Karen McIntyre, Editor01.30.23
Elevated demand for disinfectant wipes during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 led to unprecedented investment for spunlace nonwovens—one of the wipes market’s most preferred substrate materials. This drove global consumption for spunlaced nonwovens to 1.6 million tons, or $7.8 billion, in 2021. While demand has remained elevated, it has retreated, particularly in markets like face wipes.
As demand normalizes and capacity continues to ramp up, manufacturers of spunlaced nonwovens have reported challenging conditions, which have been further exacerbated by macroeconomic conditions like global inflation, rising raw material prices, supply chain issues and regulations limiting the use of single-use plastics in some markets.
In its most recent earnings call, Glatfelter Corporation, a nonwovens producer which diversified into spunlace manufacturing through the acquisition of Jacob Holm Industries in 2021, reported that both sales and earnings in the segment were lower than expected.
“Overall, the work ahead of us in spunlace is more than was originally anticipated,” Thomas
As demand normalizes and capacity continues to ramp up, manufacturers of spunlaced nonwovens have reported challenging conditions, which have been further exacerbated by macroeconomic conditions like global inflation, rising raw material prices, supply chain issues and regulations limiting the use of single-use plastics in some markets.
In its most recent earnings call, Glatfelter Corporation, a nonwovens producer which diversified into spunlace manufacturing through the acquisition of Jacob Holm Industries in 2021, reported that both sales and earnings in the segment were lower than expected.
“Overall, the work ahead of us in spunlace is more than was originally anticipated,” Thomas
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