01.01.09
Location: WILMINGTON, DE
Sales: $1.4 Billion
Description: Key Personnel
Thomas Powell, vice president and general manager of DuPont Protection Technologies; Nigel Budden, global market leader, DuPont Protection Technologies; Roger K. Siemionko, global technology leader, DuPont Protection Technologies
Plants
Richmond, VA (Tyvek), Old Hickory, TN (spunlace, Suprel, Softesse), Luxembourg (Tyvek, Typar), Asturias, Spain (spunlace) Shenzhen, China (Tyvek and Spunlace converting facility),
Seoul, Korea (HMT), Brazil J/V (Spunlace)
ISO Status
All plants are ISO 9002 certified, Luxembourg facility is also 9001 certified
Processes
Flashspun (Tyvek), spunbond (Typar), spunlace, Advanced Composite Technology, Hybrid Membrane Technology
Brand Names
Tyvek, Tychem, Sontara, Suprel, Softesse, ComforMax, Typar
Major Markets
Construction, healthcare, protective apparel, industrial filtration, absorbents, home furnishings, envelopes, geotextiles, graphics, packaging, footwear, automotive
DuPont Nonwovens has merged with its sister units Advanced Fiber Systems and DuPont Personal Protection to form a new business unit, DuPont Protection Technologies. Formed in July, the new organization groups together technologies and products that protect lives, the environment and critical processes worldwide. Thomas Powell, who had been serving as vice president and general manager of DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems, is leading the organization as vice president and general manager.
Barry Granger, former vice president and general manager of DuPont Nonwovens, has been named vice president and general manager of government marketing and affairs, responsible for accelerating business growth in the public sector with a focus on the U.S. economic stimulus package and other policy programs.
“We are tremendously excited about the opportunities created for our people and our customers by combining these businesses,” said Mr. Powell. “We believe we will be able to quickly simplify internal processes, increase the speed of decision-making and more fully leverage our large investments in research and development across market segments. These changes will lead to more rapid innovation and improve our responsiveness to customers.”
Mr. Powell emphasized that DuPont Protection Technologies will continue to operate its existing manufacturing and research facilities around the world and that there are no plans to close or combine any sites as a result of the restructuring. He also stressed that the business remains committed to the current business strategies and market segments.
“It’s really about growth and efficiency,” he added. “We have a lot of overlap between the businesses. For example, our Industrial Protection segment makes garments using Kevlar, Nomex and Tyvek. We looked at the missions of Nonwovens and Advanced Fiber Systems, and they were both focused on protecting the environment, protecting lives and protecting critical processes. Through the merger, we have leveraged the large investment in research and development, and there are a lot more synergies we can take advantage of by pulling them together.”
Initially, the synergies are strongest on the garment side, but DuPont believes that further technology synergies will quickly be obvious. While the center of gravity for the businesses is at the same facility—DuPont’s Richmond, VA site—they have historically operated independently of one another.
“We want to be leaner and faster in the eyes of our customers,” said Nigel Budden, global market leader of DuPont Protection Technologies. “This brings us together in a manner that enables customers to more easily recognize who we are. The new strategic business unit has a strong focus on regional execution to get a lot closer to the day to day ins and outs of dealing with our customers.”
No stranger to nonwovens, Mr. Budden was the global business director for DuPont’s Sontara business unit prior to the organizational change. He described 2008 as a growth year until the fourth quarter when the dynamics changed completely and the company saw a weakening across many of its businesses. These sales have yet to rebound, but executives are cautiously optimistic that they have reached a bottom.
With a huge presence in the construction market with its Tyvek flashspun nonwovens, DuPont reacted quickly to the global economic downturn, initiating two rounds of restructuring lay-offs— one in December 2008 and another in May 2009. DuPont has adjusted its capacity levels to meet global demand. On the spunlace side, this has meant the idling of a straight fiber spunlace line in Old Hickory, TN, which was targeted largely at the wipes market. In flashspun, output has been reduced, but so far no lines have been permanently closed. The goal, executives say, is to protect as many jobs as possible for when the market comes back.
Also prepping the company for the economy’s return to life is a continued focus on research and development, much of which revolves around protective barrier applications like Tyvek construction materials and medical packaging grades, Sontara and Suprel medical gowns and DuPont’s Hybrid Membrane Technology (HMT) and its role in filtration and energy storage applications.
“Flexible barrier protection is the sweet spot of our technology scope,” said Roger Siemionko, global technology leader for DuPont Protection Technologies. “We are able to offer a whole range from Tyvek to HMT to meet a number of needs. We are working very hard at extending the range of our barrier offerings by expanding the capabilities of those base technologies to give us different technologies.”
