looking ahead Drylock Technologies

looking ahead

In its relatively short history, the Belgian family-owned manufacturer of private label personal absorbent hygiene products, Drylock Technologies, has gone from strength to strength. The combination of exceptional customer focus, product innovation and manufacturing excellence has resulted in a dynamic growth, which is set to continue: in January 2017, Drylock completed an acquisition in the United States, extending its footprint beyond Europe. Romana Moares reports.

Founded by Bart Van Malderen, the company’s current CEO, in 2011, Drylock Technologies manufactures and supplies three distinct product groups: baby care, adult care and feminine care. From its very beginning, focus has been on innovation – to provide products that are ecologically responsible and performance focused, accommodating customers’ need as well as possible. In 2012 Drylock developed its fluffless Magics diaper, using a revolutionary technology, and this was followed – due to rising demand – by fluffless incontinence products. These are thin, absorbent and comfortable, and sit perfectly in underwear.

Drylock puts a strong emphasis on the environment: the fluffless products use no cellulose, saving million of trees each year. No glue is used in the absorbent core, which means fewer chemicals applied in the manufacturing process. In addition, due to the thinness of the products, space is maximised during transport and in stores, meaning fewer trucks and lower emissions.

“Innovation was at the core of our company from the very beginning, and this will continue to be our focus – to show the customers that we are an innovative company. That is what we do,” says Mr Van Malderen.

Going thinner

Drylock’s baby care products include fluff and fluffless diapers, nappy pants, baby wipes, change mats and custom diapers; and its feminine care products comprise panty liners, fluff towels, ultra-towels, applicator tampons, digital tampons and custom products. The company’s adult care products include diapers, pull-ups, light incontinence products, under pads, shaped pads and custom products. Its products are sold through large retailers and various healthcare & distribution chains.

Following the Magics Diapers and the Vivi Feminine Care product, the adult incontinence product group is now gaining strength, in line with global trends. It is the fastest growing segment worldwide. “The development of the three product groups has been the strategy from the very beginning,” says the CEO. “We now offer a full range in all three categories and they are constantly being further developed and improved. Product research and development are a continuous process that never stops.” He further explains that demand for thin products applies to all three segments now and while the more standard products are still the base of the business today, ‘thinner’ is the direction Drylock is set to go in.

From garage to global

Drylock’s short company history has been a story of rapid growth: in 2011 Mr Van Malderen, with a solid background in the sector, decided to re-enter the hygienic product market and purchase a hygienic product manufacturer in Russia, at the same time developing the revolutionary fluffless diaper. A year later, a state-of-the-art factory was built on a greenfield site in the Czech Republic for the production of diapers, and the product range of the Russian facility was extended. In 2013, due to popular demand, Mr Van Malderen decided to expand the range in the Czech plant by adding fluffless & low fluff baby and incontinence products, and, at the same time, started building a new factory in the Republic of Tatarstan.

In order to optimally serve its customers with a full range of femcare products, Drylock strategically acquired CIP Assorbenti, located in Buccinasco near Milan (IT) in September 2015. The plant has been fully integrated and provides for a full range of pantyliners, fluff and ultra towels.

In January 2017, Drylock Technologies acquired 100 per cent of the business of Presto Absorbent Products Incorporated (PAPI) in Eau Claire, Wisconsin (USA). Presto is a well-respected innovator and manufacturer of adult incontinence products, serving preeminent institutional and retail distributors in the US.

Bart Van Malderen explains that the acquisition will bring significant benefits, such as a presence in the United States, product portfolio expansion, access to a very attractive customer and manufacturing base as well as a highly professional management team. The current PAPI facility will serve as Drylock’s US headquarters and operate under Drylock Technologies Ltd. “Presto complements our product range perfectly; it has always been a very innovative company and now we can bring this vast experience under one umbrella,” he says.

New horizons

The acquisition supports Drylock’s ambitious 2020 plan of continued growth. “We certainly intend to have a more global reach,” confirms Bart Van Malderen. “The acquisition of the Wisconsin plant has been the first step to achieve this – it will be a hub not only for growing our position in the USA but also to serve as a channel to the South American market. Our next target is China, which also offers great opportunities, and we will start looking for a potential partner there soon.” He further reveals that the company is determined to support growth in Europe. “We have a strong presence in Russia, which is a big, growing market for us, and we are soon going to double the capacity of our plant in the Czech Republic, making it into a modern distribution centre for the whole of Europe,” he says.

Drylock meets customers’ needs for hygienic absorbent products from birth until old age and plans to continue doing so in the way it knows best: through innovation and adding value to private labels. As Mr Van Malderen confirms, it will further invest in its plants to support its ambitious plans for further growth, both organically and by means of acquisitions. n