EDANA, the International Association Serving the Nonwovens and Related Industries, disclosed the preliminary European annual statistics for 2013. According to figures collected and compiled by the EDANA secretariat, production of nonwovens in Europe grew by around 1.9 per cent in 2013 to reach 2,037,400 tonnes. This compares with 1,998,900 tonnes in 2012 when the annual growth was 1.5 per cent. Despite these two low growth years, the average growth rate since 2009 has been nearly 5.2 per cent. Obviously, a more in-depth analysis will be necessary to draw any definitive conclusion, as diverging trends have been observed in different European countries, and between the various production processes of nonwovens.
Jacques Prigneaux, EDANAs Market Analysis and Economic Affairs Director, stated "Growth in the Wetlaid nonwovens has been substantial this year, but it is actually the Hydroentanglement process that has recorded the highest apparent growth of more 5.7 per cent. However, other bonding processes within the Drylaid technologies (thermally, chemically bonded and needled punched), and also Spunmelt nonwovens witnessed low growth rates in 2013. Airlaid production, compared to its performance of 2012, recorded a higher growth, at 3 per cent."
The main end-use for nonwovens remains the hygiene market with a 32 per cent share of deliveries, amounting to 645,700 tonnes, which has grown by 1.9 per cent in 2013. The most significant growth areas for nonwovens in 2013 were in medical (.0 per cent) and all types of filtration applications (.5 per cent), followed by all wipes together (.4 per cent), in which the specific evolution of personal care wipes (.4 per cent) must be underlined.