01.01.02
Location: Hampton, NH
Sales: $146 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Stephen Foss, president and CEO; David Rowell, executive vice president and COO; Kevin Sexton, senior vice president and CFO
Plants
Hampton, NH; Pulversheim, France
Distribution Facilities
Indiana; California; Georgia; Texas; France; Australia
ISO Status
All businesses are both QS 9000 and ISO 9001 certified and are
close to ISO 14,000 (Environmental registration based on efforts to reduce emissions, solid waste and waste water), which will be complete in 2002.
Processes
Polyester, polypropylene, and specialty fiber spinning; needlepunch; extrusion; post finishing, die cutting, embossing
Brand Names
Foss; Fosshield Antimicrobial Technologies; SoleMates; Enviromat; Geomat; FossFibre; FossFelt; Stratos; Whispertex; Masterwear; FossForm; Kunin Felt; Rainbow Felt; Confetti Felt; Kreative Kanvas; Fosscloth; Softherm; Fossdust; Fossflow; Ozite; Elevations; Showtime; Safari Felt; Mite-Kill; Bac-Kill; Wonderflex; GlitterFelt; Fluorescent Felt; Fosshape
Major Markets
Specialty synthetic fiber (solution dyed PET, bicomponent fibers, antimicrobial fibers); automotive (headliners, package trays, floor carpets, trim fabrics); decorative (wall coverings, marine, RV, speaker cover); retail (craft, auto-aftermarket); technical (vinyl substrate, filtration, healthcare, car wash); home and garden (decorative/craft products)
Needlepunched nonwovens manufacturer Foss Manufacturing, Hampton, NH, has maintained its success by continually developing its products based on its customers’ wants and needs and by examining new application areas for needlepunched materials. “We have truly gone out and identified the needs of our customers,” remarked Stephen Foss, company president and CEO. “We have really changed our thinking and are not just looking at nonwovens as our product base. In addition, we are looking at the product applications that are currently wovens, vinyl and other substrates to identify applications where nonwovens may be more cost effective and provide better performance attributes.”
This mode of thinking has led to several new market areas for Foss. For one, Foss is currently marketing a needlepunched line of upholstery fabric to cover the sides and backs of automotive seats—traditionally a market for wovens. This fabric offers auto manufacturers improved performance and lower costs and was driven by the company’s ability to make its own fibers, according to Mr. Foss.
Foss’ focus on new product development does not end with the automotives market. One interesting area where the company is blazing new trails is the theater and entertainment industry where Foss has recently launched two new products—Wonderflex and Fosshape. Wonderflex Thermoformable composites were used in women’s shoes for about a decade before making their debut on stage in 2001. Able to become highly moldable and pliable under moderate heat, Wonderflex can be used for a variety of props where factors such as weight and reusability are necessary. Additionally, Wonderflex is compatible with a range of artisan coatings including paint and can be used in sync with other materials such as wood and cloth. Fosshape, on the other hand, is a heat-activated or thermoformable needlepunched nonwoven fabric, originally crafted for the automotives industry. It has been used for ornamental effects in scenery, costumes and head pieces. Also for the stage, Foss will soon be offering a black out curtain, made from flame retardant needlepunched nonwovens, to aid in new scene set ups. This product hides stagehands from view as they prepare stage sets during live productions.
In another niche market, Foss is targeting the equestrian market with a blanket that is used to cool down horses after workouts. This needlepunched blanket uses the company’s Solar Guard technology that can be colored with pigments and is subsequently unharmed by bleach. This allows the white blankets to be trimmed in colors to match the horses’ stables and still feature easy launderability.
Foss has also entered the home grilling market with a nonwoven barbecue grill mat in its Ozite family of products. The Ozite BBQ mat is placed under barbecue grills to protect outdoor surfaces, such as wood and concrete patios, against grease stains generated during outdoor cooking. The nonwoven carpet is black and impervious to water.
Looking toward more established markets for nonwovens, Foss has also introduced two additional Ozite surface protection products for the construction and building industries. Ozite TopGuard oil is a protection mat with a non-slip backing that can be used both indoors and outdoors during construction and maintenance projects. TopGuard provides protection against fluid spills and damage caused by construction equipment, tools and heavy objects. Ozite MudScrubber is made of durable nonwoven fibers with a tough polymer back coating that is structured to capture mud and debris from the bottom of shoes. It helps keep grime, dirt and mud outside to protect interior workspaces.
