This month, Nonwovens Industry will be showing up at no less than three international trade shows, each representing an important growth market for nonwovens.

In early May, Frankfurt, Germany will host the semi-annual Techtextil show at Messe Frankfurt. The Frankfurt edition of this show is the longest running and largest of the Techtextil shows, which are all dedicated to promoting technical textiles. During the past decade, nonwovens have increased their exposure at this show as manufacturers have become more interested in technical and durable applications, and surely this year’s event will be a hot bed of new products and innovations that will help expand nonwovens’ role in the world. This year, nonwovens companies like Thrace, Fibertex Nonwovens, Sandler, Freudenberg and Mogul are all set to showcase new opportunities for their nonwovens in a range of technical markets.

Two weeks later, Shanghai will play host to the year’s largest nonwovens-only exposition, ANEX/SINCE. The Asian leg of the three-year rotation of global nonwovens shows that also includes INDEX in Europe and IDEA in North America, ANEX, Asia Nonwovens Exposition, is held every three years, and, every six years, it teams up with SINCE, Shanghai International Nonwovens Conference & Exposition.

ANEX/SINCE will be held May 13-15 at the Shanghai World Expo Center. The show will feature companies representing the entire nonwovens supply chain from around the world and attract visitors from Asia and globally.

At the end of May, Nonwovens Industry will return to China, in time for CIDPEX, China International Disposable Paper Expo, which will be held in Shenzhen, China. This event, organized by the China National Household Paper Industry Association, will attract tissue paper and hygiene products manufacturers, both from China and throughout Asia and the world.

These three shows reflect the diversity of the nonwovens industry as well as the many areas where it is seeing growth. The technical textiles market continues to attract the attention of nonwovens producers looking to grow in areas like agriculture, construction, apparel and automotives, and the exhibitor list of Techtextil reflects this. Meanwhile, the ever-growing ANEX show, once nearly ignored by western companies, shows just how important the Asian market is becoming to the global nonwovens industry as most of the major players in nonwovens make it their business to get there. Likewise, the fact the CIDPEX is able to dedicate itself to hygiene and tissue products in China, a place where not too long ago consumers had little interest in disposables, shows just how the global face of our industry continues to evolve.

We hope to see you at at least one of these shows but if you can’t make them, you can count on Nonwovens Industry to provide you with instant news updates through our website, nitesh_non.rodpub.com.

Karen McIntyre
[email protected]