Tara Olivo, associate editor01.05.16
In developed and developing countries all over the world, different segments of the hygiene market are seeing or expecting growth. Developed markets like the U.S. and Japan are seeing growth in adult incontinence, while the baby diaper and feminine hygiene markets are expected to see progress in developing countries where disposable incomes are rising, and traditional taboos are being challenged. Thus, producers of hygiene machinery and hygiene packaging machinery are responding to these global trends with new and improved technologies. The following is a look at the latest machinery and services offered from the nonwovens industry’s leading companies.
Fameccanica
Italian machinery specialist Fameccanica offers a wide range of machinery for hygiene manufacturers producing baby diapers, adult incontinence products and feminine hygiene napkins.
Alessandro D’Andrea, Fameccanica’s marketing manager, says the most recent market trends in the adult incontinence segment crave for products with better fit and comfort, while introducing effective cost saving solutions. To meet these needs, Fameccanica has developed adult pant diaper model FIX P5X. The solution is a high speed machine for pull-on protective underwear with a unique technology for in-line processing of breathable, elastic laminated waistband with ultrasonically bonded transpiring spots (a Fameccanica patent) to create a discreet and soft feeling product with maximum fit and comfort.
Another key innovation is FIX E3X, a medium-high capacity machine for adult incontinence pant diapers, available for both the ultrasonically bonded film laminate waistband version and the traditional threads waist elasticization version.
Further, Fameccanica offers its “BEST” Zero Trim Ear Technology for adult inco, a patented solution for asymmetric Back Ears Sans Trim, that can allow “€-7-digit” estimated saving per year, available on its high capacity machine model FIX P5.
Also catering to the incontinence market is the entry-level adult incontinence diaper machine model FIX B2. This model is available in the configuration for the manufacturing of leg shaped or “multipiece” adult incontinence briefs with wide chassis, or can also be configured for both incontinence briefs and bed underpads.
In lady and light incontinence, Fameccanica has introduced FNL P12 L.I. for light incontinence pads, with fluff absorbent core, high SAP content and individually wrapped, including electronic repitch technology (a Fameccanica patent) for “elastic foam” application.
Fameccanica’s latest achievement in baby diaper machinery technology is the FLS Lamination System for breathable, elastic side panels, which is now achieved using glueless lamination—ultrasonically bonded transpiring spots (a Fameccanica patent).
Finally, Paksis D5 is the new medium speed solution for the packaging of baby diapers and training pants at 50 bags per minute, offered by an alliance between Fameccanica and Optima, which gives the option of both manual and automatic bag filling.
D’Andrea indicates that all product categories are witnessing business growth in almost every part of the world, while adult incontinence is mostly seeing a surge in Western countries.
www.fameccanica.com
GDM
GDM offers a range of machinery that includes baby diaper lines, training pants machines with direction and cross direction types, sanitary napkins and a full range of incontinence machinery from light to heavy.
In 2014, GDM renewed its offerings to respond to its customers’ main needs in terms of production requirements, product design and features. Therefore, the GDM product portfolio was redesigned to focus on: Performance—Prioritizing the overall equipment effectiveness thus decreasing the unitary product cost; Flexibility—Reducing impact of size change activities and easy setting-up; and Scalability—Considering evolution capability of production capacity and product development. “Now, we have more than 50 solutions to satisfy our customers’ needs in terms of product features and business production needs,” says Mr. Daniele Ponzinibbi, GDM marketing director.
In 2015, the company launched Option Zero, designed as a program of solutions to maximize raw material savings, to reduce time for size changes and to make production more effective.
Option Zero includes four areas of value generation for GDM’s customers: Zero Waste – Technological and process solutions for the reduction of raw material usage resulting in savings of raw material and products costs; Zero Defects – Solutions to maximize product quality and increasing customer satisfaction; Zero Glue – Hi-Tech solutions for glue reduction or elimination resulting in a minor cost of the product as well as a product of better quality; and Zero Time – Advanced process solutions reducing size change time and elimination of machine stops, resulting in more productivity.
“With Option Zero, GDM wanted to enhance customers’ competitive advantage, providing the best solutions ensuring safe operations, minimizing costs and improving throughput,” Ponzinibbi explains.
All of the solutions part of the Option Zero program are supplied as an option in GDM’s machine configurations or as an upgrade kit for any existing line.
One of the key benefits that GDM can offer, Ponzinibbi says, is that it is a single-source supplier for turnkey solutions, converting and primary packaging, or stand-alone units. “From the original packaging unit SB50, GDM is extending the offering of the stacker and bagger lines allowing our customers to leverage the advantages of a single supplier,” he says.
New integrated systems will be capable to stack and bag hygiene disposable products up to 70 cycles/min and will be available for baby diaper lines, training pants, underpad, adult incontinence lines and sanitary napkins.
Ponzinibbi says that the hygiene disposable machinery market is growing and hygiene product companies are investing in high quality machinery to respond to this increasing demand. Manufacturers are looking for machinery suppliers to support them with their business expansion considering all possible factors—from geographical areas to market segments.
“Since the market is rapidly moving towards more sophisticated products GDM continuously offers advanced technological solutions that help our customers gain competitive advantage among producers,” he says.
www.gdm-spa.com
Anqing Heng Chang Machinery
Heng Chang Machinery (HCH) is becoming one of the leading manufactures for hygiene disposable product converting machines. Current offerings include baby diaper machines, adult care machines, sanitary napkin machines and a full servo control robot case packer.
HCH has been continuously focusing on the innovation of various machines to broaden the supply category and improve speed and performance. In 2016, HCH will have a new sanitary napkin machine targeting 1800ppm with a dual lane packing machine capable of 140 cycles/min. This machine will be equipped with a case packer with a robot, offering complete solutions for converting machines. Additionally, HCH will have a baby diaper machine with full width waistband made on line targeting 800ppm. Various new functions will be used on this machine so that the final product is more skin-friendly. Both machines will be demonstrated at HCH for invited customers prior to the third quarter of 2016.
www.aqhch.com.cn
Guangzhou Xingshi Equipments
Guangzhou Xingshi Equipments offers full servo sanitary napkin machines, pantyliner machines, female pull-up napkin machines, spill-proof pad machines, baby pull-up diaper machines, baby diaper machines, adult diaper machines, adult pull-up machines, as well as an automatic stacker and bagger system, diaper auto packaging system, vision system, electrical cam, and flow meter for hotmelt. In 2015, the company launched “industry 4.0” for the disposable hygiene products industry, which includes an automatic storage system, IOT (Internet of Things), internet, intelligent production, and intelligent plant.
