Biax-Fiberfilm Corporation has expanded  meltblown fabric production for N95 masks and other medical applications in response the increased demand for the material globally

“We are currently running around the clock on two machines and the new capacity in Neenah will be five times higher,” says Biax-Fiberfilm President Douglas Brown. “The purchase of a former Kimberly-Clark facility in Neenah allows us additional space, plus some of the common machine parts (usually long lead time pieces) that will assist with our fast scale up.​ The plant will be a mix between old and new technology developed by Biax-Fiberfilm”

The company expects its production startup at the new facility as early as June. With Brown’s patented technology and association with the world’s premier equipment supplier, Reifenhauser, the transition is expected to be a smooth one. Three 60-inch-wide production lines are planned. The nonwoven meltblown fabric and a patented spunblown system  produces fabrics that few others in the world can create. Biax-Fiberfilm is currently producing these materials at its headquarters in Greenville, WI. It is enough for about 3.5 million masks per day.

These complicated nonwovens fabrics consist of synthetic fibers stretched in an airstream and flattened into rolls for mask production. Exacting standards must be met, and quality controls are part of the process. “Our materials have been used in masks, physicians’ PPE and in the filtration industry,” says Brown. “A key is the breathable, yet tight ‘knit’ result that keeps out the virus.”