TWE Group


Location: Dierdorf, Germany

Sales: $89 million

Description: Key Personnel
Michael Haddon, managing director

Plant
Dierdorf, Germany

ISO Status
ISO 9001

Processes
Dry laid, chemical bonded, thermal bonded, needlepunched, air through bonded

Brand Names
Paratherm, Paramoll, Paraskin, Paradur, Paraprint, Parabond, Parafil, Paratherm loft, Paraform

Major Markets
Automotive, interior decoration, gas and liquid filtration, medical, hygiene, roofing, shoe and leather goods, conveyor belts

Under new ownership this year is nonwovens producer Lohmann Vliesstoffe GmbH, Dierdorf, Germany, whose roll goods sales have increased significantly thanks to its alliance with needlepunch producer TWE Group, Emsdetten, Germany. TWE purchased Lohmann, a producer of drylaid, chemical bonded, resin bonded, needlepunched and air through bonded nonwovens, in July 2001. Additionally, Lohmann has experienced organic growth through a continued strategy of focusing on a limited number of key projects at a time.
 
Before its purchase, Lohmann Vliesstoffe was a part of the larger Lohmann Group, a business conglomerate. Unlike TWE Group, the Lohmann Group’s wide range of market segments made the nonwovens division only a small segment of its business. The purchase by the TWE Group has allowed Lohmann to become a part of a company that focuses on only one core business—nonwovens. “Now we have a partner in the nonwovens industry that understands the industry,” explained Michael Haddon, managing director of Lohmann. “This was never the case before. Nonwovens was never considered a core business.”
 
While Lohmann and TWE continue to operate legally as two separate businesses, the two companies benefit from the many synergies that exist between them. Currently, about 10% of the companies’ total businesses cross over to each other, but company executives expect this percentage to increase as time goes on.
 
Looking at Lohmann separately, the company has been able to continue its strong track record of market penetration, begun three years ago, by adopting a strong market focus and relying on core strengths. To date, this strategy has enabled the company to more or less double its turnover in only three years. Some of this growth has been achieved through capital expansions including a new needlepunch line, built last year, that doubles the company’s capacity in this segment.
 
Company executives expect further capacity expansions to be examined in the future. “It’s good for the future of the company to build a new line in whatever technology we see fit,” Mr. Haddon said. “We are already starting to play with a few ideas.”
 
In addition to capital expansion, Lohmann’s sales have increased through a consolidation plan that brought the number of the company’s penetration markets from 15 to five. Instead of focusing on an excessive amount of projects that are going nowhere, the company focuses only on 10 projects, five on an “A-list” and five on a “B-list.” Once one project is complete, another one is added to the list.
 
Currently, about 40% of Lohmann’s nonwovens sales are conducted within the hygiene market. Despite the problems that have existed in that market for nonwovens in recent years, Mr. Haddon described 2001 as a good year for its hygiene business, which reaped the full benefits of Lohmann’s business strategies.
 
In addition to hygiene, Lohmann’s technical applications include construction, automotives and wet filtration. While niche markets continue to be an interest, they can be difficult to maintain, according to Mr. Haddon. “The problem with a niche market is that you find that once you develop them, somebody comes along and challenges you with a cheaper product,” he said. “The nonwovens industry can be an aggressive market in that way.”
 
In terms of production capabilities, Lohmann can produce 13,000 tons of nonwovens annually. This capacity is split between needlepunching (30%), resin bonding (30%) and air through bonding (40%). Currently about 11-12,000 tons of Lohmann’s capacity is fully utilized, leaving some room for organic growth.
 
Among the company’s not-yet-finalized plans for future expansion are a thermal bonding line and additional needlepunch or resin bond capacity. “If everything goes as planned, we will have to add some capacity at some point,” Mr. Haddon predicted.
Location: Dierdorf, Germany

Sales: $92 million

Description: Key Personnel
Michael Haddon, managing director

Plant
Dierdorf Germany

ISO Status
ISO 9001

Processes
Drylaid, chemical bonded, thermal bonded, needlepunched, air through bonded

Brand Names
Paratherm, Paramoll, Paraskin, Paraprint, Parabond, Parafil, Paratherm loft, Paraform

Despite difficult economic conditions in its domestic market, Germany, as well as all of Europe, Lohmann Vliesstoffe GmbH and sister company TWE Group were able to report solid performances in 2002. One year after the companies started their affiliation—through TWE’s purchase of Lohmann—they are optimistic for the future. Success has been achieved by not only being active in the market but also by being very specific about the type of market segments it wishes to be involved in and investing in all of its technologies to support this effort, according to Michael Haddon, managing director of Lohmann.
 
With major markets including automotives, interior decoration, filtration, medical, hygiene, roofing, footwear and conveyor belts, Lohmann is gaining share in all of its key markets. While hygiene continues to be Lohmann’s largest market, representing 40% of its annual sales, Mr. Haddon said conditions in this segment are not necessarily as difficult as some perceive.
 
“Despite its often maligned reputation, hygiene is still a business that can be mutually beneficial for all parties involved,” Mr. Haddon explained. “We are comfortable with having a mixed bag of technical applications to offset this. That has been further enhanced since joining the TWE group.”

Lohmann can produce 13,000 tons of nonwoven materials annually. Of this capacity needlepunch and resin bonding comprise 30% each while air through bonding represents the remaining 40%. Meanwhile, 100% of the 10,000 tons of nonwovens TWE produces annually are needle­punched. Its major market is currently household products but TWE is increasing its focus on technical applications including automotives. For now, the two companies operate as two legally separate entities but are able to benefit from the many synergies that exist between them. Currently, about 10% of the companies’ businesses cross over each other, and executives expect this percentage to rise as time goes on.
 
“TWE has and still is growing and the link up of Lohmann and TWE has brought few problems in the market as the two companies serve very different customer bases,” Mr. Haddon explained. “This is one of the major reasons why the two companies operate as separate entities although we obviously try to make the most of any synergy that exists between them.”
 
