Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the wordpress-seo domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6260 Weathering the Storm - Nonwovens Industry

What are you searching for?

Sign in
Editorial

Weathering the Storm

Author Image

By: Karen McIntyre

Editor, Nonwovens Industry

Much has surely changed in nonwovens—not to mention the world—during the past 12 months. In the year since we last published our annual top companies report, the news cycle of nonwovens has quieted considerably. The days of daily line investments and acquisitions seem to be behind us…for now.

Of course investment slowdowns are nothing new for nonwovens. In the past, the industry has steadily gone from undercapacity to overcapacity to investment mode and back to undercapacity every few years as market growth prompted line utilization and eventually reinvestment.

What is different these days, however, is the number of challenges nonwovens producers are facing as they wait for their lines to be fully utilized. There is the war in Ukraine, driving up energy prices more quickly than seen before; increasing raw material prices; supply chain disruptions; employee shortages, to name a few. As one executive put it, “these aren’t rainy days, they are hurricanes.”

Amidst these challenges, companies are tasked with lessening their environmental footprint and making their products and their operations more sustainable. This means experimenting with new raw materials, developing new products and hoping that the market accepts these changes.

Already, many of these companies are showing signs of success, earning certifications, lowering their emissions and launching new products that offer their customers the opportunity to give consumers greener choices in areas like baby care, household wipes, adult incontinence and even automotives.

These wins show that the nonwovens industry—even though it is facing unprecedented challenges—will continue to grow and innovate in the future.

Karen McIntyre
Editor
kmcintyre@rodmanmedia.com

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Get the latest Nonwovens Industry news, insights and analysis in your Google Search and AI experiences.

Add Nonwovens Industry as a preferred source on Google (opens in a new tab)

Keep Up With Our Content. Subscribe To Nonwovens Industry Newsletters

Topics