09.03.21
Aalborg, Denmark
www.fibertexpersonalcare.com
2020 Nonwovens Sales: $337 million
Key Personnel
Mikael Staal Axelsen, Group CEO; Peter Andersen, CEO, Malaysia; Claus Svanberg, Group CFO; Carsten Pedersen, Group Print Director
Plants
Denmark, Germany, Malaysia, U.S., North Carolina
Processes
Nonwovens: Spunbond/Spunmelt; Print: Flexographic
Sales and volumes will receive a boost from two major investments at Fibertex Personal Care. The Aalborg, Denmark-based company is investing approximately $40 million to add new lines at its sites in Malaysia and the U.S. The Malaysian site will be expanded with the addition of a specialty nonwovens line while a printing line will be added to the U.S. site in Asheboro, NC. Both lines are expected to begin operations in the second half of 2021.
“Both of our business areas – nonwovens and print on nonwovens – are experiencing an increase in demand for specialty products and services,” says Mikael Staal Axelsen, Group CEO. “We have a strong position in these markets due to our portfolio. Combined with a steady growth in the Asian market, rising demand for print in the American market, and a changed market dynamic caused by Covid-19 makes the timing of the expansions just right.”
Fibertex Personal Care currently operates five lines at two sites in Malaysia, which make about 90,000 tons of capacity, as well as three lines in Denmark. Its most recent line came onstream in Malaysia in mid-2017.
“All reports indicate that the growth rates in Asia will remain strong,” Axelsen says. “Additionally, we continue to see the continuation in demand for soft materials and other products that offer other means of differentiation. Everyone wants their own solutions and you are going to see more new nonwovens products than you did in the past.”
Meanwhile, in the U.S. Fibertex Personal Care introduced print production three years ago and continues to experience increased demand for printing on nonwovens. The company began print production through a joint venture Innowo Print in Germany in 2008. It purchased a full stake in the company in 2014 and currently has operations in Germany, Malaysia and the U.S.
“The introduction of print production in the U.S. three years ago was an important strategic milestone for us, and as expected the market now demands new capacity, “Axelsen says. “This gives us the opportunity to engage in more development projects with our customers. We have the skills and now the capacity.”
In addition to expansion, Fibertex Personal Care continues to focus on sustainability. In late 2020, the company announced a partnership with SABIC, a global leader in the chemicals industry, to create a range of nonwovens using high-purity recycled plastics from Sabic’s Trucircle portfolio and services. They have developed the first reported nonwovens range based on recycled plastics in the hygiene industry. The initiative is seen by the two partners as an exciting step towards a more sustainable supply chain and greater recyclability for nonwovens.
The new material can be used as a drop-in solution while meeting the brand owner’s requirements for purity and consumer safety for the hygiene industry applications, and Fibertex will provide certified circular nonwovens to its customers with its Comfort, Elite, Dual and Loft product range. These certified nonwovens can be adopted in downstream processes, without compromising convertibility, product properties or performance of the final product.
“This is an important step forward in supporting our sustainable strategy and important step in development and expansion of a supply chain for bio-based and circular polymers. SABIC’s Trucircle initiative makes this possible,” Axelsen says. “We are proud to cooperate with SABIC in developing the first circular nonwovens for the hygiene market.”
Fibertex Personal Care has also achieved ISCC PLUS certification which verifies that mass balance accounting follows predefined and transparent rules. In addition, it provides traceability along the supply chain, from the feedstock to the final product.
