• Login
    • Join
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Exclusives
    • Applications
    • Technology
    • Market
    • Other
    • Top 40
    • Buyers Guide
    • Hygiene Directory
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Exclusives
  • Applications
  • Technology
  • Market
  • Other
  • Top 40
  • Buyers Guide
  • Hygiene Directory
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Editorial
    Columns
    Digital Edition
    Southeast Asia Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Editorial Guidelines
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    eBook
    Top Features
    Fibers Report

    Household Wipes Market

    Sustainable Hygiene Products Gain Ground

    Moist Toilet Wipes Lead 2024 Growth, Baby Wipes Decline, and General-Purpose Wipes Bounce Back

    Dissolvable Wipes. Will They Be the Industry’s Next Big Thing?
    Company Cameo
    Financial News
    Machinery Equipment
    New Products
    Nonwovens News
    Patent Review
    People in the News
    Supplier News
    Top News
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    Weekly Recap: Ahlstrom Completes Filtration Line, Smithers' Report on Battery Separators & More

    Lola Partners with Minnesota Lynx

    Freudenberg to Showcase Advanced Foam Replacement at FOAM Expo

    Ahlstrom Completes Molecular Filtration Line

    Nice-Pak Relaunches the Wet-Nap
    Nonwovens Insights
    Online Exclusives
    Adult Incontinence
    Absorbent Core
    Antimicrobials
    Apparel
    Automotive and Transportation
    Face Masks
    Chemicals / Adhesives
    Construction
    Contract Services
    Diaper, Baby
    Electronics
    Feminine Hygiene
    Fibers
    Filtration
    Flame Retardance
    Geotextile / Agrotextile
    Home Products
    Hygiene Film/Components
    Industrial / Institutional
    Inspection / Quality Control
    Machinery and Equipment
    Medical
    Wipes

    Lola Partners with Minnesota Lynx

    Nice-Pak Relaunches the Wet-Nap

    Ontex Expands iD Discreet Range

    LiL' Dude Wipes Launch

    Smithers Predicts Growth for Nonwoven Battery Separators
    Air Through Bonding
    Airlaid
    Carded/Carding
    Chemical Bonded
    Composite
    Meltblown
    Needlepunch
    Nanotechnology
    Spunbond
    Spunbond/Spunmelt
    Spunlace
    Thermal Bonded
    Wetlaid

    Freudenberg to Showcase Advanced Foam Replacement at FOAM Expo

    Reifenhauser Reicofil GmbH & Co.

    Enka Tecnica GmbH / Reifenhauser Heinsberg GmbH

    Sandler Group

    SGN Holds Grand Opening for Rabigh Expansion
    China
    Eastern Europe/Russia
    India
    Middle East/North Africa
    North America
    Pacific Rim
    South/Central America
    Turkey
    Western Europe

    A Look At Megasoft—Asia's Vertically Integrated Hygiene Producer

    CIDPEX Middle East to be Held in September

    Pelsan Tekstil to Add Films Production in North Carolina

    Citadel J – From Round Wipes Roll to Revenue

    Autoneum Acquires Chinese Automotive Supplier
    Associations
    Contracts / Awards
    Education
    Facilities / Capacity
    Green / Sustainability
    Legal / Regulatory
    Market Data
    Flushability
    Mergers and Acquisitions
    Product Improvement / Innovation
    R&D/Basic Research
    Shows / Events

    Smithers Predicts Growth for Nonwoven Battery Separators

    CIDPEX Middle East to be Held in September

    Pelsan Tekstil to Add Films Production in North Carolina

    INDA, EDANA Approve Formation of Global Nonwoven Alliance

    Kimberly-Clark Announces Deal with Suzano
    Chart
    Companies
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Profiles
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Alliance Machine and Engraving