Also included under the same corporate umbrella is smaller roll goods producer Kahnes, a German producer of  5000 tons of needlepunch material per year. This division contributes approximately $9 million annually in sales to the organization. As the group continues to search for future growth, surely future acquisitions will be a focus.
 
For instance the group recently acquired Hildener Filz, a German based producer of needlepunched and spunlaced nonwovens. These acquisitions as well as past capital investment initiatives prove that Lohmann and its affiliated companies are serious about future growth, by whichever means necessary. “This tradition of organic growth will be supplemented by capital investments and expansion,” Mr. Haddon explained.
Location: Dierdorf, Germany

Sales: $158 MILLION

Description: Key Personnel
Michael Haddon, managing director

Plant
Dierdorf, Germany

ISO Status
ISO 9001

Processes
Drylaid, chemical bonded, thermal  bonded, needle­punched, air through bonded

Brand Names
Paratherm, Paramoll, Paraskin, Paraprint, Parabond, Parafil, Paratherm loft, Paraform

After making considerable investments in 2002 and into 2003, Lohmann Vliesstoffe GmbH, along with sister company TWE Group, has spent recent months examining synergies between its new businesses and establishing a plan for the future. After merging in 2002, Lohmann and TWE purchased the Kahnes Group, a Germany-based producer of 5000 tons of needlepunched material, in 2003, as well as needlepunch and spunlaced producer Hildener Filz.
 
These acquisitions as well as a steady stream of growth initiatives have allowed the company to grow its sales to E140 million in 2003, a significant jump compared to the slightly more than E100 million reported in 2002. The majority of this business was conducted in Europe; the company operates all of its production facilities within Germany.
 
Lohmann has been lucky to acquire companies that have little crossover in end use markets. While its largest market continues to be hygiene, comprising about 40% of the division’s sales, much of TWE’s business centers around consumer household products and some technical markets. “This means there is little crossover in the market for the companies in the group, and we are pleased to have this wide product portfolio in order to minimize risk,” said Michael Haddon, managing director. “It is our intention to pursue this strategy and grow in all of our core markets.”

Lohmann produces 13,000 tons of nonwoven materials annually. Of this capacity, needlepunch and resin bonding comprise 30% each while air through bonding represents the remaining 40%. Meanwhile, 100% of the 10,000 tons of nonwovens TWE produces annually are needlepunched, Kahnes can produce 5000 tons of needlepunched nonwovens and Hildener Filz’s capacity is split between needlepunched and spunlaced nonwovens.
 
The company’s success has largely been attributed to a sharp focus on the market segments in which it chooses to participate and a clear technology plan in sync with this focus. In addition to hygiene and household, core markets include automotives, interior decoration, filtration, medical, hygiene, footwear and conveyor belts.
 
While acquisition and investment activity has cooled, for now, Lohmann executives are making plans for the future. While specifics could not be named, Mr. Haddon would say that they would continue focus on its existing business and how it stacks up with market demands.
Location: Dierdorf, Germany

Sales: $158 million

Description: Key Personnel
Michael Haddon, managing director

Plant
Dierdorf, Germany

ISO Status
ISO 9001

Processes
Drylaid, chemical bonded, thermal bonded, needlepunched, airthrough bonded

Brand Names
Paratherm, Paramoll, Paraskin, Paraprint, Parabond, Parafil, Paratherm loft, Paraform

After making considerable investments in recent years, Lohmann Vliesstoffe GmbH and sister company TWE Group have more recently been focusing on examining synergies between new businesses and establishing a plan for the future. After merging in 2002, Lohmann and TWE purchased the Kahnes Group, a Germany-based producer of 5000 tons of needlepunched materials, in 2003, as well as needlepunch and spunlaced producer Hildener Filz.
 
These acquisitions, as well as a steady stream of growth initiatives, have allowed the company to grow its sales to an estimated E140 million. The majority of this business was conducted in Europe; the company operates all of its production facilities within Germany.
 
Lohmann has been lucky to acquire companies that have little crossover in end use markets. While its largest market continues to be hygiene, comprising about 40% of the division’s sales, much of TWE’s business centers around consumer household products and some technical markets. “This means there is little crossover in the market for companies in the group, and we are pleased to have this wide product portfolio in order to minimize risk,” said Michael Haddon, managing director. “It is our intention to pursue this strategy and grow in all of our core markets.”
 
Lohmann produces 13,000 tons of nonwoven materials annually. Of this capacity, needlepunch and resin bonding comprise 30% each while air through bonding represents the remaining 40%. Meanwhile, 100% of the 10,000 tons of nonwovens TWE produces annually are needlepunched. Kahnes can produce 5000 tons of needlepunched nonwovens and Hildener Filz’s capacity is split between needlepunched and spunlaced nonwovens.
 
The company’s success has largely been attributed to a sharp focus on the market segments in which it chooses to participate and a clear technology plan in sync with this focus. In addition to hygiene and household, core markets include automotives, interior decoration, filtration, medical, hygiene, footwear and conveyor belts.
 
While acquisition and investment activity has cooled, for now, Lohmann executives are making plans for the future. While specifics could not be named, Mr. Haddon would say that they would continue to fall in step with existing synergies within the business.
Location: Emsdetten, Germany

Sales: $200 million

Description: Key Personnel
Michael Haddon, managing director

Plants
Emsdetten, Germany; Dierdorf, Germany; Bocholt, Germany; Hangzhou, China

Processes
Drylaid, chemical bonded, thermal bonded, needlepunched, airthroughbonded

Applications
Hygiene, household, automotives, geotextiles, building, filtration

Sales increased 10% to reach $200 million for the TWE Group, the German nonwovens producer that includes the business formerly known as Lohmann, Kahnes and Hildener Filz. TWE Group, which merged with Lohmann in 2001, had retained separate identities for its acquired business until recently when it began working harder on establishing a stronger corporate identity and began approaching the market as one group. Since then Lohmann has been renamed TWE Dierdorf and the Tangerding site is now known as TWE Bocholt. Additionally, Hildener Filz, a nonwovens producer purchased in 2003, is currently being integrated into the group’s Dierdorf and Emsdetten, Germany manufacturing sites and its existing facility in Hilden, Germany will be closed early next year, according to company spokesman Michael Lohmann.
 