It is no accident that many of the aforementioned products are sold directly to the consumer. In an effort to streamline costs and tighten margins, Foss has tried to eliminate as much of the middleman as possible. “Moving into end product development is definitely a part of our strategy,” Mr. Foss said. “We have always limited the use of wholesalers and distributors and now, in some cases, we are exploring selling products directly to the end user. Not only are the margins better this way, but it also allows us to be more responsive to the customer’s needs and helps strengthen our relationships.”
Another key to Foss’ success is its continuous drive to differentiate its product and customer base. Currently no one customer represents more than 3% of Foss’ overall sales. “The ability for us to supply many customers all over the world with the specialized products they need really makes a big difference to our business,” Mr. Foss explained.
Looking abroad, Foss’s newest manufacturing facility, Foss Manufacturing Europe in Pulversheim, France, has been operational since Spring 2001. Despite its infancy, the 6000 square meter facility is already running 24 hours a day, five days a week and executives expect it to go to a six-day operation schedule by the end of 2002. The facility currently contains one 4.4 meter wide needlepunch line, a coating line, an extrusion line and a structure line, and Foss is currently completing a business plan to add a second needlepunch line that would basically double the site’s capacity.
Mr. Foss attributes the success of Foss Manufacturing Europe to strategic foresight by the company. Sales to Europe had been steadily increasing since 1980, and the company already had a strong presence on the continent before initiating a manufacturing presence there. Therefore, the European venture was designed to reinforce Foss’ already booming European business, not to create a new market for the company.
Looking beyond the Americas and Europe, Foss continues to have a strong presence in Australia, particularly in the retail, marine and automotives markets. Instead of focusing on further global expansion, Foss is content to target markets where it already has a robust customer base. “North America, South America, Europe and Australia are strong markets for the company,” Mr. Foss explained. “Currently, we don’t need to leave these areas to generate growth. There are already enough growth opportunities in the areas where we are strong.”
Turning to the larger picture, Mr. Foss said that, while Foss has been able to maintain success by making strategic decisions and focusing on new business opportunities, the situation may not be so positive for the worldwide nonwovens industry in general. “I think the nonwovens industry is in for some very difficult years because there is too much capacity,” he opined. “There was almost a ‘dot-com’ mentality in the industry during the past couple of years as companies installed new lines without business plans. Some of this is healthy because it might force out some of the older capacity but it will most likely lead to companies getting desperate and destroying the pricing structure of the industry. This trend is already apparent in spunbond technology and in geotextiles.”
Sales: $146 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Stephen Foss, president and CEO; David Rowell, executive vice president and COO; Kevin Sexton, senior vice president and CFO
Plants
Hampton, NH; Pulversheim, France
Distribution Facilities
Indiana; California; Georgia; Texas; France; Australia
ISO Status
All businesses are both QS 9000 and ISO 9001 certified and are
close to ISO 14,000 (Environmental registration based on efforts to reduce emissions, solid waste and waste water), which will be complete in 2002.
Processes
Polyester, polypropylene, and specialty fiber spinning; needlepunch; extrusion; post finishing, die cutting, embossing
Brand Names
Foss; Fosshield Antimicrobial Technologies; SoleMates; Enviromat; Geomat; FossFibre; FossFelt; Stratos; Whispertex; Masterwear; FossForm; Kunin Felt; Rainbow Felt; Confetti Felt; Kreative Kanvas; Fosscloth; Softherm; Fossdust; Fossflow; Ozite; Elevations; Showtime; Safari Felt; Mite-Kill; Bac-Kill; Wonderflex; GlitterFelt; Fluorescent Felt; Fosshape
Major Markets
Specialty synthetic fiber (solution dyed PET, bicomponent fibers, antimicrobial fibers); automotive (headliners, package trays, floor carpets, trim fabrics); decorative (wall coverings, marine, RV, speaker cover); retail (craft, auto-aftermarket); technical (vinyl substrate, filtration, healthcare, car wash); home and garden (decorative/craft products)
Needlepunched nonwovens manufacturer Foss Manufacturing, Hampton, NH, has maintained its success by continually developing its products based on its customers’ wants and needs and by examining new application areas for needlepunched materials. “We have truly gone out and identified the needs of our customers,” remarked Stephen Foss, company president and CEO. “We have really changed our thinking and are not just looking at nonwovens as our product base. In addition, we are looking at the product applications that are currently wovens, vinyl and other substrates to identify applications where nonwovens may be more cost effective and provide better performance attributes.”
This mode of thinking has led to several new market areas for Foss. For one, Foss is currently marketing a needlepunched line of upholstery fabric to cover the sides and backs of automotive seats—traditionally a market for wovens. This fabric offers auto manufacturers improved performance and lower costs and was driven by the company’s ability to make its own fibers, according to Mr. Foss.
