Nonwovens Industry Staff04.06.22
The need for more eco-friendly nonwoven-based products like wipes, diapers and feminine hygiene products has been well documented in the pages of these magazines. The development of products—both from national brands and independent start ups—touting more natural or biodegradable materials, efforts focused on recycling or other end of life alternatives for disposables continue to be examined globally.
However, behind the scenes, the companies supplying the nonwovens and disposable goods industries continue to work on innovations that help their customers not only produce a greener product but in a more eco-friendly process.
Here is a look at what some suppliers to nonwovens are offering customers to be more sustainable.
Furthermore, through the Extreme Automation’s OMNIA DP digital suite, A.Celli is able to monitor energy consumption, process data and productivity.
The “ENERGY” app, the solution that is best suited for the customer’s needs, allows to easily subdivide energy consumption according to the reels produced, all in real-time and with clear and easy-to-read graphics.
The app also allows customers to view an emissions indicator called “Smart Carbon Footprint” capable of detecting the share of emissions produced during the processing of raw materials and paper production, two phases of the product life cycle that are critical for the calculation of the CO2 equivalent, according to the GWP parameters expressed in the GHG protocol.
Through the continuous monitoring of energy parameters and emissions measurements, awareness of the phenomenon is increased and appropriate changes have been made to the process in order to reduce the environmental impact.
The use of the Smart Carbon Footprint has allowed A. Celli’s customer to: give a clear numerical value to their approach to the problem of climate change; place on the market products with a reduced environmental impact; enhance a transparent relationship with its stakeholders thanks to the reporting of emissions and identify ideas for improvement, thanks to constant monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and critical issues relating to its product.
www.acelli.it
All these options create new opportunities and potential for producers of spunlace nonwovens.
www.andritz.com
With cotton linter as its sole ingredient, Bemliese derives from a byproduct of the cotton harvesting process that was traditionally thrown away, so the company is in essence transforming the waste of one process into one of the highest performing, fully biodegradable nonwovens on the market today. It is a premium product and may not be a one-shoe-fits-all alternative to every nonwoven on the market, but Bemliese has already seen great success in cosmetics, medical, and hygiene. Asahi Kasei reports seeing interest in other industries for some innovative new ways to implement this continuous, spunbond nonwoven into their products as well. Its ultra-absorptive properties and high purity make it an attractive, more sustainable and fully biodegradable alternative for premium nonwovens.
While the U.S. is lagging a bit behind Europe, the EU’s directive on SUPs has definitely raised awareness around the world. This shows Bemliese’s relevance to the current need for sustainable alternatives in the cosmetics, medical and hygiene industries. Younger consumers in particular are becoming more in-tune to the concept of “Sustainable Beauty” and in addition to conventional cosmetic applications, the company has seen a growing demand in areas such as clothing design and apparel to seek more sustainable alternatives for production. It is also seeing interest for sustainable premium tea or coffee filters. It is clear that sustainability is not going anywhere anytime soon, so companies are going to need to shift to products that can reduce negative impacts on the environment. Bemliese is a great solution that with significant unveiled potential.
Sustainability at Asahi Kasei can be traced all the way back to its very first factories in 1922 that were primarily powered by hydroelectricity to produce affordable, high quality fertilizers and fabrics. In the 1930s, Asahi Kasei became a main producer of Cupro fabrics, the nonwoven that comes from the same cotton linter that it uses to make Bemliese. Therefore, sustainability is very much intertwined to the company’s DNA. More recently, in May 2021 the company established a company-wide policy for carbon neutrality, and in November 2021 it announced its official policy for sustainability. This is in concert with forward-thinking endeavors like renovating its hydroelectric plants and seeking strategic partnerships with innovators that are helping it integrate bio-based materials to its existing products. In recent years Asahi Kasei has also begun to expand Bemliese’s availability to the global marketplace as its announced Asahi Kasei Advance America’s mission to introduce it to North America in July 2021.
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
The company also targets to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity to half by 2030 from the baseline of 2019. Birla Cellulose’s commitment to carbon neutrality and GHG reductions includes scope 1, scope 2, scope 3 emissions, and the carbon sequestration in managed forests and are derived using science-based methods. Birla Cellulose’s net-zero announcement aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 & 13 on climate change and affordable and clean energy.
