"Global Technical Textiles Business Update, 2nd quarter 2009"

Recent acquisitions in the global technical textiles sector include the purchaseof Jackson Products by Kimberly-Clark and the takeover of JKT by MölnlyckeHealth Care. Also, ConvaTec has sold its Unomedical Wound Care and Ophthalmicsbusiness to Aspen Surgical Products Holding. In business news, Ahlstrom has temporarily laid off workers with the aim ofreducing production in line with current demand. A Kuwaiti government unit haspurchased a number of LifeShirt Personnel Management Systems from RAE Systems tomonitor first responders. Lenzing has hiked its fibre prices while alsoannouncing management changes in its Nonwoven Fibers business, and Polymer GroupInc (PGI) has made plans to close its manufacturing plant in North Little Rock,Arkansas, USA. Technology Marketing Inc (TMI) has set up an agreement with Zyvex PerformanceMaterials (ZPM) to distribute the latter's Epovex and Arovex carbonnanotube-based products, and TenCate Protective Fabrics has won an order fromPropper International for its Defender M fabric. Texas Tech University andEnercon Industries, a supplier of plasma treating systems, have joined forces todevelop plasma technology for nonwovens and technical textiles, and the USmilitary has awarded contracts to Solar Integrated Technologies for the supplyand installation of integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) roofing systems for buildingsat US military bases. In investment news, a state-of-the-art fabric laboratoryhas been opened at Texas Tech University to develop protective products. Elmarcoand Oerlikon Neumag have made plans to deliver new nano fiber nonwovensmanufacturing lines to Russia while Fiberweb has made plans to invest in newmelt blown capacity at its facility in Biesheim, France. Freudenberg has openeda plant in the UK for making activated carbon adsorptive products while NonwovenSolutions has invested in a medical graven needle punched nonwovens line.Polymer Group Inc (PGI) has completed the installation of a new line in Mexico,and Sanitars has started up a third hydro entanglement line at its plant inItaly. In the meantime, P2i has opened an office and appointed a regional salesmanager in the USA to increase its business in the country. Recently formed joint ventures include a partnership between FiberVisions andTel Rad Cuyo (TRC) to produce and sell polypropylene fibres in South America.Fiberweb ad Fitesa have established a 50/50 joint venture to supply hygienefabrics in the Americas, and ZPM has teamed up with PolyOne Corporation todevelop carbon nanotube-filled polymer materials. In market news, global consumption of hygiene absorbent products grew to 386 bnunits in 2008, and the Indian government has been advised to focus on more areasin technical textiles.
Source : www.researchandmarkets.com