A family-owned paper company founded in 1937, Aralar makes 100,000 tons of low-grammage paper. Two decades ago, the company diversified into hydroentangled nonwovens, targeting dry wipes and surgical gowns, which it sells globally and, in 2014, the company invested in a new wetlaid/hydroentanglement line, supplied by Voith Trützchler, to develop flushable nonwoven substrates.

Voith Paper and Trützchler have jointly developed a manufacturing process, using cellulose, to make wetlaid and hydroentangled nonwovens with a high level of wet strength. Products made using this technology have successfully passed the official INDA and EDANA flushability tests.

Aralar announced it was purchasing the Voith Trützschler line in April. Reportedly the first-of-its-kind to be installed globally, the new line is scheduled to start up in 2015 in Amezketa, Spain, Aralar’s global headquarters. In addition to making flushable wipes, the line will allow Aralar to deliver a fabric that will offer superior physical properties in a package that will be 100% cellulosic and, therefore, biodegradable.

“Aralar has a tradition of supplying tailor-made, technical products to the paper industry,” says a spokesman. “We aim to apply the same approach to the flushable business with the launch of products that have not been available to the wipes segment up to now.”

The new wetlaid/hydroentanglement line will make 20,000 tons of material per year, adding to Aralar’s existing paper and nonwovens capacity, which is nearly 100,00 tons per year.

“There is considerable room for growth, not only in flushable wipes but in other applications that are subject to use of cellulosic fibers,” the company says. “In this context, we do not rule out new investments over the coming years, though details are not currently available.”

In addition to the flushable wipes line, Aralar has invested €100 million during the past 10 years to expand and upgrade its production capacity for spunlace and paper. The result is an international reputation for an ability to tailor make paper for use in spunlace machines, particularly the ability to add a variety of colors, physical properties and extremely low substrate weights.

“We are a lean, cost-efficient organization with the financial strength to invest in new technologies where we see a potential for growth,” the company says. “We have a tradition of making products that are technical and tailor made.”