#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2013-05-17

Trend towards industrial nonwoven applications

Oerlikon Neumag Spunbond line (c) 2013 Oerlikon Neumag

Oerlikon Neumag was extremely happy with the three lively trade fair days in Miami. The general trend at the – to date – somewhat hygiene-oriented nonwovens trade fair was the growing interest in nonwovens for industrial applications from visitors and exhibitors. In keeping with this trend, Oerlikon Neumag exhibited its solutions for technical spunbonds.

Spunbonds are increasingly being used as a cost-efficient alternative in technical applications such as roofing and geotextiles. In addition to the classical major markets for geotextiles and construction textiles in North America, for instance, promising growth rates are expected particularly in emerging economies and emerging industrial countries due to numerous required general construction and civil engineering measures. Oerlikon Neumag’s spunbond plants for technical applications are veritable space miracles and excel with a significantly higher throughput for comparable operating widths.

Global airlaid capacities well-utilized However, concrete sales discussions were not only conducted regarding technical spunbonds. Oerlikon Neumag’s meltblown and airlaid technologies also proved to be extremely popular. Oerlikon Neumag unveiled to the airlaid manufacturers – which are currently said to be operating at full capacity – its brandnew forming head at this year’s IDEA. The new technology ensures even greater homogeneity in the case of extremely thin materials. As a result of specially-guided air flows, the forming head guarantees extremely even laying of the fibers at production speeds of up to 500 meters per minute.– a very worthwhile investment given the current market situation.

Meltblown spinning beam for retrofitting With regard to meltblown solutions, Oerlikon Neumag placed the focus of its information at this year’s IDEA on meltblown spinning beams as quality-determining components in SMS (spunbond-meltblownspunbond) systems. This option enables the cost-efficient upgrading of existing systems, hence offering nonwoven manufacturers access to highly-profitable markets with particularly demanding quality standards such as those specializing in automobile applications, medical or industrial products.

Tangible technology With its virtual reality show, the Neumünster-based systems builder provided visitors with information on its entire nonwovens manufacturing portfolio. For some years now, the company has been focusing on virtual reality with the objective of showcasing the complexity of the systems for its customers. “This kind of presentation still remains hugely popular among our customers”, is also how Ed McNally, Sales Director Nonwovens at Oerlikon Neumag, sums up the virtual reality show. “We can provide a detailed insight into the systems technology, something that our customers love to take advantage of.”

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