01.01.02
Location: Manchester, CT
Sales: $120 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Roger Widmann, chairman of the board; Christopher Skomorowski, president and CEO; Walter Ruschmeyer, executive vice president of finance and administration and CFO; Raymond Grupinski, group president, Thermal/Acoustical; Kevin Lynch, group president, Filtration/Separation; Bill Franks, president of Lydall Transport, Ltd.; James Carolan, vice president–e-commerce; Steven Thompson, vice president–investor relations and corporate secretary; Mona Estey, vice president—human resources; Tom Smith, vice president and controller; Mary Tremblay, vice president and general counsel; Richard Kopp, chief information officer
ISO Status
Saint-Rivalain, Melrand, France ISO 9002 certified; Rochester, NH ISO 9001 certified; Green Island ISO 9001 certified; Hamptonville, NC, Columbus, OH and St. Johnsbury, VT ISO 9001 and QS 9000, 3rd Edition certified; Charter Medical CE certified for blood management products, ISO 9001 certified, Lakewood, NJ FDA-registered manufacturer, Winston-Salem, NC FDA-registered distributor; Gerhardi ISO TS 16949 VDA 6.1, ISO 14001
Lydall Filtration/Separation Group
P.O. Box 1960; 134 Chestnut Hill Road
Rochester, NH 03867
Telephone: 603-332-4600
Fax: 603-332-9602
Plants
Rochester, NH; Saint-Rivalain, Melrand, France
Processes
Wet laid, melt blown
Brand Names
LydAir high efficiency air filtering media; LyPore industrial liquid filtering media; ActiPure activated carbon purifying and filtering media; TechniMat carbon fiber-based mats, Lyflex
Major Markets
Air and liquid filtration, separators, advanced composites
Charter Medical, Ltd.
A Lydall Company
3948-A West Point Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Telephone: 336-768-6447
Fax: 336-774-1750
Plants
Winston-Salem, NC; Lakewood, NJ
Processes
Needlepunch; fabricating
Major Markets
Biomedical and blood filtration devices and bioprocessing components
Lydall Thermal/Acoustical Group
Brooks Crossroads; Hamptonville, NC 27020
Tel: 336-468-8522
Fax: 336-468-8555
Plants
Hamptonville, NC; Columbus, OH; St. Johnsbury, VT; Meinerzhagen, Germany
Processes
Needlepunch; fabricating
Brand Names
LyTherm thermal barrier materials, dB Core sound barriers, ZeroClearance Thermal and acoustical shields, AMS (All-Metal) heat shields, single wall aluminum shields
Major Markets
Automotive heat management and acoustical applications
Lydall Industrial Thermal Solutions
P.O. Box 328, Troy, NY 12181
Tel: 518-273-6320; Fax: 518-273-6361
Plant
Green Island, NY
Process
Wet laid
Brand Names
CryoTherm cryogenic insulation; ManniWeb synthetic fiber nonwovens; ManniGlass glass fiber nonwovens; Manning specialty papers; LyTherm high temperature insulation media
Major Markets
Heat management solutions, flame barriers, electrical insulation, structural and composite materials
Lydall Ossipee Operation
775 Route 16, P. O. Box 1000
Ossipee, NH 03864
Tel: 603-539-3600; Fax: 603-539-2422
Major Markets
Heat management with thermal control units for the semi-conductor, biopharmaceutical, laser and other demanding end uses
Lydall Transport, Ltd.
615 Parker Street, Manchester, CT 06040
Tel: 860-646-1233; Fax: 860 645-0822
Plants
Manchester, CT; Glen Allen, VA; Newport News, VA
A slight decline in nonwovens sales was mainly attributed to divestitures and economic factors, for roll goods producer Lydall, Inc., Manchester, CT. The company’s roll goods sales decreased to $120 million last year compared to $130 million in 2000. Despite this decrease, Lydall has been able to achieve significant growth in its core areas, Filtration/
Separation and Thermal/Acoustical. The two segments represent approximately 86% of the company’s overall sales, compared to 61% in 1998, when Lydall strategically decided to focus on these two core areas.
“We have seen 40% growth in our two core areas since 1998,” explained president and chief executive officer Christopher Skomorowski. “This shows that what we set out to do is working.”
