Masserano, Italy
2024 Nonwovens Sales: $209 million

Key Personnel
Matteo Moltrasio, president; Alessandro Taramasso, commercial director; Gerardo Salvatore Menna, production director

Plants
Masserano, Italy; Radomsko, Poland

Processes
Spunmelt, spunbond, carded air through bonded, carded thermal bonded, apertured, 3-D embossing, printing

Brands
Spundouce, Pillow

The current market scenario for nonwovens in the hygiene market  remains highly complex, shaped by a weak global economy and widespread uncertainty across multiple industries. Volatile demand continues to define the business environment.

These combined factors have created a challenging landscape and significantly limit the potential for growth.

In response to these conditions, Union Industries, which has plants in Italy and Poland, is continuing and intensifying its focus on innovation and specialty products as a core element of its strategic direction.  The company is investing in high-performance solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of its customers in an environment which requires a forward-looking approach .

This shift reflects a clear and consistent commitment: to create differentiation through specialties and to build a more sustainable and future-ready portfolio.

Plants: Masserano, Italy; Radomsko, Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond, carded air through bonded, carded thermal bonded, apertured, 3-D embossing, printing
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow

Union Industries, an Italian nonwovens producer with plants in Italy and Poland, has noted a significant decline in the European market and consequent reduction of nonwovens consumption in the region. This situation has been further complicated by the ongoing political crises in the region.

The cost/price ratio is nowadays no longer sustainable mainly for commodities. Union is counting on new products and continues to focus on improving specialties in its portfolio and developing new performing grades.

This is the direction the company sees for its  future investments.

Plants: Masserano, Italy; Radomsko, Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond, carded air through bonded, carded thermal bonded, apertured, 3-D embossing, printing
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow

Raw material price decreases, reduced market demand and increased industrial costs led to a slight decrease in sales for Union Industries. The Masserano, Italy-based company reported sales of $226 million in 2022.

The company’s latest investments, an ATB line in Poland and a Reicofil 5 line, which came onstream in late 2021, have allowed the company to make both specialty and commodity materials for the hygiene market.

Notwithstanding the tough period, Union looks positively to the future and believes in the hygiene industry  and its customers, which it is willing to support in Europe and beyond.  “We keep on innovating and improving our products with a focus on softness, visual appearance and the use of sustainable natural raw materials,” says Matteo Moltrasio, president.

Within Union Industries’ key markets, the company offers the most advanced productive technologies to continue, as always, to propose and follow the more and more challenging market requirements of downgauging solutions.

Plants: Masserano, Italy; Radomsko, Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond, carded air through bonded, carded thermal bonded, apertured, 3-D embossing, printing
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow

New investments, including an air through bonded line in Poland and a Reicofil 5 spunmelt line in Italy, helped increase Union Industries sales to $260 million in 2021, which was also severely marked by increased raw material prices and unprecedented energy cost spikes as well as shortages.

The company’s latest investments, an ATB line in Poland and a Reicofil 5 line, which came onstream in late 2021, have allowed the company, in addition to the existing assets, to continue to make both specialty and commodity materials for the hygiene market.

Union Industries also continues its sustainability efforts, addressing development in sustainable and natural fibers/polymers.

Plants: Masserano, Italy; Radomsko, Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond, carded air through bonded, carded thermal bonded, apertured, 3-D embossing, printing
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow

Union consolidated its position in the market during 2020, maintaining a good productivity level aligned to the previous year.

The nonwovens industry has been significantly impacted by Covid-19; during the year, mainly in the initial emergency phase, Union dedicated a small share of its production to this unexpected demand, without upsetting its position on the market. Union remained focused on hygiene, since it’s always been the company’s core business market.

Union Industries in parallel keeps up to its sustainability efforts, addressing development in sustainable and natural fibers/polymers while energy from renewable sources for its total consumption is in use since year 2010.

Plants: Masserano, Italy; Radomsko, Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond, carded air through bonded, carded thermal bonded, apertured, 3-D embossing, printing
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow

The full allocation of the second spun-melt asset in Radomsko, Poland as well as commercialization of printed nonwovens helped drive sales slightly higher at Union Industries. In addition to increasing the company’s nonwovens output in the region, it has allowed the company to deliver novelty soft grades of nonwovens for hygiene applications.

