09.11.19
Znojmo, Czech Republic
www.pfnonwovens.cz
2019 Nonwovens Sales: $550 million
Key Personnel
Cedric Ballay, CEO; Tonny de Beer, chief technical officer; Shane Vincent, global business development officer
Plants
Znojmo and Bucovice, Czech Republic; 6th of October City, Egypt; Capetown, South Africa; Hazleton, PA
Processes
Spunbond, meltblown, SMS, bicomponent
Major Markets
Hygiene, agriculture, healthcare, ecology, furniture, building, protective apparel, industrial
Two years after combining the former nonwovens businesses of Pegas Nonwovens and First Quality Nonwovens, PFNonwovens continues to invest to grow its business for the future. In 2019, the Czech-based company reported sales increased to $550 million thanks to the continued affects of the integration of First Quality Nonwovens as well as the start of commercial production in South Africa and the completion of a semi-commercial line in Znojmo, Czech Republic.
According to Cedric Ballay, CEO, the South African site is running at full speed. “We are happy with the results and its contribution to the whole group, and we see a potential to add additional lines in the future as we develop the market there,” he says.
Meanwhile, the semi commercial line in Znojmo has not yet been completed. The company is still finishing and testing the installation of the special part of the line which is believed to provide a competitive edge. “It will enable us to supply products which cannot be produced currently with conventional methods,” Ballay explains. “As such, it is however now premature to evaluate it.”
The semi-commercial line, which is based on the Reicofil 5 platform, uses proven bicomponent technologies, offers a wide range of fiber types and profiles and enables the use of a variety of raw materials. Another significant element of this technology is the nonwoven textile bonding system, which is an alternative to the presently used conventional systems. The line is considered a fundamental building block to PFN’s newly built global innovation center expected to help the company achieve significant success in research, testing and commercialization of new products.
Looking ahead, sales will continue to be boosted from recently announced investments including a new spunmelt line in Hazleton, PA. The spunmelt line, which features bicomponent technology, will have proprietary capabilities to support specialty products, allowing PFNonwovens to address a lack of bicomponent capacity in the U.S. and meet demand for more sophisticated products.
PFNonwovens announced the new investment in April, saying it would be a 3.2-meter Reicofil 5 line featuring a state-of-the-art specialized and proprietary fabric enhancement unit that will create premium, garment-like fabrics for the North American hygiene market. It will also have a bicomponent capability to produce bio-sourced and other specialty products, notably for the medical markets.
Additionally, PFN is still considering installing a new meltblown line in the Czech Republic, an intention first announced during the initial stage of the coronavirus pandemic in April. “We are currently discussing the options,“ Ballay says.
Amidst this investment, PFN is also streamlining its assets. In May, the company announced it would sell its plant in Wuxi, China, which was once owned by First Quality, to Jofo Nonwovens, a Chinese-based nonwovens producer. “The decision to sell plant in Wuxi was in line with our strategic plan for expansion and investments and was perceived as a good opportunity to withdraw from the Chinese market which prior to the pandemic was characterized by overcapacity and intensive pricing pressures from customers.“
PFNonwovens acquired the Wuxi site when its parent company R2G acquired First Quality Enterprises in May 2018. First Quality had built the Wuxi site in 2007. It is believed that the site has an annual capacity of 24,000 tons.
www.pfnonwovens.cz
2019 Nonwovens Sales: $550 million
Key Personnel
Cedric Ballay, CEO; Tonny de Beer, chief technical officer; Shane Vincent, global business development officer
Plants
Znojmo and Bucovice, Czech Republic; 6th of October City, Egypt; Capetown, South Africa; Hazleton, PA
Processes
Spunbond, meltblown, SMS, bicomponent
Major Markets
Hygiene, agriculture, healthcare, ecology, furniture, building, protective apparel, industrial
Two years after combining the former nonwovens businesses of Pegas Nonwovens and First Quality Nonwovens, PFNonwovens continues to invest to grow its business for the future. In 2019, the Czech-based company reported sales increased to $550 million thanks to the continued affects of the integration of First Quality Nonwovens as well as the start of commercial production in South Africa and the completion of a semi-commercial line in Znojmo, Czech Republic.
According to Cedric Ballay, CEO, the South African site is running at full speed. “We are happy with the results and its contribution to the whole group, and we see a potential to add additional lines in the future as we develop the market there,” he says.
Meanwhile, the semi commercial line in Znojmo has not yet been completed. The company is still finishing and testing the installation of the special part of the line which is believed to provide a competitive edge. “It will enable us to supply products which cannot be produced currently with conventional methods,” Ballay explains. “As such, it is however now premature to evaluate it.”
The semi-commercial line, which is based on the Reicofil 5 platform, uses proven bicomponent technologies, offers a wide range of fiber types and profiles and enables the use of a variety of raw materials. Another significant element of this technology is the nonwoven textile bonding system, which is an alternative to the presently used conventional systems. The line is considered a fundamental building block to PFN’s newly built global innovation center expected to help the company achieve significant success in research, testing and commercialization of new products.
Looking ahead, sales will continue to be boosted from recently announced investments including a new spunmelt line in Hazleton, PA. The spunmelt line, which features bicomponent technology, will have proprietary capabilities to support specialty products, allowing PFNonwovens to address a lack of bicomponent capacity in the U.S. and meet demand for more sophisticated products.
PFNonwovens announced the new investment in April, saying it would be a 3.2-meter Reicofil 5 line featuring a state-of-the-art specialized and proprietary fabric enhancement unit that will create premium, garment-like fabrics for the North American hygiene market. It will also have a bicomponent capability to produce bio-sourced and other specialty products, notably for the medical markets.
Additionally, PFN is still considering installing a new meltblown line in the Czech Republic, an intention first announced during the initial stage of the coronavirus pandemic in April. “We are currently discussing the options,“ Ballay says.
Amidst this investment, PFN is also streamlining its assets. In May, the company announced it would sell its plant in Wuxi, China, which was once owned by First Quality, to Jofo Nonwovens, a Chinese-based nonwovens producer. “The decision to sell plant in Wuxi was in line with our strategic plan for expansion and investments and was perceived as a good opportunity to withdraw from the Chinese market which prior to the pandemic was characterized by overcapacity and intensive pricing pressures from customers.“
PFNonwovens acquired the Wuxi site when its parent company R2G acquired First Quality Enterprises in May 2018. First Quality had built the Wuxi site in 2007. It is believed that the site has an annual capacity of 24,000 tons.