01.01.09
(formerly Colbond)
Location: ARNHEM, THE NETHERLANDS
Sales: $195 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Jan van Boldrik, CEO; Bart Austin, president Colbond Inc.; Harry Verbakel, director sales and marketing floor coverings; Blair Rawes, director sales and marketing construction; Randy Cook, director sales and marketing NAFTA
Plants
Emmen and Arnhem, The Netherlands; Obernburg, Germany; Asheville, NC
ISO Status
Global certification for all plants ISO 9001:2008
Processes
Extruded, spunbond, thermal bonded and specialties
Brand Names
Colback, Enkamat, Enkadrain, Colbonddrain, Enkagrid, Enka-Spacer, Enka-Channel, EnkaRetain & Drain
Major Markets
Flooring, automotive, construction, civil engineering, building and various industrial applications
Against a background of a difficult overall macroeconomic situation, a key achievement for Colbond in 2008 was holding nonwoven roll good sales steady and bringing in revenues similar to those achieved in 2007. At the end of the first half of the year, 2008 looked promising with Colbond having grown its business in most core markets. However, things took a turn when the North American building industry was hit by the housing crisis fallout. During the remainder of the year, other segments were also impacted on a global scale by what was to become a worldwide economic downturn.
On both sides of the Atlantic, the company’s 2008 flooring business suffered from weak market demand for floor coverings resulting from the postponed construction of retail and office space. Colback primary backings for tufted carpet tiles, broadloom carpet and walk-off mats all saw declines. “Our leadership in environmentally sustainable backings, along with Colback’s unique performance benefits, were key to limiting the impact of the economic downturn on our turnover in flooring,” stated Jan van Boldrik, CEO.
Meanwhile the economic slowdown and loss of consumer confidence caused a substantial reduction of light vehicle production and negatively affected Colbond’s sales volumes in the automotive industry, where it sells Colback primary and secondary backings for molded car carpets. “However, with Colback Pro, a nonwoven enabling carpet manufacturers to realize cost savings, we managed to significantly increase marketshare,” he said.
In the construction industry, Colbond’s sales of Colback reinforcement for waterproof bituminous roofing membranes were affected to some extent by the overall market trend toward declining demand for carrier materials. In response to trends in its key markets, Colbond has initiated a broad project portfolio to optimize existing manufacturing processes. The company has also further developed its technology base for the production of new products.
Recent product innovations in the flooring area include significant extensions to its range of post-consumer recycled content versions of Colback, which are designed to comply with the industry’s growing demand for environmentally sustainable products. “All standard carpet tile backings are now available with recycled polyester,” Mr. van Boldrik said. “The characteristics and performance of the finished nonwoven are the same as those of virgin raw material products.” He added that the new product range is helping carpet manufacturers gain an additional foothold in sustainable market segments while increasing the efficiency of internal workflows. Development work for a number of other product innovations for tufting end uses is also underway.
In the automotive sector, where cost control is more important than ever all along the supply chain, Colbond has recently invested additional resources to further optimize Colback Pro, a primary backing for tufted car carpet for complex geometries at reduced molding costs. “This investment has started to pay off as we significantly improved our position and gained share in the European automotive market,” he said.
As for Colbond’s efforts in the waning construction industry— where the market for waterproof bituminous roofing membranes has been hit hard by the worldwide economic crisis—lightweight high performance Colback carriers have helped Colbond defend its position in an increasingly price-competitive environment. “The market is shrinking,” he observed, “and no turnaround is expected soon.”
Colbond is seeing positive developments in the civil engineering market, which has been the company’s strongest segment so far in 2009. While all other markets experienced a slow-down as a result of the economic crisis, many geosynthetics players are taking advantage of the governmental funding of infrastructural projects. In particular, sales of Enkagrid geogrids for soil stabilization (for example, in road construction and foundations) are exceeding last year’s performance. In North America the company is increasingly penetrating the geogrid market by partnering with a new distribution partner.
Following in-depth process optimization, Colbond’s new Enkamat line is running smoothly and allows Colbond to offer three-dimensional polymeric monofilament mats in widths up to 2.4 meters. “Civil engineering customers are taking advantage of the wider products as they reduce on-site installation costs,” explained Mr. van Boldrik, adding that testing in new building and industrial applications is underway.
Colbond has also launched several product innovations for civil engineering applications this year. One such roll-out is Enkamat J, an erosion prevention mat specifically designed to protect slopes under extreme erosive risks from rainfall or flooding. According to Colbond, Enkamat J has been well received and the first major order has been secured in France. The product is currently in the tender phase for major erosion control projects across Europe.
Product innovations for industrial applications include a new version of Enka-Channel, a resin flow medium for the production of yachts. Consisting of a monofilament spacer matrix wrapped in a nonwoven fabric, Enka-Channel acts as a feeder speeding up the distribution of resin across glass fiber and is designed to increase the productivity of yacht manufacturing. “Customer feedback has been very positive,” he said, “and we expect sales of Enka-Channel to take off as soon as the overall macroeconomic situation improves.”
Wrapping up, Mr. van Boldrik predicted that environmental sustainability of processes and products will be an increasingly important theme. “The minimization of waste and emission levels, the optimization of energy consumption, the replacement of virgin raw materials with recycled content as well as the development of environmentally friendly products will remain an integral part of our short- and long-term growth strategy,” he concluded.