Foss’ focus on new product development does not end with the automotives market. One interesting area where the company is blazing new trails is the theater and entertainment industry where Foss has recently launched two new products—Wonderflex and Fosshape. Wonderflex Thermoformable composites were used in women’s shoes for about a decade before making their debut on stage in 2001. Able to become highly moldable and pliable under moderate heat, Wonderflex can be used for a variety of props where factors such as weight and reusability are necessary. Additionally, Wonderflex is compatible with a range of artisan coatings including paint and can be used in sync with other materials such as wood and cloth. Fosshape, on the other hand, is a heat-activated or thermoformable needlepunched nonwoven fabric, originally crafted for the automotives industry. It has been used for ornamental effects in scenery, costumes and head pieces. Also for the stage, Foss will soon be offering a black out curtain, made from flame retardant needlepunched nonwovens, to aid in new scene set ups. This product hides stagehands from view as they prepare stage sets during live productions.
In another niche market, Foss is targeting the equestrian market with a blanket that is used to cool down horses after workouts. This needlepunched blanket uses the company’s Solar Guard technology that can be colored with pigments and is subsequently unharmed by bleach. This allows the white blankets to be trimmed in colors to match the horses’ stables and still feature easy launderability.
Foss has also entered the home grilling market with a nonwoven barbecue grill mat in its Ozite family of products. The Ozite BBQ mat is placed under barbecue grills to protect outdoor surfaces, such as wood and concrete patios, against grease stains generated during outdoor cooking. The nonwoven carpet is black and impervious to water.
Looking toward more established markets for nonwovens, Foss has also introduced two additional Ozite surface protection products for the construction and building industries. Ozite TopGuard oil is a protection mat with a non-slip backing that can be used both indoors and outdoors during construction and maintenance projects. TopGuard provides protection against fluid spills and damage caused by construction equipment, tools and heavy objects. Ozite MudScrubber is made of durable nonwoven fibers with a tough polymer back coating that is structured to capture mud and debris from the bottom of shoes. It helps keep grime, dirt and mud outside to protect interior workspaces.
It is no accident that many of the aforementioned products are sold directly to the consumer. In an effort to streamline costs and tighten margins, Foss has tried to eliminate as much of the middleman as possible. “Moving into end product development is definitely a part of our strategy,” Mr. Foss said. “We have always limited the use of wholesalers and distributors and now, in some cases, we are exploring selling products directly to the end user. Not only are the margins better this way, but it also allows us to be more responsive to the customer’s needs and helps strengthen our relationships.”
Another key to Foss’ success is its continuous drive to differentiate its product and customer base. Currently no one customer represents more than 3% of Foss’ overall sales. “The ability for us to supply many customers all over the world with the specialized products they need really makes a big difference to our business,” Mr. Foss explained.
Looking abroad, Foss’s newest manufacturing facility, Foss Manufacturing Europe in Pulversheim, France, has been operational since Spring 2001. Despite its infancy, the 6000 square meter facility is already running 24 hours a day, five days a week and executives expect it to go to a six-day operation schedule by the end of 2002. The facility currently contains one 4.4 meter wide needlepunch line, a coating line, an extrusion line and a structure line, and Foss is currently completing a business plan to add a second needlepunch line that would basically double the site’s capacity.
Mr. Foss attributes the success of Foss Manufacturing Europe to strategic foresight by the company. Sales to Europe had been steadily increasing since 1980, and the company already had a strong presence on the continent before initiating a manufacturing presence there. Therefore, the European venture was designed to reinforce Foss’ already booming European business, not to create a new market for the company.
Looking beyond the Americas and Europe, Foss continues to have a strong presence in Australia, particularly in the retail, marine and automotives markets. Instead of focusing on further global expansion, Foss is content to target markets where it already has a robust customer base. “North America, South America, Europe and Australia are strong markets for the company,” Mr. Foss explained. “Currently, we don’t need to leave these areas to generate growth. There are already enough growth opportunities in the areas where we are strong.”
Turning to the larger picture, Mr. Foss said that, while Foss has been able to maintain success by making strategic decisions and focusing on new business opportunities, the situation may not be so positive for the worldwide nonwovens industry in general. “I think the nonwovens industry is in for some very difficult years because there is too much capacity,” he opined. “There was almost a ‘dot-com’ mentality in the industry during the past couple of years as companies installed new lines without business plans. Some of this is healthy because it might force out some of the older capacity but it will most likely lead to companies getting desperate and destroying the pricing structure of the industry. This trend is already apparent in spunbond technology and in geotextiles.”