Chinese nonwovens producer Uniquetex has confirmed it will add two lines at its site in Grover, NC. The site was established in 2016 and is wholly owned by Foshan Nanhai Beautiful Nonwoven Co., Ltd., (BTF) one of China’s largest nonwoven textile businesses.

The two new lines, which are on target for completion this year with the first starting up in approximately three months and the second line expected in about six months. The first line will be a 3.2-meter three-beam spunmelt line with a capacity of 8000 tons. This line which will be located in Uniquetex’s existing facility, where the company is already operating two nonwoven lines—a 96-inch double-beam spunmelt line and a 126-inch spunmelt line. The second line will be housed in a brand new 50,000 square-foot facility, designed specifically for a 4.2-meter, 15,000-ton capacity Reifenhäuser Reicofil (RF3) SMMS line, which the company recently purchased.

Uniquetex’s total footprint in Grover currently stands at 410,000 square-feet on 100 acres of land. With an investment totaling $31.6 million, the company plans to add an additional two line in the next five years, resulting in a site with six manufacturing lines with a workforce of 150 employees. The two recently confirmed investments will bring the site’s output to 38,000 tons targeting the industrial, hygiene, healthcare, home furnishing and technical textiles markets.

According to the company, future investments could likely center around polyester and bico materials, dependent on customer commitments and the strength of the proposals it receives. The company will also examine vertical integration into finished products for medical and personal protective equipment.

BTF made investment headlines last year when it acquired a Chinese nonwovens operation from Mitsui Chemicals. A prominent manufacturer of medical and sanitary nonwovens, BTF had a supply relationship with Mitsui Chemicals with BTF for more than 15 years – including through outsourced manufacturing of high-performance medical nonwovens – prior to the acquisition.