Sharing his thoughts on the announcement, Mr. H K Agarwal, managing director, Grasim Industries Ltd, and business director, Birla Cellulose, says, “This is a natural progression in Birla Cellulose’s global leadership in the area of sustainability. Birla Cellulose’s climate target is at the core of its business strategy that aims to address climate change-related risks and adapt to changing consumer preferences for more sustainable, nature-based, and low emission products. With a legacy of innovation in the MMCF industry spanning seven decades, Birla Cellulose continues to work on cutting-edge technologies that will accelerate this transition.”
The roadmap would include increased use of renewable energy in its processes, investment in innovative low emission technologies, net positive carbon sequestration in its managed forests, and a sharp focus on circular fashion. Currently, around 40% of the energy for the global operations of Birla Cellulose comes from renewable sources.
Birla Cellulose, the pulp and fiber business of the Aditya Birla Group, is a leading sustainability focused manmade cellulosic fibres (MMCF) producer. Birla Cellulose operates 12 sites that apply environmentally efficient closed loop technologies that recycle materials and conserve natural resources.
www.birlacellulose.com
CCS solutions help the customer to use less raw materials to produce hygienic products, that at the end have less impact on the environment and a cost saving for the production CCS solutions help the customer to minimize the energy used for the production that at the end means less CO2 impact, and a general cost saving.
“We are applying the solutions explained above in all the new machines since some years,” executives say. “Since some years we have eliminated the use of plastic in favor of recycled paper inside the company. We have also put in place an internal procedure to reduce to the minimum the required time to test a machine, that means a reduction of energy spent to test the line and so a reduced CO2 impact.”
www.ccsol.it
Product Investigation conducted a contact dermatitis test to gauge a product’s irritation and allergy potential. This included a regimen of nine sequential 24-hour induction applications followed by two challenge applications across seven weeks. The study included 200 participants who were exposed to both natural and purified cotton. Of these, 50% perceived themselves to have sensitive skin. They were ages 18-84. The female to male ratio was 60:40.
Participants were asked to rank the effect the cotton had on skin from zero to four with zero meaning no change and four indicating redness and ulcerations.
In both the induction and challenge phases, both types of cotton registered all zeros meaning no observable irritation was recorded. When the results were recorded, both natural and purified cotton passed the sensitivity test with no irritation. Therefore, both types of cotton were deemed both hypoallergenic and safe.
www.cottoninc.com
A complete needling line for processing reclaimed fiber and natural fibers can improve material savings as part of a circular economy. Recycled fiber material of any sort helps it to save fibers and reduce the CO2 footprint. DiloGroup offers such complete lines including fiber preparation and dedusting, carding, crosslapping, needling machines specifically adapted to reprocessing reclaimed fiber (including shoddy and natural fiber). Together with certified partners complete lines which include a special tearing process to save and keep longer staple is offered, and in addition to card/crosslapper technology aerodynamic webforming is available.
DiloGroup is also making progress in the development of an intensive needling process which it calls “microneedling.” This specialty line uses ultra-high density needleboards up to 45000 needles/m/board with very fine barbs for individual fiber transport. As a result it achieves lightweight fine fiber products for the medical and hygienic product range including the possibility to use biodegradable fiber. This special needling process is part of a conventional fiber preparation and webforming process and provides a technology with tremendous energy savings compared to competing technologies for lightweight disposable products. This Dilo technology does not only save a lot of electrical energy and gas but also consumes no water and less fiber. Dilo is preparing this “Micropunch” technology for ITMA 2023.
Dilo has observed during recent years and particularly last year a definite change in opinion and attitude among its customers and interested parties, and an adoption for the requirements of ecological change with the aim of considerable reductions of material, energy and water consumption. It no longer has to talk people into such technological alternatives but rather receives inquiries and has discussions about new technological solutions in order to realize this change of consumption levels in the industry. Therefore Dilo feels encouraged to pursue the development of the above mentioned technological subjects with high priority.
www.dilo.de
Turning results into real value is now possible thanks to GDM solutions: the company’s technological developments for the manufacturing of high quality, sustainable products allow manufacturers to meet their customers’ requirements while reducing waste and cutting production costs at the same time.