As part of the aforementioned strategy, Lydall divested its non-core businesses in 2000 and in early 2001. Accounting for approximately one-third of Lydall’s total business, these divested assets include the Southern Products Division, the Gerhardi chrome plating and injection molding operations, a composites materials plant and a boxboard business. Now that the divestment process is complete, Lydall is focusing on product development to further boost its two core segments. In 2001, approximately $26 million of the company’s total sales of $224 million were generated through the sale of products that did not exist three years ago.
On the nonwovens side of the business, one new product seeing a great deal of activity is the ActiPure liquid filtration product used in home filtration devices. This carbon filter is reportedly used in Cincinnati, OH-based Proctor & Gamble’s Pur drinking water filtration system. On the industrial side of the business, Lypore XL high performance filtration media is finding application in hydraulic applications and fluid power where cellulose has traditionally been used.
Turning toward the automotives segment, which forms the bulk of Lydall’s Thermal/Acoustical segment, one new product is Zero Clearance, a needlepunched composite structure containing polyester, glass and aramid fibers. This “peel and stick” product reportedly eliminates attachment points under the body of the vehicle.
Speaking of the company’s automotives business, this segment continues to comprise 78% of the Thermal/Acoustical group or 45% of overall sales for Lydall. In recent months, this market has been characterized by fewer builds and increased competition, but Lydall has remained competitive by offering a total system solution for automotives with its products being used in more areas of the car than ever before.
Lydall’s automotives segment has also received a boost from the construction of a 86,000 square foot facility in St. Johnsbury, VT, completed last year. The new facility was built in response to new business generated through contracts with several leading automobile manufacturers. Lydall also expanded its automotive facility in Hamptonville, NC last year to accommodate production of dB Core, an acoustical nonwoven material that achieves superior sound abatement levels without noxious odors or environment containment problems.
Despite its long standing success in the automotives industry, Lydall executives are striving to become less reliant on the market. This goal, however, would not be achieved by decreasing the company’s automotives business. Instead, Lydall will focus on boosting its business in other segments through both external and internal growth. “We are always looking for possible acquisitions in the non-automotives segment, “ Mr. Skomorowski explained. “While nothing is imminent, we always consider acquisition as a way to boost our industrial thermal/acoustical or filtration/separation business.”
Turning to the Filtration/Separation segment, the group’s sales continue to increase. Because the segment continues to be the smaller of Lydall’s two core businesses, executives view it as a prime area for growth. In addition to the new products mentioned above, this segment is benefiting from an expanding customer base both in the U.S. and Europe as well as new technology developments related to melt blown nonwovens.
Earlier this year, Lydall completed a project that both improved its melt blown technology and boosted its European business when it upgraded two melt blown lines housed in its Rochester, NH facility. While one of these lines remains in New Hampshire to serve Lydall’s U.S. customer base, the other was relocated to the company’s site in Saint-Rivalain, France. “We are serving similar customers in the U.S. and Europe,” Mr. Skomorowski explained, “so we decided to relocate. We are now saving shipping costs while better positioning our melt blown product line in France.” The Saint-Rivalain site also produces Lydall’s Lydair high efficiency air filtration media.
Lydall’s commitment to the European market does not end with its new melt blown line in France. While only a small portion of the company’s current sales are conducted in Europe, the strength of the European automotive market as well as other economical factors continue to make the continent a potential growth area for Lydall. In Asia, the economic picture is not as rosy in the short term. Despite this, Lydall is expanding its position beyond the Japanese sales office. A business center is being established in Taiwan to support both the existing and developing customer base across the filtration/separation and industrial thermal solution businesses.
In terms of overall sales strategy, one area of continued interest for Lydall is the internet. After redesigning its corporate website, www.lydall.com, in January 2001, the company took its first try at direct consumer sales in May when it launched www.coolandquiet.com, an e-commerce site targeting consumers in the car restoration market. Included in the products for sale on this site are Zero Clearance, Lydall’s LyTherm composite material for thermal and acoustical applications and dblyte. The website marks not only Lydall’s first entry into e-commerce but also its first move into direct retail sales. “This is a market where people haven’t had an opportunity to buy these products directly,” Mr. Skomorowski explained. “Right now it makes a lot of sense for us.”
While it’s too early to gauge whether or not direct to consumer e-commerce will be successful for Lydall, the company is focusing on new products and new markets for future growth. This and a possible acquisition in its non-automotive segments could add up to a strong future for Lydall.