The key challenge for the TWE Group has been raw material and energy price increases. “We have obviously worked hard at synergy effects in order to offset this in some form or other but it is very difficult to be satisfied with the results given the pressures we are facing from the markets and above all the actions of some of our competitors,” Mr. Haddon explained.
 
Despite these challenges, TWE has invested heavily in the last 18 months in four new lines plus substantial upgrades to existing lines to provide state-of-the-art technology to remain competitive.
 
As a stand-alone company, Lohmann had a decent focus on hygiene and it continues to be important to the group but the company has been very careful to avoid an “all the eggs in one basket” syndrome and has reduced its exposure there. Currently, the group’s total turnover is split evenly between four main markets—hygiene, household, filtration and automotive, according to Mr. Haddon. “Beyond that, we still serve some very interesting niche markets, which I am not prepared to divulge,” he said.
 
In expansion news, geographically, China has become an important area for TWE, which is currently building a wholly-owned manufacturing facility there. This represents the company’s first non-German operation. “The first line should be up and running by the end of 2007 and will be serving the Asian market and at least one further line will be added in 2008,” Mr. Haddon said. “This reflects our vision for the future. We are aware that we need to become more global to service our customers and move away from being simply a German manufacturing outfit.”

Other global growth areas include Eastern Europe, where TWE is assessing the possibility of also adding a plant. “We are keen that these “global” sites should be for supplying local emerging markets as well as supporting our current customer base not at the expense of our current business,” Mr. Haddon concluded.
Location: EMSDETTEN, GERMANY

Sales: $211 million

Description: Key Personnel
Michael Haddon, managing director

Plants
Emsdetten, Germany, Kierdorf, Germany, Hangzhou, China

Processes
Drylaid, chemical bonded, thermal bonded, needlepunched, air through bonded

Applications
hygiene, household, automotives, geotextiles, building, filtration


Reporting a slight increase in 2007 was Germany’s The TWE Group, which characterized the year as a consolidation year.  “2007 was very much a consolidation year for our three main German production sites with no new lines being built, however a couple of lines were upgraded,” said spokesman Michael Haddon. “Given the amount of investment and new lines built over the last few years, this investment time out in Germany enabled us to really revisit the major markets we are serving to ensure that we are progressing in the manner we had planned. We are still following a policy of spreading the risk with the markets that we are active in and fortunately our four key markets, namely household, hygiene, filtration and automotive all performed as expected.”
 
TWE also completed the closure of its Hildener Filz site, which was purchased in 2003—and integrated this production into other TWE manufacturing sites.
 
The major project for the group in 2007 was building its Chinese plant where its first line came onstream at the end of the year. “We are currently building the second line in 2008 and this will be finished before year-end. The lines we have invested in are based on the current technologies operated in the group,” Mr. Haddon said. “We are also open to new technologies to TWE and this may play a role in future investment in China where we have space for a further two lines.”
 
Beyond Germany and China, TWE continues to pursue its stated intend of developing sites beyond Europe. China,  was a first step to this plan but other opportunities are being examined in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Mr. Haddon added.
 
Beyond expansion, TWE, like everyone else, has been focusing on rising raw material and energy costs. “This is true for the whole industry, and in fact all industries, but we have tried to deal with this in a responsible manner by passing it on in the market. It is a dangerous game to play by companies who feel they do not have to react to these substantial increases,” Mr. Haddon concluded. “Having said that, 2008 turnover has progressed satisfactorily so we are expecting another solid year.”
Location: Dierdorf, Germany

Sales: $260 million

Description: Key Personnel
Michael Haddon

Plants
Emsdettern, Germany, Dierdorf, Germany; Hangzhou, China

Processes
Drylaid, chemical bonded, thermal bonded, needlepunched, air through bonded

Applications
Hygiene, household, automotives, geotextiles, building, filtration

Describing 2009 as “not an easy year,” was Michael Haddon, managing director of the TWE Group, Dierdorf, Germany. Attributing a turnover reduction largely to a substantial drop in sales to the automotives market and related areas, the company also saw reductions in many of its other markets, which include hygiene, household, geotextiles, building and filtration.
“We managed to keep our earnings healthy due to the fact that we reacted very quickly to the crisis and introduced a whole raft of measures to keep costs under control,” Mr. Haddon said. “Earnings were of course down but not critical.”
He added that the company started seeing conditions improve during the fourth quarter of 2009 and this has carried on into 2010. “It is very difficult to work out whether the crisis is fully over but we are confident for 2010, and beyond, due to new business and contracts secured over the last couple of years which are now coming onstream,” Mr. Haddon said.
To help secure itself for the future, TWE continued with its substantial investment plans and built two more new proprietary lines in its German sites of Dierdorf and Emsdetten to expand capacity in its existing technology. Additionally, TWE has just finalized plans to add another new line, featuring what Mr. Haddon would only call existing TWE technology, which will come onstream in the first quarter of next year.
Beyond Germany, the TWE Group opened a Chinese facility in Hangzhou in 2007 and added a second line there in 2008. Two years later, Mr. Haddon described its Chinese operation—which like Germany serves automotive, hygiene and technical applications—as in a consolidation phase.

Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2012 Nonwoven Sales: $400 million
 
Key Personnel: Warnier Wim, CEO; Ortmeier Jörg, COO
 
Plants: Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, China
 
Processes: Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunch, hydro entangled (spunlace)
 
Major markets: Hygiene, medical, automotive, filtration, building and construction, cleaning wipes, bedding and furniture, apparel
 
The big news from the TWE Group this year is the company’s acquisition of the Libeltex business formerly owned by the Vita Group. In September 2012, the German company purchased the group, including its plants in France, Belgium and Sweden, to help expand its footprint in the European nonwovens market.
 
