01.01.04
Location: Curitiba, Paran·, Brazil
Sales: $60 MILLION
Description: Plant Location
São Jose Pinhais-Paraná, Brazil
Key Personnel
Milan Starostik, chairman, Ana Seles, Starostik, commercial director; William Starostik, marketing director, Romeo Bregant, industrial director; Vicente Batista de Lima, financial and administrative director, Wagner Carbalho, sales manager
ISO Status
ISO 9002
Processes
Spunbonded, SMS, meltblown
Brand Names
Kami
Major Markets
Hospital, agriculture, bedding, towel and coverlet, table mat, hygiene, baby diapers
The construction of its eighth line is the big news at Brazilian roll goods producer Companhia Providencia. Announced in April, the new line is a 3.2-meter-wide, two-beam Reicofil 4 line, which Companhia Providencia purchased from Reifenhauser. The Reicofil 4 is the most flexible of Reifenhauser’s spunmelt line was was chosen to help the company diversify its product line.
Currently 70% of Providencia’s nonwovens output targets the hygiene market but executives feel this share could decrease with the advent of the new technology.
Still, hygiene will continue to remain important to Companhia Providencia, a producer of only spunmelt nonwovens. This business has profited from executives expertise in spunmelt technology as well as the presence of three laminating lines onsite. These lines allow Companhia Providencia to produce cloth-like backsheets which have achieved significant popularity among diaper producers and consumers in the past several years.
“We try to offer more than just straight spunmelt,” said international business director Cleber dos Santos. “These capabilities allow us to create a full line of products—backsheets, topsheets, everything.”
Companhia Providencia’s most recent investment, a five-beam Reicofil SSMMS line capable of producing 1800 to 2000 tons of material a month, came onstream in February 2001 and is already sold out, as are the company’s six other lines. Growth is coming from export sales, which represent between 60-70% of total sales. Key regional markets include South, North and Latin American countries beyond Brazil, but local sales continue to grow. This growth is expected to step up once economic problems in the country are fully resolved.
In the past, Companhia Providencia has upheld a tradition of putting in a new line every two years, but don’t expect a technology other than spunmelt from this company. In fact, the company’s attributes to its success to a centralized focus on one core technology in one common location.
“We are fully focused on spunbond polypropylene and that has helped us leverage the business. We couldn’t have done this with multiple technology and that’s why we have done so well,” said Mr. dos Santos. “It’s going to be a better future.”
Among the advantages of Companhia Providencia’s products, which are sold under the Kami brand name, are their softness, stability and uniformity, which can be attributed to the company’s skilled workforce. “Anyone can run a Reifenhauser line,” Mr. dos Santos said. “But, not everyone can add quality. What has supported our growth is the people using our material are consistently very happy with it.”
Sales: $60 MILLION
Description: Plant Location
São Jose Pinhais-Paraná, Brazil
Key Personnel
Milan Starostik, chairman, Ana Seles, Starostik, commercial director; William Starostik, marketing director, Romeo Bregant, industrial director; Vicente Batista de Lima, financial and administrative director, Wagner Carbalho, sales manager
ISO Status
ISO 9002
Processes
Spunbonded, SMS, meltblown
Brand Names
Kami
Major Markets
Hospital, agriculture, bedding, towel and coverlet, table mat, hygiene, baby diapers
The construction of its eighth line is the big news at Brazilian roll goods producer Companhia Providencia. Announced in April, the new line is a 3.2-meter-wide, two-beam Reicofil 4 line, which Companhia Providencia purchased from Reifenhauser. The Reicofil 4 is the most flexible of Reifenhauser’s spunmelt line was was chosen to help the company diversify its product line.
Currently 70% of Providencia’s nonwovens output targets the hygiene market but executives feel this share could decrease with the advent of the new technology.
Still, hygiene will continue to remain important to Companhia Providencia, a producer of only spunmelt nonwovens. This business has profited from executives expertise in spunmelt technology as well as the presence of three laminating lines onsite. These lines allow Companhia Providencia to produce cloth-like backsheets which have achieved significant popularity among diaper producers and consumers in the past several years.
“We try to offer more than just straight spunmelt,” said international business director Cleber dos Santos. “These capabilities allow us to create a full line of products—backsheets, topsheets, everything.”
Companhia Providencia’s most recent investment, a five-beam Reicofil SSMMS line capable of producing 1800 to 2000 tons of material a month, came onstream in February 2001 and is already sold out, as are the company’s six other lines. Growth is coming from export sales, which represent between 60-70% of total sales. Key regional markets include South, North and Latin American countries beyond Brazil, but local sales continue to grow. This growth is expected to step up once economic problems in the country are fully resolved.
In the past, Companhia Providencia has upheld a tradition of putting in a new line every two years, but don’t expect a technology other than spunmelt from this company. In fact, the company’s attributes to its success to a centralized focus on one core technology in one common location.
“We are fully focused on spunbond polypropylene and that has helped us leverage the business. We couldn’t have done this with multiple technology and that’s why we have done so well,” said Mr. dos Santos. “It’s going to be a better future.”
Among the advantages of Companhia Providencia’s products, which are sold under the Kami brand name, are their softness, stability and uniformity, which can be attributed to the company’s skilled workforce. “Anyone can run a Reifenhauser line,” Mr. dos Santos said. “But, not everyone can add quality. What has supported our growth is the people using our material are consistently very happy with it.”