Karen McIntyre, senior editor09.08.14
Last week news broke that Jacob Holm’s acquisition of Sontara spunlace technology from DuPont, a deal announced in June, had been finalized. The acquisition not only broadens Jacob Holm’s presence in the spunlace market and significantly expands its sales, it also provides it with exposure to some important new markets for spunlace.
“It was a good opportunity for Jacob Holm to create a new industry innovation leader for spunlace by combining the two businesses,” says CEO Martin Mikkelsen. “It also shows significant growth for us.”
Adding that the acquisition also gives Jacob Holm a broader range of technological nuances within spunlace, Mikkelsen says that Sontara differs from his company’s existing technologies in terms of carding technology and pulp inclusion. Sontara has found success in a number of niche wipes market, like cleanroom and printing, as well as in a number of medical applications, areas that lie outside of Jacob Holm’s core markets of hygiene and wet wipes.
While spunlaced nonwovens have been challenged by improved grades of spunbond and spunmelt fabrics in recent years, Mikkelse
“It was a good opportunity for Jacob Holm to create a new industry innovation leader for spunlace by combining the two businesses,” says CEO Martin Mikkelsen. “It also shows significant growth for us.”
Adding that the acquisition also gives Jacob Holm a broader range of technological nuances within spunlace, Mikkelsen says that Sontara differs from his company’s existing technologies in terms of carding technology and pulp inclusion. Sontara has found success in a number of niche wipes market, like cleanroom and printing, as well as in a number of medical applications, areas that lie outside of Jacob Holm’s core markets of hygiene and wet wipes.
While spunlaced nonwovens have been challenged by improved grades of spunbond and spunmelt fabrics in recent years, Mikkelse
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