After investment in needlepunch machinery slowed down at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, suppliers of the machinery are reporting new investments around the globe. Growth in core markets such as geotextiles, filtration and automotive has fueled this expansion.

According to Oliver Doering, director, sales and marketing at Trützschler Nonwovens, the company expects durable nonwovens to play an even bigger role in the years coming. “Classic industrial applications such as geotextiles, filtration and automotive textiles will further grow since they are linked to industrial production,” he says. “We see a huge potential for these sectors especially in emerging markets.”

On the other side new end uses are coming up, he adds. “Nowadays, needlepunched nonwovens damp shoes and replace foam to improve seating comfort in seats and sofas. The requirement for plastic-free, more environmentally friendly materials will certainly fire growth. A third factor will be the demand for the re-use of materials and circularity. Needlepunching is an excellent technology to process reclaimed and recycled fibers – if precise fiber preparation and carding/blending equipment is available.”

The major advantage of needlepunching over other web forming technologies is the wide range of applications in which needlepunching can be used, adds Marco Fano, CEO of Autefa Solutions. “Needlepunch lines are characterized by ease of operation, low energy consumption/gms, excellent and reproducible product quality and reduced operating costs,” he says. “The broad raw material base, including natural fibers, is an additional argument for using carding/needling technology in anticipation of increased raw material prices in the man-made fiber business.”

The relatively low investment required also adds to its appeal. “This makes it easier to assess the risk of investing in the development of new products based on needlepunch technology at a time when manufacturers are more cost-conscious,” Fano says.

The field of staple fiber needlepunching technology is vast and highly segmented in many special areas, according Johann Philipp Dilo, CEO, DiloGroup. These include floor coverings, home furnishings, mattress, bedding and upholstery applications, wipes (industrial and household), media for gas and liquid filtration, acoustical and thermal insulation solutions, various other technical applications, as well as geotextiles, synthetic leather, for upholstery fabrics, garment, shoe and bag applications and more medical and hygienic product areas in the future.

Dilo says the versatility of needling and staple fiber webforming is due to the large range of weights from 30 to 3000 g/m2, the huge array of different fiber materials from natural fiber, man-made, organic or inorganic fiber to metal fiber with staple lengths ranging from 15 to 150 mm or endless fiber in needled spunbonds. The fineness range begins normally with 0.9 dtex up to several hundred dtex. “It is easy to understand that needling technology is the most versatile available in combining all these different parameters to create different products” he adds.

Despite a downturn in the Chinese economy as one of the most important markets for complete nonwoven lines, Dilo is witnessing the investment process in the field of needlepunching continuing particularly in the United States and Europe. Here complete lines from opening, blending to webforming, needling and end-of-line equipment are installed foremost for the automotive, filtration and geotextiles sector, he says.

“After the Covid crisis, a quick recovery during the fourth quarter of 2020 and during 2021 took place getting back to normal investment rates,” says Dilo. “This market environment, of course, is now again stressed foremost by the war in Ukraine and several political developments of uncertain outcome. Nevertheless, our business figures show continued and rather stable investment in complete modern needling lines having a high degree of automation and ease of operation.”

Since Covid’s impact on daily life has eased, business recovery has been even stronger compared to 2021 for machinery supplier Andritz. “In western markets, the demand was very strong for geotextiles and technical textiles in 2022,” says Guillaume Julien, head of sales, Needlepunch, Andritz Asselin-Thibeau.

The automotive market also continued to play a key role in Andritz’s needlepunch business, including complete lines and velour needlelooms, even though vehicle production is still not booming, Julien explains. “A market rebound is expected for end of 2023/early 2024 with a strong focus on China. In 2022, one vehicle in three worldwide was produced in China (23.7 million versus 13.1 million in Europe) and BYD China was the second largest vehicle producer, behind Tesla.”

Moreover, he adds, it appears that the combustion engine vehicle ban by 2035 is increasingly being called into question in Europe (mainly by Italy and Germany) most notably due to the energy crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine. “Combined with an aging European fleet, this trend could also be an additional boost in the short-term in terms of vehicle production in 2023 for Europe and neighboring areas,” he says.