“The integration of Libeltex has been seamless,” says CEO Wim Warnier. “It’s been a good cultural fi t. Both companies were active in mostly the same types of markets but we complemented each other geographically. We actually created the business unit structure, which helped us to integrate management teams.”
 
These seven teams, including hygiene, medical, automotives, filtration, building and construction, cleaning wipes and comfort (bedding, furniture and apparel), decide on market product focuses independently of where they are produced.
 
The Libeltex acquisition also expanded TWE’s scope. Before Libeltex, TWE, with four sites in Germany and one in China, was heavily focused on Germany and Asia, whereas Libeltex expanded the focus into France, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
 
“We saw the Libeltex purchase as a way to become a truly international player in the nonwovens industry,” Warnier says.
 
Meanwhile, the group’s operation in Hangzhou, China continues to perform well, largely reporting 7-8% market growth. Currently active in hygiene, medical and automotive markets in China, the company has been investing in new machines and technologies since establishing the operation in 2007 and the company plans to decide on investment elsewhere in Asia.
 
About half of the group’s sales are now conducted within the hygiene market where the company is a leading manufacturer of acquisition and distribution layer materials for baby diapers, feminine hygiene items and adult incontinence products.
 
“The advantage we have is that we have some innovations that lead clear trends in the market,” Warnier says. “The market is looking for thinner diapers and better performing feminine care and adult incontinence products as well as softer top and backsheets.”
 
The company’s Slimcore product, developed by Libeltex and introduced in 2012, is becoming more standard in core materials that go into baby diaper. The through-air bonded ADL material features a multi layer that can be used in any fluff versus superabsorbent polymer ratio.
 
Also strong on TWE’s radar is automotives, which represents about 15% of turnover. Here, the group sees a lot of potential as nonwovens continue to replace materials in more parts of the car. TWE is able to offer OEMs many products on a global scale.
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2013 Nonwovens Sales: $402 million

Key Personnel
Wim Warnier, CEO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunch, hydroentengled

Major markets
Hygiene, medical, automotive, filtration, building and construction, cleaning wipes, bedding and furniture, apparel

Marking the first full year that TWE was integrated with Libeltex, 2013 was described as a great one for the company, according to CEO Wim Warnier. “It was an excellent move that brings use to the top of the industry,” he says. “We have a high comfort level with customers because we are truly international.”

Libeltex, a maker of air-through bonded nonwovens with plants in France, Sweden and Belgium, was formerly owned by Vita Group. TWE purchased the company in September 2012 during a move by Vita to exit the nonwovens markets in Europe and the U.S., where the operations were bought out by management.

The acquisition not only provided TWE with new technologies and capacity, it truly broadened TWE’s global reach and product portfolio. Together, the companies have nine locations, 1,000 employees and about $402 million in sales.

Included in the Libeltex acquisition was an air through bonded-based acquisition/distribution layer technology plus a core platform that has solidified the company’s footing in the hygiene market, which represents about 50% of total sales.

“We are the innovators of the acquisition and distribution layer technology and we have the technology to give customers the tools to make a next generation of thinner diapers,” says Wim, who joined TWE with the Libeltex acquisition. “The technology we have is very value added and not commoditized at all.”

Slimcore, a through-air bonded ADL material, was developed by Libeltex and introduced in 2012 and is now becoming more standard in core materials for baby diapers. It features a multilayer that can be used in any fluff versus superabsorbent polymer ratio.

“The baby diapers are becoming thinner, thinner and thinner but it’s also about comfort because that is linked to performance,” says Wim.

Beyond hygiene TWE’s second largest market is automotives, representing 15% of overall sales. Here, the company’s needlepunched products are used in acoustical products, filtration media and many other areas. Main geographical regions for TWE include Europe, the Middle East, Russia and, to a lesser extent, China.

Less significant but still growing in importance is cleaning wipes, which Wim describes as a very steady, global business. “It can be somewhat commoditized but if you approach it was very specific technology, you can be successful,” he explains.

Prior to the Libeltex acquisition, TWE’s manufacturing assets were located in Germany, where it is headquartered, and Hangzhou, China, where it expanded five years ago and is reporting 7-8% annual growth.

While the Libeltex integration added spots throughout Europe, in France, Belgium and Sweden, Wim says the company will spend the next couple of years in investment mode. In fact, plans are already underway to invest €30 million in new plants in Asia and Europe, but to date, details of this investment strategy have not been released. However, Wim would say that a new location in Asia is likely and western expansion has not been ruled out.
TWE Group
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2014 Nonwovens Sales: $415 million

Key Personnel
Ralf Berens, CEO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, U.S., China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunch, hydroentengled and airlaid

Major Markets
Hygiene, medical, automotive, filtration, building and construction, cleaning wipes, bedding and furniture, apparel

The big news from TWE Group is its expansion into North America. In June 2015, the German nonwovens producer added three U.S. plants to its operations through the acquisition of Vita Nonwovens’ U.S. business. The deal includes sites in North Carolina, Texas and Indiana. This business was purchased from a group of former employees by a private equity outfit late last year. The employee team had owned the company since 2012 when former owner British Vita exited the nonwovens business. It was then that the TWE Group first began its cooperation with Vita, acquiring the Libeltex business from the British-based company. This deal included sites in Belgium, France and Sweden and expanded TWE’s presence in several markets.

According to executives, the main focus of Vita Nonwovens’ U.S. operations is the automotives market and products made in the three locations are used in a number of different areas of the vehicle. These products are made through a proprietary thermal compacting and bonding process, which has been greatly improved upon during the last three years, according to TWE. This has led to double-digit growth in sales during the same period.

Vita Nonwovens was founded in High Point, NC in 1996 and grew strongly at the beginning of the new millennium, when two additional locations, in Texas and Indiana, were added. The company produces nonwovens for a diverse range of applications at the three locations, and TWE found the company attractive because of the two companies’ shared similar competencies. This could allow new potential for mutual research and the development of new products, thus providing the customers with even better solutions and higher quality worldwide.

