Freudenberg Nonwovens is investing Euro 5 million in the expansion of production capacity for the manufacture of Evolon microfilament products in Colmar, north east France. Work on the new line, which will raise capacity to 3,000 tonnes per year has already begun and will be completed by the end of October 2013.

Evolon microfilament products are manufactured at the Colmar facility using a globally patented technology which combines the spinning of continuous filaments with splitting by hydroentanglement.

The microfilaments produced by the technology are said to be particularly soft, supple and light as well as being extremely durable. As a result, Freudenberg says, Evolon is the ideal product in numerous applications, setting the global standard in high-tech cleaning cloths or in automotive applications.

“In recent years, Evolon has made a name for itself in the medical sector in particular, is the market leader in Europe for intelligent solutions in anti-allergy bedding and has also made its mark in Asia, especially China and Taiwan,” the Weinheim, Germany, headquartered company says.

The company says it is investing around €5 million in expanding production capacity in response to increased demand on these markets and growing interest in Evolon for new applications. “The new production line will open up new dimensions and bring significantly greater flexibility, not merely in terms of expanding capacity to 3,000 tonnes, but also as regards a greater range of product combinations made possible by separate hydroentanglement,” Freudenberg explains.

“Once the new production line is complete we will be able to combine various base materials and create completely new products in one step through hydroentanglement,” said Dr. Ulrich Jahn, plant manager in Colmar.

Freudenberg is also increasing the workforce at the site with this capacity expansion and says it is sending a clear signal for the strategic development of Evolon business. Evolon products manufactured in Europe are marketed worldwide.

“Freudenberg Evolon in Colmar is particularly committed to the sustainable development of its activities and products. Evolon is made of neutral polymers and does not contain any bonding chemical. With Oeko-Tex 100 product class 1 classification, Evolon is particularly suitable for sensitive babies’ skin,” the company says.

The Evolon production process is said to be entirely solvent free and production has ISO 9001, ISO 14001 environmental certification and OHSAS 18001 certification for safety. Freudenberg says that continuous efforts are made to minimize the use of resources, and as a result the site in Colmar is ISO 50001 certified for its energy management system. The extension of the production line has taken the requirements of all these standards into full consideration.

Freudenberg Evolon in Colmar is part of the Freudenberg Nonwovens Business Group and has a workforce of around 45 employees.

Freudenberg Nonwovens is the world's largest producer of nonwovens, with 21 manufacturing and processing sites in 13 countries. The company manufactures interlinings for the apparel industry and develops nonwovens for the following markets: energy, automotive interiors, hygiene, medical, building interiors, geotextiles and specialties. The company markets innovative products such as Lutradur ECO, Vilene, Soundtex and Evolon. In the 2012 financial year, Freudenberg Nonwovens employed 3,000 people and generated sales of €650 million.

www.evolon.de

www.freudenberg-nw.com