This includes the machine “Green concept, which puts together all GDM solutions, propelling sustainability in every step of the manufacturing supply chain. Starting from raw materials, both handling sustainable materials—in converting and packaging solutions - and minimizing wastes, to save on power consumption and reduce gas emissions.
These solutions allow customers to choose to be more sustainable by obtaining the same performances, or even better than the ones got by traditional solutions, employing less raw materials, or coming from sustainable resources, therefore not only good for the planet but also for its customers’ financial health.
The green concept of these machines involves, first, raw materials. GDM’s Extra Thin Core allows to save up to 800 k€ per year: a 40% saving on core materials (fluff & SAP, compared to previous core formation process), thanks to an optimized mix and allocation featuring permanent channels construction, for an outstanding wetness distribution. The resizing of the suction fan of the forming wheel and the mill redesign have further contributed to the reduction of energy consumption up to 40% compared to the traditional version.
The Extra Thin Core is more space-saving than competing solutions. Thanks to its distinctive design the core takes up to 25% less space on the shelf as well as in the stockroom and in containers. Because of this, it allows for more diapers to be stacked and transported at the same time with lower costs and consequently lower gas emissions.
Meanwhile, Option Zero is a cutting-edge program aiming to minimize any sort of waste in the converting process and to maximize its related savings. According to customers’ needs, the focus is on:
Technical encompasses—high performing products and technical service
Sustainable—products that are manufactured from sustainable materials wherever possible and produced with the lowest carbon footprint in mind
Innovative—to ensure it is constantly striving and working with its customers to develop new and constantly improving solutions for the current and future needs of the market
These three product values it applies as much as possible through all its product range and particularly in its ongoing developments for the entire range of polymers it offers; from PP, PE and PA6 through to its recycled ranges and bio-based fibers such as PLA and PBS.
Innovation
IFG has invested millions in a state-of-the-art R&D semi industrial pilot line which is the only one of its kind in the western world, based at IFG Asota in Linz, Austria. This enables it to constantly test and evaluate new and emerging polymer types helping us as it innovates and adapts its wide range of products. The pilot line also means its fibers can be developed and engineered specifically to meet the bespoke environmental and performance challenges of its customers, and facilitates the growth of its new and sustainable alternatives to fossil-based product fibers
Technical expertise
In addition to its pilot line investment, IFG has invested extensively in its R&D team, equipment and R&D facility based in Linz, Austria, as well as local R&D expertise at its other sites in the U.K., Europe and U.S. This enables the company to work closely with customers to refine the technical performance of its products and means it is able to provide first class technical support to its customers.
IFG operates an annual production capacity of over 90,000 tonnes, operating 24/7 across all its production facilities catering for a wide range of titres, colors, performance additives and polymer types, meaning it is able to serve the vast majority of commodity and more specialist fiber requirements
Sustainability
IFG is constantly striving to make the organization, products and customers as sustainable as possible. Its continuous investment in R&D has (and is) helping IFG to produce more environmentally friendly and responsible products. The company is fully committed to the research of this and the evolution of fiber performance.
All IFG’s sites are either registered or undergoing achievement of the environmental standard ISO14001, actively partnering with and being consulted by universities, institutes and the supply chain on sustainable product goals.
IFG has signed up to green energy contracts at its European production sites and as previously mentioned are continually developing more sustainable product solutions such as recycled PP and PA as well as successfully developing PLA and PBS fibers that are already out there in the market.
www.fibresgroup.com
www.lenzing.com
Nonwovens Industry would like to hear your company’s sustainability story, contact the editor at kmcintyre@rodmanmedia.com.
However, behind the scenes, the companies supplying the nonwovens and disposable goods industries continue to work on innovations that help their customers not only produce a greener product but in a more eco-friendly process.
Here is a look at what some suppliers to nonwovens are offering customers to be more sustainable.
A.Celli
A.Celli continuously improves its machines, studying and implementing energy recovery systems and using low consumption components capable of improving the energy performance of the machine itself.Furthermore, through the Extreme Automation’s OMNIA DP digital suite, A.Celli is able to monitor energy consumption, process data and productivity.
The “ENERGY” app, the solution that is best suited for the customer’s needs, allows to easily subdivide energy consumption according to the reels produced, all in real-time and with clear and easy-to-read graphics.
