01.01.05
Location: Memphis TN
Sales: $226 million
Description: Key Personnel
Doug Dowdell, senior vice president, Nonwovens; Chip Aiken, senior vice president, manufacturing; Susan Crenshaw, vice president of Nonwovens Product Development; Hank Hall, sales manager of Nonwovens Sales—Americas and Far East; Marko Rajamaa, vice president of Nonwovens Sales-Europe and the Middle East; Laurence Li, Nonwovens Division Technology Manager
Plants
Delta, British Columbia, Canada; Steinfurt, Germany; Gaston, NC
Processes
Latex bonded, thermal bonded and multibonded airlaid
Brand Names
Vicell, Vizorb, Unicore, Duocore, Walkisoft, Airspun
Major Markets
Feminine hygiene, baby diapers, adult incontinence, premoistened wipes, moist tissue, medical, tabletop, wipers, filtration, food packaging, household cleaning products.
Sales have continued to rise for Buckeye Technologies, Memphis, TN, as the airlaid specialist continues to work to fill capacity. Demand is growing thanks to the premium wipes market in North America. “Consumers like the performance airlaid provides and we continue to improve the substrate through product innovation,” said Michael Brown, sales manager.
In fact, the company is so bullish about wipes it has invested in the capability to make these products in its Steinfurt, Germany site. Wipes produced there will target the European market, which has not yet seen airlaid wipes on any large scale. Early interest from potential customers indicates there is vast potential for premium airlaid wipes in Europe.
“Just 18 to 24 months ago, the premium wipe market was in its infancy in North America, and today it is a strong market segment,” said Hank Hall, nonwovens sales manager—Americas and Far East. “There is no reason why we can’t reach the same success in Europe.”
Beyond Europe, Buckeye is reporting healthy business conditions in Asia, especially in markets demanding high quality substrates.
Also interesting to Buckeye is Central and Eastern Europe, which has largely been served by the Steinfurt site. These are emerging markets that offer opportunities, however, these markets are not large enough to justify capital expenditure for adding capacity.
While geographical expansion is important, it will be new market applications that will lead to future success for Buckeye, whose key markets now include feminine hygiene, wipes, floor mops and tabletop applications. “The key for us will be new applications,” Mr. Hall said. “We have a significant amount of resources and people going into product development, and we intend to be successful.”
Among these resources is a pilot line in Memphis, TN, which allows customers to sample new products. And, while new niche or customer-specific products are developed regularly, a large and new-to-airlaid market is the ultimate goal.
Sales: $226 million
Description: Key Personnel
Doug Dowdell, senior vice president, Nonwovens; Chip Aiken, senior vice president, manufacturing; Susan Crenshaw, vice president of Nonwovens Product Development; Hank Hall, sales manager of Nonwovens Sales—Americas and Far East; Marko Rajamaa, vice president of Nonwovens Sales-Europe and the Middle East; Laurence Li, Nonwovens Division Technology Manager
Plants
Delta, British Columbia, Canada; Steinfurt, Germany; Gaston, NC
Processes
Latex bonded, thermal bonded and multibonded airlaid
Brand Names
Vicell, Vizorb, Unicore, Duocore, Walkisoft, Airspun
Major Markets
Feminine hygiene, baby diapers, adult incontinence, premoistened wipes, moist tissue, medical, tabletop, wipers, filtration, food packaging, household cleaning products.
Sales have continued to rise for Buckeye Technologies, Memphis, TN, as the airlaid specialist continues to work to fill capacity. Demand is growing thanks to the premium wipes market in North America. “Consumers like the performance airlaid provides and we continue to improve the substrate through product innovation,” said Michael Brown, sales manager.
In fact, the company is so bullish about wipes it has invested in the capability to make these products in its Steinfurt, Germany site. Wipes produced there will target the European market, which has not yet seen airlaid wipes on any large scale. Early interest from potential customers indicates there is vast potential for premium airlaid wipes in Europe.
“Just 18 to 24 months ago, the premium wipe market was in its infancy in North America, and today it is a strong market segment,” said Hank Hall, nonwovens sales manager—Americas and Far East. “There is no reason why we can’t reach the same success in Europe.”
Beyond Europe, Buckeye is reporting healthy business conditions in Asia, especially in markets demanding high quality substrates.
Also interesting to Buckeye is Central and Eastern Europe, which has largely been served by the Steinfurt site. These are emerging markets that offer opportunities, however, these markets are not large enough to justify capital expenditure for adding capacity.
While geographical expansion is important, it will be new market applications that will lead to future success for Buckeye, whose key markets now include feminine hygiene, wipes, floor mops and tabletop applications. “The key for us will be new applications,” Mr. Hall said. “We have a significant amount of resources and people going into product development, and we intend to be successful.”
Among these resources is a pilot line in Memphis, TN, which allows customers to sample new products. And, while new niche or customer-specific products are developed regularly, a large and new-to-airlaid market is the ultimate goal.