Driving nonwoven functionality forward

DRIVING NoNWoVEN

FuNCTIoNALITY FoRWARD

The TWE Group is a global leader in the development and manufacture of advanced nonwoven products. Its remarkable ability to maintain strong, consistent growth in the face of stiff international competition is testament not only to its portfolio of innovative products, but also to its ability to understand, evaluate and react positively to emerging market trends. Philip Yorke reports on a company that is acknowledged as the true pioneer in the nonwovens industry.

The TWE Group was founded way back in 2012 in Emsdetten, Germany; however, it wasn’t until 1961 that it entered the nonwovens market and founded its highly successful nonwovens business, beginning with the production of synthetic, nonwoven materials for the first time. Today the company is a major global player with over 1300 employees active in more than 40 counties worldwide. Currently the company operates 17 state-of-the-art production facilities across Europe, China, India and the United States. The group’s portfolio of products cover an almost infinite range of applications from filtration and automotive interiors, to healthcare, hygiene, construction and living. In 2017 the group recorded consolidated revenues of more than $500 million.

Switchable functionality

With selected partners, the TWE Group is spearheading a major project that is dedicated to the development of new, switchable functionalities for nonwoven products and surfaces, especially for applications in the filtration and automotive sectors. Within the scope of this pioneering project, which runs until November 2019, the latest innovative applications are focused on those concerning general filtration and motor vehicle interiors. The North Rhine-Westphalia State is working closely with the TWE Group to drive new nonwoven technologies forward. This unique European project has been designated: NGF 2.0.

Within the scope of this ground-breaking programme, switchable solutions for nonwovens are created and developed. The many innovative outcomes will drive the opening-up of new business fields for TWE and will also help to expand its current product portfolios in the fields of energy, vehicle equipment and the environment.

In addition, the development of new data management tools and data evaluation modules for its intelligent switching of actuators, will be stimulated by the many new applications involved in the area of industry 4.0. This innovative project is funded by the State of Nord Rhine-Westphalia using funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is titled ‘Investment in growth and employment’. The full list of partners involved in this study include: • TWE-Bocholt GmbH • TWE-Vliesstoffwerke GmbH & Co. KG • Deutsches Textilforschungzentrum Nord-West • K+K Wissenstransfer e.K. • Institut fur Energie-und Umwelttechnik e.V. (IUTA).

Together these players are expected to create a new platform for growth in the nonwovens industry by the year 2020.

New focus on value-added products

The TWE Group sees big opportunities for growth in the global market for thin nonwoven products and innovative combinations that also offer energy savings and other ecological benefits. The company believes that offering value-added solutions is the way forward and research is continuing apace in order to offer clients even better value and an all-important competitive edge.

However, for some of the company’s products, logistics have also become a very important factor. This is especially true of comfort

products, where the costs of transportation can be prohibitive and could restrict the number of areas where TWE products may be sold. Therefore the establishment of production facilities in carefully selected strategic global locations is an obvious solution and one that the TWE Group has been pursuing actively for many years. Today the creation of innovative, value-added products is vital in order to meet the everchanging needs of its customers.

This is a priority at TWE along with its on-going commitment to sustainability and the environment.

Natural fibre’s versatility

An expanding ‘green portfolio’ has been significantly enhanced recently with TWE’s acquisition of some key companies in Europe and the USA. A major German manufacturer that specialises in the production of nonwoven products made from natural fibres such as Hemp, Flax, Kenaf and Jute, has opened many new opportunities to the group’s global growth prospects. The Isowood company has proved to be the perfect partner for the TWE Group. This instant expansion of its own natural fibre portfolio means that TWE can now secure a bigger stake in this important growth market.

In the USA the TWE Group has also added three major US facilities to its operations through the acquisition of Vita Nonwovens, located in North Carolina, Texas and Indiana. This deal includes the company’s manufacturing sites in France, Belgium and Sweden, thereby enhancing the group’s presence in a number of key European markets as well as in the US.

Voyage of discovery

In order to define more clearly the global demand for innovation, future markets and the applications of countless nonwoven products, TWE came up with a novel solution, ‘a voyage of discovery’. As part of its drive to communicate more effectively with its customers, the company has built a ‘TWE Solution City’ as a virtual city. This is a futuristic city where all the company’s products, markets and applications can clearly be seen, in addition to how they improve the quality of life for consumers worldwide.

The unique TWE virtual city is also designed to demonstrate how its nonwoven products and solutions help to improve customers’ products in almost every aspect of daily life. This makes it possible for anyone visiting the virtual city to embark on a true ‘voyage of discovery’. It is very much a city of the future, and enlightenment can be gained by either visiting the internet, or through forthcoming trade fairs, or via TWE’s own communication portals. n

For further details of the TWE Group’s latest innovative products and services visit: www.twe-group.com