09.11.23
Weifang, Shandong, China
www.jofo.com.cn
2022 Nonwovens Sales: $300 million
Key Personnel
Minzhong Zhao, chairman; John Cai, CEO; Michael Wong, Senior VP- sales; Sven Krister Erlandsson, vice president, - R&D & BD
Plants
Weifang-Shandong, China; Guangzhou-Guangdong, China; Wuxi-Jiangsu, China; Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia; Rabigh, Saudi Arabia; Rayong, Thailand
Processes
Spunmelt, spunbond, needlepunch, air through bonded, Joform wipes, converted medical products
Major Markets
Medical, hygiene, geotextiles, automotive, furniture, wipes
The integration of two acquisitions, SAAF, a Saudi Arabian spunmelt manufacturer, and Soshio, a wipes converter based in Hong Kong, were completed successfully in 2022 for Jofo Nonwovens.
Jofo acquired a 70% stake in SAAF, including two sites in Saudi Arabia, in July 2021, a move that not only gave the company its first operation outside of China but also increased its exposure to the global medical and hygiene markets. Not long after the acquisition, Jofo installed a medical wrap converting line at one of the SAAF sites, allowing it to supply finished goods to the medical market.
Back in Asia, Jofo’s partnership with Soshio Industrial Co., a contract manufacturer for wipes maker Rockline Industries, is allowing the company to expand into finished product manufacturing with its Joform technology which develops substrate material without water using primarily pulp to create green alternatives for both the manufacturer and the final producer. Joform materials are made using P&G’s Phantom technology, of which Jofo is a licensed supplier.
In other investment news, Jofo has commercialized a new Reicofil 5 line at its Wuxi, China facility, which it acquired from PFNonwovens in 2019. Products made on this line provide superior performance of the medical fabric field including much improved quality for barrier performance and comfort is achieved.
“The latest, and the first “dedicated” and designed R5 medical line technology from Reicofil, and the focused technology design effort to fit the high end medical nonwovens, is combined with Jofo developments in both raw materials and technology,” says Sven Krister Erlandsson, global vice president of R&D and BD.
This combination provides superior comfort, protection and cost structure for the medical markets as well as a lower carbon footprint due to opportunity to lower basis weights while improving quality. The line is producing products for most major medical customers, according to Michael Wong, senior sales VP.
Amidst these investments, market conditions including oversupply, made 2022 a challenging year for Jofo, and the company reports sales remained flat at $300 million.
“However due to the close contact and support to major customers, Jofo has been able to keep all lines almost fully loaded and operating. This is a feat not shared by many competitors during the year,” says Wong.
www.jofo.com.cn
2022 Nonwovens Sales: $300 million
Key Personnel
Minzhong Zhao, chairman; John Cai, CEO; Michael Wong, Senior VP- sales; Sven Krister Erlandsson, vice president, - R&D & BD
Plants
Weifang-Shandong, China; Guangzhou-Guangdong, China; Wuxi-Jiangsu, China; Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia; Rabigh, Saudi Arabia; Rayong, Thailand
Processes
Spunmelt, spunbond, needlepunch, air through bonded, Joform wipes, converted medical products
Major Markets
Medical, hygiene, geotextiles, automotive, furniture, wipes
The integration of two acquisitions, SAAF, a Saudi Arabian spunmelt manufacturer, and Soshio, a wipes converter based in Hong Kong, were completed successfully in 2022 for Jofo Nonwovens.
Jofo acquired a 70% stake in SAAF, including two sites in Saudi Arabia, in July 2021, a move that not only gave the company its first operation outside of China but also increased its exposure to the global medical and hygiene markets. Not long after the acquisition, Jofo installed a medical wrap converting line at one of the SAAF sites, allowing it to supply finished goods to the medical market.
Back in Asia, Jofo’s partnership with Soshio Industrial Co., a contract manufacturer for wipes maker Rockline Industries, is allowing the company to expand into finished product manufacturing with its Joform technology which develops substrate material without water using primarily pulp to create green alternatives for both the manufacturer and the final producer. Joform materials are made using P&G’s Phantom technology, of which Jofo is a licensed supplier.
In other investment news, Jofo has commercialized a new Reicofil 5 line at its Wuxi, China facility, which it acquired from PFNonwovens in 2019. Products made on this line provide superior performance of the medical fabric field including much improved quality for barrier performance and comfort is achieved.
“The latest, and the first “dedicated” and designed R5 medical line technology from Reicofil, and the focused technology design effort to fit the high end medical nonwovens, is combined with Jofo developments in both raw materials and technology,” says Sven Krister Erlandsson, global vice president of R&D and BD.
This combination provides superior comfort, protection and cost structure for the medical markets as well as a lower carbon footprint due to opportunity to lower basis weights while improving quality. The line is producing products for most major medical customers, according to Michael Wong, senior sales VP.
Amidst these investments, market conditions including oversupply, made 2022 a challenging year for Jofo, and the company reports sales remained flat at $300 million.
“However due to the close contact and support to major customers, Jofo has been able to keep all lines almost fully loaded and operating. This is a feat not shared by many competitors during the year,” says Wong.