01.01.04
Location: Manchester, U.K.
Sales: $72 MILLION
Description: Plants
South Carolina, Missouri, U.K., China (under construction)
Processes
Needlepunch, thermal bonded
Brand Names
Southern Felt, Slater Felt, Bondex, Andrews, Webron Marling
Major Markets
Filtration
New to this year’s report is Andrews Industries, a Manchester, U.K.-based company that is parent to Southern Felt, Slater Felt and Bondex in the U.S. and Andrew Textile Industries and Webron Marling Ltd in the U.K. Additionally, the company is currently constructing a facility near Shanghai, which will be known as China Felt when it comes online early next year. The decision to enter China comes after the region has seen signficant growth in Andrews’ core market area—filtration.
Nonwovens sales in 2003 were $72 million and are expected to reach $78 million this year. The bulk of this growth will occur in the filtration media market where the company tailor makes products to meet individual customer needs.
Also influencing the company is consolidation and acquisition, driven by market trends. Last year, one of the company’s U.K. subsidiaries, Webron, purchased another needlepunch producer, Marling, to form the Webron Marling division. Likewise, in early 2004, the company’s Canadian subsidiary, Northern Felt, was closed. Its production was transferred to U.S. facilities.
By technology all of the subsidiaries produce strictly needlepunched nonwovens except Bondex, which manufactures thermal bonded materials, also for filtration. This division was created as greenfield division eight years ago to diversify Andrews’ offerings to filtration customers."
Sales: $72 MILLION
Description: Plants
South Carolina, Missouri, U.K., China (under construction)
Processes
Needlepunch, thermal bonded
Brand Names
Southern Felt, Slater Felt, Bondex, Andrews, Webron Marling
Major Markets
Filtration
New to this year’s report is Andrews Industries, a Manchester, U.K.-based company that is parent to Southern Felt, Slater Felt and Bondex in the U.S. and Andrew Textile Industries and Webron Marling Ltd in the U.K. Additionally, the company is currently constructing a facility near Shanghai, which will be known as China Felt when it comes online early next year. The decision to enter China comes after the region has seen signficant growth in Andrews’ core market area—filtration.
Nonwovens sales in 2003 were $72 million and are expected to reach $78 million this year. The bulk of this growth will occur in the filtration media market where the company tailor makes products to meet individual customer needs.
Also influencing the company is consolidation and acquisition, driven by market trends. Last year, one of the company’s U.K. subsidiaries, Webron, purchased another needlepunch producer, Marling, to form the Webron Marling division. Likewise, in early 2004, the company’s Canadian subsidiary, Northern Felt, was closed. Its production was transferred to U.S. facilities.
By technology all of the subsidiaries produce strictly needlepunched nonwovens except Bondex, which manufactures thermal bonded materials, also for filtration. This division was created as greenfield division eight years ago to diversify Andrews’ offerings to filtration customers."