The Hindu Business Line : Global non-woven textiles growth seen at 8 pc

Non-woven textiles within the overall technical textiles is expected to grow globally at an average 8 per cent, with the Asia-Pacific region being projected to show a robust 9.6 per cent annual growth rate between now and 2009.

The world production of non-wovens rose from 2.16 million tonnes in 1994 to 4.43 million tonnes in 2004 with an anticipated value jump from $9 billion to $15.9 billion, respectively, during this period.

The rising market potential would push non-wovens production to 6.31 million tonnes in 2009 when the total value of production is anticipated to be $25 billion, according to Dr Seshadri Ramkumar, assistant professor in charge of the non-woven and advanced materials laboratory of the Texas Tech University's Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH).

Europe and North America, which had the lion's share of 1.35 million tonnes and 1.16 million tonnes, respectively, in 2004 world production figure of 4.43 million tonnes, may give way to the Asia-Pacific region, which is projected to increase its non-woven products output from 1.02 million tonnes in 2004 to 1.67 million tonnes by 2009.

Making of non-wovens

Non-wovens are defined as flat structured fabrics, such as sheets or webs, not made by weaving but by bonding and entangling fibres by means of mechanical, thermal or chemical processes.

The major non-woven technologies now available, according to Dr Ramkumar, are needle-punching, thermal-bonding, airlaid, spun-bonding, meltblowing and spunlacing/ hydro-entanglement.

The non-woven materials produced under these processes are widely used for technical applications such as surgical gowns, diaper cover stocks, automotive linings, military applications such as decontamination wipes and geo-textiles such as insulating tank/lake bunds.

India, firmly entrenched in commodity textiles such as apparels/made-ups at the back of its strong cotton economy, has to elevate itself into high-value products such as technical textiles/non-wovens.

At present, the total volume of non-wovens produced from India is estimated at 35,000 tonnes, as compared to China's non-woven product output of 7.55 lakh tonnes (China is a dominating force in non-wovens among the Asia-Pacific region and the third largest non-woven producing region after America and Europe because of life-style changes, the rising middle-class, and its economy), says Dr Ramkumar.

Technologies for India

The Texas Tech University faculty, who made a presentation on non-wovens and its business potential at an interactive meeting organised by the CII Coimbatore recently, suggested that two of the non-woven technologies - needlepunching and spunlacing/hydroentangling - would be suitable for India as the growth of automotive fibres applications and the rising consumption for sanitary wipes, besides the usage of geo-textiles, would pep up demand for these technologies. The investment on these technologies, especially the machinery, could work out at as low as $6 million or less for Indian entrepreneurs venturing into non-wovens manufacture.