In terms of niche markets, Andritz has also seen a strong interest in stitch-bonding and recycled fibers, the latter being increasingly pursued in the interest of the circular economy. “The combination of Andritz Laroche tearing and sorting solutions and Andritz Asselin-Thibeau carding/crosslapper/needling solutions plays a key role in handling such specific and interesting projects—for a full process approach,” Julien says.

Investment Continues

For Andritz, 2022 was a record year in terms of complete line sales for the company in needlepunch markets, partly thanks to Zhejiang Yanpai (China) ordering four complete lines for filtration. The lines enable Yanpai to achieve state-of-the-art technical characteristics in terms of product quality and line performance. The drylaid web-forming equipment (cards and crosslappers) were manufactured at the Andritz Wuxi premises, including eight PRO 25-80 aXcess profile crosslappers for controlled web weight evenness. The 16 eXcelle needlelooms were supplied by Andritz Asselin-Thibeau in France.

Italian nonwovens producer Manifattura Fontana also selected Andritz as its supplier for its latest needlepunch investment. The company added a complete Andritz neXline needlepunch line for the production of geotextiles to its site in Romano d’Ezzelino, Italy. Manifattura Fontana develops geotextiles for many applications including the construction of roads, railways, reservoirs, dams, and tunnels, as well as for earthworks, foundations, erosion control, drainage, waste disposal, or containment.

The needlepunch line covers all process steps from fiber opening to automatic packaging of the product. The line also includes the latest ProWin profiling technology to enhance web weight evenness on cards and crosslappers. Another important feature is waterproof roll packaging, which is increasingly in demand on the market. Thus, Manifattura Fontana will be one of the very few players in the world to deliver fabric rolls with waterproof protection. 
This will be the second line in only three years to be supplied by Andritz to Manifattura Fontana, one of the fastest growing geotextiles producers in Europe.

Meanwhile, AstenJohnson, a global textile manufacturer headquartered in Charleston, SC, recently built a new 220,000 square foot facility in Waco, TX—its eighth North American location. The plant, which will house two state-of-the-art Dilo needlepunch lines, will focus on nonwoven fabrics for growth markets including auto light-weighting and composite manufacturing. The Waco plant will be clean, air-conditioned and will have a strong focus on sustainable business practices. Operations are expected to begin in the second quarter of this year.

This plant will be part of AstenJohnson’s newly created division AJ Nonwovens, which also includes the previously acquired needlepunch businesses Eagle Nonwovens in St. Louis, MO, and Foss Performance Materials in Hampton, NH. While the locations in Missouri and New Hampshire will remain, they will operate under the new name, AJ Nonwovens, along with the new facility in Waco. As a combined entity, AJ Nonwovens’ three facilities will increase production capacity and improve speed to market.

“With our current assets in the Midwest and Northeast, the new location provides an advantage for Mexico as well as the central and southwest U.S.,” says Jim Porterfield, vice president, Sales & Marketing, AJ Nonwovens.

Kevin Frank, CEO and president, comments, “When AstenJohnson acquired Eagle Nonwovens in 2014 and Foss Performance Materials in 2017, it was with the intention of investing in innovative, top-of-the-line needlepunch products, and continuing to grow those businesses. This new division is a continuation of that mission. Not only have we used the strengths of each company to help the other improve, but we are continuing to invest and innovate for future growth.”

According to Porterfield, the company is continuing to add to and update its assets at all of its facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, which will allow it to continue its growth trajectory. “With these world class assets, we can best support our customers as the trusted expert in the markets we serve.  Our team and our continued investments will propel us into the future,” he says.

Freudenberg Performance Materials also continues to expand its needlepunch business. The company set up a new needlepunch line at its production site in Škofja Loka, Slovenia, last year. The new line supports higher demand in multilayer and laminated products. Freudenberg acquired the site and two others in the country from Filc in December 2019.

Freudenberg’s main markets for needlepunch are automotive, construction and filtration which have gone through very different cycles in past three years, according to Dr. Frank Heislitz, CEO, Freudenberg Performance Materials. “Automotive was strongly affected by Covid, and later, the supply chain and semi-conductor crisis is slowly recovering. Other markets are relatively stable although heavily affected by challenging raw material and energy situation in the past two years,” he says. “The needlepunch market should continue to grow – despite the current volatile situation – if we are able to effectively respond to increasing sustainability challenges.”

