INDA 2011 Statistics Highlights

Rory Holmes, Past President of INDA provided the latest (2011) INDA statistics:

• Of the 1817 kt on nonwovens produced, 964kt were spunbond, 598kt carded, 165 kt airlaid and 90 kt wetlaid. 
• 638kt of the spunbond was PP (SB or SMS). Polyethylene accounted for 54kt and was presumably mainly Tyvek.
• 314kt of the carded was needlepunched, 201kt spunlaced and 83kt thermal or resin bonded.
• By 2016 the total tonnage will rise to 2329kt, 1270kt of which will be spunbond.
• For Disposables, hygiene nonwovens will grow from 370kt in 2011 to 416kt in 2016, medical from 166 to 194kt, wipes from 309 to 414kt and filtration from 171 to 213kt.  Oil Sorbents will grow from 59 to 75kt.
• For Durables over the same 5 years, automotive nonwovens will grow from 53 to 76kt, furniture/bedding from 90 to 130kt, geotextiles from 125 to 141kt and agricultural from 30 to 37kt.

New quality standards for Adult Incontinene products

Nancy Muller, Executive Director of the National Association for Continence (NAFC) pointed out that the US wastes $750bn/year in health care spending, including $210bn on unnecessary services, $190bn on unnecessary administration, and $130bn on inefficiency.  Fraud accounts for a loss of $75bn.  Savings are sought and one of these relates to the Medicaid Nursing Home Waiver whereby the State saves on Nursing Homes by covering the cost of community-based long term care.  This means helping the family to look after elderly relatives. Often the home-based carers themselves are elderly, physically impaired and in need of education about inco management and the available products.

Skin gets increasingly vulnerable with age and skin-care for incontinence sufferers is a key problem.  Even with skilled nurses in excellent long-term care homes, incontinence-related skin erosion and ulceration is a serious problem.  So, as care moves into the community, State authorities are concerned that they could be overwhelmed by such problems and admit to having no idea what type of products they should be recommending to minimise the issue. 

NAFC has therefore pulled together a group of suppliers (K-C, SCA, Attends, First Quality, Medline, PBA) and State Authorities ( CA, MA, MN, SC, and TX) who have teleconferenced  monthly for the last 2 years.  They have rejected the ISO “absorbent capacity is key” philosophy and are incorporating threshold performance standards and recommendations for strikethrough time, rewet weight and retention under load.  The numbers vary according to whether the briefs are “Standard” or “Premium” priced, and whether the wearer suffers from Light/Moderate or Moderate/Severe incontinence.  Recommended values for a medium size – presumably measured on the whole pad - range from 35-60 seconds for strikethrough, 0.5 to 2 gms for rewet and 250-400gms retention.

6 sizes are recommended; all components must be FDA/OSHA/EPA approved; closure systems must allow multiple use; and the garments must be breathable without leaking.  Test results are to be shared between States and there will be regular audits to reduce product variability and prevent inferior products being used.

Lenzing Fibres First Quarter 2013.

Weak prices in the light of good volume demand characterized the business development of Lenzing’s Segment Fibers in the first quarter of 2013. This served as the basis for the ongoing full capacity utilization of all production facilities.

Fiber shipment volumes reached a level of about 216,000 tons, about the same level as in the fourth quarter of 2012 and approximately 13% higher than in the prior year quarter. This increase can be attributed to the additional production capacities coming on stream in 2012 at the Indonesia plant (SPV) as well as the USA/Mobile site. A fire took place at the TENCEL® fiber production site in Heiligenkreuz in March of 2013, which will likely result in a loss of production amounting to some 5,000 tons in 2013 as a whole.

Segment sales in the first quarter of 2013 totaled EUR 447.1 mn, down from EUR 474.4 mn in the prior-year quarter. Segment EBITDA was EUR 58.9 mn (1-3 2012: EUR 87.2 mn), and segment EBIT mounted to EUR 31.3 mn (1-3 2012: EUR 62.5 mn). 

Specialty fibers comprised about 34.5% of segment sales.

The business development of the Business Unit Textile Fibers was characterized by intensified price ompetition on the marketplace. Lenzing was not immune to this trend, which led to a further decline in selling prices for

South America Nonwoven Update

Rick Jezzi of A D Jezzi and Associates updated the SA demographics noting that the birth-rate was now decreasing (down 1% per year) as religious principles waned and more women worked.  The female population (15-49) was increasing at 1% per year and the over 65’s at 3.8%/pa.  The average PPP/cap will be $12500 in 2017, the wealthiest countries being French Guyana, Chile and Argentina.  Brazil, the most populous country in SA, accounted for half the people and 60% of the GDP, and will have a PPP/cap of $10500 in 2017. 