Most recently, the company launched a new female pull-up napkin machine to the Hengan Group, Fujian Province, China. Xingshi also recently supplied a high-speed fluff core sanitary napkin machine to the J&J Company. The machine speed is up to 1500p/min, and according to Johnson Lin, general manager, this is the first high speed machine launching in the industry. The company has also launched a high speed sanitary napkin machine together with an automatic stacker and packaging machine. “The machine adopts Xingshi’s exclusive technology, and it is an outstanding example of the whole solution for domestic high speed sanitary napkin machines,” Lin says.
Xingshi has also recently supplied high-speed adult diaper machines, baby elastic-waist diaper machines and baby pull-up diaper machines to domestic diapers manufacturers such as Guangdong Yinyin.
Among the benefits that Xingshi can offer, Lin says, are uniqueness – providing customized solutions for its customers; high efficiency and high stability.
www.xingshi.com.cn
Hangzhou Creator Machinery
Hangzhou Creator Machinery offers baby diaper, adult diaper, sanitary napkin, underpad, and material laminated machines for the hygiene industry.
Most recently, the company introduced a full servo with ultrasonic sealing hour-glass type pull on baby diaper machine (T type compatible) and a full servo adult incontinence diaper machine (pant type sanitary napkin compatible).
Wang Zan, chief sales director, says all of the machines the company manufactures are designed according to each customer’s request. Hangzhou Creator can supply a series of services using the latest product information, the latest raw material information and the latest technology in the field.
www.createmachine.com.cn
CCS (Cellulose Converting Solutions)
Based in Pescara, Italy, CCS offers a wide range of state-of-the-art converting technologies for the hygienic disposable segment, including baby pants, baby diapers with zero and reduced trim back panels, feminine hygiene napkins, and adult and light incontinence products.
In order to be one step ahead and ready to support its customers with tailor-made solutions, the company is consistently paying close attention to the latest and future global market trends, says Enzo Pomilio, sales and marketing director.
Among CCS’s latest innovation is a joint collaboration/development with one of its customers: a unique machine—already under industrial operation—for a patented male incontinence product. “As we all know, male incontinence is a hidden social problem and considered an even more serious issue when compared to female incontinence,” says Carmine Cimini, process engineering and R&D director. “This symptom has a huge impact, from a social standpoint, as the market is not offering a dedicated gender specific male product and ultimately affecting their life quality. Based on consumer needs, our customer developed the product design to accommodate such needs, while CCS has developed the converting technology to manufacture this discreet, comfortable, invisible and ‘unique’ product and fulfilling the market request in this specific product category.”
CCS has also developed a new converting platform. The company has almost completed the qualification of a pull up baby diaper line running at 600ppm that it has manufactured for a customer acting at global level. “We have huge expectations from this platform as we see this product design taking over from the traditional open type of diaper and offering huge advantage in terms of value equation,” Cimini notes.
As far as trends, CCS is seeing pull up baby diapers and adult care products on a faster evolution path. Thinner products with either significantly reduced pulp or completely pulp-free are what customers are seeking. “As to the thinness, CCS has developed a strategic partnership to deliver a breakthrough absorbent technology based on superabsorbent application. This is enabling us to tailor engineer the technology in relation to customer demands,” Cimini explains.
Another key trend the company is seeing is the body fit through enhanced elastic features. Thus, CCS has developed a strategic partnership with polymer material suppliers to design elastic composites delivering multiple advantages in terms of performances and cost.
“We have been investing in our organization in order to widen our knowledge,” Cimini says. “In order to remain competitive, while understanding that technology is the primary skill of the organization, we believe that the capacity to understand market trends and the capacity to harmonize product requirements with process manufacturing reliability will offer a unique opportunity for our customers. We also aim to design our technology based on market situations. We have the capability to equip our converting technology with the three main electronic platforms and this is not so common. So, ‘innovation’ and ‘tailoring’ are our company assets.”
www.ccsol.it
Fujian Peixin
Fujian Peixin Machine Manufacture Industry Co., Ltd., has been in the hygienic products machinery manufacturing business for over 30 years. The company has focused on baby/adult diaper machinery, sanitary napkin machinery, underpad/pet mattress machinery, tissue converting machinery, and more.
Recently, Fujian Peixin has designed a full servo elastic waistband baby diaper production line featuring high production speed with materials non-stop auto-splicing; ease of running and maintaining with high stability; and a remote control system that can be controlled and detected at the Peixin company. The new machine can produce elastic waistband baby diapers that are tension adjustable with good elasticity.
“The new elastic waistband baby diaper production line helps us to open up and grasp a new market, and improve our market competitiveness,” says Kaida Xie, general manager.
www.peixin.com
Three Wood Machinery
Jinhu Three Wood Machinery Industry Co., Ltd. supplies lines for baby pull-up diapers, baby diapers, adult diapers, adult insert pads, adult pull-on diapers, under pads, sanitary napkins, panty liners, auto packing units and more for the hygiene industry. Three Wood recently launched the SM-800YK Zero Waste T Type Baby Diaper machine. This machine is controlled by a full servo driving system and the production speed is 800pcs/min. The degree of automation is very high and the speed of stacker and auto packing unit is 50pcs/min, with no waste during the entire production. “It adopts elastic material for ears, so it is comfortable to wear and not easy to shift,” says Li Yibao, general manager. This new machine also claims a number of patents of invention and 10 National Utility Model Patents.
www.threewoodmachine.com
Zuiko
Japan’s Zuiko produces hygiene machinery for both baby and adult diapers as well as for sanitary napkins. The company works closely with its customers to engineer solutions for their specific needs. Curtis Woo, sales and marketing manager, says it is within this framework that many innovations are developed, tested and launched.
“Disposable hygiene product manufacturers are always looking for ways to gain an edge in a very competitive industry so their demands change with the market,” Woo says. “Our market understanding and product knowledge allows us to provide complete business solutions to customers; we are not just a machine manufacturer.”
Over the past several years, he says efficiency has significantly improved in terms of faster production speeds and more complex converting processes. Although, he adds,
“Incorporating new and advanced technology while maintaining a high level of production efficiency and product quality is always a challenge.”
With its business healthy overall, Woo is optimistic, but says the company is always looking to do better. “The potential in our industry is huge, and we believe Zuiko is strategically positioned to support the foreseeable growth.”
www.zuiko.co.jp
Quanzhou Hanwei Machinery
Hanwei recently launched the HW-NK-1200 Full Servo Zero Gap Sanitary Napkin Machine.