HMT, which was purchased from a South Korean company in 2005, bridges the gap between a nonwoven and a membrane and has seen significant attention in the gas turbine and liquid coalescing markets. More recently, attention has been paid in the lithium ion battery market, Dr. Siemionko added. HMT is being made in Korea and is being targeted globally.
Meanwhile, Tyvek, DuPont’s original nonwovens technology developed more than four decades ago, continues to be improved, making it not only more protective but also more breathable. This has opened up new opportunities for Tyvek in construction, despite weakness in that market, and in protective apparel.
On the new market front, use of Tyvek is growing in the agriculture field and is making inroads in the lighting market where its high reflectivity can increase lighting efficiency by 50%.
In April, DuPont introduced DuPont Tyvek Vivia, a coated material for wide-format printing. Tyvek Vivia is a recyclable solution that is excellent for printing graphics, resists creases for a more polished look and offers superior durability for indoor and outdoor banner and sign applications.
In other news, DuPont, together with Waste Management, has launched a national mail-in recycling program to capture banners, envelopes and other items printed on DuPont Tyvek. This provides a method for printers and other large volume users of printed products who are looking for a responsible and simple alternative to adding Tyvek to the nation’s landfills.
Meanwhile on the spunlace side, DuPont’s medical garment business, containing Softesse spunlaced materials, garments made with Advanced Composite Technology and Acturel film offerings, remained strong throughout 2008 thanks to strength in the medical business. While spunlaced nonwovens have been challenged by spunmelt in the medical arena, DuPont has been able to fight back with its ACT, which combines the strength of polyester with the softness of polyethylene in one garment. “ACT is a bicomponent material and as such it is definitely positioned at the high end of the garment industry in general, but the value proposition is its ability to offer high levels of protection and comfort,” said Mr. Budden.
Moving forward, executives expect DuPont’s nonwovens offerings to continue to benefit and expand from a continued stream of research and development efforts. “If you look at the newly created DuPont Protection Technologies, it is a high investment area for the company, meaning that moving forward, nonwovens won’t be starved for resources,” Mr. Powell said. “There is a lot of fundamental work going on related to DuPont nonwovens. We are definitely looking at routes to fine fiber technology— say, below one micron—in addition to what we are doing with HMT. This should give us access to markets outside of where we are today. “
Sales: $1.4 Billion
Description: Key Personnel
Thomas Powell, vice president and general manager of DuPont Protection Technologies; Nigel Budden, global market leader, DuPont Protection Technologies; Roger K. Siemionko, global technology leader, DuPont Protection Technologies
Plants
Richmond, VA (Tyvek), Old Hickory, TN (spunlace, Suprel, Softesse), Luxembourg (Tyvek, Typar), Asturias, Spain (spunlace) Shenzhen, China (Tyvek and Spunlace converting facility),
Seoul, Korea (HMT), Brazil J/V (Spunlace)
ISO Status
All plants are ISO 9002 certified, Luxembourg facility is also 9001 certified
Processes
Flashspun (Tyvek), spunbond (Typar), spunlace, Advanced Composite Technology, Hybrid Membrane Technology
Brand Names
Tyvek, Tychem, Sontara, Suprel, Softesse, ComforMax, Typar
Major Markets
Construction, healthcare, protective apparel, industrial filtration, absorbents, home furnishings, envelopes, geotextiles, graphics, packaging, footwear, automotive
DuPont Nonwovens has merged with its sister units Advanced Fiber Systems and DuPont Personal Protection to form a new business unit, DuPont Protection Technologies. Formed in July, the new organization groups together technologies and products that protect lives, the environment and critical processes worldwide. Thomas Powell, who had been serving as vice president and general manager of DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems, is leading the organization as vice president and general manager.
Barry Granger, former vice president and general manager of DuPont Nonwovens, has been named vice president and general manager of government marketing and affairs, responsible for accelerating business growth in the public sector with a focus on the U.S. economic stimulus package and other policy programs.
“We are tremendously excited about the opportunities created for our people and our customers by combining these businesses,” said Mr. Powell. “We believe we will be able to quickly simplify internal processes, increase the speed of decision-making and more fully leverage our large investments in research and development across market segments. These changes will lead to more rapid innovation and improve our responsiveness to customers.”
Mr. Powell emphasized that DuPont Protection Technologies will continue to operate its existing manufacturing and research facilities around the world and that there are no plans to close or combine any sites as a result of the restructuring. He also stressed that the business remains committed to the current business strategies and market segments.
