09.08.22
After two years of unprecedented growth and investment, the picture for nonwovens in 2021 has certainly changed. Dozens of lines and hundreds of thousands of tons of new capacity—representing all types of nonwovens technologies—were planned around the globe in 2020 and early 2021, following surging demand for protective clothing, healthcare applications, face masks and disinfectant wipes. But, by the end of 2021, investment had slowed as companies faced new challenges like raw material increases, supply chain disruption, soaring energy costs and more.
Amidst these challenges, however, nonwovens producers continue to express optimism about the future, focusing on new product development, partnerships and line improvements, as they wait for new capacity to be utilized and supply challenges to abate. These manufacturers agree that the rate of nonwovens growth globally across most application areas continues to be strong and, while some markets have decreased from their mid-pandemic level highs, they are still stronger than they were before the coronavirus.
Looking ahead, probably the most pressing issue on most companies’ minds is sustainability and how to make their products and their processes greener. For many companies this has meant a look at alternative, bio-based polymers or a focus on increasing the use of recycled materials. These efforts are being driven by many factors—corporate culture, industry demand, retailer directives and even legislative action. It is no exaggeration that these factors are a driving force behind the actions of every single company profiled in this issue, and they will certainly play a key role in shaping the way these firms do business in the future.
By the Numbers
This year’s top companies report includes 40 nonwovens producers located around the world. While many of the leading companies are based in established markets like the U.S. and Western Europe, companies from less developed areas are increasing their role. This year, there continues to be more companies reporting increasing sales, from developing countries like Brazil, Turkey, China, Taiwan and the Czech Republic. Many of these companies are focusing on new line investments and acquisitions, meaning their rankings will only grow in future years.
This year, there are two key names—Georgia-Pacific and Jacob Holm Industries—missing from the report. An early innovator in nonwovens and airlaid fabrics, Georgia-Pacific has slowly decreased its presence in nonwovens in recent years, selling its European business in 2020 and its U.S. assets earlier this year to Glatfelter. Likewise, Jacob Holm, a leader in spunlace technology with plants in the U.S. and Europe, sold its business in its entirety to Glatfelter in 2021.
As is always the case, each company in this survey is ranked on the basis of the prior year (2021) sales, which are translated from local currency to U.S. dollars using the average conversion rate for 2021. In several cases, sales are estimated, and in all instances, these sales figures do not reflect economic factors like currency fluctuations or raw material prices which can skew positions in the ranking. While ranking by annual sales figures is necessary to the nature of this report, it is really the activities of these companies—as reported in their profiles—that should be considered.
* For the 2020 top companies report, which was published in September 2021, click here.
Karen McIntyre
Editor
2021 International Top Companies
1. Berry Global United States $3.1 billion
2. Freudenberg Performance Materials Germany $2.85 billion
3. Ahlstrom Finland $1.6 billion
4. Fitesa Brazil $1.5 billion
5. Kimberly-Clark United States $1.3 billion
6. Glatfelter United States $1.1 billion
7. Toray Industries Japan $1.023 billion
8. DuPont United States $1 billion
9. Alkegen United States $764 million
10. Johns Manville United States $725 million
11. PFNonwovens Czech Republic $690 million
12. Suominen Finland $524 million
13. Hollingsworth & Vose United States $475 million
14. Gulsan Group Turkey $451 million
15. Avgol Israel $450 million
15. Kingsafe Nonwovens China $450 million
15. TWE Group Germany $450 million
18. Sandler Germany $388 million
19. Fibertex Personal Care Denmark $330 million
20. Dalian Ruiguang Nonwoven Group China $320 million
21. Jofo Nonwovens China $300 million
22. Fibertex Nonwovens Denmark $266 million
23. Union Industries Italy $260 million
24. Nan Liu Industries Taiwan $245 million
25. Spuntech Industries Israel $207 million
26. Shalag Israel $200 million
27. Hassan Group Turkey $184 million
28. KNH Enterprises Taiwan $180 million
29. Xingtai Nonwovens China $175 million
30. Mitsui Chemicals Japan $167 million
31. Asahi Kasei Japan $166 million
32. Mogul Nonwovens Turkey $148 million
33. Halyard Health United States $140 million
34. Tenowo GmbH Germany $130 million
35. Saudi German Nonwovens Saudi Arabia $130 million
36. Beijing Dayuan Nonwovens China $121 million
37. Toyobo Japan $114 million
38. Unitika Japan $84 million
39. Precision Textiles United States $80 million
40. Kuraray Japan $74 million
Amidst these challenges, however, nonwovens producers continue to express optimism about the future, focusing on new product development, partnerships and line improvements, as they wait for new capacity to be utilized and supply challenges to abate. These manufacturers agree that the rate of nonwovens growth globally across most application areas continues to be strong and, while some markets have decreased from their mid-pandemic level highs, they are still stronger than they were before the coronavirus.