Location: ARNHEM, THE NETHERLANDS
Sales: $195 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Jan van Boldrik, CEO; Bart Austin, president Colbond Inc.; Harry Verbakel, director sales and marketing floor coverings; Blair Rawes, director sales and marketing construction; Randy Cook, director sales and marketing NAFTA
Plants
Emmen and Arnhem, The Netherlands; Obernburg, Germany; Asheville, NC
ISO Status
Global certification for all plants ISO 9001:2008
Processes
Extruded, spunbond, thermal bonded and specialties
Brand Names
Colback, Enkamat, Enkadrain, Colbonddrain, Enkagrid, Enka-Spacer, Enka-Channel, EnkaRetain & Drain
Major Markets
Flooring, automotive, construction, civil engineering, building and various industrial applications
Against a background of a difficult overall macroeconomic situation, a key achievement for Colbond in 2008 was holding nonwoven roll good sales steady and bringing in revenues similar to those achieved in 2007. At the end of the first half of the year, 2008 looked promising with Colbond having grown its business in most core markets. However, things took a turn when the North American building industry was hit by the housing crisis fallout. During the remainder of the year, other segments were also impacted on a global scale by what was to become a worldwide economic downturn.
On both sides of the Atlantic, the company’s 2008 flooring business suffered from weak market demand for floor coverings resulting from the postponed construction of retail and office space. Colback primary backings for tufted carpet tiles, broadloom carpet and walk-off mats all saw declines. “Our leadership in environmentally sustainable backings, along with Colback’s unique performance benefits, were key to limiting the impact of the economic downturn on our turnover in flooring,” stated Jan van Boldrik, CEO.
Meanwhile the economic slowdown and loss of consumer confidence caused a substantial reduction of light vehicle production and negatively affected Colbond’s sales volumes in the automotive industry, where it sells Colback primary and secondary backings for molded car carpets. “However, with Colback Pro, a nonwoven enabling carpet manufacturers to realize cost savings, we managed to significantly increase marketshare,” he said.
In the construction industry, Colbond’s sales of Colback reinforcement for waterproof bituminous roofing membranes were affected to some extent by the overall market trend toward declining demand for carrier materials. In response to trends in its key markets, Colbond has initiated a broad project portfolio to optimize existing manufacturing processes. The company has also further developed its technology base for the production of new products.
Recent product innovations in the flooring area include significant extensions to its range of post-consumer recycled content versions of Colback, which are designed to comply with the industry’s growing demand for environmentally sustainable products. “All standard carpet tile backings are now available with recycled polyester,” Mr. van Boldrik said. “The characteristics and performance of the finished nonwoven are the same as those of virgin raw material products.” He added that the new product range is helping carpet manufacturers gain an additional foothold in sustainable market segments while increasing the efficiency of internal workflows. Development work for a number of other product innovations for tufting end uses is also underway.
In the automotive sector, where cost control is more important than ever all along the supply chain, Colbond has recently invested additional resources to further optimize Colback Pro, a primary backing for tufted car carpet for complex geometries at reduced molding costs. “This investment has started to pay off as we significantly improved our position and gained share in the European automotive market,” he said.
As for Colbond’s efforts in the waning construction industry— where the market for waterproof bituminous roofing membranes has been hit hard by the worldwide economic crisis—lightweight high performance Colback carriers have helped Colbond defend its position in an increasingly price-competitive environment. “The market is shrinking,” he observed, “and no turnaround is expected soon.”
Colbond is seeing positive developments in the civil engineering market, which has been the company’s strongest segment so far in 2009. While all other markets experienced a slow-down as a result of the economic crisis, many geosynthetics players are taking advantage of the governmental funding of infrastructural projects. In particular, sales of Enkagrid geogrids for soil stabilization (for example, in road construction and foundations) are exceeding last year’s performance. In North America the company is increasingly penetrating the geogrid market by partnering with a new distribution partner.
Following in-depth process optimization, Colbond’s new Enkamat line is running smoothly and allows Colbond to offer three-dimensional polymeric monofilament mats in widths up to 2.4 meters. “Civil engineering customers are taking advantage of the wider products as they reduce on-site installation costs,” explained Mr. van Boldrik, adding that testing in new building and industrial applications is underway.
Colbond has also launched several product innovations for civil engineering applications this year. One such roll-out is Enkamat J, an erosion prevention mat specifically designed to protect slopes under extreme erosive risks from rainfall or flooding. According to Colbond, Enkamat J has been well received and the first major order has been secured in France. The product is currently in the tender phase for major erosion control projects across Europe.
Product innovations for industrial applications include a new version of Enka-Channel, a resin flow medium for the production of yachts. Consisting of a monofilament spacer matrix wrapped in a nonwoven fabric, Enka-Channel acts as a feeder speeding up the distribution of resin across glass fiber and is designed to increase the productivity of yacht manufacturing. “Customer feedback has been very positive,” he said, “and we expect sales of Enka-Channel to take off as soon as the overall macroeconomic situation improves.”
Wrapping up, Mr. van Boldrik predicted that environmental sustainability of processes and products will be an increasingly important theme. “The minimization of waste and emission levels, the optimization of energy consumption, the replacement of virgin raw materials with recycled content as well as the development of environmentally friendly products will remain an integral part of our short- and long-term growth strategy,” he concluded.