Sales: $120 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Roger Widmann, chairman of the board; Christopher Skomorowski, president and CEO; Walter Ruschmeyer, executive vice president of finance and administration and CFO; Raymond Grupinski, group president, Thermal/Acoustical; Kevin Lynch, group president, Filtration/Separation; Bill Franks, president of Lydall Transport, Ltd.; James Carolan, vice president–e-commerce; Steven Thompson, vice president–investor relations and corporate secretary; Mona Estey, vice president—human resources; Tom Smith, vice president and controller; Mary Tremblay, vice president and general counsel; Richard Kopp, chief information officer
ISO Status
Saint-Rivalain, Melrand, France ISO 9002 certified; Rochester, NH ISO 9001 certified; Green Island ISO 9001 certified; Hamptonville, NC, Columbus, OH and St. Johnsbury, VT ISO 9001 and QS 9000, 3rd Edition certified; Charter Medical CE certified for blood management products, ISO 9001 certified, Lakewood, NJ FDA-registered manufacturer, Winston-Salem, NC FDA-registered distributor; Gerhardi ISO TS 16949 VDA 6.1, ISO 14001
Lydall Filtration/Separation Group
P.O. Box 1960; 134 Chestnut Hill Road
Rochester, NH 03867
Telephone: 603-332-4600
Fax: 603-332-9602
Plants
Rochester, NH; Saint-Rivalain, Melrand, France
Processes
Wet laid, melt blown
Brand Names
LydAir high efficiency air filtering media; LyPore industrial liquid filtering media; ActiPure activated carbon purifying and filtering media; TechniMat carbon fiber-based mats, Lyflex
Major Markets
Air and liquid filtration, separators, advanced composites
Charter Medical, Ltd.
A Lydall Company
3948-A West Point Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Telephone: 336-768-6447
Fax: 336-774-1750
Plants
Winston-Salem, NC; Lakewood, NJ
Processes
Needlepunch; fabricating
Major Markets
Biomedical and blood filtration devices and bioprocessing components
Lydall Thermal/Acoustical Group
Brooks Crossroads; Hamptonville, NC 27020
Tel: 336-468-8522
Fax: 336-468-8555
Plants
Hamptonville, NC; Columbus, OH; St. Johnsbury, VT; Meinerzhagen, Germany
Processes
Needlepunch; fabricating
Brand Names
LyTherm thermal barrier materials, dB Core sound barriers, ZeroClearance Thermal and acoustical shields, AMS (All-Metal) heat shields, single wall aluminum shields
Major Markets
Automotive heat management and acoustical applications
Lydall Industrial Thermal Solutions
P.O. Box 328, Troy, NY 12181
Tel: 518-273-6320; Fax: 518-273-6361
Plant
Green Island, NY
Process
Wet laid
Brand Names
CryoTherm cryogenic insulation; ManniWeb synthetic fiber nonwovens; ManniGlass glass fiber nonwovens; Manning specialty papers; LyTherm high temperature insulation media
Major Markets
Heat management solutions, flame barriers, electrical insulation, structural and composite materials
Lydall Ossipee Operation
775 Route 16, P. O. Box 1000
Ossipee, NH 03864
Tel: 603-539-3600; Fax: 603-539-2422
Major Markets
Heat management with thermal control units for the semi-conductor, biopharmaceutical, laser and other demanding end uses
Lydall Transport, Ltd.
615 Parker Street, Manchester, CT 06040
Tel: 860-646-1233; Fax: 860 645-0822
Plants
Manchester, CT; Glen Allen, VA; Newport News, VA
A slight decline in nonwovens sales was mainly attributed to divestitures and economic factors, for roll goods producer Lydall, Inc., Manchester, CT. The company’s roll goods sales decreased to $120 million last year compared to $130 million in 2000. Despite this decrease, Lydall has been able to achieve significant growth in its core areas, Filtration/
Separation and Thermal/Acoustical. The two segments represent approximately 86% of the company’s overall sales, compared to 61% in 1998, when Lydall strategically decided to focus on these two core areas.
“We have seen 40% growth in our two core areas since 1998,” explained president and chief executive officer Christopher Skomorowski. “This shows that what we set out to do is working.”
