Jacob Holm, a leading producer of spunlaced nonwovens, is getting ready to celebrate the recent expansion of its Candler, NC facility, as well as the site’s 10-year anniversary. The company will hold a ceremony next week where CEO Martin Mikkelsen will address the company’s recent transformation.

“The past few months have been very exciting for us. We completed the construction of a new line at Candler, and we brought the global Sontara nonwovens business into our group through the recent acquisition from DuPont,” says Martin Mikkelsen. “Our group is evolving rapidly, and I am happy to note that all Jacob Holm and Sontara employees have contributed to this successful development.”

Established in 2005, the Candler, NC facility produces spunlace nonwoven fabrics for the personal and home care wipes and hygiene markets. In 2010, Jacob Holm completed a strategic analysis aiming to identify opportunities to expand the capabilities and product portfolio. The aim was to develop a unique technology that would set new benchmarks for performance in the dispersible wipes market. This involved a major investment in a completely customized, state-of-the-art production asset, which is now being commercialized to produce flushable, and proprietary, moist toilet tissue fabrics as well as selected other products.

“Independent studies project that flushable wipes will grow 10-12% per year in unit volume over the next five years,”  Mikkelsen says. “With this capacity expansion, we are well-positioned to participate in this growth. Our new large production line in Candler will underpin our commitment to serve and exceed the increasing requirements of our customers and the market.”