The new machine offers a high-speed, high-efficiency, visualized, intelligent, full servo control system. Its power and control center is in a centralized management, modularity design. It also provides a perfect quality detection system, zero speed automatic splicing system, and the complete machine is equipped with a phase control and detection system. New fluff core forming technology provides rapid adsorption and quick diffusion. Other advantages of the machine are that it allows for easy transformation and upgrading, while zero gap producing minimizes raw material wastage.
www.han-wei.com
Joa
Established in 1932, Curt G. Joa, Inc.’s current offerings include machines that produce baby diapers and pants, adult incontinence briefs and pants, feminine hygiene products (panty liners, sanitary napkins, light incontinence pads), medical nonwovens and specialty products.
In 2015, Joa expanded its baby diaper product portfolio by introducing the new JB 600 Baby Diaper machine. The JB 600 is the result of a collaborative engineering effort between Joa and Bikoma, which it acquired in January 2015. The JB 600 features a zero-scrap stretch ear applicator and is available in Rockwell, Siemens and Mitsubishi controls. The machine is modular and interfaces with all Joa and Bikoma coreformers. The machine also incorporates state-of-the-art product quality systems.
The company says the JB 600 provides “Joa Quality” at a lower output rate than its industry leading J8T-B diaper machine.
With the addition of Bikoma, Joa says it has further diversified its overall portfolio, giving its partners additional technology options. For a smooth transition, the company has cross-trained all technicians and electrical engineers so that together they can provide quicker and more efficient service in the region it is needed.
To meet its customers’ needs in the market, Joa continues to heavily invest in R&D to ensure its machine processes produce modern product features at the highest efficiency possible. These machine processes can be offered to its customers as machine retrofits.
“In addition to the market, we realize that our partner’s needs change as their organization grows,” the company says. “Initially a hygiene products producer will require a machine that can rapidly change from one size to another. As the producer grows, the focus will change to dedicated machines that produce a single size at ultra-high efficiencies and near-zero scrap. Joa will accomplish this by retrofitting the original machine to the new requirement. This best illustrates the value in choosing Joa as a partner.”
www.joa.com
M.D. Viola
Based in Italy, M.D. Viola manufacturers hygiene machinery for baby and adult diapers. A family-owned company headed by engineers and brothers Davide and Marco Viola, the duo holds true to the Italian tradition that clients come first. “We are always focused on their needs, problems to solve and machinery requests,” Davide Viola says.
Over the last several years, the company has invested in new and more modern technological machineries in order to maintain its “made in Italy” status, and the quality that comes along with it.
In the last year, Viola says the company has decided to study and develop new and better ways to enhance the absorbent core on the diapers made on its machines. “The results of our studies end up with an innovative mixture of fluff and superabsorbent truly powerful in terms of speed of absorption, liquid distribution and strength of the pad. We have decided to reduce the quantity of fluff while increasing the quantity of SAP. In this way we have created a perfect mixture, which has contributed to increase the diapers’ performances in all its usage situations,” he says.
Thanks to the technological progress, M.D. Viola has also been able to optimize the production efficacy of the machines to their maximum. Every transmission in its machines is “full servo” and they are all singularly monitored in order to maintain the maximum of the production. In addition, the company has also optimized “format changes” which are now faster and with less waste in terms of the re-phase of the line.
As M.D. Viola continues to evolve, it caters to its clients all over the world, all of which have different needs and wants.
“Thanks to our experience, which has seen M.D. Viola Macchine in the hygiene market for more than 35 years, we are able to solve all the problems of our clients in the best and economic way, and we are always ready to embrace new challenges according to their needs,” he says, adding that one of its customers’ main requests over the last year was the transition from the traditional diaper to the more innovative T-Shape diaper with four ears.
“For what concerns us, our market is made up with our clients, who are always interested in our new lines. We are always looking for input from our clients in order to always create new diaper product styles and consequently new production lines,” Viola concludes.
www.mdviola.com
Bicma
Private German hygiene equipment supplier Bicma specializes in machines and conversion kits that produce high quality baby diapers, adult diapers and briefs, light incontinence and feminine care products, underpads, nursing pads, meat or puppy pads, and customized special products. Bicma can upgrade existing machines of any brand to improve efficiency or to add new products to the line.
In 2015, Bicma invested in a general detailed design upgrade throughout its entire machinery portfolio. Mrs. Andrea Allar, sales manager at Bicma Hygiene Technologie, says the purpose of the upgrade was to further minimize customers’ size change times, need for cleaning and maintenance, energy consumption, spare parts consumption, noise and dust emissions. An example of this is a new smart solution from Bicma for multi-color inline flexoprinting. “The usual issues with ink contamination and unsatisfying cleaning procedures have been resolved by a comfortable quick, clean and compact concept,” she says. This new equipment is available for new Bicma machines, as well as a retrofit that can be integrated into existing lines.
Bicma has been quick to respond to the evolution of the emerging markets. For instance, baby diaper machines supplied need to be flexible. Allar says the machines will have to run traditional anatomical products as well as products with elastic ears. The same flexibility can also been seen in the feminine care market.
Even with the lower disposable incomes of the consumers in these markets, the needs and expectations of the hygiene products remain essentially the same as in saturated markets, she says. “A baby or adult diaper should not leak, and a feminine napkin should fit well and absorb reliably, regardless in which country the consumer is living. This is a challenge for the machine suppliers, because the only difference in the machines for developed and emerging markets is often only the speed. Since the functions however are the same, it is a tight job to reach a much lower price, which can meet the investment level of the emerging markets.”
To suit the needs of both emerging and developed markets, Bicma offers a wide range of extremely flexible machine concepts. Later product upgrades can already be considered in the machine layout from the beginning at a reasonable price level, postponing the investment for the functions themselves to a later time when they might be needed. Additionally, the company’s machines can handle many different product types on the same machine. “This helps to limit the overall investment and to create additional sales volumes for the customer, e.g. by producing also underpads and adult briefs on an adult diaper machine,” Allar explains.
www.bicma.com
Diatec
Since 1992 Diatec has provided complete hygiene disposable lines in more than 42 countries on five continents and counts among its customers not just multinational companies but also a number of local producers in various parts of the world.
With the continuing demand from the adult incontinence market, Diatec’s attention has been focused on the development of new products such as adult diapers and light incontinence machinery.
Focusing its attention on machinery, Diatec developed a new adult zero-waste diaper machine at 350ppm. The product is composed from four panels, stretch or not, with a different kind of hook, dimension and weight of core. All of these characteristics give the possibility to have about 30 different product combinations.
