PGI boosts Europe output, debuts soft products

POLYMER Group Inc. (PGI) will boost its European output, the engineered nonwovens compant announced at a news conference held at EDANA’s Outlook in Barcelona, Spain.  Toward this end, PGI will increase its spunmelt nonwovens capacity in Tarragona, Spain, and its specialty carded capacity in Terno, Italy, in 2015 to raise its total capacity in the region beyond 100,000 metric tons.

PGI currently operates four manufacturing facilities in Europe, from which about 27% of the company’s revenues come. The facility in Spain, which complements existing plants in France, Holland, and Italy, was acquired from Tesalca-Texnobo in 2009. At that time, the site had the capacity for 50,000 metric tons of nonwovens using six lines and sales reaching about $87 million.

The firm has been undertaking an aggressive growth strategy over the past 18 months, acquiring Companhia Providencia and Fiberweb, and investing in existing sites in North America and Europe. It will continue to pursue investments in Europe and Middle East Africa as earlier efforts have resulted in continued growth in specialty materials for personal care.

PGI launched a new portfolio of specialty soft products during Edana Outlook. The products cater to the baby, incontinence, and feminine care markets, and using the company’s proprietary soft technologies feature visual, tactile, and haptic soft properties in strong demand in today’s hygiene market.

The products include the Premium Soft and Kamisoft, the Premium King Soft, and the PGI Soft. The first consists of mechanically produced and patented soft nonwovens in two unique patterns, while the Premium King Soft features a differentiated smooth or silk-like feel compared with standard spunbond and is ideal for backsheet, cuff, and topsheet applications. The PGI Soft is a special formulation that yields a silk-like touch suitable for feminine care, incontinence bladder control pads, and other topsheet applications.

The newly launched VISTA uses the company’s patented Apex technology to generate a highloft soft fabric. It is designed to help neutralize the impact of thinner diapers with a three dimensional image and a cloth-like feel and is available in 25gsm to 50gsm basis weights.

The new SOFT portfolio complements the company’s S-Tex technology, which offers nonwovens with enhanced softness, elongation, and aperture attributes suitable for topsheet, backsheet, and elastic lamination applications.

The BiCo technology features a soft hand with comfort and softness attributes when converted into an end-product. The Airtenis is a family of airthrough bond carded materials for optimal performance in hygiene applications. The TricTrac thermal bond carded material features an embossed pattern and enhanced softness and visual aspect suitable for topsheet and outer cover applications.