#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2019-07-08

EDANA elects new board

EDANA has elected new Governors and a new team of Officers for 2019 - 2020. Mikael Staal Axelsen (Fibertex) accepted the nomination of Chairman and will be supported in the role by Vice-Chairs Omar Hoek (Ahlstrom-Munksjö, France) and David Lamb (Nonwovenn Ltd, UK). Paul Eevers’ (Unilever) position as Treasurer was also renewed. Announced at EDANA’s recent Annual Strategic Review and AGM in Vienna, the newly elected Board began their term on July 1st.

Michael Staal Axelsen nominated as board chair amid renewed strategic ambition

In addition to his long-standing support of the association as a board member, Mikael is a vocal participant in many of EDANA’s working groups, ever ready to facilitate constructive debate and garner support for EDANA’s growing range of initiatives. “This nomination is naturally an honour, but I take the true pleasure in collaborating with our members in their extensive and growing commitment to the evolution of our network” said Mr. Staal Axelsen. “At a time of rapid change and increased scrutiny on many fronts, it’s very encouraging to see such tangible momentum. My ongoing focus will be to ensure that these new frontiers are successfully crossed and that we maintain our strategic interests of stakeholder engagement, global outreach and sustainable growth.”

The following Governors were elected as new Board members:

Mr Michael Baumgartner, Managing Vice President Eurasia, Fitesa, DE
Mr Christian Hassmann, Director of Global Filtration and Separation, Johns Manville, DE
Mr Petri Helsky, President & CEO, Suominen, Finland
Mrs Christine Lemoine, Tyvek® Global Technology Manager, DuPont, Luxembourg
Mr John McNabb, Chief Technology Officer, Freudenberg Performance Materials, DE
Mrs Elizabeth Metz, Vice President of Global Nonwovens, Kimberly-Clark, USA
Mrs Kristin Olofsson, Innovation, Sustainability & CSR Director, Trioplast Group, Sweden
Mr Mark Thornton, Global Director of Materials, Procter & Gamble, DE

The team of Officers is reinforced by Executive Governors, co-opted by the Board: Mrs Patricia Featherstone, Director Marketing & Communications, RKW Hygiene & Industrial Division, Belgium (also Chair of the Nominating Committee), Åsa Johansson, Global Material Development Director for Personal Care, Essity, Sweden and Krzysztof Malowaniec, Senior Vice President, Paul Hartmann, DE.

A complete list of the EDANA Board of Governors is available here:

https://www.edana.org/industry-support/about-edana/board-of-governors

25 years in the room: EDANA’s OUTLOOK™ returns to Cascais to shape a changing industry

The market does not wait, and it does not grant easy answers. Across the absorbent hygiene, personal care, and wipes sectors, business is undergoing a period of intense, necessary adjustment. New European rules on packaging, single-use items, product safety, and end-of-life are forcing companies to drop old assumptions about materials and performance. At the same time, producers must keep their goods safe, reliable, and affordable for the babies and aging adults, who rely on them every day.

Sustainability: European industry calls on EU to keep Single-Use Plastics Directive unchanged

A broad coalition of European industry associations, including EDANA, Euratex and Plastics Europe, has urged EU institutions to maintain the current legal framework of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). In a joint statement, the organisations argue that reopening the Directive at this stage would create legal uncertainty, increase regulatory complexity and undermine investment, while its implementation across the European Union is still incomplete.

EDANA announces five new board members following 2026 Annual General Meeting

The EDANA Board of Governors is elected or re-elected at the Annual General Meeting by the member companies. The Governors are senior executives (business leaders) from member companies, based in different countries and representing different sectors of the nonwovens industry. The Board has central responsibility for guiding EDANA's overall strategy and approving its policies and priorities. It meets three times a year.

ANDRITZ sets focus on textile recycling and durable nonwoven production technologies at ITMA Asia 2025

International technology Group ANDRITZ will be presenting its innovative nonwovens production and textile solutions at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 in Singapore, from October 28 to 31, 2025 (Hall 2, D106). ANDRITZ will showcase its MMCF production plants, textile sorting and recycling, bast fiber processing, needlepunch, airlay, and life-cycle service technologies, with a focus on sustainable solutions. Discover how these innovations can grow your business opportunities and support a greener future.

OUTLOOK™ 2025: Charting a sustainable and innovative future for the Nonwovens Industry

EDANA concluded its flagship event, OUTLOOK™ 2025, last week, marking it as a major success and addressing the biggest questions facing the industry. The three-day conference highlighted the urgent need for a unified approach to sustainability, regulation, and innovation in the absorbent hygiene and wipes sectors.

Global Nonwovens Alliance unveils Inaugural Board, advancing collaboration and growth worldwide

The Global Nonwovens Alliance (GNA), a tax-exempt federation jointly founded by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, and EDANA, the Voice of Nonwovens, announces the appointment of its founding Board of Directors. This group of leaders represents some of the most influential executives across the nonwovens value chain and reflects GNA’s mission to foster global collaboration, innovation, and growth in the industry.

New Cotton Review examines competitiveness, market risk, and opportunities

From moving record volumes of Brazilian cotton to market, to managing price volatility, unlocking Ethiopia’s production potential, and strengthening African textile trade, the latest edition of Cotton: Review of the World Situation examines some of the most consequential opportunities and challenges facing the global cotton industry.

Long John puts KARL MAYER's RDJ 7/3 into operation and strengthens its position as a market leader

KARL MAYER has just unveiled its new RDJ 7/3 Jacquard Double Needle Bar Raschel Machine in the international trade press, and the innovation is already causing a stir in the market: The Long John Group, a leading manufacturer of performance footwear fabrics and a long-standing partner of renowned brands, was the first customer to invest in the new machine and celebrated its official launch at its Indonesian plant on August 20.

An eco-friendly alternative to fluorocarbon treatments

Protective and outdoor clothing derives its durable water-, dirt- and oil- repellent properties from the application of fluorinated polymers or per- and polyfluorinated low-molecular- weight chemicals (PFCs). The beneficial properties thus achieved on textiles are offset by environmental and human health risks. For manufacturers of sports, medical, protective and automotive textiles, researchers at the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. and the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research have developed liquid-applied dispersions and solutions to functionalise textiles without the use of fluorine.