• Diapers will grow at 5.6% CAGR through 2017.  There are numerous producers but the two biggest (unnamed) take half of the total sales.  Penetration will rise from 53 to 62% (2011-17)
• Femcare will grow at 6.1% CAGR through 2017 and here again of the numerous producers, the 2 majors take 54% of pantyliner sales and 42% of pads. Penetration will rise from 67 to 85% (2011-17)
• The embryonic adult inco market is expected to grow at 10% CAGR through 2017. Penetration will rise from 20 to 27% (2011-17)
• Baby wipes will also grow at 10% but use lower basis weights and more spunbond than NA.  Household wipes are practically non-existent. Penetration will rise from 39 to 62% (2011-17)

Mr Jezzi expects to see the industry consolidate and many smaller players to disappear.  Mass merchandising will grow and the whole industry will become more professional as technology is transferred from NA.  Brazil is leading the sustainability movement with its highly available low-cost bio-feedstock.  Braskem and Dow are already producing “drop-in” bio-PE.  Industrial PHB/PHV’s are becoming available and Solvay is producing bio-PVC.  An airlaid nonwoven producer is needed in the region.

Indian Nonwoven Market Update

Rich Chapas of Chapas, Chinai and Associates provided news from the subcontinent.

• Per capita income for 2011 was $3663 (PPP basis)
• There are 26.2 million births/year; the middle class population is 375 million of whom 60 million are engineers and scientists; 30% of the population lives in cities.
• The diaper market is >1% penetrated and the femcare market 15% penetrated by disposables.

• Nonwovens use is 0.5kg/capita/year now and is expected to grow to 2.5 kg/capita/year by 2025.
• Nonwovens production was 190,000 tonnes in 2011, of which only 18,000 were disposables.  These numbers are expected to double by 2015.
• 48% of nonwoven production is spunbond and 36% is needlepunch.  11% is spunlace.
• The culture is anti-disposables and there is insufficient infrastructure to support rapid growth.
• Carpets and backing, packaging, geotextile and automotive durable nonwovens make up 75% of nonwoven sales.  Hygiene is only 8%.
• New product development should involve use of local natural products, not synthetics.  However India, like Brazil, would be a good base for developing bio-based synthetics.
• K-C are partnering with Lever to develop the diaper and femcare market.

INDA's Visionary Award Finalists: Kimberly Clark, Allasso Ind. and Vitaflex

Tim van Himbergen of Kimberly Clark Corp. used the platform to promote the whole range of Poise Wellness products, the latest addition to which is the Panty Freshener, a small 4-layer circular pad containing perfume and intended to be stuck on the outside of the pants.  The layers are perfume-containing nonwoven, film, adhesive, and release paper.  4 hours of freshness are promised.
The other Poise Wellness products mentioned were Personal Lubricant, cooling Gel, Cooling Towelettes, and Feminine Wash, launched July 23^rd 2012 in the US and Canada.

Walter Chappas of Allasso Industries Inc., described the company as being spun-off from NC State University develop applications for their multi-limbed fibre made using bico spinning technology.  A segment-pie bico with about 40 soluble segments in a nylon pie is produced and converted into papers, nonwovens or textiles. The segments are then removed in hydroentanglement or dissolved to leave the very high surface area multilimbed nylon core.  In addition to the cosmetic facial mask shown (a 50gsm nylon spunlace impregnated with creams and lotions), applications in filters, wipes, medical, insulation, composites and apparel are envisaged.

Nonwovens using the fibre are currently produced in Korea for air filters on a 2-metre wide line.  The fibres are oval with dimensions of about 10 to 20 microns.

Al Blalock CEO of Vitaflex LLC demonstrated a primary head protection balaclava made of three layers of elastic spunbond PP.  The soft stretch breathable fabric allows a comfortable one-size-fits all product which covers the entire scalp, face and neck but for a narrow eye-slot over which goggles can be worn.  It is intended to protect the wearer from all airborne sprays, dust or splashes while working indoors or to reduce wind-chill, sunburn and scratches during outdoor activities.  It could also have applications in food and medical product preparation and maybe in surgery.

It looked ideal for protecting the hair from paint while painting the ceiling.

...And the Winner Was Dude Wipes