Most of Vita’s U.S. operation is focused on nonwovens for automotives.  “The products for the automotive industry are predominantly installed for sound and thermal insulation in a number of different areas in the vehicle,” CEO Ralf Berens says. “Particularly the automotive field at Vita Nonwovens has grown significantly during the past three years; the average turnover of the company increased in a double-digit range. As a result, we are anticipating strong growth stimuli, especially when considering the continued international expansion of our automotives business. Besides our hygiene business, our Mobiltech division is expected to become the driving force of our future growth.”

Also boosting the group’s automotives business is the July acquisition of Isowood, a German nonwovens producer specialized in the use of natural fibers for the automotives industry. TWE purchased a 90% stake in the company in a move to increase its exposure to natural fibers and other strategic markets. Isowood, which was founded in 1997 in Rudolstadt, Germany is a small but well-known and respected tier-two supplier to the automotives markets. It is well known for its outstanding innovation power and exceptional project development competence.

Before these two acquisitions, much of TWE’s business had centered on the hygiene market, which represented about half of sales without Vita and Isowood. TWE gained its leadership position in this market via Libeltex, which provided the formerly German-centric TWE with manufacturing assets in France, Sweden and Belgium as well as an important technology serving acquisition/distribution applications in diapers and other disposable items.

“The Libeltex acquisition was especially important because before this point TWE was only really present in Germany, but after this it had a broader European presence. And recently with the acquisition of Vita Nonwovens, TWE has gone all the way from being a small, typically German group to an international player,” Berens says.

Libeltex’s air-through bonded nonwovens have helped diaper manufacturers achieve a new level of thinness in disposable hygiene items and made TWE one of the leading suppliers to the global hygiene market. Of particular interest is Slimcore, a through-air bonded ADL material, which was developed by Libeltex in 2012 and is now becoming more standard in core materials for diapers. It features a multilayer that can be used in any fluff versus superabsorbent polymer ratio.  To futher boost its business in this segment, TWE is now rolling out a new ADL technology under the brand name Amphibia. Describing the product as at the edge of technology, Berens says it is a combination of ADL and core concept technology that will bring performance and value to the consumer

“Being the innovator of the acquisition and distribution layer technology and we will develop in close cooperation with our customers high performance products adapted to local customer needs,” explains Berens.

Beyond automotive and hygiene, which now together represent about 50% of TWE’s overall sales, the company continues to seek growth in all of its seven business units, including medical, filtration, building and construction, bedding and furniture and wipes.
Meanwhile, in geographical expansion, TWE is examining additional acquisitions to provide it with access to other U.S. markets and Asia. “As a leading global player, TWE is aware of the need to continue expanding its footprint in order to offer a better service to its clients,” Berens says.
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2016 Nonwovens Sales: $440 million


Key Personnel
Ralf Berens, CCO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, U.S., China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunch, hydroentanglemened, airlaid

Major Markets
Hygiene, automotive, building, living, filtration, healthcare, cleaning

TWE Group continues to drive sales upward thanks to innovation in the hygiene market, expansion in automotives and developments in the roofing and construction market. In 2016, the company’s sales reached a record $440 million, up from $435 million in 2015.

TWE’s role in the North American automotives market has seen considerable growth since June 2015 when TWE established a local manufacturing base through the acquisition of Vita Nonwovens, a company once owned by British Vita and a former sister company Libeltex, a European-based company acquired in 2012. The purchase included manufacturing sites in Texas, North Carolina and Indiana and has allowed TWE to capitalize on shared competencies within the two companies. TWE has already added at least one line in North America and is constantly upgrading its operations there.

According to CCO Ralf Berens, the U.S. operation is split fairly evenly between bedding and automotive applications. For automotives, technology and innovation are the two key elements for growth in the segment. “Especially in seating applications, new requirements are emerging,” he says. “The average person spends 100 minutes per day in the car so the experience should be optimized. The seat needs to be more comfortable, the climate needs to be more controlled. There is a lot of development work to be done and nonwovens are meeting the need.”

At TWE, the automotives business is second only to hygiene, representing about 20% of turnover. Berens expects this growth to continue throughout 2017 thanks to proprietary nonwovens technology, which allows TWE to replace existing materials in places like seating and structural parts.

Another benefit is TWE’s ability to offer natural fiber-based nonwoven products for the automotives market thanks to the 2014 acquisition of Isowood a German nonwovens company. Products made in this part of the company can replace plastic-based products offering not only environmental benefits but also increased stability and lower weights.

Within its largest business, hygiene, TWE has been benefiting from developments in absorbent core technology. The latest of these, Amphibia is a three-layer material ideally with no pulp but high performing superabsorbent polymer creating a core fused to an acquisition distribution layer. Amphibia combines an ADL with the absorbing all-in-one core, allowing for an ultrathin diaper that offers better performance in terms of absorbing time, rewet and distribution of the liquid thanks to optimum SAP usage. The material does not require additional adhesive, additional cutting or the addition of a further layer, since Amphibia is already made up of all the necessary components.

“This is on the right trend here, which shows things are getting thinner, offering higher performance and giving customers advantages,” Berens says.

According to Berens, the use of Amphibia has been strong in the European hygiene market and is currently rolling out to the rest of the world.

TWE’s hygiene business is largely based on a proprietary air-through bonded technology, which TWE acquired along with Libeltex, a Belgium-based nonwovnes producer with plants in France, Belgium and Sweden, According to Berens, the Belgium operation will be expanded with a new air-through bonded line next year.

Outside of the core, the use of air through bonded nonwovens is finding home in other parts of the diapers as manufacturers continue to respond for a need of ultrasoft products. TWE’s new Softcover product line is meeting this demand. In cooperation with selected fiber producers, Softcover reportedly sets completely new standards in the field of softness thanks to specialized fiber formulations.
“We are seeing good opportunities for through air and supersoft products—it is a trends coming from Japan so we see good opportunities for us for our hygiene business because we offer supersoft materials, which means little friction, softness and performance,” Berens says.
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2017 Nonwovens Sales: $450 mllion


Key Personnel
Ralf Berens, CEO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunched, hydroentangled, airlaid

Major Markets
Hygiene, automotives, building, living, filtration, healthcare, cleaning


Sales increased slightly at TWE Group, Emsdetten, Germany, thanks to strong sales in the automotives, hygiene and construction markets. The company operates plants in Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, the U.S., and China and has grown significantly in recent years due to acquisitions.

