Oerlikon Neumag is now offering inline pilot testing of its new staple fiber technology in Neumünster, Germany. The plant, which opened in 2022, is available to customers for tests processing various polymers beyond polyester, which was the center’s original scope.
 
The company has already achieved excellent values in joint tests with a well-known fiber producer using the technology for polypropylene geotextile applications. The equipment was able to achieve tenacities of well over 6 cN/dtex without sacrificing residual elongation. This means that the fibers exceed the parameters currently established in geotextile applications. 

“The demand for geotextiles is growing with higher traffic volumes and increasing climate extremes,” says Oerlikon Neumag head of development Friedrich Lennemann. “We are seeing a trend in fibers towards higher tenacity combined with high elongation. In view of the results achieved, we believe our customers are well equipped to meet this trend with our technology.”