The app also allows customers to view an emissions indicator called “Smart Carbon Footprint” capable of detecting the share of emissions produced during the processing of raw materials and paper production, two phases of the product life cycle that are critical for the calculation of the CO2 equivalent, according to the GWP parameters expressed in the GHG protocol.
Through the continuous monitoring of energy parameters and emissions measurements, awareness of the phenomenon is increased and appropriate changes have been made to the process in order to reduce the environmental impact.
The use of the Smart Carbon Footprint has allowed A. Celli’s customer to: give a clear numerical value to their approach to the problem of climate change; place on the market products with a reduced environmental impact; enhance a transparent relationship with its stakeholders thanks to the reporting of emissions and identify ideas for improvement, thanks to constant monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and critical issues relating to its product.
www.acelli.it
Andritz
The implementation of the S.U.P. ban will support the sustainability awareness in the nonwoven industry, according to Andritz. Nowadays, different technologies can meet this requirement by combinations of drylaid card (C), wetlaid pulp (P), or airlaid (A), or CC (cellulosic), such as CP, CPC, CAC, and Wetlace. This has led Andritz to formulate a new strategy to reduce plastic content and introduce natural and renewable raw materials such as pulp. Many natural fibers can be used: hemp, linen, or flax, for example. The company has more than 20 years’ experience in manufacturing solutions that handle cotton, and many of its customers today use 100% cellulosic fibers on their lines. Based on its long history of providing technology for wood-based industries, Andritz has been able to supply new technologies in nonwoven lines to produce biodegradable wipes. These are spunlace, Wetlace (Andritz brand for the combination of wetlaid webforming and hydroentanglement) lines, and the next generation of production technologies with a combination of both—an inline drylaid and wetlaid webforming process.All these options create new opportunities and potential for producers of spunlace nonwovens.
www.andritz.com
Asahi Kasei
Asahi Kasei holds sustainability as one of its most important global companywide goals, and while its overall goal for carbon neutrality is set to 2050 in line with the Japanese government, it has been pursuing proactive efforts under the philosophy of “Care for People, Care for Earth,” and sustainability has always been a fundamental value for the company over the past 100 years. For instance, just last month the company announced a new partnership for creating its Polyamide 66 (nylon 66) engineering plastics with bio-based HMD to significantly reduce its carbon footprint with woven applications in the automotive realm for airbags or heat resistant plastics, and this need for developing more sustainable products is translating throughout the company, including nonwovens. Bemliese is where sustainability and biodegradability already shine as a significant benefit to the nonwovens industry.With cotton linter as its sole ingredient, Bemliese derives from a byproduct of the cotton harvesting process that was traditionally thrown away, so the company is in essence transforming the waste of one process into one of the highest performing, fully biodegradable nonwovens on the market today. It is a premium product and may not be a one-shoe-fits-all alternative to every nonwoven on the market, but Bemliese has already seen great success in cosmetics, medical, and hygiene. Asahi Kasei reports seeing interest in other industries for some innovative new ways to implement this continuous, spunbond nonwoven into their products as well. Its ultra-absorptive properties and high purity make it an attractive, more sustainable and fully biodegradable alternative for premium nonwovens.
While the U.S. is lagging a bit behind Europe, the EU’s directive on SUPs has definitely raised awareness around the world. This shows Bemliese’s relevance to the current need for sustainable alternatives in the cosmetics, medical and hygiene industries. Younger consumers in particular are becoming more in-tune to the concept of “Sustainable Beauty” and in addition to conventional cosmetic applications, the company has seen a growing demand in areas such as clothing design and apparel to seek more sustainable alternatives for production. It is also seeing interest for sustainable premium tea or coffee filters. It is clear that sustainability is not going anywhere anytime soon, so companies are going to need to shift to products that can reduce negative impacts on the environment. Bemliese is a great solution that with significant unveiled potential.