    ELSNER

    Valco Melton

    Welspun Global Brands Ltd

    Herrmann Ultrasonics, Inc.
    Brands
    Brand Owners
    • Magazine
      • Current / Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • Southeast Asia Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Editorial Guidelines
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Buyers Guide
      • All Companies
      • Categories
      • Company Profiles
      • Add Your Company
    • Applications
      • Absorbent Core
      • Adult Incontinence
      • Antimicrobials
      • Apparel
      • Automotive and Transportation
      • Chemicals / Adhesives
      • Construction
      • Contract Services
      • Diaper, Baby
      • Electronics
      • Feminine Hygiene
      • Fibers
      • Filtration
      • Flame Retardance
      • Geotextile / Agrotextile
      • Home Products
      • Hygiene Film/Components
      • Industrial / Institutional
      • Inspection / Quality Control
      • Machinery and Equipment
      • Medical
      • Wipes
      • Face Masks
    • Technology
      • Air Through Bonding
      • Airlaid
      • Carded/Carding
      • Chemical Bonded
      • Composite
      • Meltblown
      • Needlepunch
      • Nanotechnology
      • Spunbond
      • Spunlace
      • Thermal Bonded
      • Wetlaid
      • Spunbond/Spunmelt
    • Market
      • China
      • Eastern Europe/Russia
      • India
      • Middle East/North Africa
      • North America
      • Pacific Rim
      • South/Central America
      • Turkey
      • Western Europe
    • Other
      • Associations
      • Contracts / Awards
      • Education
      • Facilities / Capacity
      • Green / Sustainability
      • Legal / Regulatory
      • Market Data
      • Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Product Improvement / Innovation
      • R&D/Basic Research
      • Shows / Events
      • Flushability
    • Top 40 Companies
      • Chart
      • Companies
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Hygiene Directory
      • Brands
      • Brand Owners
    • Experts Opinions
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Infographics
    • eBook
    • Whitepapers
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live From Show Events
      • Webinars
      • Live From Asian Connections
    • Jobs
    • Resources
      • Suppliers Gallery
      • Literature Showcase
      • Web Showcase
      • Home Page Showcase
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Features

    International Top Companies Report 2018

    After years of ambitious investments and consolidation, the nonwovens industry has been enjoying quieter times in 2018-2019.

    International Top Companies Report 2018
    Karen McIntyre, Editor09.13.19
    While neither investment nor acquisitions have stopped completely, this activity has slowed down while companies wait for recently announced investments to come onstream or completed lines to reach capacity. During this period of “rest,” companies are also focusing more than ever on innovation, working hard to differentiate themselves to their customers.

    For Fibertex Personal Care this has meant investment in its Innowo Print, direct printing technology. After seeing success with this business in Europe and Malaysia, the company established a U.S. operation this year. Meanwhile, Fitesa has completed work on a pilot line in Simpsonville, SC. The line featuring hybrid air through bonding/spunmelt technology will allow Fitesa to more quickly bring new products to market, according to executives.

    A spate of acquisitions and mergers in 2017-2018 has influenced this year’s rankings. Most notably, PFNonwovens, which was ranked No. 22 last year, catapulted into the top 10 at number nine this year, following the acquisition of First Quality Nonwovens, which is now combined with the company once known as Pegas Nonwovens. This merger created one of the largest makers of spunmelt nonwovens in the world. Other companies that continue to grow through acquisition include Lydall, which added Hollingsworth & Vose’s gasket business as well as Precision Filtration to its portfolio in recent months, and Fibertex Nonwovens, which acquired Duci in Brazil and Mogul’s U.S. operation recently.

    And, while investment has slowed, it certainly has not stopped. Fitesa announced this year it would add a spunmelt line to its joint venture company, CNC Fitesa in Thailand; Union Industries is adding an air through bonding line to enhance its offering to the hygiene market; Berry Global is nearly finished with its latest Chinese investment, a Reicofil 5 spunmelt line; and Sandler has pledged to invest €80 million in new capacity at its sites in the U.S. and Germany over the next two years.

    Looking ahead, we will continue to see some shifts in the rankings of top companies. Georgia-Pacific has sold its European business to Glatfelter, meaning its sales should decrease in 2019, and Low & Bonar has divested its needlepunch nonwovens operations to a private equity investor.