As part of the aforementioned strategy, Lydall divested its non-core businesses in 2000 and in early 2001. Accounting for approximately one-third of Lydall’s total business, these divested assets include the Southern Products Division, the Gerhardi chrome plating and injection molding operations, a composites materials plant and a boxboard business. Now that the divestment process is complete, Lydall is focusing on product development to further boost its two core segments. In 2001, approximately $26 million of the company’s total sales of $224 million were generated through the sale of products that did not exist three years ago.
On the nonwovens side of the business, one new product seeing a great deal of activity is the ActiPure liquid filtration product used in home filtration devices. This carbon filter is reportedly used in Cincinnati, OH-based Proctor & Gamble’s Pur drinking water filtration system. On the industrial side of the business, Lypore XL high performance filtration media is finding application in hydraulic applications and fluid power where cellulose has traditionally been used.
Turning toward the automotives segment, which forms the bulk of Lydall’s Thermal/Acoustical segment, one new product is Zero Clearance, a needlepunched composite structure containing polyester, glass and aramid fibers. This “peel and stick” product reportedly eliminates attachment points under the body of the vehicle.
Speaking of the company’s automotives business, this segment continues to comprise 78% of the Thermal/Acoustical group or 45% of overall sales for Lydall. In recent months, this market has been characterized by fewer builds and increased competition, but Lydall has remained competitive by offering a total system solution for automotives with its products being used in more areas of the car than ever before.
Lydall’s automotives segment has also received a boost from the construction of a 86,000 square foot facility in St. Johnsbury, VT, completed last year. The new facility was built in response to new business generated through contracts with several leading automobile manufacturers. Lydall also expanded its automotive facility in Hamptonville, NC last year to accommodate production of dB Core, an acoustical nonwoven material that achieves superior sound abatement levels without noxious odors or environment containment problems.
Despite its long standing success in the automotives industry, Lydall executives are striving to become less reliant on the market. This goal, however, would not be achieved by decreasing the company’s automotives business. Instead, Lydall will focus on boosting its business in other segments through both external and internal growth. “We are always looking for possible acquisitions in the non-automotives segment, “ Mr. Skomorowski explained. “While nothing is imminent, we always consider acquisition as a way to boost our industrial thermal/acoustical or filtration/separation business.”
Turning to the Filtration/Separation segment, the group’s sales continue to increase. Because the segment continues to be the smaller of Lydall’s two core businesses, executives view it as a prime area for growth. In addition to the new products mentioned above, this segment is benefiting from an expanding customer base both in the U.S. and Europe as well as new technology developments related to melt blown nonwovens.
Earlier this year, Lydall completed a project that both improved its melt blown technology and boosted its European business when it upgraded two melt blown lines housed in its Rochester, NH facility. While one of these lines remains in New Hampshire to serve Lydall’s U.S. customer base, the other was relocated to the company’s site in Saint-Rivalain, France. “We are serving similar customers in the U.S. and Europe,” Mr. Skomorowski explained, “so we decided to relocate. We are now saving shipping costs while better positioning our melt blown product line in France.” The Saint-Rivalain site also produces Lydall’s Lydair high efficiency air filtration media.
Lydall’s commitment to the European market does not end with its new melt blown line in France. While only a small portion of the company’s current sales are conducted in Europe, the strength of the European automotive market as well as other economical factors continue to make the continent a potential growth area for Lydall. In Asia, the economic picture is not as rosy in the short term. Despite this, Lydall is expanding its position beyond the Japanese sales office. A business center is being established in Taiwan to support both the existing and developing customer base across the filtration/separation and industrial thermal solution businesses.
In terms of overall sales strategy, one area of continued interest for Lydall is the internet. After redesigning its corporate website, www.lydall.com, in January 2001, the company took its first try at direct consumer sales in May when it launched www.coolandquiet.com, an e-commerce site targeting consumers in the car restoration market. Included in the products for sale on this site are Zero Clearance, Lydall’s LyTherm composite material for thermal and acoustical applications and dblyte. The website marks not only Lydall’s first entry into e-commerce but also its first move into direct retail sales. “This is a market where people haven’t had an opportunity to buy these products directly,” Mr. Skomorowski explained. “Right now it makes a lot of sense for us.”
While it’s too early to gauge whether or not direct to consumer e-commerce will be successful for Lydall, the company is focusing on new products and new markets for future growth. This and a possible acquisition in its non-automotive segments could add up to a strong future for Lydall.