09.11.12
Masserano, Italy
2012 Nonwovens Sales: $189 million
Key Personnel: Matteo Moltrasio, vice president; Luigi Cassano, managing director;
Alessandro Taramasso, commercial director
Plants: Masserano and Biella, Italy
Processes: Spunbond, spunmelt, carded, thermal bonded, apertured
Brands: Spundouce
Major Markets: Hygiene, medical, wipes, agricultural, industrial
Volumes rose 7% at Italy’s Union Industries in 2012 due to a better optimization and a full allocation of its production lines. The company has a production capacity of 84,000 tons of nonwovens in Masserano, Italy. Sales were reported at €142 million ($189 million).
With no new investment since 2010 when a 24,000-ton spunmelt line was added, Union has more recently been focusing on specialties and innovation in the face of a European market defi ned by overcapacity and reduced consumption, according to president Matteo Moltrasio. These efforts have been rewarded with the development of a new substrate featuring increased softness and texture for the hygiene market, where Union does about 80% of its business. The commercialization of the new material is starting now.
Other efforts have centered on new grades of apertured nonwovens for new applications, which became available in the second quarter of this year and the company is reporting more activity within the medical market.
“We have as well undertaken initiatives for the medical sector which we see more and more of interest,” Moltrasio says.
2012 Nonwovens Sales: $189 million
Key Personnel: Matteo Moltrasio, vice president; Luigi Cassano, managing director;
Alessandro Taramasso, commercial director
Plants: Masserano and Biella, Italy
Processes: Spunbond, spunmelt, carded, thermal bonded, apertured
Brands: Spundouce
Major Markets: Hygiene, medical, wipes, agricultural, industrial
Volumes rose 7% at Italy’s Union Industries in 2012 due to a better optimization and a full allocation of its production lines. The company has a production capacity of 84,000 tons of nonwovens in Masserano, Italy. Sales were reported at €142 million ($189 million).
With no new investment since 2010 when a 24,000-ton spunmelt line was added, Union has more recently been focusing on specialties and innovation in the face of a European market defi ned by overcapacity and reduced consumption, according to president Matteo Moltrasio. These efforts have been rewarded with the development of a new substrate featuring increased softness and texture for the hygiene market, where Union does about 80% of its business. The commercialization of the new material is starting now.
Other efforts have centered on new grades of apertured nonwovens for new applications, which became available in the second quarter of this year and the company is reporting more activity within the medical market.
“We have as well undertaken initiatives for the medical sector which we see more and more of interest,” Moltrasio says.