Haydn Davis, Author at Nonwovens News

K-C sponsors Envirocomp composting

Haydn Davis / November 11, 2011

hug Kimberly-Clark has signed a global sponsorship agreement with OCS giving the Huggies manufacturer first refusal on Envirocomp composting facilities as they are installed around the world.

OCS acquired Envirocomp in February 2011 and plans to establish facilities for composting diapers and other hygienic disposables and nonwovens in the UK, Ireland, Australia and mainland Europe, while expanding operations of its New Zealand facilities over the next 18 months.

Through a similar sponsorship in 2009, Huggies diapers and Envirocomp established the first commercial nappy composting facility in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Within the first year of operation, the facility exceeded its business plan and processed more than 15,000 diapers a day, which were mixed with green waste supplied by the local councils that resulted in compost suitable for commercial gardening or landscaping.

Durables

Nonwovens on the outside

Haydn Davis / November 11, 2011

uder Nonwovens are increasingly finding use as exterior components on cars, providing a range of benefits.

Following widespread success with the supply of textile-based wheel arch liners, Germany’s Borgers reports that more premium class vehicles are now ordering its undershields.

News

Lenzing fibres are BioPreferred

Haydn Davis / November 10, 2011

bio label Tencel and Lenzing FR for nonwovens and textiles have been awarded the USDA Biobased Label.

The BioPreferred programme, which was implemented by President Obama after the 2008 election, requires the use of biobased products in 95% of new government contracts and contract modifications.

The BioBased label was introduced to extend the benefits of the programme to consumer products and their supply chains.

While it will clearly be of most value in the US market, the credibility of the USDA carries weight in other parts of the world too.

Durables

Liquid nonwovens from DuPont

Haydn Davis / November 9, 2011

web DuPont invented the building wrap category more than 30 years ago and the family of DuPont Tyvek nonwoven air and water weather barrier products has helped create thousands of sustainable buildings around the world that cost less to operate and are easier to maintain.

Now the company has introduced a system of fluid-applied products that work together to provide seamless protection for the building envelope.

The Tyvek Fluid Applied Weather Barrier System delivers the same performance as Tyvek CommercialWrap – with the added convenience of fast, sprayed or pressure rolled application.

The liquid web system is said to work especially well on concrete masonry and gypsum sheathing, providing an ideal combination of air and water holdout, with the highest vapour permeability in the industry at 25 mils. Protecting buildings from water accumulation, which can lead to mould and mildew, also helps reduce energy use and create a healthier indoor air environment.

Clean-up can be via mineral spirits, citrus-based cleaners or gel-based paint stripper.

Each of the products in this integrated weather barrier system features low VOCs.

News

Organic cotton from Barnhardt

Haydn Davis / November 9, 2011

org Organic purified cotton that is certified by Oregon Tilth, USDA Organic and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is now being supplied specifically for nonwovens by Barnhardt.

The company says it is partnering with suppliers seeking to build up the quality of soil via increased organic matter content through natural practices, including crop rotation and the physical removal of weeds and plant leaves rather than chemical practices. The soil’s water-retaining ability is increased as a consequence – resulting in less water run-off and waste – and not polluted with pesticides.

In 2010, Barnhardt became the first purified cotton bleacher to carry out a Life Cycle Analysis of its production and as a result has reduced its water use by 33%, energy use by 8% and hreenhouse gas emissions by 6%.

With two plants, both in the USA, the company’s commitment is to continuously improving cotton for nonwovens – a market in which requirements are constantly changing.
Through a series of acquisitions, Barnhardt has also expanded beyond hygienic disposables to the dental, medical, pharmaceutical, beauty, furniture, mattress and carpet padding and home insulation markets.

News

Local footprint for RKW and P&G

Haydn Davis / November 8, 2011

rkw The localisation of raw material supply chains for Procter & Gamble’s global diaper manufacturing continues, with the news that RKW Group has started production at its first plant in Egypt.

The comany has built a totally new manufacturing facility in Cairo involving investment of US$30 million.