Looking ahead, probably the most pressing issue on most companies’ minds is sustainability and how to make their products and their processes greener. For many companies this has meant a look at alternative, bio-based polymers or a focus on increasing the use of recycled materials. These efforts are being driven by many factors—corporate culture, industry demand, retailer directives and even legislative action. It is no exaggeration that these factors are a driving force behind the actions of every single company profiled in this issue, and they will certainly play a key role in shaping the way these firms do business in the future.
By the Numbers
This year’s top companies report includes 40 nonwovens producers located around the world. While many of the leading companies are based in established markets like the U.S. and Western Europe, companies from less developed areas are increasing their role. This year, there continues to be more companies reporting increasing sales, from developing countries like Brazil, Turkey, China, Taiwan and the Czech Republic. Many of these companies are focusing on new line investments and acquisitions, meaning their rankings will only grow in future years.
This year, there are two key names—Georgia-Pacific and Jacob Holm Industries—missing from the report. An early innovator in nonwovens and airlaid fabrics, Georgia-Pacific has slowly decreased its presence in nonwovens in recent years, selling its European business in 2020 and its U.S. assets earlier this year to Glatfelter. Likewise, Jacob Holm, a leader in spunlace technology with plants in the U.S. and Europe, sold its business in its entirety to Glatfelter in 2021.
As is always the case, each company in this survey is ranked on the basis of the prior year (2021) sales, which are translated from local currency to U.S. dollars using the average conversion rate for 2021. In several cases, sales are estimated, and in all instances, these sales figures do not reflect economic factors like currency fluctuations or raw material prices which can skew positions in the ranking. While ranking by annual sales figures is necessary to the nature of this report, it is really the activities of these companies—as reported in their profiles—that should be considered.
* For the 2020 top companies report, which was published in September 2021, click here.
Karen McIntyre
Editor
2021 International Top Companies
1. Berry Global United States $3.1 billion
2. Freudenberg Performance Materials Germany $2.85 billion
3. Ahlstrom Finland $1.6 billion
4. Fitesa Brazil $1.5 billion
5. Kimberly-Clark United States $1.3 billion
6. Glatfelter United States $1.1 billion
7. Toray Industries Japan $1.023 billion
8. DuPont United States $1 billion
9. Alkegen United States $764 million
10. Johns Manville United States $725 million
11. PFNonwovens Czech Republic $690 million
12. Suominen Finland $524 million
13. Hollingsworth & Vose United States $475 million
14. Gulsan Group Turkey $451 million
15. Avgol Israel $450 million
15. Kingsafe Nonwovens China $450 million
15. TWE Group Germany $450 million
18. Sandler Germany $388 million
19. Fibertex Personal Care Denmark $330 million
20. Dalian Ruiguang Nonwoven Group China $320 million
21. Jofo Nonwovens China $300 million
22. Fibertex Nonwovens Denmark $266 million
23. Union Industries Italy $260 million
24. Nan Liu Industries Taiwan $245 million
25. Spuntech Industries Israel $207 million
26. Shalag Israel $200 million
27. Hassan Group Turkey $184 million
28. KNH Enterprises Taiwan $180 million
29. Xingtai Nonwovens China $175 million
30. Mitsui Chemicals Japan $167 million
31. Asahi Kasei Japan $166 million
32. Mogul Nonwovens Turkey $148 million
33. Halyard Health United States $140 million
34. Tenowo GmbH Germany $130 million
35. Saudi German Nonwovens Saudi Arabia $130 million
36. Beijing Dayuan Nonwovens China $121 million
37. Toyobo Japan $114 million
38. Unitika Japan $84 million
39. Precision Textiles United States $80 million
40. Kuraray Japan $74 million
