Freudenberg Nonwovens has officially started a new production facility for adsorptive products in Littleborough, UK. With an investment of more than €2 million in the latest activated carbon technology, Freudenberg Nonwovens plans to expand the adsorptive business into other applications and regions.

“Investing to move downstream the value chain to supply finished and converted performance materials for applications such as adsorptive is a large part of our group strategy,” said Bruce Olson, CEO and president of Freudenberg Nonwovens during the Opening Ceremony on March 4 in Littleborough. “Besides producing nonwoven roll good material, we are focused on adding value through converting as well as finishing and treatment processes such as coating of base materials with activated carbon as we do it in our adsorptive business”.

Adsorptive products of Freudenberg Nonwovens are special performance materials with an active carbon finishing treatment to adsorb detrimental agents and toxins and stop unpleasant odor. Active carbon has a very large surface area available for adsorption; just three grams of high quality activated carbon has approximately the surface area of a football field. Adsorptive materials are used in critical high-performance applications such as odur absorption in Ostomy medical products field and for odor reduction or control in technical applications like NBC protection. Beyond the existing application, Freudenberg Nonwovens is looking to expand the business into new application areas.

Freudenberg Nonwovens currently employs 22 people in Littleborough. All of them have worked for Freudenberg’s adsorptive business at the previous production location in Greetland. Freudenberg has started the production of staple fiber nonwovens material in the U.K. in 1956 and operates today also a production plant for hygiene nonwovens in Greetland/Yorkshire and a surface treatment facility for battery separators in Swindon/Wiltshire.