The world nonwovens industry: part 3 -- 20 medium sized producers, 1st quarter 2001

Medium sized producers of nonwoven roll goods - those which rank from 11-30 among the world’s leading companies - play a major role in shaping the global nonwovens business. Annual sales of the top 40 companies amounted to about US$9 bn in 1999. Sales of medium sized companies - which range from US$60 mn to US$173 mn each - account collectively for US$2.3 bn, or almost one-quarter of this total.

The list of companies ranking 11-30 includes a range of long established as well as new players. The Finnish company Suominen, which ranks 24th, has celebrated 100 years in the business. In contrast, Western Nonwovens, which ties at number 13, is a relatively new US-based company.

Firms with family connections feature among medium sized producers. US-based Hollingsworth & Vose is now into its sixth generation of family ownership and has moved up the table from 23rd to 16th place. 2000 has been a year for investments in new technologies in response to competition, particularly in the hygiene sector. In addition, capacity expansions have taken place at Japanese companies Mitsui and Asahi as a result of growing demand for disposable baby diapers in Japan.

In the UK, Lantor has reported increased demand for highly specified technical fabrics for medical markets.

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