A new light incontinence line is designed to produce both female and male printed products, changing not just size, but shape, dimension and weight. At a speed of 1000ppm, the machine can produce a triple topsheet sealed by an ultrasonic system, elastic edge and the possibility of packing each product in a single bag or not.
Each machine’s capability allows customers to produce more tiers of products changing weight and absorbent capacity keeping the same product size. This characteristic increases the customer’s selling capabilities, giving the possibility to cover more markets with the same machine.
Many years of experience in this sector and being in many different markets has made Diatec flexible and knowledgeable enough adapt new changes and create innovations based on its clients’ demands and their market requirements.
www.diatec.it
Hygiene Packaging Machinery
Focke & Co.
Founded in 1955, Focke & Co. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of packaging machinery. The company’s Hygiene & Tissue Packaging unit in Barssel, Germany, produces stacker and baggers for the feminine, adult and baby care industries ranging from mid- to high-speed applications. Focke also offers complete end-of-line equipment ranging from bundling equipment, low count packers, cartoning, case packing, and palletizing that can be coupled with its stacker and baggers or a combination thereof. More recently, Focke introduced high speed digital tampon sorting and packaging equipment.
Focke’s packaging equipment is extremely versatile and flexible in producing an array of different product configurations and counts, or a combination of both, within the same equipment offering; for example, feminine products in bags, cartons or low count bags on the same machine producing all at the same time or independently depending upon the customer’s needs. Focke also creates new packaging designs and pack configurations as joint developments with its customers.
According to the company, customers in different regions of the world have different needs. Those in developing markets seek packaging equipment for low count bags, highly flexible lines in different configurations and shrink bundles, instead of cases, in order to reduce costs and meet their price constraint needs. In developed markets, customers are looking for higher speeds, more versatility and flexibility.
When it comes to line efficiency, the company says, “servo and robotics technologies have presented opportunities in the design of the equipment that has made them more efficient and flexible, but also improved raw material quality played an important role.”
www.focke.com
Vire Automation
Vire Automation offers packaging solutions that cover the entire range of sanitary disposable products: from baby diapers to adult briefs and feminine hygiene to light incontinence and bed underpads. With different levels of performance, Vire’s machines are suitable for any type of customer, from big international corporations with dozens of machines globally to small manufacturing plants with just one production line.
Dario Cusumano, general manager of Vire Automation, says the company has recently received a high number of requests for secondary packaging. To save on costs, manufacturers are shifting from bundles in carton cases to plastic bags, he says. Therefore, the company has developed a solution that forms a bundle of products with bags made from a single roll, where the bag is first created and then filled with the packages of products. This solution creates a nice appearance for the bundle when appearing on store shelves.
Vire’s main focuses are: control of the process, faster and stable; best appearance of the packaging; worldwide customer support; and user-friendly systems with the best efficiency.
“In more than 40 years experience we learned a lot from the discussions with our customers, our organization is flexible and we are ready at any time to design new options based on the latest market demands,” Cusumano says.
In fact, in the last few years he says the company has seen a huge uptick in the adult and light incontinence market, due to longer life expectations and to the fact that incontinence is affecting an increasingly younger population.
As it continues innovating, Vire will continue to rely on strong partnerships with its customers. “For us it’s not just a matter of selling one or more machines. We want to support their growth by listening to their feedback and their suggestions and giving them timely solutions. This is possible thanks to a careful After Sales team and a skilled Technical Department, who are capable of turning ideas and suggestions into concrete solutions,” Cusumano says.
www.vire.it
Optima Nonwovens
Based in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, Optima’s machinery technologies cover the complete packaging process: primary, secondary and end-of-line packaging.
Most recently, the company launched the new Optima LS Stacker, which uses magnetic technologies to process heavy hygiene products continuously at high speeds. The Optima LS Stacker can process up to 1600 units per minute and forwards them in stacks of up to 100 units/min to the downstream packaging machines. The system is excellent in handling baby and adult diapers as well as heavier products. The stacker can accept 100% more diapers than in the past from the converting line.
According to Oliver Rebstock, managing director at Optima Nonwovens, the company’s largest project at this time is its service initiative: resulting in key new products such as the TCAM system. The condition monitoring of the machine is one segment of the new system, and the second part is a “digital twin” of a customer’s packaging system. With a tablet computer, users can obtain all information and services needed directly at the machine.
“Our know-how of the market and flexibility in product development results in top performing machines. Our new TCAM system is the next step in close cooperation with the customer. This type of security is very important to our customers,” Rebstock says.
When it comes to the needs of its customers, the company says the trend in many markets is obtaining high output, flexibility and a steady process for a continuous production on 365 days – 24/7.
Additionally, over the last decade, Optima’s global footprint has increased due to emerging markets. “Different manufacturing philosophies and cultural backgrounds of customers need special attention,” Rebstock says. “Therefore, we have started new subsidiaries in Asia, thus enforcing our service and sales efforts in this region.”
Focusing on its customers’ needs has led to a new product line specifically designed for these countries with very competitive pricing and market specific technology, he says.
www.optima-packaging-group.de
CB Packaging
CB Packaging has been selling fully automatic packaging machines since 1998, when the old company API became part of the Bettinelli Group. Today, the company has lines all around the world, from the United States and South America, to Europe and the Middle East, as well as the East and South Far East countries.
CB’s key offerings include fully automatic lines and stacker & bagger equipment, but it also produces semiautomatic machines and customized solutions based on its customers’ special production requirements.
In early 2015, the company launched a new machine for wet wipes multipacks, and in 2016 it will be launching a new high-speed bagger for diapers and napkins.
Marco Assandri, sales director for CB Packaging, says competition in the hygienic disposable market has become more difficult in recent years. “The biggest change is that the manufacturers are not only competing with their local rivals but also with the competitors from the other countries. The producers must respond to a ‘just in time’ market request, this means less products in storage and faster response to diversify production at the customer’s request. This means continuous changes of sizes, format, and product’s technical specification; for these reasons the machines in production must be flexible and easy to handle, and these are two of our stacker & bagger main features.”
While characterizing the hygiene industry overall, Assandri says each area has its own trend, and within the same regions there can be different trends among the different hygienic products such as baby diapers and sanitary napkins.
In the South Far East, mainly in China, the company has seen strong growth, which is one of the reasons why it opened an office in Shanghai in mid-2015. The new office will allow CB Packaging to take care of its customers in the region with engineers for service and a sales team that can easily communicate to its final customers. “With this new office we want to increase our sales not only in China but in all the all neighboring countries,” he says.