Most recently, the company purchased Vita Nonwovens, a company once owned by British Vita and a former sister company of Libeltex, a company acquired by TWE in 2012. The acquisition of Vita provided manufacturing operations in North Carolina, Texas and Indiana and gave TWE immediate access to the North American automotives market.

“Automotives is very strong globally and we are seeing really strong growth in the U.S., “ says CEO Ralf Berens. “The three sites are still focusing on automotives but we are also focusing on bedding. We are looking at the possibility of servicing our customers globally out of the three U.S., Europe and Asia. “

TWE has already added capacity in North America. Recent investments include a laminator, a new airlay line and a needlepunch line for the automotives market. Additionally, a new building for production and storage space is currently being added in Indiana. Berens says this site was chosen because of its proximity to customers in the automotives market.

In recent years, TWE has not only benefitted from growth in automotives, it has also seen a rise in the number of applications for its nonwoven material in the car. “We have been focusing on new areas on the exterior of the car, like the underbody as well as at interior applications. That is promoting growth.”

TWE’s largest business, hygiene, is largely served from its European production sites once owned by Libeltex. The company is currently adding a new air through bonding line featuring the latest technology, in Belgium, which should begin operation at the beginning of 2019.

“This new line can basically provide standard acquisition and distribution layer material as well as super low weight cover materials,” Berens says.

In recent years, TWE has benefitted from developments in absorbent core technology. Its Amphibia product is a three-layer material ideally with no pulp but high performing superabsorbent polymers creating a core fused to an ADL. Amphibia combines an ADL with the absorbing all-in-one core, allowing the diaper to be extremely thin while offering super performance in absorbency, rewetting and distribution of the liquid. It does not require additional adhesive, cutting or another layer.

Outside of the core, TWE also provides supersoft materials for the topsheet and backsheet of the diaper. Its Softcover product reportedly is setting new standards in the field of softness thanks to specialized fiber formulations.

Also helping to grow TWE’s sales is its Chinese operation which not only serves the Chinese market but also Malaysia and other southeast Asian countries. While automotives continues to be important in China, other markets like contrustion and iltration are too. Meanwhile, hygiene is not growing as quickly as technical markets but has a larger base.
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2018 Nonwovens Sales: $450 mllion


Key Personnel
Jörg Ortmeier, CEO; Ralf Berens, CCO; Alexander Wansel, COO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunched, hydroentangled, airlaid

Major Markets
Hygiene, automotives, building, living, filtration, healthcare, cleaning


Despite a tough year marked with increased competition, higher raw material prices and weaker demand due to uncertainties and international trade conflicts, TWE Group was able to keep sales flat at $450 million in 2018.  According to CCO Ralf Berens, the company continues to see strong growth in the U.S. automotives market as well as in the hygiene and construction industries globally.

Representing about one-third of the company’s overall sales, hygiene continues to benefit from TWE’s advanced air-through bonding technology which was acquired through the purchase of Libeltex in 2012 and included sites in France, Sweden and Belgium.

“With a global presence and production in multiple countries and a continuing innovative approach, I think that TWE is still rightfully considered as the market leader in the field of acquisition and distribution layer,” Berens says.

In the third quarter of 2019, TWE’s latest air through bonded line came onstream at its site in Meulebeke, Belgium, as planned, not only adding capacity but also improving products. “The new line is also state of the art and is therefore helping us to stay competitive and with high quality products,” Berens says.

In recent years, TWE has benefitted from developments in absorbent core technology. Its Amphibia product is a three-layer material made ideally with no pulp but high performing superabsorbent polymers creating a core fused to an ADL. Amphibia combines an ADL with the absorbing all-in-one core, allowing the diaper to be extremely thin while offering super performance in absorbency, rewetting and distribution of the liquid. It does not require additional adhesive, cutting or another layer.

In response to increasing demand for supersoft products in the hygiene market, TWE has introduced the Velo range. Described as an ultra premium product for coversheet applications in the hygiene market, Velo offers low friction and ultra softness and was made using carded technology. These soft materials are able to be manufactured extremely efficiently on TWE’s aforementioned new line in Meulebeke.

After hygiene, automotives is TWE’s second largest market and it is particularly strong in the U.S. thanks to the acquisition of Vita Nonwovens in 2015. This purchase included manufacturing sites in High Point, NC, Waco, TX and Fort Wayne, IN. While this market has been suffering since the last quarter of 2018, increased efforts on innovation have allowed TWE to offer its customers new products lines, which have compensated for losses in traditional markets.

This focus on innovation will be aided by the completion of a new needlepunch line that has just started supplying customers this summer. The state-of-the-art line will focus primarily on exterior automotive applications thanks to its ability to make competitive, high quality products for the automotives market. The investment also includes a new building for additional product machinery as well as for storage.

Beyond hygiene and automotives, TWE is present in markets like filtration, cleaning, medical and construction and has seen particularly nice growth in the building market where its acoustics products are performing well. In many of these markets, TWE is responding to a need for more sustainable products. In April, the company introduced a full range of sustainable products featuring alternative raw materials like hemp, kenaf and cotton.
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2019 Nonwovens Sales: $475 million


Key Personnel
Jörg Ortmeier, CEO; Ralf Berens, CCO; Alexander Wansel, COO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunched, hydroentangled, airlaid

Major Markets
Hygiene, automotives, building, living, filtration, healthcare, cleaning

New investment as well as new product launches helped to keep TWE Group’s 2019 sales steady at $475 million. Strong hygiene sales, increases in the construction market, automotives strength in the U.S. and Europe were able to offset softer mattress sales globally.

Representing about one-third of the company’s sales, TWE’s largest market continues to be hygiene, where the company has been able to successfully launch a number of new products.