Meanwhile, Autefa Solutions has recently supplied several complete needling lines for press felts used in papermaking in Europe and China. According to Fano, press felts remove water in the papermaking process and are therefore a critical component in the production of high-quality paper. “Our state-of-the-art technology and expertise in press felt production make us the ideal partner for these projects,” he says.
Outside of the production of press felts, Autefa Solutions is seeing growing demand for needled nonwovens for technical applications including artificial leather, especially for clothing, furniture and the automotive sector.

Also, as sustainability becomes an increasingly important consideration in the fashion industry, Autefa is witnessing a significant increase in the demand for textile circularity, with consumers and companies alike seeking solutions to recycle fast fashion. In response to this trend, Autefa Solutions offers a range of solutions designed to process and reuse various types of fibers, including reclaimed, natural and man-made materials. “Our Airlay K 12 aerodynamic web forming machine in combination with Stylus Needle Loom or HiPerTherm Oven meets all customer requirements for maximum productivity and consistent high quality,” says Fano.

Trützschler, Texnology Partner to Make Needlepunch Lines

Trützschler Nonwovens & Man-Made Fibers has partnered with Texnology, an Italian textile machinery manufacturer to make complete needlepunching lines. The lines are available under the brand name T-SUPREMA.

In this collaboration, Trützschler Nonwovens contributes its many years of experience in fiber preparation and web forming to the cooperation while Texnology is mainly responsible for the needlepunching process. Joint projects can thus build on a broad application expertise.

“Texnology and Trützschler Nonwovens together already realized needlepunching projects,” says Doering. “We delivered our T-BLEND fiber preparation system and T-WEB carding systems equipped with our Clean Concept while Texnology supplied crosslapper and needle looms. We realized that not only our product portfolios fit nicely together but that we also share the same spirit of a family-owned company. Our joint mission is to give nonwoven product quality, efficient processes and easy handling absolute priority.”

Trützschler Nonwovens has been active in the needlepunching market for decades now. It started with delivering roller cards and fiber preparation equipment into needlepunching lines – a business that never stopped. In recent years, the company focused on developing and establishing its WLS (Wet-Laid/Spunlaced) and Carded Pulp (CP) solutions. These activities targeted the manufacturing of biodegradable nonwoven for single-use wipes in the disposable market. In Texnology, Trützschler found a congenial partner to strengthen its activities in durable nonwovens markets.

T-SUPREMA comprises Trützschler Nonwovens’ T-BLEND system for fiber opening and blending as well as a Trützschler roller card to form a perfect web. It’s either the multi-purpose TWF-NC card or the high-performance TWF-NCT card for processing man-made and performance fibers (PTFE, PPS etc.), according to Doering. “The random TWF-NCR card is the specialist for natural and recycled fibers. Texnology adds the proven needle loom, which contains a bunch of clever details to secure homogeneous needling, low wear and tear and easy maintenance,” he adds.

The T-SUPREMA package also features T-ONE, Trützschler Nonwovens’ digital working environment. “In our experience nonwoven producers often focus too much on machine features and underestimate opportunities given by digitalizing working processes,” he explains. “T-ONE reduces routine and manual work: one module for instance is a powerful recipe management system that not only stores current and historic recipes but transmits any changes directly to the machines and actualizes similar recipes automatically on request.”

Every T-SUPREMA line comes with T-ONE functionality for quality control, recipe management and process monitoring. Higher level T-ONE modules support management tasks such as energy management, continuous improvement and include AI-based line optimization algorithms.

“The needlepunching market is by far the largest segment in fiber-based nonwovens,” says Doering. “Annual growth is consistent, only in the first year of the pandemic world production of needlepunched nonwovens decreased. Moreover, we foresee that needlepunching will become a more important technology in the coming years. Lightweight and plastic-free industrial applications will fire growth as will the rising demand for circularity and the availability of recycled fibers and materials.”