Unlike consumer wipes, which received a significant Covid-related boost in 2020-2021, industrial and institutional wipes, at least in some areas, were negatively impacted by restaurant closures and manufacturing shut-downs. As the world has returned to normal, this category has not only rebounded but expanded thanks to a combination of increased focus on cleanliness and the need for convenience and efficacy due to labor shortages.

According to one executive, most cleaning applications are better served by disposable wipers that are sized and packaged in a manner that is more consistent, friendlier  to store and ship and engineered for more specific attributes. Additionally, a tightened workforce has made the need for convenience more important than ever before.

As demand continues to increase for industrial and institutional wipes, many manufacturers have used mergers and acquisitions to increase their size and scope into new product categories and all have focused on innovation and new product development—especially with an eye toward sustainability—to meet the needs of its consumers. For more on how this market is returning to normal, see page 32.

Another market in transition, which is examined in this issue, is filtration. Consumers are paying more attention to air quality than ever before and the result is significant investment in both new capacity and new technologies within the filtration market (see page 22). Caused not just by the threat of infection spread but also environmental factors like wildfire activity and the need for clean water, companies are increasing their focus on HVAC systems, as well as water purification products, to protect consumers. The result has been new investment globally from some of the top suppliers of nonwovens for filtration media.

As always, we appreciate your comments.

Karen McIntyre
Editor
[email protected]