Spunchem, one of Africa’s largest provider of nonwovens, has announced plans to add an 8000-ton-per-year spunbond line in South Africa, a move that will allow it to become one of the region’s first supplier of locally made high quality spunbond and spunmelt nonwovens to serve the growing hygiene market.
 
Construction on the new line is expected to be complete by the end of July and a second line, capable of making 10,000 tons of material per year, is expected to be complete by the end of 2018.
 
According to executives, the decision to establish a hygiene operation came following the conclusion that all high quality SS and SMS fabrics for hygiene products were imported into South Africa. In establishing the hygiene business, Spunchem worked closely with a top-tier diaper manufacturing, which included extensive trials of products manufactured using the technology that Spunchem will employ.
 
Spunchem has been present in the South African market for 20 years. During this time the company has made spunbond nonwovens for a number of industrial markets. It has continued to be dedicated to being a customer-focused business by investing in and developing technology and local people to accommodate and meet its customer’s needs every step of the way.
 
Spunchem will also increase its coating/laminating and printing capacity and will be able to make cloth-like back sheets, cast film, breathable film in two and four colors by early 2017.
 
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