“It’s really about growth and efficiency,” he added. “We have a lot of overlap between the businesses. For example, our Industrial Protection segment makes garments using Kevlar, Nomex and Tyvek. We looked at the missions of Nonwovens and Advanced Fiber Systems, and they were both focused on protecting the environment, protecting lives and protecting critical processes. Through the merger, we have leveraged the large investment in research and development, and there are a lot more synergies we can take advantage of by pulling them together.”
Initially, the synergies are strongest on the garment side, but DuPont believes that further technology synergies will quickly be obvious. While the center of gravity for the businesses is at the same facility—DuPont’s Richmond, VA site—they have historically operated independently of one another.
“We want to be leaner and faster in the eyes of our customers,” said Nigel Budden, global market leader of DuPont Protection Technologies. “This brings us together in a manner that enables customers to more easily recognize who we are. The new strategic business unit has a strong focus on regional execution to get a lot closer to the day to day ins and outs of dealing with our customers.”
No stranger to nonwovens, Mr. Budden was the global business director for DuPont’s Sontara business unit prior to the organizational change. He described 2008 as a growth year until the fourth quarter when the dynamics changed completely and the company saw a weakening across many of its businesses. These sales have yet to rebound, but executives are cautiously optimistic that they have reached a bottom.
With a huge presence in the construction market with its Tyvek flashspun nonwovens, DuPont reacted quickly to the global economic downturn, initiating two rounds of restructuring lay-offs— one in December 2008 and another in May 2009. DuPont has adjusted its capacity levels to meet global demand. On the spunlace side, this has meant the idling of a straight fiber spunlace line in Old Hickory, TN, which was targeted largely at the wipes market. In flashspun, output has been reduced, but so far no lines have been permanently closed. The goal, executives say, is to protect as many jobs as possible for when the market comes back.
Also prepping the company for the economy’s return to life is a continued focus on research and development, much of which revolves around protective barrier applications like Tyvek construction materials and medical packaging grades, Sontara and Suprel medical gowns and DuPont’s Hybrid Membrane Technology (HMT) and its role in filtration and energy storage applications.
“Flexible barrier protection is the sweet spot of our technology scope,” said Roger Siemionko, global technology leader for DuPont Protection Technologies. “We are able to offer a whole range from Tyvek to HMT to meet a number of needs. We are working very hard at extending the range of our barrier offerings by expanding the capabilities of those base technologies to give us different technologies.”
HMT, which was purchased from a South Korean company in 2005, bridges the gap between a nonwoven and a membrane and has seen significant attention in the gas turbine and liquid coalescing markets. More recently, attention has been paid in the lithium ion battery market, Dr. Siemionko added. HMT is being made in Korea and is being targeted globally.
Meanwhile, Tyvek, DuPont’s original nonwovens technology developed more than four decades ago, continues to be improved, making it not only more protective but also more breathable. This has opened up new opportunities for Tyvek in construction, despite weakness in that market, and in protective apparel.
On the new market front, use of Tyvek is growing in the agriculture field and is making inroads in the lighting market where its high reflectivity can increase lighting efficiency by 50%.
In April, DuPont introduced DuPont Tyvek Vivia, a coated material for wide-format printing. Tyvek Vivia is a recyclable solution that is excellent for printing graphics, resists creases for a more polished look and offers superior durability for indoor and outdoor banner and sign applications.
In other news, DuPont, together with Waste Management, has launched a national mail-in recycling program to capture banners, envelopes and other items printed on DuPont Tyvek. This provides a method for printers and other large volume users of printed products who are looking for a responsible and simple alternative to adding Tyvek to the nation’s landfills.
Meanwhile on the spunlace side, DuPont’s medical garment business, containing Softesse spunlaced materials, garments made with Advanced Composite Technology and Acturel film offerings, remained strong throughout 2008 thanks to strength in the medical business. While spunlaced nonwovens have been challenged by spunmelt in the medical arena, DuPont has been able to fight back with its ACT, which combines the strength of polyester with the softness of polyethylene in one garment. “ACT is a bicomponent material and as such it is definitely positioned at the high end of the garment industry in general, but the value proposition is its ability to offer high levels of protection and comfort,” said Mr. Budden.
Moving forward, executives expect DuPont’s nonwovens offerings to continue to benefit and expand from a continued stream of research and development efforts. “If you look at the newly created DuPont Protection Technologies, it is a high investment area for the company, meaning that moving forward, nonwovens won’t be starved for resources,” Mr. Powell said. “There is a lot of fundamental work going on related to DuPont nonwovens. We are definitely looking at routes to fine fiber technology— say, below one micron—in addition to what we are doing with HMT. This should give us access to markets outside of where we are today. “