CB Packaging has also strengthened its network in EMEA countries where growth has seemed stable. The company is also trying to increase its activities in U.S. and South America where, in Assandri’s opinion, the market is growing especially for some products like under pads and adult incontinence items.
www.cbpackaging.it
Fameccanica
Italian machinery specialist Fameccanica offers a wide range of machinery for hygiene manufacturers producing baby diapers, adult incontinence products and feminine hygiene napkins.
Alessandro D’Andrea, Fameccanica’s marketing manager, says the most recent market trends in the adult incontinence segment crave for products with better fit and comfort, while introducing effective cost saving solutions. To meet these needs, Fameccanica has developed adult pant diaper model FIX P5X. The solution is a high speed machine for pull-on protective underwear with a unique technology for in-line processing of breathable, elastic laminated waistband with ultrasonically bonded transpiring spots (a Fameccanica patent) to create a discreet and soft feeling product with maximum fit and comfort.
Another key innovation is FIX E3X, a medium-high capacity machine for adult incontinence pant diapers, available for both the ultrasonically bonded film laminate waistband version and the traditional threads waist elasticization version.
Further, Fameccanica offers its “BEST” Zero Trim Ear Technology for adult inco, a patented solution for asymmetric Back Ears Sans Trim, that can allow “€-7-digit” estimated saving per year, available on its high capacity machine model FIX P5.
Also catering to the incontinence market is the entry-level adult incontinence diaper machine model FIX B2. This model is available in the configuration for the manufacturing of leg shaped or “multipiece” adult incontinence briefs with wide chassis, or can also be configured for both incontinence briefs and bed underpads.
In lady and light incontinence, Fameccanica has introduced FNL P12 L.I. for light incontinence pads, with fluff absorbent core, high SAP content and individually wrapped, including electronic repitch technology (a Fameccanica patent) for “elastic foam” application.
Fameccanica’s latest achievement in baby diaper machinery technology is the FLS Lamination System for breathable, elastic side panels, which is now achieved using glueless lamination—ultrasonically bonded transpiring spots (a Fameccanica patent).
Finally, Paksis D5 is the new medium speed solution for the packaging of baby diapers and training pants at 50 bags per minute, offered by an alliance between Fameccanica and Optima, which gives the option of both manual and automatic bag filling.
D’Andrea indicates that all product categories are witnessing business growth in almost every part of the world, while adult incontinence is mostly seeing a surge in Western countries.
www.fameccanica.com
GDM
GDM offers a range of machinery that includes baby diaper lines, training pants machines with direction and cross direction types, sanitary napkins and a full range of incontinence machinery from light to heavy.
In 2014, GDM renewed its offerings to respond to its customers’ main needs in terms of production requirements, product design and features. Therefore, the GDM product portfolio was redesigned to focus on: Performance—Prioritizing the overall equipment effectiveness thus decreasing the unitary product cost; Flexibility—Reducing impact of size change activities and easy setting-up; and Scalability—Considering evolution capability of production capacity and product development. “Now, we have more than 50 solutions to satisfy our customers’ needs in terms of product features and business production needs,” says Mr. Daniele Ponzinibbi, GDM marketing director.
In 2015, the company launched Option Zero, designed as a program of solutions to maximize raw material savings, to reduce time for size changes and to make production more effective.
Option Zero includes four areas of value generation for GDM’s customers: Zero Waste – Technological and process solutions for the reduction of raw material usage resulting in savings of raw material and products costs; Zero Defects – Solutions to maximize product quality and increasing customer satisfaction; Zero Glue – Hi-Tech solutions for glue reduction or elimination resulting in a minor cost of the product as well as a product of better quality; and Zero Time – Advanced process solutions reducing size change time and elimination of machine stops, resulting in more productivity.
“With Option Zero, GDM wanted to enhance customers’ competitive advantage, providing the best solutions ensuring safe operations, minimizing costs and improving throughput,” Ponzinibbi explains.
All of the solutions part of the Option Zero program are supplied as an option in GDM’s machine configurations or as an upgrade kit for any existing line.
One of the key benefits that GDM can offer, Ponzinibbi says, is that it is a single-source supplier for turnkey solutions, converting and primary packaging, or stand-alone units. “From the original packaging unit SB50, GDM is extending the offering of the stacker and bagger lines allowing our customers to leverage the advantages of a single supplier,” he says.
New integrated systems will be capable to stack and bag hygiene disposable products up to 70 cycles/min and will be available for baby diaper lines, training pants, underpad, adult incontinence lines and sanitary napkins.
Ponzinibbi says that the hygiene disposable machinery market is growing and hygiene product companies are investing in high quality machinery to respond to this increasing demand. Manufacturers are looking for machinery suppliers to support them with their business expansion considering all possible factors—from geographical areas to market segments.
“Since the market is rapidly moving towards more sophisticated products GDM continuously offers advanced technological solutions that help our customers gain competitive advantage among producers,” he says.
www.gdm-spa.com
Anqing Heng Chang Machinery
Heng Chang Machinery (HCH) is becoming one of the leading manufactures for hygiene disposable product converting machines. Current offerings include baby diaper machines, adult care machines, sanitary napkin machines and a full servo control robot case packer.
HCH has been continuously focusing on the innovation of various machines to broaden the supply category and improve speed and performance. In 2016, HCH will have a new sanitary napkin machine targeting 1800ppm with a dual lane packing machine capable of 140 cycles/min. This machine will be equipped with a case packer with a robot, offering complete solutions for converting machines. Additionally, HCH will have a baby diaper machine with full width waistband made on line targeting 800ppm. Various new functions will be used on this machine so that the final product is more skin-friendly. Both machines will be demonstrated at HCH for invited customers prior to the third quarter of 2016.
www.aqhch.com.cn
Guangzhou Xingshi Equipments
Guangzhou Xingshi Equipments offers full servo sanitary napkin machines, pantyliner machines, female pull-up napkin machines, spill-proof pad machines, baby pull-up diaper machines, baby diaper machines, adult diaper machines, adult pull-up machines, as well as an automatic stacker and bagger system, diaper auto packaging system, vision system, electrical cam, and flow meter for hotmelt. In 2015, the company launched “industry 4.0” for the disposable hygiene products industry, which includes an automatic storage system, IOT (Internet of Things), internet, intelligent production, and intelligent plant.