Sustainability at Asahi Kasei can be traced all the way back to its very first factories in 1922 that were primarily powered by hydroelectricity to produce affordable, high quality fertilizers and fabrics. In the 1930s, Asahi Kasei became a main producer of Cupro fabrics, the nonwoven that comes from the same cotton linter that it uses to make Bemliese. Therefore, sustainability is very much intertwined to the company’s DNA. More recently, in May 2021 the company established a company-wide policy for carbon neutrality, and in November 2021 it announced its official policy for sustainability. This is in concert with forward-thinking endeavors like renovating its hydroelectric plants and seeking strategic partnerships with innovators that are helping it integrate bio-based materials to its existing products. In recent years Asahi Kasei has also begun to expand Bemliese’s availability to the global marketplace as its announced Asahi Kasei Advance America’s mission to introduce it to North America in July 2021.
www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
Birla Cellulose
Earlier this year, Birla Cellulose, the pulp and fiber business of Grasim Industries Ltd., a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, announced a goal to bring down its net carbon emissions to zero across all its operations by 2040, with the possibility to reach it even earlier, by 2035. This is the most ambitious target set by any company in the man-made cellulosic fiber (MMCF) industry globally.The company also targets to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity to half by 2030 from the baseline of 2019. Birla Cellulose’s commitment to carbon neutrality and GHG reductions includes scope 1, scope 2, scope 3 emissions, and the carbon sequestration in managed forests and are derived using science-based methods. Birla Cellulose’s net-zero announcement aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 & 13 on climate change and affordable and clean energy.
Sharing his thoughts on the announcement, Mr. H K Agarwal, managing director, Grasim Industries Ltd, and business director, Birla Cellulose, says, “This is a natural progression in Birla Cellulose’s global leadership in the area of sustainability. Birla Cellulose’s climate target is at the core of its business strategy that aims to address climate change-related risks and adapt to changing consumer preferences for more sustainable, nature-based, and low emission products. With a legacy of innovation in the MMCF industry spanning seven decades, Birla Cellulose continues to work on cutting-edge technologies that will accelerate this transition.”
The roadmap would include increased use of renewable energy in its processes, investment in innovative low emission technologies, net positive carbon sequestration in its managed forests, and a sharp focus on circular fashion. Currently, around 40% of the energy for the global operations of Birla Cellulose comes from renewable sources.
Birla Cellulose, the pulp and fiber business of the Aditya Birla Group, is a leading sustainability focused manmade cellulosic fibres (MMCF) producer. Birla Cellulose operates 12 sites that apply environmentally efficient closed loop technologies that recycle materials and conserve natural resources.
www.birlacellulose.com
Cellulose Converting Solutions
Cellulose Converting Solutions has been developing solutions to reduce the impact of raw materials. For example, technology has allowed it to replace the glue used to combine raw materials with alternative sealing processes. Also, by using processes that allow users to achieve a really small standard deviation that at the end means to reduce the raw materials use as well as inside the limits of high quality.CCS solutions help the customer to use less raw materials to produce hygienic products, that at the end have less impact on the environment and a cost saving for the production CCS solutions help the customer to minimize the energy used for the production that at the end means less CO2 impact, and a general cost saving.
“We are applying the solutions explained above in all the new machines since some years,” executives say. “Since some years we have eliminated the use of plastic in favor of recycled paper inside the company. We have also put in place an internal procedure to reduce to the minimum the required time to test a machine, that means a reduction of energy spent to test the line and so a reduced CO2 impact.”
www.ccsol.it
Cotton Incorporated
Cotton Incorporated recently sponsored a study to evaluate the hypoallergenic properties of cotton. To do this, Cotton Incorporated enlisted the resources and experience of Product Investigation, a leading testing lab, to perform a clinical trial testing the hypoallergenic properties of cotton.Product Investigation conducted a contact dermatitis test to gauge a product’s irritation and allergy potential. This included a regimen of nine sequential 24-hour induction applications followed by two challenge applications across seven weeks. The study included 200 participants who were exposed to both natural and purified cotton. Of these, 50% perceived themselves to have sensitive skin. They were ages 18-84. The female to male ratio was 60:40.
Participants were asked to rank the effect the cotton had on skin from zero to four with zero meaning no change and four indicating redness and ulcerations.
