Global nonwoven fabric production has surged! If equipment and technology aren’t upgraded soon, the situation will become critical.
Release Date:
2022-11-22 13:24
In 2015, manufacturers of polypropylene spunbond and meltblown nonwovens in the nonwoven industry fully capitalized on the market value of this technology, enjoying strong growth momentum. For example, the Argentine nonwoven company Scalter announced the acquisition from a Chinese firm of a polypropylene spunbond production line with an annual capacity of 8,000 tons. Reportedly, the line comprises two spunbond lines, two chemical-bonding lines, one thermal-bonding line, a printing machine, and knitting equipment, and has been installed at its Buenos Aires facility, thereby enhancing Scalter’s existing operational efficiency.
Investing in the most cutting-edge equipment today will enable Scalter to “stand shoulder to shoulder with any nonwoven manufacturer worldwide” in the future.
Meanwhile, Toray’s Advanced Materials (referred to as Toray) in China completed its fourth spunbond production line in Nantong at the end of June 2015. Its TPN subsidiary in Nantong has become its largest nonwoven manufacturing facility, with an annual output of 77,000 tons of nonwoven fabrics. The company has also established nonwoven fabric production plants in South Korea and Indonesia, and the Indonesian plant is already constructing a second production line.
Toray announced that these facilities were built to meet the growing market demand for disposable baby diapers. According to forecasts, driven by rising income levels and changing lifestyles in China, demand for this product is expected to reach 38 billion units annually by 2020. Toray plans to invest in the Chinese market to satisfy the demand for high-performance materials used in disposable diapers and enhance its operational cost competitiveness.
Driving Forces Behind the Development of Nonwoven Fabrics
Divid Price, a partner at Price Hanna Consultants, believes that the primary drivers of global polypropylene spunbond and meltblown capacity are growing market demand and advancing technologies.
“Polypropylene spunbond and meltblown technologies are the world’s leading nonwoven production methods,” said DividPrice. “These technologies are primarily used in the hygiene products market, such as baby and adult diapers and feminine hygiene products—key application areas for nonwovens.”
In addition, nonwoven fabrics are used in the medical market (surgical gowns, sterilization sheets, and sterilization pouches), the construction market (door and window frame coverings, geotextiles), specialized industrial applications, as well as in filtration and home‑decor sectors.
“Overall, from 2014 to 2019, global demand for nonwoven fabrics is expected to grow at an annual rate of approximately 6%. Moreover, the unit weight of nonwoven products will continue to decline in the future,” said DividPrice.
The lightweighting of nonwoven fabrics is largely attributable to technological advances. “Technological progress is a key driver behind the growth of spunbond and meltblown polypropylene nonwovens,” notes Divid Price. “Ongoing, steady advancements in this field have led to continuous equipment upgrades, enabling the faster production of lighter‑weight nonwovens. Once machine performance is fully optimized through these technological improvements, it becomes possible to manufacture larger volumes of material at lower costs.”
In the company’s latest report, titled “Global Polypropylene Spunbond and Meltblown Nonwoven Capacity, Supply and Demand, and Manufacturing Economics 2009, 2014–2019,” DividPrice examines in greater detail the key factors driving profitability among global producers. These factors include fluctuations in raw material costs, supply‑demand imbalances, and the adoption of low‑cost technologies.
The growing demand in this sector has led to an increase in equipment deployments, particularly among leading manufacturers across Asia and other regions worldwide. Prior to 2018, the substantial surge in demand from Asia and South America was also expected to trigger a large-scale wave of equipment installations.
Divid Price emphasized that the introduction of new technologies has enabled lightweight meltblown nonwovens to achieve optimal cost-effectiveness in meeting market demand. However, many manufacturers, mindful of the capital costs associated with adopting meltblown technology, continuously assess the input–output ratio. This challenge compels producers to seek strategic partners in order to mitigate their financial burdens.
“Producers still relying on outdated technologies must upgrade their processes to achieve capacity that meets demand and maintain cost competitiveness. This drive is very strong, and to avoid falling behind, many manufacturers have already begun implementing technological upgrades,” said Divid Price.
The Asia-Pacific market holds vast potential.
According to a study by a team of analysts at the international consulting firm GrandView Research, the reliable quality of polypropylene nonwovens when used in hygiene products has become increasingly prominent, thereby driving their growing popularity. From 2015 to 2022, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to record the highest growth rate—5.8%—in the production of polypropylene nonwovens.
In March 2015, Swedish hygiene products manufacturer SCA opened its first personal care and tissue production facility in Maharashtra, India. The company stated, “India has a massive population, yet the penetration rate of hygiene products remains low, suggesting significant market potential in this sector going forward.”
Divid Price echoed this view when discussing the global market outlook. “Demand is growing across all regions, particularly in countries where the penetration of disposable nonwoven products remains low, such as China, Africa, South Asia, and the Asia-Pacific,” he explained. “We estimate that from 2014 to 2015, these regions will see annual demand growth of 7% to 11%. Consequently, their growth rates are likely to outpace those of the United States, Canada, and Western Europe—regions with slower population growth but high levels of nonwoven product adoption.”
Despite its vast market potential, India faces several challenges. At the end of 2014, the International Nonwovens Association (INDA) held a foundational training course on nonwovens in Mumbai. Industry experts noted that the application of spunbond technology in India is currently concentrated in packaging textiles and remains underdeveloped. Intense competition from Chinese manufacturers, coupled with excess production capacity, has led to the closure of some spunbond production facilities in India.
Trainees in the course believe that India “urgently” needs to upgrade its product technologies and that all stakeholders should support the market in this sector. They also contend that the Indian government should address customs tariffs and promote the domestic production of value-added goods.
Divid Price stated that, despite China’s relatively high market share in this sector, there has recently been a slight decline. “With urban markets in China becoming increasingly saturated, the growth in demand for spunbond and meltblown polypropylene nonwovens used in hygiene products has slowed. However, in rural China—where nonwoven product penetration remains low—demand is still expected to rise, and product distribution will continue to expand,” Divid Price said.
He added that in mature markets such as Europe, both disposable and durable nonwoven products still have a foothold. Although the growth rate of demand is modest, an annual increase of 4% continues to create market opportunities.
Greek company Thrace Group has identified this market demand and acquired a production line from Faré to expand its capacity. Reportedly, the line incorporates several innovative technologies that enhance energy efficiency and reduce raw-material consumption, enabling Thrace Group and its customers to produce distinctive products that meet future market requirements.
Similarly, Russia’s gas-processing and petrochemical company Sibur has introduced a higher‑grade polypropylene product, specifically developed for the production of nonwoven geotextiles and personal hygiene items, characterized by an improved texture and enhanced softness.
According to Divid Price, with the advancement of polypropylene spunbond and meltblown technologies, the next challenge lies in achieving improved surface feel and softness. Moreover, with the active involvement of equipment manufacturers, further progress is expected across spinning, raw material utilization, and other process areas.
“Overall, through 2019, polypropylene spunbond and meltblown nonwovens will continue to enjoy strong demand and significant growth potential,” said DividPrice. “Based on completed and planned production-line expansion projects, an additional 335 million tons of capacity is expected to come online by 2019, bringing global capacity to 3.6 billion tons.”
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