    Amidst all of this activity, it is certain that the global nonwovens industry continues to not only be strong but dynamic and versatile. Producers constantly have their eyes to the future, working hard to figure out how to continue to grow sales and advance their products into new markets and geographies.

    By the Numbers
    This year’s top companies report includes 42 nonwovens producers located around the world. While many of the leading companies are based in established markets like the U.S. and Western Europe, companies from less developed areas are increasing their role. This year, there are companies based in many developing countries like Brazil, Turkey, China, Taiwan and the Czech Republic. As companies in these emerging markets continue to grow, surely we will see their ranking positions climb in future years.

    However, developed markets continue to receive attention. Berry has completed work on its third Spinlace line, targeting wipes applications, in the U.S., and Ahlstrom-Munksjö is boosting capacity for filtration applications throughout Europe.

    As is always the case, each company in this survey is ranked on the basis of their 2018 sales, which were translated from local currencies into U.S. dollars using the yearly average. Many economic factors like exchange rates and raw material pricing can skew the ranking so, while ranking companies by sales is necessary to the nature of this report, it is really the activities of these companies—as reported in their profiles—that should be considered. All sales figures were provided by the companies except in some cases, such as Kimberly-Clark, Saudi German Nonwovens, and Johns Manville, which were estimated.

    Karen McIntyre, Editor
    kmcintyre@rodmanmedia.com


    2018 Nonwovens Sales
    1. Berry Global $2.7 billion
    2. Freudenberg $2.1 billion
    3. Ahlstrom-Munksjö $1.5 billion
    4. Kimberly-Clark $1.3 billion
    5. DuPont $1 billion
    6. Fitesa $988 million
    7. PFNonwovens $765 million
    8. Johns Manville $725 million
    9. Glatfelter $693 million
    10. Lydall $654 million

    11. Suominen Nonwovens $509 million
    12. TWE Group $450 million
    13. Low & Bonar $407 million
    14. Hollingsworth & Vose $395 million
    15. Zhejiang Kingsafe $385 million
    16. Sandler  $380 million
    17. Avgol $367 million
    18. Toray Advanced Materials $375 million
    19. Jacob Holm $360 million
    20. Georgia-Pacific  $350 million

    21. Fibertex Personal Care $329 million
    22. Nan Liu Enterprise $238 million
    23. Fibertex Nonwovens $234 million
    24. Asahi Kasei $224 million
    25. Mitsui Chemicals $218 million
    26. Gulsan Group $215 million
    27. Union Industries $192 million
    28. Hassan Group $184 million
    29. Spuntech Industries $183 million
    30. Xingtai Nonwovens $175 million

    31. Dalian Ruiguang $175 million
    32. Toyobo $146 million
    33. KNH Enterprises $145 million
    34. Tenowo Nonwovens $138 million
    35. Halyard Health $135 million
    36. Mogul Nonwovens $133 million
    37. Shalag Industries $125 million
    37. Saudi German Nonwovens $125 million
    39. Unitika $108 million
    40. Kuraray $98 million
    41. Daiwabo Polytec $92 million
    42. Jofo Nonwovens $80 million
    Related Searches
    • needlepunch
    • personal care
    • merger
    • DuPont
    Suggested For You
    Magnera Magnera
    Nan Liu Enterprise Nan Liu Enterprise
    Fibertex Personal Care A/S Fibertex Personal Care A/S
    World of Wipes Attendees World of Wipes Attendees
    Sustainable Solutions for Wipes Sustainable Solutions for Wipes
    Say Goodbye, Say Hello Say Goodbye, Say Hello
    Sandler to Showcase Acoustics Sandler to Showcase Acoustics
    Fitesa to Add Line at CNC Site Fitesa to Add Line at CNC Site
    Mogul Nonwovens Mogul Nonwovens
    Fibertex Exhibits Nano Technology Fibertex Exhibits Nano Technology
    Latin America Report Latin America Report
    Still Developing Still Developing
    JM Appoints President of Engineered Products JM Appoints President of Engineered Products
    Filtrex India Showcase Growth Potential Filtrex India Showcase Growth Potential
    Construction Market Report Construction Market Report

