relies on nappies for 900 days, so Ontex makes sure that they are as efficient, comfortable and safe as possible. For example, the fluff used in the absorbent pad is nothing more than cellulose that originates from trees, it is bleached with oxygen and is guaranteed to be 100 per cent chlorine free. These new generation nappies from Ontex are also hypoallergenic, and certified to provide up to 12 hours of efficient protection, Furthermore, they are produced in a sustainable production system that uses only 100 per cent green electricity.
East and West expansion In October 2017, the Ontex Group announced that it will further expand its personal hygiene business around the world through its new stateof-the-art manufacturing facility to be built in Radomsko, Poland. This follows the success of its existing production facility in Warsaw that has been in operation for several decades. The investment is estimated to be in the region of €50 million over the next few years. Ontex aims to open a total site area of around 110,000m2, with a total industrial area of more than 24,000m2. This significant investment is expected to create around 200 jobs by the end of the year 2020. Ontex CEO Charles Bouaziz commented on the extension of Ontex’s production capacity in Poland: “To remain competitive it is important to continue investing in production capacity. The new facility in Radom-
Industry Europe 163