INDEX 14, the largest global meeting place between the players in the nonwovens supply chain and its customers, will once again showcase the INDEX 14 Award “Excellence in the nonwovens and related industries.” The award winners will be announced 11 a.m. on April 8, the opening day of the exhibition.

EDANA’s INDEX 14 Awards recognize excellence in the industry and highlight some of the innovations from businesses of all sizes, and from all parts of the nonwovens supply chain, and an overwhelming number of applications were received by the deadline.

The INDEX 14 awards jury, which was comprised of an official from the European Commission, a former senior nonwovens company business development and marketing manager, a representative of the nonwovens industry trade press and top academic nonwovens research and development experts, met in February in order to select the nominees and to choose, from this group, the winner in each of the seven award categories, which will remain undisclosed until the awards ceremony

In order to be considered, companies could submit only one application per category and products must have been commercially available on January 31.  Additionally, products or campaigns must not have been commercially launched before April 2011.

Over four days the exhibition will bring together all the players in the nonwovens industry from raw material producers to manufacturers, finishers to converters, to environmental protection, measuring and testing equipment manufacturers, to trade associations and journals. Over 13,000 visitors come to INDEX to catch a glimpse of the future of nonwovens, to see first-hand what the leading experts in the field have to offer.

Nominees for each category, in alphabetic order, are:

Nonwoven Roll Goods           
Ahlstrom – Captimax
Mc Airlaid Vliesstoffe – McAirlaid’s FruitPads
Sandler – Fibercomfort® tread- and waterproof roof insulation
Finished products made from, or incorporating nonwovens
Imeco – Nocemi- MED
Wellman International – FIBALON

Achievement for the most original marketing campaign for a product made from, or incorporating nonwovens
Lenzing – TENCEL Skin
Sandler – Re-designed Sandler website www.sandler.de
Suominen Corporation – Welovewipes social media and internet platform
Innovation in a raw material (e.g. fibre, binder), of special relevance to the nonwovens industry
CHT Beitlich – Tubiguard®  RT-F
Eastman – Eastman Cyphrex microfibers

Innovation in machinery of special relevance to the nonwovens industry
Herrmann Ultraschall – HELIBOND – core former
ITW Dynatec – Vector Surge
Reifenhauser Reicofil – Humidifiers Spray off film device
Trützchler – Wet laying and Spunlacing

Sustainable Product
Ahlstrom – Ahlstrom Flow2Save
De Saedeleir – Biograded + 100% Biodegradable + 100% Compostable weed-erosion control Mat
P&G – Pampers baby wipes
SCA – Tena Lady Pads Plus with InstaDRY

Sustainable process or management practice
Glatfelter Gernsbach – ABACA
Herrmann Ultraschall – Boco Sonic Disposable Articles
T. J. Beall Company – True Cotton

For more information about the exhibition, or to register as a visitor, please visit the dedicated INDEX14 website: www.index14.org.