Most recently, the company launched a new female pull-up napkin machine to the Hengan Group, Fujian Province, China. Xingshi also recently supplied a high-speed fluff core sanitary napkin machine to the J&J Company. The machine speed is up to 1500p/min, and according to Johnson Lin, general manager, this is the first high speed machine launching in the industry. The company has also launched a high speed sanitary napkin machine together with an automatic stacker and packaging machine. “The machine adopts Xingshi’s exclusive technology, and it is an outstanding example of the whole solution for domestic high speed sanitary napkin machines,” Lin says.
Xingshi has also recently supplied high-speed adult diaper machines, baby elastic-waist diaper machines and baby pull-up diaper machines to domestic diapers manufacturers such as Guangdong Yinyin.
Among the benefits that Xingshi can offer, Lin says, are uniqueness – providing customized solutions for its customers; high efficiency and high stability.
www.xingshi.com.cn
Hangzhou Creator Machinery
Hangzhou Creator Machinery offers baby diaper, adult diaper, sanitary napkin, underpad, and material laminated machines for the hygiene industry.
Most recently, the company introduced a full servo with ultrasonic sealing hour-glass type pull on baby diaper machine (T type compatible) and a full servo adult incontinence diaper machine (pant type sanitary napkin compatible).
Wang Zan, chief sales director, says all of the machines the company manufactures are designed according to each customer’s request. Hangzhou Creator can supply a series of services using the latest product information, the latest raw material information and the latest technology in the field.
www.createmachine.com.cn
CCS (Cellulose Converting Solutions)
Based in Pescara, Italy, CCS offers a wide range of state-of-the-art converting technologies for the hygienic disposable segment, including baby pants, baby diapers with zero and reduced trim back panels, feminine hygiene napkins, and adult and light incontinence products.
In order to be one step ahead and ready to support its customers with tailor-made solutions, the company is consistently paying close attention to the latest and future global market trends, says Enzo Pomilio, sales and marketing director.
Among CCS’s latest innovation is a joint collaboration/development with one of its customers: a unique machine—already under industrial operation—for a patented male incontinence product. “As we all know, male incontinence is a hidden social problem and considered an even more serious issue when compared to female incontinence,” says Carmine Cimini, process engineering and R&D director. “This symptom has a huge impact, from a social standpoint, as the market is not offering a dedicated gender specific male product and ultimately affecting their life quality. Based on consumer needs, our customer developed the product design to accommodate such needs, while CCS has developed the converting technology to manufacture this discreet, comfortable, invisible and ‘unique’ product and fulfilling the market request in this specific product category.”
CCS has also developed a new converting platform. The company has almost completed the qualification of a pull up baby diaper line running at 600ppm that it has manufactured for a customer acting at global level. “We have huge expectations from this platform as we see this product design taking over from the traditional open type of diaper and offering huge advantage in terms of value equation,” Cimini notes.
As far as trends, CCS is seeing pull up baby diapers and adult care products on a faster evolution path. Thinner products with either significantly reduced pulp or completely pulp-free are what customers are seeking. “As to the thinness, CCS has developed a strategic partnership to deliver a breakthrough absorbent technology based on superabsorbent application. This is enabling us to tailor engineer the technology in relation to customer demands,” Cimini explains.
Another key trend the company is seeing is the body fit through enhanced elastic features. Thus, CCS has developed a strategic partnership with polymer material suppliers to design elastic composites delivering multiple advantages in terms of performances and cost.
“We have been investing in our organization in order to widen our knowledge,” Cimini says. “In order to remain competitive, while understanding that technology is the primary skill of the organization, we believe that the capacity to understand market trends and the capacity to harmonize product requirements with process manufacturing reliability will offer a unique opportunity for our customers. We also aim to design our technology based on market situations. We have the capability to equip our converting technology with the three main electronic platforms and this is not so common. So, ‘innovation’ and ‘tailoring’ are our company assets.”
www.ccsol.it
Fujian Peixin
Fujian Peixin Machine Manufacture Industry Co., Ltd., has been in the hygienic products machinery manufacturing business for over 30 years. The company has focused on baby/adult diaper machinery, sanitary napkin machinery, underpad/pet mattress machinery, tissue converting machinery, and more.
Recently, Fujian Peixin has designed a full servo elastic waistband baby diaper production line featuring high production speed with materials non-stop auto-splicing; ease of running and maintaining with high stability; and a remote control system that can be controlled and detected at the Peixin company. The new machine can produce elastic waistband baby diapers that are tension adjustable with good elasticity.
“The new elastic waistband baby diaper production line helps us to open up and grasp a new market, and improve our market competitiveness,” says Kaida Xie, general manager.
www.peixin.com
Three Wood Machinery
Jinhu Three Wood Machinery Industry Co., Ltd. supplies lines for baby pull-up diapers, baby diapers, adult diapers, adult insert pads, adult pull-on diapers, under pads, sanitary napkins, panty liners, auto packing units and more for the hygiene industry. Three Wood recently launched the SM-800YK Zero Waste T Type Baby Diaper machine. This machine is controlled by a full servo driving system and the production speed is 800pcs/min. The degree of automation is very high and the speed of stacker and auto packing unit is 50pcs/min, with no waste during the entire production. “It adopts elastic material for ears, so it is comfortable to wear and not easy to shift,” says Li Yibao, general manager. This new machine also claims a number of patents of invention and 10 National Utility Model Patents.
www.threewoodmachine.com
Zuiko
Japan’s Zuiko produces hygiene machinery for both baby and adult diapers as well as for sanitary napkins. The company works closely with its customers to engineer solutions for their specific needs. Curtis Woo, sales and marketing manager, says it is within this framework that many innovations are developed, tested and launched.
“Disposable hygiene product manufacturers are always looking for ways to gain an edge in a very competitive industry so their demands change with the market,” Woo says. “Our market understanding and product knowledge allows us to provide complete business solutions to customers; we are not just a machine manufacturer.”
Over the past several years, he says efficiency has significantly improved in terms of faster production speeds and more complex converting processes. Although, he adds,
“Incorporating new and advanced technology while maintaining a high level of production efficiency and product quality is always a challenge.”
With its business healthy overall, Woo is optimistic, but says the company is always looking to do better. “The potential in our industry is huge, and we believe Zuiko is strategically positioned to support the foreseeable growth.”
www.zuiko.co.jp
Quanzhou Hanwei Machinery
Hanwei recently launched the HW-NK-1200 Full Servo Zero Gap Sanitary Napkin Machine.
