09.08.22
Prague, Czech Republic
www.pfnonwovens.com
2021 Nonwovens Sales: $690 million
Key Personnel
Cedric Ballay, CEO; Tonny de Beer, chief product, Technology & Sustainability Officer; Shane Vincent, chief commercial officer
Plants
Znojmo and Bucovice, Czech Republic; 6th of October City, Egypt; Cape Town, South Africa; Hazleton, PA, USA
Processes
Spunbond, meltblown, SMS, bicomponent
Major Markets
Hygiene, healthcare, wipes, agriculture, furniture, building, protective apparel, industrial
Investment continues at PFNonwovens. The Czech Republic’s largest nonwovens producer has completed work on its latest line in Hazleton, PA, and is completing construction of a second new line in Cape Town, South Africa. Both new lines are Reicofil 5 spunbond lines, which offer a state-of-the-art specialized and proprietary fabric enhancement unit to create premium soft fabrics for the hygiene market. The lines also have bicomponent capabilities to produce bio-sourced and other specialty products, increasing the company’s capacity to produce medical fabrics to address medical crises.
In addition to the two new lines, PFNonwovens also has a semi-commercial Reicofil 5 in operation in Znjomo, Czech Republic, meaning it has the technology on three continents, which allows it to be on the leading edge of technology with state-of-the-art assets.
“We like the capabilities of the Reicofil 5 lines,” says CEO Cedric Ballay. “It definitely gives us a lot of options.”
Looking back on 2021, Ballay described the year as a strong one in terms of plan execution. “We had a lot of things we wanted to do and the big thing was continuing to invest organically in the company,” he says.
However, things have begun shifting in 2022, especially supply chain disruption, inflation, electricity prices in Europe and labor costs in the U.S. “It’s not exactly clear yet how all of these factors will impact our results,” Ballay adds.
These issues have impacted the timeline for future investments. In December 2020, the company said it would add a second new line in Hazleton, creating a North American center of excellence with start-up scheduled for some time in 2022. However, the company has not yet released any additional details on the line or confirmed a specific dates for its construction and startup.
“Things have gotten more expensive and the lead times have gotten longer so it is making investment more complicated,” Ballay says. “We are continuing to look at the market and talking with our customers about the future needs of the market.”
In the Czech Republic, PFN has invested in new technology to make propriety premium apertured and three dimensional nonwovens to expand and diversify its product portfolio for the medical and hygiene markets. This new technology came onstream late last year to add more value to its premium and ultra-premium softness solutions. The technology can create patterned topsheets with higher absorption and beautifully textured backsheets with improved breathability.
“This technology is allowing us to make some progress with offering new product differentiation to our customers as well as product development, sustainability, more value-added products and even more recycling,” Ballay says.
www.pfnonwovens.com
2021 Nonwovens Sales: $690 million
Key Personnel
Cedric Ballay, CEO; Tonny de Beer, chief product, Technology & Sustainability Officer; Shane Vincent, chief commercial officer
Plants
Znojmo and Bucovice, Czech Republic; 6th of October City, Egypt; Cape Town, South Africa; Hazleton, PA, USA
Processes
Spunbond, meltblown, SMS, bicomponent
Major Markets
Hygiene, healthcare, wipes, agriculture, furniture, building, protective apparel, industrial
Investment continues at PFNonwovens. The Czech Republic’s largest nonwovens producer has completed work on its latest line in Hazleton, PA, and is completing construction of a second new line in Cape Town, South Africa. Both new lines are Reicofil 5 spunbond lines, which offer a state-of-the-art specialized and proprietary fabric enhancement unit to create premium soft fabrics for the hygiene market. The lines also have bicomponent capabilities to produce bio-sourced and other specialty products, increasing the company’s capacity to produce medical fabrics to address medical crises.
In addition to the two new lines, PFNonwovens also has a semi-commercial Reicofil 5 in operation in Znjomo, Czech Republic, meaning it has the technology on three continents, which allows it to be on the leading edge of technology with state-of-the-art assets.
“We like the capabilities of the Reicofil 5 lines,” says CEO Cedric Ballay. “It definitely gives us a lot of options.”
Looking back on 2021, Ballay described the year as a strong one in terms of plan execution. “We had a lot of things we wanted to do and the big thing was continuing to invest organically in the company,” he says.
However, things have begun shifting in 2022, especially supply chain disruption, inflation, electricity prices in Europe and labor costs in the U.S. “It’s not exactly clear yet how all of these factors will impact our results,” Ballay adds.
These issues have impacted the timeline for future investments. In December 2020, the company said it would add a second new line in Hazleton, creating a North American center of excellence with start-up scheduled for some time in 2022. However, the company has not yet released any additional details on the line or confirmed a specific dates for its construction and startup.
“Things have gotten more expensive and the lead times have gotten longer so it is making investment more complicated,” Ballay says. “We are continuing to look at the market and talking with our customers about the future needs of the market.”
In the Czech Republic, PFN has invested in new technology to make propriety premium apertured and three dimensional nonwovens to expand and diversify its product portfolio for the medical and hygiene markets. This new technology came onstream late last year to add more value to its premium and ultra-premium softness solutions. The technology can create patterned topsheets with higher absorption and beautifully textured backsheets with improved breathability.
“This technology is allowing us to make some progress with offering new product differentiation to our customers as well as product development, sustainability, more value-added products and even more recycling,” Ballay says.