In both the induction and challenge phases, both types of cotton registered all zeros meaning no observable irritation was recorded. When the results were recorded, both natural and purified cotton passed the sensitivity test with no irritation. Therefore, both types of cotton were deemed both hypoallergenic and safe.
www.cottoninc.com
Dilo
According to Dilo, needling is a mechanical consolidation process which is inherently very energy efficient. Currently, the company takes several directions for more sustainable product offerings.A complete needling line for processing reclaimed fiber and natural fibers can improve material savings as part of a circular economy. Recycled fiber material of any sort helps it to save fibers and reduce the CO2 footprint. DiloGroup offers such complete lines including fiber preparation and dedusting, carding, crosslapping, needling machines specifically adapted to reprocessing reclaimed fiber (including shoddy and natural fiber). Together with certified partners complete lines which include a special tearing process to save and keep longer staple is offered, and in addition to card/crosslapper technology aerodynamic webforming is available.
DiloGroup is also making progress in the development of an intensive needling process which it calls “microneedling.” This specialty line uses ultra-high density needleboards up to 45000 needles/m/board with very fine barbs for individual fiber transport. As a result it achieves lightweight fine fiber products for the medical and hygienic product range including the possibility to use biodegradable fiber. This special needling process is part of a conventional fiber preparation and webforming process and provides a technology with tremendous energy savings compared to competing technologies for lightweight disposable products. This Dilo technology does not only save a lot of electrical energy and gas but also consumes no water and less fiber. Dilo is preparing this “Micropunch” technology for ITMA 2023.
Dilo has observed during recent years and particularly last year a definite change in opinion and attitude among its customers and interested parties, and an adoption for the requirements of ecological change with the aim of considerable reductions of material, energy and water consumption. It no longer has to talk people into such technological alternatives but rather receives inquiries and has discussions about new technological solutions in order to realize this change of consumption levels in the industry. Therefore Dilo feels encouraged to pursue the development of the above mentioned technological subjects with high priority.
www.dilo.de
GDM
GDM’s path to sustainability has been supported by considerable investment programs from Coesia Group. In December 2018, it established the Centre of Expertise Sustainability, supporting “green strategy setting” and accelerating existing initiatives.Turning results into real value is now possible thanks to GDM solutions: the company’s technological developments for the manufacturing of high quality, sustainable products allow manufacturers to meet their customers’ requirements while reducing waste and cutting production costs at the same time.
This includes the machine “Green concept, which puts together all GDM solutions, propelling sustainability in every step of the manufacturing supply chain. Starting from raw materials, both handling sustainable materials—in converting and packaging solutions - and minimizing wastes, to save on power consumption and reduce gas emissions.
These solutions allow customers to choose to be more sustainable by obtaining the same performances, or even better than the ones got by traditional solutions, employing less raw materials, or coming from sustainable resources, therefore not only good for the planet but also for its customers’ financial health.
The green concept of these machines involves, first, raw materials. GDM’s Extra Thin Core allows to save up to 800 k€ per year: a 40% saving on core materials (fluff & SAP, compared to previous core formation process), thanks to an optimized mix and allocation featuring permanent channels construction, for an outstanding wetness distribution. The resizing of the suction fan of the forming wheel and the mill redesign have further contributed to the reduction of energy consumption up to 40% compared to the traditional version.
The Extra Thin Core is more space-saving than competing solutions. Thanks to its distinctive design the core takes up to 25% less space on the shelf as well as in the stockroom and in containers. Because of this, it allows for more diapers to be stacked and transported at the same time with lower costs and consequently lower gas emissions.
Meanwhile, Option Zero is a cutting-edge program aiming to minimize any sort of waste in the converting process and to maximize its related savings. According to customers’ needs, the focus is on:
- Zero Waste: enabling the elimination of trims, thanks to the “zero waste” product design, users can save up to 30% on nonwovens material used in Rear Wings process
- Zero Defects: matching market needs for premium quality products, reducing defects costs and boosting sales and earnings
- Zero Glue: reducing the total amount of construction glue up to 10%, through ultrasonic bonding technology, GDM can also minimize glue contamination in the final product
- Zero Time: users can cut by half their size changeover time, thanks to GDM’s patented Linear Motion technology, eliminating hardware replacement and set-up.
International Fibres Group
International Fibres Group’s core product values are firmly encapsulated by its commitments to innovation, sustainability and technical excellence, with a mission to ensure that (as much as possible) these commitments are evident through products and service to the customer.Technical encompasses—high performing products and technical service
Sustainable—products that are manufactured from sustainable materials wherever possible and produced with the lowest carbon footprint in mind
Innovative—to ensure it is constantly striving and working with its customers to develop new and constantly improving solutions for the current and future needs of the market
These three product values it applies as much as possible through all its product range and particularly in its ongoing developments for the entire range of polymers it offers; from PP, PE and PA6 through to its recycled ranges and bio-based fibers such as PLA and PBS.