The focus on specialties and innovation led to the addition of an air through bonded line in Radomsko, Poland. The investment has allowed the company to deliver nonwovens for premium topsheet application of unprecedented softness and new eco-sustainable fabrics for the hygiene market.

Looking ahead, the company decided in December 2019 the investment in a Reicofil 5 bicomponent spunmelt line in Masserano, Italy. The new line is expected to begin production in the first half of next year.

In addition to investment, Union Industries remains committed to its sustainability efforts. This includes a conversion to using green energy for 100% of its consumption since year 2010 and the establishment of its own hydroelectric power plant.

Plants: Masserano, Italy; Radamsko, Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond, carded thermal bonded, carded air through bonded, apertured, printing
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow

Sales at Italy’s Union Industries increased slightly to $192 million in 2018 due to the partial allocation of the company’s second line in Radomsko, Poland, as well as an increase in volume for specialty nonwovens. Union’s second Polish line came onstream as planned in the last quarter of 2017 and is delivering novelty soft grades of nonwovens for hygiene applications.

“We keep seeing innovation in our future,” Matteo Moltrasio says. “We have consolidated the expertise and know-how in semi high loft technology and we see the product established as winning for specific applications.”

These developments in fact led Union, earlier this year, to decide to invest in a new line featuring carded air through bonded technology to expand Union’s offerings to the hygiene market.

“With this asset we believe we will be able to offer advanced and different range of products,” president Matteo Moltrasio says.

The new line is expected to be operational by early 2020, delivering customized super soft premium grades and new eco-sustainable fabrics for the hygiene market.

In other investment news, in the second quarter of 2019, Union began producing printed nonwovens using state-of-the-art technology.

As in past years, Union Industries continues to source and use renewable energy for the 100% of its consumption, partially produced within our group.

Key Personnel: Matteo Moltrasio, president; Luigi Cassano, managing director; Alessandro Taramasso, commercial director; Gerardo Salvatore Menna, production director
Plants: Masserano, Italy; Radamsko, Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond, carded, thermal bonded, apertured
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow, Honeycomb

Sales increased to $176 million at Union Industries thanks to the initial contribution of its latest investment in Radamsko, Poland. The site’s second line came onstream during the last quarter of 2017, as planned, and is delivering novelty soft grades of nonwovens for hygiene applications, providing a new industry standard in nonwovens in terms of softness, comfort and performance.

Union established its first foreign operation in Poland in 2015 with a line capable of making 12,000 tons per year. This investment reached sold-out status in 2016 leading the Masserano, Italy-based company to announce plans for line number two at the site. The line, a Reicofil 4S bicomponent spunmelt line, added 18,000 tons to the operation and has increased Union’s focus on specialty products.

Looking forward, Union will continue to grow through investment in product innovation and expansion as it looks positively toward the future. The company also makes spunmelt and carded nonwovens at sites in Masserano and Biella, Italy.

Plants: Masserano, Italy; Radamsko, Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond, carded, thermal bonded, apertured
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow, Honeycomb

The addition of new capacity at a new site in Poland as well as an increased focus on specialty products, helped drive Union Industries’ sales to $170 million in 2016. The company’s first foreign investment, in Radomsko, Poland, came onstream during the third quarter of 2015 and its full capacity of 12,000 reached sold out status during 2016. This led the Masserano, Italy-based nonwovens producer to announce plans, last year, for a second line at the site.

This new line, a Reicofil 4S bicomponent spunmelt line, will add 18,000 tons of capacity to the operation while also helping Union widen its focus on specialty products. It should be complete during the fourth quarter of 2017.

“After the latest additional capacity in Europe, including ours, we do not see room for any further investment in the area in the next years,” says Matteo Moltrasio, president. “We are considering initiatives in other geographical areas for our future.”

Plants: Masserano, Italy, Radomsko Poland
Processes: Spunmelt, spunbond,  carded, thermal bonded, apertured
Brands : Spundouce, Pillow, Honeycomb

Sales increased slightly thanks to the start up of the Italian nonwovens producer’s first foreign investment—a 15,000-ton-per-year, 3.2-meter Reicofil 4s spunmelt/spunbond line that came onstream in Poland during the third quarter of 2015.

