09.03.21
Prague, Czech Republic
www.pfnonwovens.com
2020 Nonwovens Sales: $500 million
Key Personnel
Cedric Ballay, CEO; Tonny de Beer, chief technical officer; Shane Vincent, chief commercial officer
Plants
Znojmo and Bucovice, Czech Republic; 6th of October City, Egypt; Capetown, South Africa; Hazleton, PA, USA
Processes
Spunbond, meltblown, SMS, bicomponent
Major Markets
Hygiene, healthcare, wipes, agriculture, furniture, building, protective apparel, industrial
Demand surges in many of its key markets as well as the impact of two new production lines helped PFNonwovens’ sales reach $500 million in 2020. Growth is expected to continue thanks to an aggressive investment strategy aimed at delivering fabrics with superior performance, providing increased wellness and protection, in a more sustainable way.
The company is in the midst of a dual phase investment at its North American Center of Excellence in Hazleton, PA. The first phase of this investment centers around a Reicofil 5 spunmelt line—the first of its kind in North America—which will be up and running in the second half of this year responding to increased demand for the company’s latest innovations.
“Hazelton is at the forefront of delivering superior products for the hygiene and medical markets. This state-of-the-art investment will help us to achieve a level of softness and sustainability we have not seen before” says CEO Cedric Ballay. “The line will feature two proprietary technologies—in order to produce revolutionary, cottony-soft, ultra high loft and textured products for the North American market,” says Shane Vincent, chief commercial officer.
In December 2020, PFN announced the second phase of investment in Hazleton, saying at the time that a second line would be added at the site, however no additional details have been released.
Meanwhile, in June, PFN announced it would invest $40 million in an expansion of its operations in Cape Town, South Africa, which was first established in 2017.
This investment will further develop its manufacturing facility and lead to the creation of up to 40 new jobs. The addition of a new Reicofil 5 line at the site will give the company the ability to meet the growing local market needs for high value and specialty products with increasing levels of softness, comfort and sustainability.
“We are the first company to invest in the latest Reicofil R5 machinery in South Africa, and this exciting expansion will not only localize manufacturing, it will also allow for more sustainable and flexible production which is required to meet the growing needs of both our global and local clients,” says Wilhelm Cronje, director for PFN South Africa. “The Western Cape is a natural choice to base the company’s African expansion, with a world class infrastructure and access to the rest of the continent.”
Mariann Forsström, PFN’s newly appointed EMEA commercial director, commented that “this investment aligns with our global strategy to grow our hygiene and medical markets on the African continent as well as providing a base for exports to neighboring regions.”
The new line should be complete in late 2022.
Additionally, the company continues to ramp up recently completed investments in the Czech Republic. At its site in Znojmo, PFN has completed a semi-commercial Reicofil 5 line, which is used for commercial projects but also for research and development.
“Investing in Reicofil 5 technology throughout our sites globally makes sense because diaper premiumization and demand for more sustainable products requires this technology,” Ballay says.
“Innovation is something we spend a lot of time on and this line is a fantastic tool for that,” Tonny De Beer, chief technology officer, adds. “It has the potential to make products that are unrivalled today in the market and we have not yet reached its limits. There is much more potential in improving softness, loft and the ability to run sustainable materials.”
Also in Znojmo, PFNonwovens has recently added capabilities to offer apertured and 3D embossed fabrics for hygiene and medical applications. These products offer more tailored solutions to specific customers in a more flexible way.
In divestment news, in May 2020 PFNonwovens sold its Wuxi, China, operations, which were once a part of First Quality Nonwovens, to Jofo Nonwovens. At the time of the divestment, PFN executives said the transaction would allow it to focus on supporting its global customers in their key markets while building on its core strengths, namely high value added and innovative products. This includes recent investments in North America, Europe and Africa.
www.pfnonwovens.com
2020 Nonwovens Sales: $500 million
Key Personnel
Cedric Ballay, CEO; Tonny de Beer, chief technical officer; Shane Vincent, chief commercial officer
Plants
Znojmo and Bucovice, Czech Republic; 6th of October City, Egypt; Capetown, South Africa; Hazleton, PA, USA
Processes
Spunbond, meltblown, SMS, bicomponent
Major Markets
Hygiene, healthcare, wipes, agriculture, furniture, building, protective apparel, industrial
Demand surges in many of its key markets as well as the impact of two new production lines helped PFNonwovens’ sales reach $500 million in 2020. Growth is expected to continue thanks to an aggressive investment strategy aimed at delivering fabrics with superior performance, providing increased wellness and protection, in a more sustainable way.
The company is in the midst of a dual phase investment at its North American Center of Excellence in Hazleton, PA. The first phase of this investment centers around a Reicofil 5 spunmelt line—the first of its kind in North America—which will be up and running in the second half of this year responding to increased demand for the company’s latest innovations.
“Hazelton is at the forefront of delivering superior products for the hygiene and medical markets. This state-of-the-art investment will help us to achieve a level of softness and sustainability we have not seen before” says CEO Cedric Ballay. “The line will feature two proprietary technologies—in order to produce revolutionary, cottony-soft, ultra high loft and textured products for the North American market,” says Shane Vincent, chief commercial officer.
In December 2020, PFN announced the second phase of investment in Hazleton, saying at the time that a second line would be added at the site, however no additional details have been released.
Meanwhile, in June, PFN announced it would invest $40 million in an expansion of its operations in Cape Town, South Africa, which was first established in 2017.
This investment will further develop its manufacturing facility and lead to the creation of up to 40 new jobs. The addition of a new Reicofil 5 line at the site will give the company the ability to meet the growing local market needs for high value and specialty products with increasing levels of softness, comfort and sustainability.
“We are the first company to invest in the latest Reicofil R5 machinery in South Africa, and this exciting expansion will not only localize manufacturing, it will also allow for more sustainable and flexible production which is required to meet the growing needs of both our global and local clients,” says Wilhelm Cronje, director for PFN South Africa. “The Western Cape is a natural choice to base the company’s African expansion, with a world class infrastructure and access to the rest of the continent.”
Mariann Forsström, PFN’s newly appointed EMEA commercial director, commented that “this investment aligns with our global strategy to grow our hygiene and medical markets on the African continent as well as providing a base for exports to neighboring regions.”
The new line should be complete in late 2022.
Additionally, the company continues to ramp up recently completed investments in the Czech Republic. At its site in Znojmo, PFN has completed a semi-commercial Reicofil 5 line, which is used for commercial projects but also for research and development.
“Investing in Reicofil 5 technology throughout our sites globally makes sense because diaper premiumization and demand for more sustainable products requires this technology,” Ballay says.
“Innovation is something we spend a lot of time on and this line is a fantastic tool for that,” Tonny De Beer, chief technology officer, adds. “It has the potential to make products that are unrivalled today in the market and we have not yet reached its limits. There is much more potential in improving softness, loft and the ability to run sustainable materials.”
Also in Znojmo, PFNonwovens has recently added capabilities to offer apertured and 3D embossed fabrics for hygiene and medical applications. These products offer more tailored solutions to specific customers in a more flexible way.
In divestment news, in May 2020 PFNonwovens sold its Wuxi, China, operations, which were once a part of First Quality Nonwovens, to Jofo Nonwovens. At the time of the divestment, PFN executives said the transaction would allow it to focus on supporting its global customers in their key markets while building on its core strengths, namely high value added and innovative products. This includes recent investments in North America, Europe and Africa.