- These values are encompassed across IFG’s manufacturing facilities and sister companies in the IFG family
- IFG has a long history (since 1956) of producing fibers for an ever-growing number of industries and applications (now well over 50) and are discovering new and versatile ways to provide solutions with its ever-growing range of products and expertise.
- IFG is very proud to work with its 265+ employees and see the IFG family, its co-workers, and not least its customers, as very much the continuing driving force of its success.
- IFG is also very proud to work collaboratively with a large and varied range of suppliers and development partners across the industry.
- International Fibres Group consistently serves a growing worldwide market and have done for over five decades
- It provides the highest quality fibers to an ever-diverse range of industries and applications
- Researching and developing new products and technologies sits at the heart of its organization, as do its values which are firmly embedding in service and sustainability
- It has a wide size and capability range of production machinery providing it with the capability to produce bespoke and niche solutions for a variety of market requirements
- Through its long experience and well-placed network of manufacturing facilities it is proud to be market leaders in both the U.S. and the U.K. and the largest non-integrated supplier of color and specialist polypropylene staple fibers in Europe
- This serves the company very well not only in its ability to service the vast majority of its customers from their own geographical land mass, but also provides significant adaptability and continuity of supply to its customers giving them complete piece of mind.
Innovation
IFG has invested millions in a state-of-the-art R&D semi industrial pilot line which is the only one of its kind in the western world, based at IFG Asota in Linz, Austria. This enables it to constantly test and evaluate new and emerging polymer types helping us as it innovates and adapts its wide range of products. The pilot line also means its fibers can be developed and engineered specifically to meet the bespoke environmental and performance challenges of its customers, and facilitates the growth of its new and sustainable alternatives to fossil-based product fibers
Technical expertise
In addition to its pilot line investment, IFG has invested extensively in its R&D team, equipment and R&D facility based in Linz, Austria, as well as local R&D expertise at its other sites in the U.K., Europe and U.S. This enables the company to work closely with customers to refine the technical performance of its products and means it is able to provide first class technical support to its customers.
IFG operates an annual production capacity of over 90,000 tonnes, operating 24/7 across all its production facilities catering for a wide range of titres, colors, performance additives and polymer types, meaning it is able to serve the vast majority of commodity and more specialist fiber requirements
Sustainability
IFG is constantly striving to make the organization, products and customers as sustainable as possible. Its continuous investment in R&D has (and is) helping IFG to produce more environmentally friendly and responsible products. The company is fully committed to the research of this and the evolution of fiber performance.
All IFG’s sites are either registered or undergoing achievement of the environmental standard ISO14001, actively partnering with and being consulted by universities, institutes and the supply chain on sustainable product goals.
IFG has signed up to green energy contracts at its European production sites and as previously mentioned are continually developing more sustainable product solutions such as recycled PP and PA as well as successfully developing PLA and PBS fibers that are already out there in the market.
www.fibresgroup.com
Lenzing
With with its new “Climate Care” campaign, Lenzing is launching the first completely biodegradable, CO2-neutral cellulose fiber Veocel on the market. Veocel’s parent company Lenzing, a manufacturer of wood-based cellulosic fibers, has committed itself to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 50% by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions by 2050. For this the company has launched an extensive and ambitious reduction program. One result of these climate measures now visible for business partners and customers is the new and particularly climate-friendly Veocel fiber. It is certified as CarbonNeutral and the result of many measures to reduce CO2, which Lenzing implemented a few years ago. Apart from the use of energy from renewable sources, biomass as a raw material for energy for heat generation and the use of modern and highly efficient production methods such as the closed-loop process, the company also invests in specific climate protection projects to reduce CO2 in the environment. These diverse activities in combination with sustainable timber procurement from controlled forests contribute towards slowing climate change and realizing a new measure of transparency along the entire value chain.www.lenzing.com
Nonwovens Industry would like to hear your company’s sustainability story, contact the editor at kmcintyre@rodmanmedia.com.