The new machine offers a high-speed, high-efficiency, visualized, intelligent, full servo control system. Its power and control center is in a centralized management, modularity design. It also provides a perfect quality detection system, zero speed automatic splicing system, and the complete machine is equipped with a phase control and detection system. New fluff core forming technology provides rapid adsorption and quick diffusion. Other advantages of the machine are that it allows for easy transformation and upgrading, while zero gap producing minimizes raw material wastage.
www.han-wei.com
Joa
Established in 1932, Curt G. Joa, Inc.’s current offerings include machines that produce baby diapers and pants, adult incontinence briefs and pants, feminine hygiene products (panty liners, sanitary napkins, light incontinence pads), medical nonwovens and specialty products.
In 2015, Joa expanded its baby diaper product portfolio by introducing the new JB 600 Baby Diaper machine. The JB 600 is the result of a collaborative engineering effort between Joa and Bikoma, which it acquired in January 2015. The JB 600 features a zero-scrap stretch ear applicator and is available in Rockwell, Siemens and Mitsubishi controls. The machine is modular and interfaces with all Joa and Bikoma coreformers. The machine also incorporates state-of-the-art product quality systems.
The company says the JB 600 provides “Joa Quality” at a lower output rate than its industry leading J8T-B diaper machine.
With the addition of Bikoma, Joa says it has further diversified its overall portfolio, giving its partners additional technology options. For a smooth transition, the company has cross-trained all technicians and electrical engineers so that together they can provide quicker and more efficient service in the region it is needed.
To meet its customers’ needs in the market, Joa continues to heavily invest in R&D to ensure its machine processes produce modern product features at the highest efficiency possible. These machine processes can be offered to its customers as machine retrofits.
“In addition to the market, we realize that our partner’s needs change as their organization grows,” the company says. “Initially a hygiene products producer will require a machine that can rapidly change from one size to another. As the producer grows, the focus will change to dedicated machines that produce a single size at ultra-high efficiencies and near-zero scrap. Joa will accomplish this by retrofitting the original machine to the new requirement. This best illustrates the value in choosing Joa as a partner.”
www.joa.com
M.D. Viola
Based in Italy, M.D. Viola manufacturers hygiene machinery for baby and adult diapers. A family-owned company headed by engineers and brothers Davide and Marco Viola, the duo holds true to the Italian tradition that clients come first. “We are always focused on their needs, problems to solve and machinery requests,” Davide Viola says.
Over the last several years, the company has invested in new and more modern technological machineries in order to maintain its “made in Italy” status, and the quality that comes along with it.
In the last year, Viola says the company has decided to study and develop new and better ways to enhance the absorbent core on the diapers made on its machines. “The results of our studies end up with an innovative mixture of fluff and superabsorbent truly powerful in terms of speed of absorption, liquid distribution and strength of the pad. We have decided to reduce the quantity of fluff while increasing the quantity of SAP. In this way we have created a perfect mixture, which has contributed to increase the diapers’ performances in all its usage situations,” he says.
Thanks to the technological progress, M.D. Viola has also been able to optimize the production efficacy of the machines to their maximum. Every transmission in its machines is “full servo” and they are all singularly monitored in order to maintain the maximum of the production. In addition, the company has also optimized “format changes” which are now faster and with less waste in terms of the re-phase of the line.
As M.D. Viola continues to evolve, it caters to its clients all over the world, all of which have different needs and wants.
“Thanks to our experience, which has seen M.D. Viola Macchine in the hygiene market for more than 35 years, we are able to solve all the problems of our clients in the best and economic way, and we are always ready to embrace new challenges according to their needs,” he says, adding that one of its customers’ main requests over the last year was the transition from the traditional diaper to the more innovative T-Shape diaper with four ears.
“For what concerns us, our market is made up with our clients, who are always interested in our new lines. We are always looking for input from our clients in order to always create new diaper product styles and consequently new production lines,” Viola concludes.
www.mdviola.com
Bicma
Private German hygiene equipment supplier Bicma specializes in machines and conversion kits that produce high quality baby diapers, adult diapers and briefs, light incontinence and feminine care products, underpads, nursing pads, meat or puppy pads, and customized special products. Bicma can upgrade existing machines of any brand to improve efficiency or to add new products to the line.
In 2015, Bicma invested in a general detailed design upgrade throughout its entire machinery portfolio. Mrs. Andrea Allar, sales manager at Bicma Hygiene Technologie, says the purpose of the upgrade was to further minimize customers’ size change times, need for cleaning and maintenance, energy consumption, spare parts consumption, noise and dust emissions. An example of this is a new smart solution from Bicma for multi-color inline flexoprinting. “The usual issues with ink contamination and unsatisfying cleaning procedures have been resolved by a comfortable quick, clean and compact concept,” she says. This new equipment is available for new Bicma machines, as well as a retrofit that can be integrated into existing lines.
Bicma has been quick to respond to the evolution of the emerging markets. For instance, baby diaper machines supplied need to be flexible. Allar says the machines will have to run traditional anatomical products as well as products with elastic ears. The same flexibility can also been seen in the feminine care market.
Even with the lower disposable incomes of the consumers in these markets, the needs and expectations of the hygiene products remain essentially the same as in saturated markets, she says. “A baby or adult diaper should not leak, and a feminine napkin should fit well and absorb reliably, regardless in which country the consumer is living. This is a challenge for the machine suppliers, because the only difference in the machines for developed and emerging markets is often only the speed. Since the functions however are the same, it is a tight job to reach a much lower price, which can meet the investment level of the emerging markets.”
To suit the needs of both emerging and developed markets, Bicma offers a wide range of extremely flexible machine concepts. Later product upgrades can already be considered in the machine layout from the beginning at a reasonable price level, postponing the investment for the functions themselves to a later time when they might be needed. Additionally, the company’s machines can handle many different product types on the same machine. “This helps to limit the overall investment and to create additional sales volumes for the customer, e.g. by producing also underpads and adult briefs on an adult diaper machine,” Allar explains.
www.bicma.com
Diatec
Since 1992 Diatec has provided complete hygiene disposable lines in more than 42 countries on five continents and counts among its customers not just multinational companies but also a number of local producers in various parts of the world.
With the continuing demand from the adult incontinence market, Diatec’s attention has been focused on the development of new products such as adult diapers and light incontinence machinery.
Focusing its attention on machinery, Diatec developed a new adult zero-waste diaper machine at 350ppm. The product is composed from four panels, stretch or not, with a different kind of hook, dimension and weight of core. All of these characteristics give the possibility to have about 30 different product combinations.
A new light incontinence line is designed to produce both female and male printed products, changing not just size, but shape, dimension and weight. At a speed of 1000ppm, the machine can produce a triple topsheet sealed by an ultrasonic system, elastic edge and the possibility of packing each product in a single bag or not.
