Get ready for that peanut butter wipe

The recent explosion in wipes for airlaid nonwovens is reviewed with many novel initiatives now evident in the market. The North American wiping segment has crossed the billion dollar retail sales mark, and disposable wipes now also comprise nonwovens' fastest growing end use segment in Europe, with six spunlace line startups recorded. In 2001 Buckeye, Concert and Kimberly-Clark collectively contributed to the largest ever one-year airlaid capacity addition. The advance of spunlaced technology in wiping applications is described with adjustments to raw material components under way. Plain airlaid materials are maintaining their position but more added-value features are needed and more sophisticated performance characteristics. Profits warnings are issuing from major companies and acceptance in the personal hygiene absorbent core is necessary for further progress. There is more difficulty in developing a consumer product which is a real breakthrough. The wiping business is predicted to grow but development of the right material for the right application is essential.