The localisation of materials supplied will in turn reduce the carbon footprint of diaper materials, develop the local Egyptian economy and generally ensure a more responsive and environmentally friendly supply chain.

Procter and Gamble strategically partners with RKW to purchase films and nonwovens for diaper manufacturing and has awarded the company a ‘Supplier of Excellence Award’ for three consecutive years.

The new plant, RKW Egypt, occupies 20,000 square metres of land in the ‘City of 6th October’ near to P&G’s own manufacturing. The industrial park is located 35 kilometres southwest of Cairo and only a few kilometres from the pyramids of Giza.

Initially, it will employ about 40 people. Manufacturing includes a state-of-the-art embossing calender and an extrusion line and German specialists are currently training local workers and preparing for the start of series production.

RKW is one of the leading international manufacturers of polyethylene and polypropylene films, nonwovens and nets. The family-owned company employs over 2,800 people at 21 locations and generated sales in 2010 of US$ 1.1 billion.

Raw Materials

Nano-pigments for pre-coloured microfibres

Haydn Davis / November 7, 2011

Huada Nano-pigments which allow microfibres to be coloured prior to their extrusion, for savings in raw materials and improved spinning, are now being mass produced in China.

The applications for microfibres are very broad, both in nonwovens and conventional textiles, but their surface properties are very different to regular fibres and dye-fastness and deep dyeing properties are consequently problematic.

Durables

Maximum energy savings with TLX Gold

Haydn Davis / November 6, 2011

tlx TLX Gold – a hybrid structure of reflective coated cellulose film, polyester wadding, metallised nonwovens and a roofing underlay – was featured in the Innovation Zone at INSITE 11, held in Watford, UK.
The event, which took place on October 5-6, was part of the Modern Built Environment KTN programme which aims to showcase exemplary technologies which have the potential to transform the UK’s current built environment.

TLX Gold, which achieved ETA (European Technical Approval) earlier this year, is billed as the world’s only combined breather membrane and multi-foil insulation. It reduces heat loss and air leakage through the building fabric while enabling a building to breathe. The product can be installed as a single layer over existing insulation and delivers insulation improvements to buildings where previous upgrades were impractical.

Raw Materials

New highs for viscose in China

Haydn Davis / November 5, 2011

sateri Sateri Holdings, which listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange in December 2010, continues to expand its capacities for dissolving wood pulp (DWP) and viscose staple fibre (VSF).

Rayon grades of dissolving wood pulp are the principal raw ingredient for the production of viscose staple fibre, which is used to produce nonwovens such as wipes as well as textiles and cellophane for packaging.

Speciality grades of pulp are also used to produce applications such as microcrystalline cellulose, ether, acetate and industrial filaments. Sateri’s products are manufactured to a high degree of purity, with an alpha-cellulose content of up to 98%.

November

Sustainable Nonwovens 04.11.11

Haydn Davis / November 4, 2011


		Cleaning up after BP The ultrasonic bonding technology of Sonobond was essential to the production of many of the nonwoven oil-absorbing booms successfully used to clean up the 2010 Gulf oil spill. Read More

		P&G accolade for Pegas Pegas Nonwovens has received one of just 12 Business Partner of the Year awards from Procter & Gamble for the second year running. Read More

		Recycling reaps dividends for Freudenberg Freudenberg reports that it now recycles more than 377 million plastic drink bottles each year – enough to circle the world two-and-a-half times if laid end-to-end. Read More

		Filter paper expansion at Glatfelter Glatfelter Composite Fibers is to make a US$50 million expansion at its plant in Gernsbach, Germany, in response to increasing demand for its nonwovens for tea and single-serve coffee filter bags. Read More

		New guidebook on cotton and sustainability MCL Global, the publisher of Sustainable Nonwovens will launch the ‘Insider’s Guide to Cotton and Sustainability’, a new handy booklet which will provide in-depth expert analysis and guidance on how to tackle the issue of sustainability in the global cotton supply chain. Read More

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