Andreas Lukas, Senior Vice President and Division Manager at ANDRITZ Nonwoven & Textile discusses how his company’s vast technology offerings provide agility in an ever-changing marketplace.

Nonwovens Industry: How has ANDRITZ’s technology offerings changed in the past couple of years? What are some of the main factors contributing the need for these changes?
Andreas Lukas: ANDRITZ Nonwoven & Textile is one of the world’s leading suppliers of technologies for the nonwovens and textile industry. Its key competencies lie in technologies for airlaid, air-through bonding, airlay, needlepunch, spunlace, spunbond, wetlaid/Wetlace, converting, textile finishing, recycling, bast fiber processing and Dry Molded Fibers. As a major player, ANDRITZ Nonwoven & Textile is compelled to continuously seek innovative technologies that fulfill customer demands.

In recent years, ANDRITZ has significantly enhanced its technology offerings, focusing on sustainability, digitalization, and innovative products. The company has introduced, for instance, innovative solutions such as Dry Molded Fiber technology for sustainable packaging and advanced processes for biodegradable wipes and other sustainable applications. These changes are driven by the growing demand for eco-friendly products, the need for efficient resource management, and the increasing importance of digital transformation in industrial operations.

NWI: The entire nonwovens supply chain has been challenged with becoming more sustainable, how has ANDRITZ helped its customers achieve this?
AL: The nonwovens supply chain is under pressure to adopt sustainable processes and products. ANDRITZ helps customers navigate this challenge by listening to their needs, leveraging its business development and R&D teams, and using its expertise in sustainable materials and efficient technologies. The company emphasizes understanding customer needs and tailoring solutions to address specific sustainability challenges.
ANDRITZ recognizes that achieving sustainability in the nonwovens supply chain requires collaboration across the entire industry. The company actively partners with other organizations to develop and promote sustainable practices. By working together, industry players can share knowledge, resources, and innovations, leading to more comprehensive and impactful solutions.

One example is the development of concepts for bio-based diapers and sanitary napkins. In close cooperation with key players in the hygiene industry, ANDRITZ has developed these products made of more than 90% bio-based materials and with 100% Man-Made Cellulosic Fibers spunlace nonwovens, perfectly demonstrating that spunlace technology and hygiene products can go hand in hand.

NWI: The wipes market in particular is transitioning to more bio-based raw materials. Has this necessitated a change in machinery technology?
AL: The transition to more bio-based raw materials in the wipes market has necessitated changes in machinery technology. ANDRITZ, a specialist and leader in several technologies for all kinds of wipes, is at the forefront of developing sustainable wipes through a variety of advanced technologies.

ANDRITZ’s expertise spans across airlaid, spunlace, Wetlace™, and Airlace™ processes. By combining these technologies in various ways, ANDRITZ can cater to different segments of the wipes market. For instance, the Wetlace technology is designed to produce flushable wipes, which are particularly important due to flushing regulations in many countries.

In contrast, the Wetlace CP (carded-pulp), Airlace CAC (carded-airlaid-carded), and Spunlace CTC (carded-tissue-carded) technologies are preferred for biodegradable wipes, addressing the growing demand for eco-friendly products.

Additionally, there is a great opportunity to retrofit a conventional spunlace line with airlaid or wetlaid web forming to open up new market opportunities, such as for bio-wipes and flushable wipes, providing greater flexibility for a wide range of applications.

NWI: Have you developed any technologies specifically that offer a more sustainable manufacturing footprint?
AL: ANDRITZ’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its development of technologies like the neXecodry dewatering system, ProWin web profiling solution, digital solutions for process optimizations and efficiency, and innovations for lightweight nonwovens. These advancements not only reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing processes but also offer significant cost savings and faster ROI for customers.

The neXecodry dewatering system is a cutting-edge technology that optimizes the dewatering process in hydroentanglement lines. This system integrates initial dewatering, exhaust heat recovery, and advanced dryer design to achieve remarkable energy savings and faster drying times. This not only lowers operational costs but also contributes to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, aligning with global sustainability goals.

For resource savings in durable nonwovens production, ANDRITZ presents its ProWinTM technology for profile web weight correction, which is used to optimize fabric evenness and provide a faster return on investment in the needlepunch segment. By combining the well-known and proven technologies ProWidTM and ProDynTM, ProWin allows customers to achieve the lowest CV-ratio ever, reaching more demanding markets and saving up to 2% additional fibers compared to ProDyn. In addition, ProWin drastically smoothes the level of instantaneous acceleration in the crosslapper. As a consequence, the same equipment can run faster with less mechanical stress. 

Another example is the neXbond ultrasonic bonding technology in hygiene converting for diapers. This new technique combines tensioned elastics entrapped between two layers of nonwoven fabric. It delivers a uniquely soft and skin-friendly waistband for diapers and leg cuffs without using glue or adhesives. Compared to adhesives, neXbond ultrasonic technology yields top-quality bonding with no creep or product damage, and with greater precision.

Recognizing the trend towards lighter weight products, ANDRITZ has developed technologies to make lightweight nonwovens without compromising performance. As raw materials constitute a significant portion of the total product costs, reducing material usage while maintaining product quality is crucial. This approach not only reduces the environmental footprint but also enhances the economic viability of nonwoven products.

NWI: How important has recycling become in the nonwovens industry?  In which specific markets are you seeing this most strongly?
AL: Recycling has emerged as a pivotal topic within the nonwovens industry, driven by the urgent need to reduce production waste and promote sustainability. The push for recycling in the nonwovens industry is most strongly observed in markets such as hygiene products, automotive, and construction. In the hygiene and wipes sector, the focus is on recycling components of diapers and other absorbent products. The automotive and construction industries are leveraging recycled nonwoven materials for insulation and other applications, driven by regulatory pressures and consumer demand for sustainable products.

A significant advancement in the nonwovens industry is the comprehensive recycling process developed by ANDRITZ for post-industrial diaper waste. This innovative process effectively recycles superabsorbent polymers (SAP), fluff pulp, and other components of Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPs) while maintaining high material quality. The initiative, a collaborative effort within ANDRITZ Nonwoven & Textile, represents a major
step towards sustainable disposal and recycling of industrial AHP waste. In September 2025, ANDRITZ  will open a pilot line dedicated to recycling industrial diaper waste. This facility will allow customers to conduct trials and explore the potential of this advanced recycling technology.

NWI: How has digitalization and automation efforts changed to better serve your customers?
AL: ANDRITZ focuses on the digital services customers are demanding technology that optimizes production processes, enhances plant efficiency and ensures top product quality. The ANDRITZ Metris suite of solutions is designed to meet these needs. Metris leverages advanced data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to provide comprehensive support for industrial plants throughout their entire lifecycle.

One highlight is the newly launched Metris CoPilot, which is set to revolutionize production plant operations. This AI-powered tool offers real-time insights and immediate corrective actions through a user-friendly chat interface. Operators can interact with their equipment in natural language, receiving instant feedback and advice based on comprehensive technical documentation and production data. ANDRITZ’s Metris CoPilot is designed to enable routine tasks to be delegated to machines and AI, allowing human operators to focus on critical decision-making. This approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also addresses challenges such as knowledge gaps and operator shortages.
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