International technology group Andritz presented its innovative production solutions for nonwovens and textiles at the Hygienix Show in New Orleans, LA earlier this month.

Andritz provides complete lines and individual machines to produce hygiene nonwovens and applications, such as air-through bonding, spunlace lines, nonwovens calenders, Spunjet equipment, and complete converting lines for baby, adult, and fem care products.

The Andritz air-through bonding lines deliver all the fabric characteristics of nonwovens for hygiene end uses, such as topsheets, acquisition distribution layers, and backsheets. The well-known Andritz carding machines are the key to success in achieving perfect web uniformity and comfort. With the Andritz air-through bonding line, you can benefit from high production capacity and high- performance fabrics from 16 to 80 gsm made from bi-component fibers produced at high speeds of up to 250 m/min. The air-though bonding allows users to include cellulosic and natural fiber in the fiber blend to improve the quality of absorbent hygiene products and reduce the consumption of plastics.

With the recent acquisition of Dan-Web, Andritz is expanding its portfolio to include the well-known airlaid and airlace processes, offering its customers an even wider range of options. As a leading supplier to the nonwovens industry, Andritz plays an important role in the development of sustainable products – such as wipes that are biodegradable and produced from natural or recycled fibers – all with one goal in mind: to reduce and eliminate plastic components and to reuse raw materials while maintaining the high quality of the desired product properties.

Throught its Andritz Diatec business, the company has focused on improving hygiene machinery technology. Based on market analysis, the company has established three levels of machine speed, all offering an optimal quality/price ratio to provide the latest technology solutions at competitive prices, customized design and compact layout: aXcess is for machines at lower speeds, particularly suitable for emerging markets; eXcelle is the category for medium-high speed machines; while eXcelle pro covers high speed machines for high-volume markets.

In terms of AHP market growth and potential, the segment for adult incontinence products is still on the pole position. This has resulted in a state-of-the-art adult pant converting process with highest quality standards, such as the development of ultrasonic side seam solutions with excellent results in terms of bond strength and system reliability. As a result, operations and size changes are faster and easier. The modern forming system for higher SAP (superabsorbent polymers) concentration and the turning and placing system guarantee maximum process stability that has been successful in the premium adult hygiene market.

To ensure a top-level of production performance and keep the lines of its customers running smoothly, a full range of retrofit kits and upgrades are available. In addition, an operator-friendly maintenance results in reduced downtimes and thus saves costs.

Additionally, Andritz's range of complete textile recycling lines for post-consumer and industrial textile waste, aiming to produce fibers for re-spinning and nonwoven applications. With increased customer awareness and regulatory pressure, clothing brands are compelled to recycle their textile waste in their own products. The nonwovens industry can also use recycled fibers in various applications such as automotive upholstery, insulation, mattresses, filtration, and furniture felts. Andritz offers airlay technology capable of effectively processing recycled fibers, as a complete line with thermobonding, needlelooms, or alternative bonding methods.