Looking back to 2020, sales decreased slightly to $337 million (DKK 2118 million), reflecting a slight increase in Malaysia and a small drop in Denmark. While the nonwovens industry continues to see strong demand in personal protective apparel, Fibertex continues to focus on hygiene. “Our investments respond to general market growth. We have been benefitting from a very strong demand for hygiene, particularly in Asia,” Axelsen says. “As our competitors especially in China focused on PPE, it has created new demand for hygiene from us.”
www.fibertexpersonalcare.com
2020 Nonwovens Sales: $337 million
Key Personnel
Mikael Staal Axelsen, Group CEO; Peter Andersen, CEO, Malaysia; Claus Svanberg, Group CFO; Carsten Pedersen, Group Print Director
Plants
Denmark, Germany, Malaysia, U.S., North Carolina
Processes
Nonwovens: Spunbond/Spunmelt; Print: Flexographic
Sales and volumes will receive a boost from two major investments at Fibertex Personal Care. The Aalborg, Denmark-based company is investing approximately $40 million to add new lines at its sites in Malaysia and the U.S. The Malaysian site will be expanded with the addition of a specialty nonwovens line while a printing line will be added to the U.S. site in Asheboro, NC. Both lines are expected to begin operations in the second half of 2021.
“Both of our business areas – nonwovens and print on nonwovens – are experiencing an increase in demand for specialty products and services,” says Mikael Staal Axelsen, Group CEO. “We have a strong position in these markets due to our portfolio. Combined with a steady growth in the Asian market, rising demand for print in the American market, and a changed market dynamic caused by Covid-19 makes the timing of the expansions just right.”
Fibertex Personal Care currently operates five lines at two sites in Malaysia, which make about 90,000 tons of capacity, as well as three lines in Denmark. Its most recent line came onstream in Malaysia in mid-2017.
“All reports indicate that the growth rates in Asia will remain strong,” Axelsen says. “Additionally, we continue to see the continuation in demand for soft materials and other products that offer other means of differentiation. Everyone wants their own solutions and you are going to see more new nonwovens products than you did in the past.”
Meanwhile, in the U.S. Fibertex Personal Care introduced print production three years ago and continues to experience increased demand for printing on nonwovens. The company began print production through a joint venture Innowo Print in Germany in 2008. It purchased a full stake in the company in 2014 and currently has operations in Germany, Malaysia and the U.S.
“The introduction of print production in the U.S. three years ago was an important strategic milestone for us, and as expected the market now demands new capacity, “Axelsen says. “This gives us the opportunity to engage in more development projects with our customers. We have the skills and now the capacity.”
In addition to expansion, Fibertex Personal Care continues to focus on sustainability. In late 2020, the company announced a partnership with SABIC, a global leader in the chemicals industry, to create a range of nonwovens using high-purity recycled plastics from Sabic’s Trucircle portfolio and services. They have developed the first reported nonwovens range based on recycled plastics in the hygiene industry. The initiative is seen by the two partners as an exciting step towards a more sustainable supply chain and greater recyclability for nonwovens.
The new material can be used as a drop-in solution while meeting the brand owner’s requirements for purity and consumer safety for the hygiene industry applications, and Fibertex will provide certified circular nonwovens to its customers with its Comfort, Elite, Dual and Loft product range. These certified nonwovens can be adopted in downstream processes, without compromising convertibility, product properties or performance of the final product.
“This is an important step forward in supporting our sustainable strategy and important step in development and expansion of a supply chain for bio-based and circular polymers. SABIC’s Trucircle initiative makes this possible,” Axelsen says. “We are proud to cooperate with SABIC in developing the first circular nonwovens for the hygiene market.”
Fibertex Personal Care has also achieved ISCC PLUS certification which verifies that mass balance accounting follows predefined and transparent rules. In addition, it provides traceability along the supply chain, from the feedstock to the final product.
Looking back to 2020, sales decreased slightly to $337 million (DKK 2118 million), reflecting a slight increase in Malaysia and a small drop in Denmark. While the nonwovens industry continues to see strong demand in personal protective apparel, Fibertex continues to focus on hygiene. “Our investments respond to general market growth. We have been benefitting from a very strong demand for hygiene, particularly in Asia,” Axelsen says. “As our competitors especially in China focused on PPE, it has created new demand for hygiene from us.”