Each machine’s capability allows customers to produce more tiers of products changing weight and absorbent capacity keeping the same product size. This characteristic increases the customer’s selling capabilities, giving the possibility to cover more markets with the same machine.
Many years of experience in this sector and being in many different markets has made Diatec flexible and knowledgeable enough adapt new changes and create innovations based on its clients’ demands and their market requirements.
www.diatec.it
Hygiene Packaging Machinery
Focke & Co.
Founded in 1955, Focke & Co. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of packaging machinery. The company’s Hygiene & Tissue Packaging unit in Barssel, Germany, produces stacker and baggers for the feminine, adult and baby care industries ranging from mid- to high-speed applications. Focke also offers complete end-of-line equipment ranging from bundling equipment, low count packers, cartoning, case packing, and palletizing that can be coupled with its stacker and baggers or a combination thereof. More recently, Focke introduced high speed digital tampon sorting and packaging equipment.
Focke’s packaging equipment is extremely versatile and flexible in producing an array of different product configurations and counts, or a combination of both, within the same equipment offering; for example, feminine products in bags, cartons or low count bags on the same machine producing all at the same time or independently depending upon the customer’s needs. Focke also creates new packaging designs and pack configurations as joint developments with its customers.
According to the company, customers in different regions of the world have different needs. Those in developing markets seek packaging equipment for low count bags, highly flexible lines in different configurations and shrink bundles, instead of cases, in order to reduce costs and meet their price constraint needs. In developed markets, customers are looking for higher speeds, more versatility and flexibility.
When it comes to line efficiency, the company says, “servo and robotics technologies have presented opportunities in the design of the equipment that has made them more efficient and flexible, but also improved raw material quality played an important role.”
www.focke.com
Vire Automation
Vire Automation offers packaging solutions that cover the entire range of sanitary disposable products: from baby diapers to adult briefs and feminine hygiene to light incontinence and bed underpads. With different levels of performance, Vire’s machines are suitable for any type of customer, from big international corporations with dozens of machines globally to small manufacturing plants with just one production line.
Dario Cusumano, general manager of Vire Automation, says the company has recently received a high number of requests for secondary packaging. To save on costs, manufacturers are shifting from bundles in carton cases to plastic bags, he says. Therefore, the company has developed a solution that forms a bundle of products with bags made from a single roll, where the bag is first created and then filled with the packages of products. This solution creates a nice appearance for the bundle when appearing on store shelves.
Vire’s main focuses are: control of the process, faster and stable; best appearance of the packaging; worldwide customer support; and user-friendly systems with the best efficiency.
“In more than 40 years experience we learned a lot from the discussions with our customers, our organization is flexible and we are ready at any time to design new options based on the latest market demands,” Cusumano says.
In fact, in the last few years he says the company has seen a huge uptick in the adult and light incontinence market, due to longer life expectations and to the fact that incontinence is affecting an increasingly younger population.
As it continues innovating, Vire will continue to rely on strong partnerships with its customers. “For us it’s not just a matter of selling one or more machines. We want to support their growth by listening to their feedback and their suggestions and giving them timely solutions. This is possible thanks to a careful After Sales team and a skilled Technical Department, who are capable of turning ideas and suggestions into concrete solutions,” Cusumano says.
www.vire.it
Optima Nonwovens
Based in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, Optima’s machinery technologies cover the complete packaging process: primary, secondary and end-of-line packaging.
Most recently, the company launched the new Optima LS Stacker, which uses magnetic technologies to process heavy hygiene products continuously at high speeds. The Optima LS Stacker can process up to 1600 units per minute and forwards them in stacks of up to 100 units/min to the downstream packaging machines. The system is excellent in handling baby and adult diapers as well as heavier products. The stacker can accept 100% more diapers than in the past from the converting line.
According to Oliver Rebstock, managing director at Optima Nonwovens, the company’s largest project at this time is its service initiative: resulting in key new products such as the TCAM system. The condition monitoring of the machine is one segment of the new system, and the second part is a “digital twin” of a customer’s packaging system. With a tablet computer, users can obtain all information and services needed directly at the machine.
“Our know-how of the market and flexibility in product development results in top performing machines. Our new TCAM system is the next step in close cooperation with the customer. This type of security is very important to our customers,” Rebstock says.
When it comes to the needs of its customers, the company says the trend in many markets is obtaining high output, flexibility and a steady process for a continuous production on 365 days – 24/7.
Additionally, over the last decade, Optima’s global footprint has increased due to emerging markets. “Different manufacturing philosophies and cultural backgrounds of customers need special attention,” Rebstock says. “Therefore, we have started new subsidiaries in Asia, thus enforcing our service and sales efforts in this region.”
Focusing on its customers’ needs has led to a new product line specifically designed for these countries with very competitive pricing and market specific technology, he says.
www.optima-packaging-group.de
CB Packaging
CB Packaging has been selling fully automatic packaging machines since 1998, when the old company API became part of the Bettinelli Group. Today, the company has lines all around the world, from the United States and South America, to Europe and the Middle East, as well as the East and South Far East countries.
CB’s key offerings include fully automatic lines and stacker & bagger equipment, but it also produces semiautomatic machines and customized solutions based on its customers’ special production requirements.
In early 2015, the company launched a new machine for wet wipes multipacks, and in 2016 it will be launching a new high-speed bagger for diapers and napkins.
Marco Assandri, sales director for CB Packaging, says competition in the hygienic disposable market has become more difficult in recent years. “The biggest change is that the manufacturers are not only competing with their local rivals but also with the competitors from the other countries. The producers must respond to a ‘just in time’ market request, this means less products in storage and faster response to diversify production at the customer’s request. This means continuous changes of sizes, format, and product’s technical specification; for these reasons the machines in production must be flexible and easy to handle, and these are two of our stacker & bagger main features.”
While characterizing the hygiene industry overall, Assandri says each area has its own trend, and within the same regions there can be different trends among the different hygienic products such as baby diapers and sanitary napkins.
In the South Far East, mainly in China, the company has seen strong growth, which is one of the reasons why it opened an office in Shanghai in mid-2015. The new office will allow CB Packaging to take care of its customers in the region with engineers for service and a sales team that can easily communicate to its final customers. “With this new office we want to increase our sales not only in China but in all the all neighboring countries,” he says.
CB Packaging has also strengthened its network in EMEA countries where growth has seemed stable. The company is also trying to increase its activities in U.S. and South America where, in Assandri’s opinion, the market is growing especially for some products like under pads and adult incontinence items.
www.cbpackaging.it