01.01.08
Location: Nakkila, Finland
Sales: $104 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Petri Rolig, president and CEO; Paul-Erik Tolvo, vice president and general manager of Suominen Wipes and Nonwovens; Sakari Santa-Paavola, general manager of Suominen Nonwovens; Peter Kolster, general manager, Suominen Codi Wipes; Olaf van Stempoort, director of sales, Suominen Wipes; Henri Laitervo, director, marketing and offering management, Suominen Wipes; Mikko Pellinen, vice president and general manager of Suominen Flexible Packaging
Plants
Nakkila, Finland
ISO Status
ISO 9001; 14001 environmental certification
Processes
Hydroentangled, thermal bonded
Brand names
Fibrella, Biolace, Novelin
Nonwovens sales were up significantly for Finland’s Suominen Corporation thanks to strong demand in North America as well as continued demand in Europe for its spunlaced nonwovens. Meanwhile, the company’s thermal bonded businesses—a supplier of coverstock material for hygiene items—remained flat.
With sales of €77 million and a sole operation in Nakkila, Finland, Suominen is content with its status as a smaller supplier of thermal bonding as well as a maker of specialty, binder-free nonwovens that can be tailor-made to meet the needs of any wiping or cleaning application.
“In thermal bonded, we have a smaller share and we know we are not a major player but we are fine with that status,” said Henri Laitervo. “In spunlace, demand is still strong and there is enough business to go around.”
Having avoided making “plain vanilla” spunlace nonwovens, Suominen has been able to escape much of the pricing pressures facing this market and has instead offered a value-addded substrate for wipes manufacturers looking for a customizable material. In addition to its Fibrella spunlace brand, last year the company introduced Biolace, which is made from natural or renewable fibers such as viscose, cotton, pulp and PLA, which is produced from corn starch during a fermentation process. Biolace represents a first step toward a new single-use and disposability mentality, according to the company. By combining raw materials from renewable resources with Suominen’s unique energy-saving production process and providing nonwovens able to biodegrade 100% in available municipal compost facilities, Suominen is offering a new offering to the wipes market.
This combined with the introduction of its Amerfeel film and an environmentally friendly wipe lotion has enabled Suominen to offer its customer a fully eco-conscious product. In fact, this ability to be a one-stop shop—achieved through synergies between its nonwovens, wipes and flexible packaging divisions—is one of Suominen’s strongest selling points. Currently, Suominen Wet Wipes consumes about €9-10 million, of 15%, of Suominen nonwovens’ total sales.
Speaking of wet wipes, this portion of Suominen’s business, based in The Netherlands, continues to perform well, comprising about 32% of the company’s total sales. As wipes growth is expected to continue at levels ahead of the GDP, executives expect its wipes buiness to.
Sales: $104 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Petri Rolig, president and CEO; Paul-Erik Tolvo, vice president and general manager of Suominen Wipes and Nonwovens; Sakari Santa-Paavola, general manager of Suominen Nonwovens; Peter Kolster, general manager, Suominen Codi Wipes; Olaf van Stempoort, director of sales, Suominen Wipes; Henri Laitervo, director, marketing and offering management, Suominen Wipes; Mikko Pellinen, vice president and general manager of Suominen Flexible Packaging
Plants
Nakkila, Finland
ISO Status
ISO 9001; 14001 environmental certification
Processes
Hydroentangled, thermal bonded
Brand names
Fibrella, Biolace, Novelin
Nonwovens sales were up significantly for Finland’s Suominen Corporation thanks to strong demand in North America as well as continued demand in Europe for its spunlaced nonwovens. Meanwhile, the company’s thermal bonded businesses—a supplier of coverstock material for hygiene items—remained flat.
With sales of €77 million and a sole operation in Nakkila, Finland, Suominen is content with its status as a smaller supplier of thermal bonding as well as a maker of specialty, binder-free nonwovens that can be tailor-made to meet the needs of any wiping or cleaning application.
“In thermal bonded, we have a smaller share and we know we are not a major player but we are fine with that status,” said Henri Laitervo. “In spunlace, demand is still strong and there is enough business to go around.”
Having avoided making “plain vanilla” spunlace nonwovens, Suominen has been able to escape much of the pricing pressures facing this market and has instead offered a value-addded substrate for wipes manufacturers looking for a customizable material. In addition to its Fibrella spunlace brand, last year the company introduced Biolace, which is made from natural or renewable fibers such as viscose, cotton, pulp and PLA, which is produced from corn starch during a fermentation process. Biolace represents a first step toward a new single-use and disposability mentality, according to the company. By combining raw materials from renewable resources with Suominen’s unique energy-saving production process and providing nonwovens able to biodegrade 100% in available municipal compost facilities, Suominen is offering a new offering to the wipes market.
This combined with the introduction of its Amerfeel film and an environmentally friendly wipe lotion has enabled Suominen to offer its customer a fully eco-conscious product. In fact, this ability to be a one-stop shop—achieved through synergies between its nonwovens, wipes and flexible packaging divisions—is one of Suominen’s strongest selling points. Currently, Suominen Wet Wipes consumes about €9-10 million, of 15%, of Suominen nonwovens’ total sales.
Speaking of wet wipes, this portion of Suominen’s business, based in The Netherlands, continues to perform well, comprising about 32% of the company’s total sales. As wipes growth is expected to continue at levels ahead of the GDP, executives expect its wipes buiness to.