In 2015, sales increased from €145 million to €146.6 million and this figure is expected to climb as the Polish line achieves full utilization in 2016.

Looking ahead, Union is exploring further opportunities of investment either in Poland or other regions, consolidating its reputation among its customers and supporting growth, providing state-of-the-art technology and as always focusing on ultra lightweight nonwovens and special products.

In fact, the development of new specialties is another growth strategy for Union Industries. In 2015, the company introduced to the market a new product range of spunbond and spunmelt nonwovens that are softer and bulkier than the market standard, with unique engraving patterns, available either in Italy and Poland.

Plants: Masserano, Italy, Radomsko Poland
Processes: Spunbond, spunmelt, carded, thermal bonded, apertured
Brands: Spundouce, Pillow

Union Industries’ first non-Italian line is set to come onstream in September 2015 in Poland, a move that should consolidate growth for the Italian company throughout Europe. The new line, which was announced in 2013, is a 3.2-meter wide Reicofil 4 SSMMS line that will bring Union’s total capacity to above 95,000 tons per year.

Executives said the new line should help Union grow in North, Central and Eastern Europe in the coming years. President Matteo Moltrasio says the company will evaluate the possibility of expanding outside of Europe after the Poland line comes onstream.

Currently, Union makes about 80,000 tons of nonwovens in Masserano, Italy, and in 2014 its sales were €145 million ($176 million).

Moltrasio says the sales, which were up in Euro terms but down when converted to U.S. dollars, were impacted by raw material pricing and as well as a strong focus on materials for hygiene and medical applications.

“We went into the direction of more customized products, which confirms Union’s ability to specialize,” Moltrasio says. “Hygiene remains our core business for which we are widening our portfolio range focusing on soft and ultra lightweight nonwovens.”

Plants: Masserano, Italy
Processes: Spunbond, spunmelt, carded, thermal bonded, apertured
Brands: Spundouce

The big news from Union Industries this year is the construction of its first manufacturing facility outside of Italy. In March, the company said it would add a 3.2-meter Reicofil 4 SSMMS line in Poland. The new line will be capable of making 15,000 tons of nonwovens when it becomes operational in the second half of 2015.

“The Polish investment is aimed to be closer to the Northern and Eastern European markets, which we already serve,” says Matteo Moltrasio, president.

In announcing this investment, the company also reported it was looking at investment options outside of Europe, possibly in North Africa, and Moltrasio says that more definitive plans regarding Union’s scope outside of Europe will be announced after the Polish line comes onstream.

Meanwhile, sales of Union’s existing nonwovens business, which includes 84,000 tons of production capacity in Masserano, Italy, were reported at €132 million ($181 million) in 2013, a slight decrease over 2012.

“The European market is mature and saturated,” Moltrasio says. “And, growth in the North African and Middle East markets has slowed down.”

Union has been focused on the development of new materials for hygiene and medical applications. “Union’s aim is to follow our customers’ needs by developing high performing materials and constantly investing in state-of-the art-technology,” Moltrasio adds.

Plants: Masserano and Biella, Italy
Processes: Spunbond, spunmelt, carded, thermal bonded, apertured
Brands: Spundouce
Major Markets: Hygiene, medical, wipes, agricultural, industrial

Volumes rose 7% at Italy’s Union Industries in 2012 due to a better optimization and a full allocation of its production lines. The company has a production capacity of 84,000 tons of nonwovens in Masserano, Italy. Sales were reported at €142 million ($189 million).

With no new investment since 2010 when a 24,000-ton spunmelt line was added, Union has more recently been focusing on specialties and innovation in the face of a European market defi ned by overcapacity and reduced consumption, according to president Matteo Moltrasio. These efforts have been rewarded with the development of a new substrate featuring increased softness and texture for the hygiene market, where Union does about 80% of its business. The commercialization of the new material is starting now.

Other efforts have centered on new grades of apertured nonwovens for new applications, which became available in the second quarter of this year and the company is reporting more activity within the medical market.

“We have as well undertaken initiatives for the medical sector which we see more and more of interest,” Moltrasio says.