These products have in part been made possible with the addition of a new air through bonding line that came onstream in Meulebeke, Belgium, in late 2019 and is described as the most efficient and flexible air through bonding line on the market.

“It offers us the opportunity to produce the whole range of mono and multiayer products, pancakes and spools, at the same time in a better and faster way than any other machinery,” CEO Ralf Berens says. “We can simply serve growing markets in a most efficient way to offer innovative products paired with strong cost competitiveness.”

In recent years, TWE has developed new products for the hygiene market that represent advances in core concepts featuring less material and higher performance.  One of these products, Amphibia, is a three-layer material combining an ADL with an absorbing all-in-one core, allowing the diaper to be extremely thin while offering super performance in absorbency, rewetting and distribution of the liquid. It does not require additional adhesive, cutting or another layer.

“With Amphibia, we are providing a solution to clients to achieve goals for all concepts available from traditional fluff to laminates,” Berens says. “With a sophisticated dosing system, an even and most efficient distribution of SAP in an ADL can be achieved. There are many promising projects currently taking place.”

Other new products include the Dry²Skin range of enhanced products, offering tailor-made ADLs for various core concepts, and Velo, a whole product range of superior materials for soft cover applications (topsheet, backsheet and waistbands) which have been successfully introduced to the market.

“Consumer requirements and expectations to performance are constantly growing,” Berens says. “The performance of our products have been continuously improved accordingly. At the same time ‘feel and touch’ are more in focus which we can provide with our extra lofty and soft materials.”

TWE’s second largest business, automotives, has benefitted from a new needlepunch line at one of its three U.S. sites, which were acquired in 2015. The line not only adds capacity but also offers opportunities for new product developments featuring lighter weights which has been a key market demand in automotives, particularly in exterior applications thanks to its ability to make competitive, high quality products. However, Berens expects that the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the automotives market to be long lasting.

“The month of April, in which all OEMs had to close their production plants, was far below expectations. It is questionable whether the purchase incentives created by the governments are sufficient to create a short-term trend reversal to the originally planned production volumes. The TWE Group assumes that the third and fourth quarter will stabilize compared to the second quarter,” he says. “However, according to some analysts, a return to ‘normalcy’ will only be realistic in two to three years.”

Beyond hygiene and automotives, TWE is present in markets like filtration, cleaning, medical and construction and has seen particularly nice growth in the building market where its acoustics products are performing well. In many of these markets, TWE is responding to a need for more sustainable products. In 2019, the company introduced a full range of sustainable products featuring alternative raw materials like hemp, kenaf and cotton.
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2020 Nonwovens Sales: $475 million


Key Personnel
Jörg Ortmeier, CEO; Ralf Berens, CCO; Alexander Wansel, COO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunched, hydroentangled, airlaid

Major Markets
Hygiene, automotives, building, living, filtration, healthcare, cleaning

New investment as well as new product launches helped to keep TWE Group’s 2020 sales steady at $475 million. Strong hygiene sales, increases in the construction market, automotives strength in the U.S. and Europe were able to offset softer mattress sales globally.

Representing about one-third of the company’s sales, TWE’s largest market continues to be hygiene, where the company has been able to successfully launch a number of new products.

These products have in part been made possible with the addition of a new air through bonding line that came onstream in Meulebeke, Belgium, in late 2019 and is described as the most efficient and flexible air through bonding line on the market.

“It offers us the opportunity to produce the whole range of mono and multilayer products, pancakes and spools, at the same time in a better and faster way than any other machinery,” CEO Ralf Berens says. “We can simply serve growing markets in a most efficient way to offer innovative products paired with strong cost competitiveness.”

In recent years, TWE has developed new products for the hygiene market that represent advances in core concepts featuring less material and higher performance. One of these products, Amphibia, is a three-layer material combining an ADL with an absorbing all-in-one core, allowing the diaper to be extremely thin while offering super performance in absorbency, rewetting and distribution of the liquid. It does not require additional adhesive, cutting or another layer.

Other new products include the Dry²Skin range of enhanced products, offering tailor-made ADLs for various core concepts, and Velo, a whole product range of superior materials for soft cover applications (topsheet, backsheet and waistbands) which have been successfully introduced to the market.

TWE’s second largest business, automotives, has benefitted from a new needlepunch line at one of its three U.S. sites, which were acquired in 2015. The line not only adds capacity but also offers opportunities for new product developments featuring lighter weights which has been a key market demand in automotives, particularly in exterior applications thanks to its ability to make competitive, high quality products. However, Berens expects that the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the automotives market to be long lasting.

Beyond hygiene and automotives, TWE is present in markets like filtration, cleaning, medical and construction and has seen particularly nice growth in the building market where its acoustics products are performing well. In many of these markets, TWE is responding to a need for more sustainable products. In 2019, the company introduced a full range of sustainable products featuring alternative raw materials like hemp, kenaf and cotton.
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2021 Nonwovens Sales: $450 million


Key Personnel
Jörg Ortmeier, CEO; Ralf Berens, CCO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, U.S., China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunched, hydroentangled, airlaid

Major Markets
Hygiene, automotives, building, living, filtration, healthcare, cleaning

TWE reported a strong year in 2021, with sales clocking in at $450 million thanks to growth in several business units as well as new investments in the U.S. and Belgium. The company’s main markets are hygiene and automotive but its activity in construction, filtration and healthcare is improving.

“Both hygiene and building performed very well,” says CCO Ralf Berens. “Hygiene grew in air though bonded materials and in particular in baby and incontinence applications. The construction industry also did well in Europe in 2021, and we could gain presence especially in the area of temporary protection as well in as in acoustical and thermal insulation materials. For automotive, the picture was rather mixed. Whereas the U.S. market performed very well—due to our investment in additional capacity—the European market suffered from the supply chain and semiconductor crises.”

Even as other markets fuel growth, hygiene continues to be TWE’s number one market, representing about half of the company’s sales. Here the company has primarily made air through bonded nonwovens for acquisition and distribution layers in hygiene markets but topsheet and backsheet materials are driving most of the growth in the unit.

