Founded in 2004, Teknoweb Converting of Palazzo Pignano, Italy, is a world leader in developing innovative solutions for the manufacture of wet wipes and moist toilet tissue.

The company’s cutting-edge technology, high-speed, multi-functional design and modularity make it a key provider for wet wipes converting and packaging. Teknoweb Converting machinery can handle the entire manufacturing process —from lotion preparation to case packing.

In February 2015, the company became part of the IMA Group and, through this partnership, Teknoweb Converting, led by the founder Piero Mandotti, can draw on the group’s know-how and technical solutions.
Nonwovens Industry reached out to Mandotti and Guido Conio, Teknoweb’s new sales and marketing director, to talk about the wipes converting industry and the company’s future with IMA.

Nonwovens Industry (NWI): What kind of growth are you seeing in the wipes market and how is it affecting the converting industry?
Mandotti: According to our point of view, the wipes market is growing steadily but with remarkable differences among geographies and categories. In the developed markets, growth is more prominent in categories with higher added value, like cosmetics and beauty care, or designed for a very specific use. It is a different case in developing countries where standard baby wipes in flat packs have a lot of space to grow due to still low penetration. There we see a year-to-year volume increase in double digits.
Conio: Challenges that converting industries have to face are coming from increases in product segmentation to catch all growth and cover all customer needs and all possible niches. This means having the ability to manufacture using different substrates, with multiple lotions counts, and packs. Choices have to be made between high speed lines, very flexible in change over, or multiple low speed equipment, each of them dedicated to a specific product. This is the current struggle for many medium size companies.

NWI: Are there any major changes you have seen in the converting industry in the last several years?
Mandotti: Today, converters pay far more attention than ever before to product safety. The majority of wipes are designed to be in contact with skin. More complex lotions and reduced amounts of preservatives expected by consumers have made delivery of mistaken/defective products more likely.
Conio: Converters are looking for simple to use equipment, that is foolproof even for unskilled operators and that is able to safely handle new delicate substrates like dispersibles and lotions with almost zero preservatives.

NWI: How are lines becoming more efficient?
Mandotti: Automation is playing a major role in improving efficiency of lines. Faster networks and more precise and powerful servomotors make possible new solutions, accurate movements and rapid change overs.
Conio: Analyzing all the data produced by a single converting line can lead to important findings on efficiency losses. New machines can easily provide this data and can drive operators and supervisors to dramatically improve performance and reduce unwanted stops.

NWI: Has environmental sustainability played an increasing role in Teknoweb Converting’s business operations?
Mandotti: Sustainability is a core value for Teknoweb Converting and we pursued it since the beginning. Today we can retrieve it in the low energy consumption, just 6/7 Kw are required to drive our 240 pack/min NEXT converting line, or capability to process more eco-sustainable dispersible substrates, characterized by low linting strength and traction robustness.
Conio: An example of our efforts in improving eco-friendliness of our lines is the new cross-folding machine we are currently introducing. It works without need of vacuum and therefore less lotion is drawn off and thrown away (and disposed of as hazardous waste). This is without affecting performance that reaches up to 2500 wipes/min.

NWI: What challenges are facing the converting industry?
Conio: Flexibility and cost reduction. Products are more and more specialized and equipment must be able to manufacture easily, all of them without waste of time and resources. Converters don’t want to cut costs on raw materials, delivering poorer products.
Therefore the real challenge is being more efficient using less manpower and energy, reducing scrap and increasing material utilization.

NWI: What led to Teknoweb Converting’s decision to sell a 60% stake in the company to IMA Group?
Mandotti: Customers are asking for integrated manufacturing solutions. They want to deal with a single entity that can deliver complete solutions, handling the whole production flow and being responsible for the final result. Teknoweb alone was not able to accomplish this objective. IMA Group has resources and know-how to complete Teknoweb Converting’s offerings. Ilapak, a company in the IMA Group, is already in the wet wipe market with its flow packs. With Ilapak we will be able to offer integrated lines like the entry level GENESIS we are currently promoting. In the future we will do the same for the rest of our portfolio.

NWI: What are the terms of the deal with IMA Group?
Mandotti: Terms of the deal are public. IMA bought a 60% stake and therefore Teknoweb Converting is officially part of the IMA Group. The remaining 40% still belongs to me. Under these terms, Teknoweb Converting will lead sales and product strategy for the whole wet wipe industry, irrespective of machines we are going to provide. This made this deal so attractive for me and for all the people in Teknoweb Converting.

NWI: How will this investment from IMA help the business?
Conio: Teknoweb Converting will be able to increase customer intimacy, delivering better service and covering the whole market more effectively. We are already approaching all customers through the Ilapak sales network, eight branches in Europe, Middle East, Asia and America, that are able to deliver technical support as well.
And I do want to mention huge R&D capability we can count on or solutions to complete our offerings that we are already introducing in our product portfolio.
NWI: How will Teknoweb and Ilapak complement each other? Are the two companies being integrated?
Mandotti: The two companies, Ilapak and Teknoweb Converting, will remain separate entities. Ilapak is not active only in the wet wipe industry. A majority of its revenues comes from bakery or food in general. But it is evident that our products are very synergistic for the wet wipe industry. Therefore, we will develop integrated solutions and use the same sales force, although Teknoweb Converting will keep full control of the business.

NWI: What’s next for Teknoweb Converting?
Mandotti: We have a bright future. Our strategy is to leverage on IMA and Ilapak to became the single partner for all wet wipe manufacturing needs. We will be able to meet market demands and create value for our customers first and for our shareholders.
Conio: We are already introducing many new products: GENESIS, an integrated machine, converter and flow wrapper, tailored for newcomers or small volume demand, EXIGE, a cross folding line without use of vacuum and a revolutionary case packer specifically designed for wet wipe industry. But more will come. Stay tuned. n