Author name: Haydn Davis

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.

“For several years now, we’ve worked closely with Supply Pro, based in Houston, Texas, which relies on our equipment for the fast, dependable ultrasonic bonding of the materials in its ProSorbents line of oil-absorbing pads, booms, and pillows,” explained Sonobond vice-president Melissa Alleman. “In fact, Supply Pro provided 40% of the booms used by BP during the spill. So we are pleased to say that Sonobond’s ultrasonic machinery had a significant part in assembling the products so essential to cleaning up this disaster, as well as other hazardous incidents.”

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.

In North America, recyclable product innovations for everything from mattresses, wallpaper and brooms to building materials, landscaping and automotive interiors have led to new contracts, increased business and job creation for Freudenberg’s Nonwovens, Vitech, Texbond, Filtration and Household Product companies.

“Freudenberg is driving the innovative development and production of things people and businesses use every day – all made from recycled plastic,” said Leesa Smith, president of Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership and a member of the company’s global executive team. “Our green practices are reflected in the buildings we work in, our daily actions and in the way we manufacture products. This has enabled us to expand our work force in key areas, and we expect the upswing in business to continue.”

Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership owns a family of companies which operate 15 unique businesses.

Denmark-headquartered Dan-Web believes there is the potential for airlaid nonwovens to substantially expand into new markets as a result of the many different raw materials which can be processed with the company’s technology.

The airlaid nonwovens industry today is a healthy, profitable business with 460,000 metric tons of installed capacity worldwide. Based on low price, environmentally sustainable wood pulp, low energy, low water usage and low carbon footprint processing, and with supply/demand for exisiting products in balance, future business prospects for airlaid are excellent.

In recent years, however, alternative raw materials have emerged as a consequence of the drive towards sustainable products and with few or even no changes Dan-Web’s production lines can be adjusted to handle a wide range of waste materials.