    Related Buyers Guide Companies

    • Wipes
      Magnera

      Magnera

      ...
      Aimee La Barre, Manager, Sales Support & Global Events 05.13.25

    • Nan Liu Enterprise

      ...
      Bernard Kerstens, Commercial Director Overseas Business 04.11.25

    • Fibertex Personal Care A/S

      ...
      Fibertex Personal Care A/S, Fibertex Personal Care A/S 05.28.24


    • World of Wipes Attendees

      ...
      06.14.22

    • Green/Sustainability | Wipes
      Sustainable Solutions for Wipes

      Sustainable Solutions for Wipes

      As the world continues to frown on plastics, everyone in the wipes industry supply chain is looking for alternative solutions
      Karen Bitz-McIntyre, Editor 09.20.19

    Loading, Please Wait..
    Breaking News
    • Weekly Recap: Ahlstrom Completes Filtration Line, Smithers' Report on Battery Separators & More
    • EDANA Innovation Forum Held in Paris
    • Lola Partners with Minnesota Lynx
    • Freudenberg to Showcase Advanced Foam Replacement at FOAM Expo
    • Unicharm, Toyota Tshusho Form JV In Kenya
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    June 2025

    • Fibers Report
    • Household Wipes Market
    • Sustainable Hygiene Products Gain Ground
    • Hygiene Goods Continue to Drive Expansion in Fluff Pulp
    • View More >



    Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
    You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Contact Us

    follow us

    Subscribe

    Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

    Gattefossé Opens New Facilities in Mumbai, India
    TSI Group Unveils myHMB + Vitamin D Logo
    Indena to Showcase Metabolic, Brain Health Solutions at In-Vitality 2024

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    Weekly Recap: BASF, Oxerra, PPG Top This Week’s Stories
    Hempel Names Anne Ernst as EVP, Head of Strategy & Execution
    Orion S.A. Earns 10 Safety Awards from ICBA

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    StimLabs's Umbilical Cord-Derived Wound Care Product Released in U.S.
    New Medical-Grade Bio-Based PVC Compounds Introduced
    Croívalve Reports 1st Tricuspid Coaptation Valve Implant in U.S. Feasibility Study

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    Neurocrine Bioscience’s CRENESSITY Becomes Commercially Available in the U.S.
    Roche's Parkinson's Disease Drug Misses Primary Endpoint
    PTC Therapeutics Submits Vantiquinone NDA to FDA

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    Weekly Recap: Coty Sells SKKN, Henkel Recall, Awards, & More
    Rare Beauty to Host Pop-Up Event with Sephora UK
    Cloud Haircare Expands to Walmart Stores Nationwide

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    Cosmetify Names Nikkie de Jager the World’s Most Powerful Beauty Influencer
    Big Lips in the Small Wonder
    L’Oréal’s Bioprinted Skin & Dove’s Deodorant Launch

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    BCF Sponsors Parliamentary Event to Engage with Policymakers
    Weekly Recap: DIC Corporation, BASF, Toyo Printing Inks Top This Week’s Stories
    INX International Launches Innova Plus NCF Nitrocellulose-Free Inks

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    Mexico's Flexopolis adds second Bobst flexo press
    Paramount Labels installs Rotatek Brava 450
    Esko teams with Bobst for smartGRAVURE System

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    Weekly Recap: Ahlstrom Completes Filtration Line, Smithers' Report on Battery Separators & More
    EDANA Innovation Forum Held in Paris
    Lola Partners with Minnesota Lynx

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    David Thordarson Takes Charge of American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society
    UPM Biomedicals Launches FibGel Injectable Nanocellulose Hydrogel for Medical Devices
    ONWARD Medical Attracts €50 Million in Capital

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    Weekly Recap: DuPont, SEMI, Sun Chemical Top This Week’s Stories
    ORNL’s 3D-Printed Metal Molds Poised to Accelerate US Auto Manufacturing
    SRI, NSIC are Catalyzing Corporate Innovation in Japan

    Copyright © 2025 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

    AD BLOCKER DETECTED

    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
    Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


    FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login