09.03.21
Aalborg, Denmark
www.fibertexnonwovens.com
2020 Nonwovens Sales: $285 million
Key Personnel
Jorgen Bech Madsen, CEO; Henrik Kjeldsen, CCO; Lars Bertelsen, COO: Steen Bach Svoldgaard, CFO; Lancelot Woolley, Group R&D director; Bjarne Knudsen, managing director
Plants
Denmark, Czech Republic, U.S., France, Turkey, South Africa, Brazil
Processes
Needlepunch, spunlace, impregnating, coating
Major Markets
Acoustics, automotives, bedding, building, composites, concrete, construction, filtration, flooring, furniture, geotextiles, home and garden, horticulture, wipes
Investments on both sides of the Atlantic will set up Fibertex Nonwovens, headquartered in Aalborg, Denmark, for significant growth. The company is investing DKK 600 million in a series of investments at its sites in the Czech Republic, Turkey and the U.S.
In spring 2021, Fibertex Nonwovens said it would add capacity and increase capabilities at its sites in South Carolina, the Czech Republic and Turkey as part of a plan to drive its sales to $400 million by 2026 from $285 million in 2020.
“Demand for our nonwovens has increased significantly in recent years. It concerns particularly the more specialized applications and high-performance materials for the healthcare sector, industrial products, specialist acoustic products for the automotive industry, nanofiltration for industrial purposes, etc.,” says Jorgen Bech Madsen, CEO. “Our business development and research activities over the past 10 years have afforded us a leading position in both Europe and the U.S. and this is the direct reason for the investment.”
Much of the North American investment will involve land acquisition as well as the construction of a new spunlace line at its site in Grey Court, SC. This new line is described as a high capacity, state-of-the-art spunlace line which will allow the company to process sustainable materials and make unique substrates. Fibertex purchased the South Carolina site in early 2019 and added a spunlace line in 2019 and a needlepunch line—which was relocated from South Africa— in 2020. The company expects to increase revenue from its U.S. operations, which also includes a needlepunch operation in Illinois, to more than DKK 1 billion, or $160 million, within a few years.
In Europe, Fibertex Nonwovens is adding a spunlace line in Svitavy, Czech Republic, as part of its European investment program. This program also includes increased capacity as well as the addition of finishing and coating lines at its site in Turkey. These investments will help target growth in the disinfectant wipes and healthcare sectors.
“We’ve got a lean and high-tech production setup with clear focus on innovation, and the new production line is to serve the huge demand for disinfection wipes from the healthcare sector,” Bech Madsen says. “This demand was rising even before the coronavirus pandemic, but we expect it to increase even further in the coming years. With this new investment, we’ll be able to offer new and sustainable product properties that’ll help meet the demands of the future in this field. At the same time, we’re freeing up capacity at several of our other European plants, allowing us to explore new opportunities within the manufacture of acoustic products for the automotive industry and products for filtration.”
In recent years, Fibertex Nonwovens has expanded its global footprint through the acquisition of the Turkish site from Ribatek Nonwovens as well as manufacturing assets in France, the Czech Republic, Brazil and the U.S., and has established a greenfield site in South Africa.
“It’s crucial that we take advantage of the current momentum to strengthen our position. There’s an ‘open window’ for expansion and we’ve got the resources to take advantage of the opportunities,” says Jens Bjerg Sørensen, president and CEO of parent company Schouw & Co. “Fibertex Nonwovens has huge potential and with the new investments in both the US and Europe, it can significantly increase its revenue and earnings.”
www.fibertexnonwovens.com
2020 Nonwovens Sales: $285 million
Key Personnel
Jorgen Bech Madsen, CEO; Henrik Kjeldsen, CCO; Lars Bertelsen, COO: Steen Bach Svoldgaard, CFO; Lancelot Woolley, Group R&D director; Bjarne Knudsen, managing director
Plants
Denmark, Czech Republic, U.S., France, Turkey, South Africa, Brazil
Processes
Needlepunch, spunlace, impregnating, coating
Major Markets
Acoustics, automotives, bedding, building, composites, concrete, construction, filtration, flooring, furniture, geotextiles, home and garden, horticulture, wipes
Investments on both sides of the Atlantic will set up Fibertex Nonwovens, headquartered in Aalborg, Denmark, for significant growth. The company is investing DKK 600 million in a series of investments at its sites in the Czech Republic, Turkey and the U.S.
In spring 2021, Fibertex Nonwovens said it would add capacity and increase capabilities at its sites in South Carolina, the Czech Republic and Turkey as part of a plan to drive its sales to $400 million by 2026 from $285 million in 2020.
“Demand for our nonwovens has increased significantly in recent years. It concerns particularly the more specialized applications and high-performance materials for the healthcare sector, industrial products, specialist acoustic products for the automotive industry, nanofiltration for industrial purposes, etc.,” says Jorgen Bech Madsen, CEO. “Our business development and research activities over the past 10 years have afforded us a leading position in both Europe and the U.S. and this is the direct reason for the investment.”
Much of the North American investment will involve land acquisition as well as the construction of a new spunlace line at its site in Grey Court, SC. This new line is described as a high capacity, state-of-the-art spunlace line which will allow the company to process sustainable materials and make unique substrates. Fibertex purchased the South Carolina site in early 2019 and added a spunlace line in 2019 and a needlepunch line—which was relocated from South Africa— in 2020. The company expects to increase revenue from its U.S. operations, which also includes a needlepunch operation in Illinois, to more than DKK 1 billion, or $160 million, within a few years.
In Europe, Fibertex Nonwovens is adding a spunlace line in Svitavy, Czech Republic, as part of its European investment program. This program also includes increased capacity as well as the addition of finishing and coating lines at its site in Turkey. These investments will help target growth in the disinfectant wipes and healthcare sectors.
“We’ve got a lean and high-tech production setup with clear focus on innovation, and the new production line is to serve the huge demand for disinfection wipes from the healthcare sector,” Bech Madsen says. “This demand was rising even before the coronavirus pandemic, but we expect it to increase even further in the coming years. With this new investment, we’ll be able to offer new and sustainable product properties that’ll help meet the demands of the future in this field. At the same time, we’re freeing up capacity at several of our other European plants, allowing us to explore new opportunities within the manufacture of acoustic products for the automotive industry and products for filtration.”
In recent years, Fibertex Nonwovens has expanded its global footprint through the acquisition of the Turkish site from Ribatek Nonwovens as well as manufacturing assets in France, the Czech Republic, Brazil and the U.S., and has established a greenfield site in South Africa.
“It’s crucial that we take advantage of the current momentum to strengthen our position. There’s an ‘open window’ for expansion and we’ve got the resources to take advantage of the opportunities,” says Jens Bjerg Sørensen, president and CEO of parent company Schouw & Co. “Fibertex Nonwovens has huge potential and with the new investments in both the US and Europe, it can significantly increase its revenue and earnings.”