“Softness is key for the ATB top and backsheet products and this has been enhanced with natural plant-based materials,” Berens says. “A new area of growth is the development of core concepts as the market is more and more moving away from the classical fluff-based solutions.”

To meet increased demand for these materials, TWE is currently building a new air though bonding line at its site in Belgium, which was formerly owned by Libeltex, it also continues to invest in upgrading the capabilities of existing production lines. Most recently, the company upgraded an ATB line, constructed in 2019, to handle lower material weights at super high speeds.

“We realized in the last months that there is a high demand for ultra-soft materials which we can offer to our customers,” Berens says. “As well as we see the need for sustainable solutions and bio material. This is also a focus in our products – especially in view of our new product line rePEaT.”

RePEat is TWE’s circular product range, made either completely or partially from recycled materials. The three main products in this range include rePEaT circular, which are made from an increased amount of recycled fibers or 100% polyester-based waste from its customers; rePEaT social which are made from plastic that has been collected by people in developing countries who can earn a living in this way and rePEaT bio, which comprises products made from natural fibers and biodegradable fibers, e.g. jute, hemp, bamboo, PLA or PBS.

TWE is working with partners on the development of fully biodegradable fibers and on solutions which are not plastic based. New types of biochemistries are used here as well as molecules coming from nature.“The hygiene customers are also looking to overcome the plastic EU directive and they are looking for innovative solutions coming from nature,” Berens says. “We develop bio based materials and bio compostable materials for the need to reduce the plastic waste.”

In automotives, TWE’s second largest business, developments of next generation products with features like EMI Shielding, acoustic improvements and new eco-friendly FR Solutions based on natural fibers are increasing the volume of nonwovens per car. Other developments include new acoustical nonwoven solutions for electric cars and products using natural fibers.

Market demand for lightweight and sustainable products is in part being met through TWE’s new ATB line in Belgium, which, in addition to hygiene applications, can make acoustical and high performance automotive and filtration products. TWE has also invested in new lab equipment for acoustics and installed two filtration labs in Dierdorf, Germany, and Meulebeke, Belgium.

For TWE Group's 2020 top company profile, click here.
Emsdetten, Germany
www.twe-group.com
2022 Nonwovens Sales: $480 million


Key Personnel
Jörg Ortmeier, CEO; Ralf Berens, CCO

Plants
Germany, France, Belgium, U.S., China

Processes
Air through bonded, chemical bonded, needlepunched, hydroentangled, airlaid

Major Markets
Hygiene, automotives, building, living, filtration, healthcare, cleaning

Increased demand for hygiene products and expansion into new market areas helped sales reach $480 million for TWE Group. In 2022, the company entered the building market for acoustical applications and introduced successful new product innovations in the field of fine air filtration such as ParaHyd for the filter classes EPM1 and EPM2.5, which played a significant role in the field of filtration.

Automotives, particularly in the U.S. continues to be a key driver of success for TWE Group. The Emsdetter, Germany-based company has U.S. sites in Waco, TX, High Point, NC and Indianapolis, IN. This market has lately been characterized by evolving consumer preferences and stricter environmental regulations, meaning suppliers have been challenged with creating materials that are not only more sustainable and technologically advanced but also lighter in weight. In 2022 and 2023, TWE’s focus on lightweight and more eco-friendly solutions has aligned well with the evolving needs of the automotive industry, according to CEO Jörg Ortmeier. “This strategic approach enabled us to seize opportunities in the U.S. automotive sector and achieve high growth rates,” he adds.

In recent months, TWE has worked to modernize its manufacturing sites in Europe, the U.S. and Asia with an aim to enhance efficiency and increase production capacity to effectively meet the growing demand for its products while maintaining a competitive edge. In Europe, TWE has added a line to enhance the lamination processes and create more sophisticated and advanced multilayer products. This investment aligns with TWE’s dedication to innovation and maintaining its leadership in the industry.

In the U.S., where TWE has added a new needlepunch line to produce high quality products in the field of exterior automotive parts efficiently, and in China, the company has constructed a new line for its highly successful CaliWeb Material, a high-performance nonwoven that replaces foam and provides benefits such as enhanced climatization and low VOCs. This reflects the company’s commitment to providing environmentally-friendly cutting-edge solutions to our customers and expanding its capabilities in the Chinese market.

“All these investments serve the purpose of bolstering our capabilities across different regions. By modernizing our facilities and introducing new lines and capacities, we are well-prepared to address the increasing demand for our products,” Ortmeier says.

Within the hygiene market, another strong market for TWE, demand for softer, more sustainable products has led to investment in research and development to create innovative materials that meet these criteria while also focusing environmental consciousness. Last year, the company said it would add an air though bonding line at its site in Belgium, which was formerly owned by Libeltex. It also continues to invest in upgrading the capabilities of existing production lines. Most recently, the company upgraded an ATB line, constructed in 2019 to handle lower material weights at super high speeds.

Within this business area, TWE has also maintained its commitment to investigating raw materials that are not reliant on plastics, aligning with its sustainability objectives. One notable success is the rePEat product line, which has been developed using materials that can be used more than once, reducing the environmental impact of single-use products. The “rePEaT” brand also encompasses a variety of offerings, including biodegradable nonwovens, compostable products and materials crafted from recycled (social) fibers.

TWE was able to develop these products through a collaboration with Plastic Bank, a world leader, that empowers communities to use plastic waste as currency for access to secure income and life-improving benefits.
TWE is also expanding the global reach of its hygiene products through an Indian-based joint venture announced earlier this year.

Noting that India has seen remarkable nonwovens growth in recent years, particularly in the absorbent hygiene market, TWE has partnered with OBT, an Indian textile company, to set up a new  manufacturing facility exclusively dedicated to nonwovens for the health and hygiene sector. The venture aims to contribute to the continued expansion of this growing market.

“This partnership with OBT harnesses our synergistic strengths and extensive industry expertise,” Ortmeier adds. “We are confident that it will open up new avenues, foster innovation, and generate enduring value for our customers and stakeholders.”