09.11.23
Osaka, Japan
www.unitika.co.jp
2022 nonwovens sales: $82 million
Key Personnel
Tetsuya Yoshimura, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Hideaki Kaminokado, general manager, spunbond fabrics sales; Hiroshi Mayuzumi, general manager, spunlaced fabrics sales
Plants
Okazaki, Tarui
Brand Names
Marix, Eleves, Appeal, Wiwi, Alcima, Dilla, Terramac, Cottoace
Major markets
Agriculture materials, carpet backings, geotextiles, able wraps, wipes, storing bags, coverstock roofing sheets
Unitika has produced PET spunbonded and spunlaced nonwoven fabrics. PET spunbond nonwoven fabrics are produced in Japan and Thailand (TUSCO company), with a production capacity of 20,000 tons a year in Japan and 10,000 tons in Thailand. The company also makes 5000 tons of spunlaced materials per year in Japan.
In 2022, PET spunbond sales were negatively impacted by slowdowns in the automotive market, however sales of automotive, carpet backings, filters, lifestyle-related materials and others were more favorable. As a result sales of spunbond nonwovens were higher last year than in 2019 before the pandemic. Nevertheless, profits declined due to a rise in fuel costs. Sales of the spunlaced nonwovens fabric were higher than in 2021 but lower than in 2019.
Unitika has obtained Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification for three products as a new environmental measure for nonwoven fabrics. This certification system is an international safety standard to prove that a product is free from toxic chemical substances, and these three products have obtained the highest level, class 1, which can be suitable for infants and toddlers up to 36 months. The certified product are Marix, a PET spunbonded nonwoven fabrics; Eleves, a spunbonded nonwoven fabrics made of bicomponent fibers using PET and PE; Cottoace, a spunlaced nonwoven fabric made of 100% cotton.
Furthermore, the company is developing a spunbonded nonwoven fabric made from recycled resins and polylactic acid in environmentally friendly nonwoven fabrics. Ekomix, made from recycled resins, is a spunbonded nonwoven made of core-sheath bicomponent fibers with a core consisting of recycled PET resins and a sheath consisting of virgin PET resins. Bicomponent fiber contains 50% or more recycled PET resins. Terramac is a spunbonded nonwoven fabric made of polylactic acid, which is used in geotextiles that decompose and disappear in soil.
www.unitika.co.jp
2022 nonwovens sales: $82 million
Key Personnel
Tetsuya Yoshimura, general manager, nonwoven fabrics division; Hideaki Kaminokado, general manager, spunbond fabrics sales; Hiroshi Mayuzumi, general manager, spunlaced fabrics sales
Plants
Okazaki, Tarui
Brand Names
Marix, Eleves, Appeal, Wiwi, Alcima, Dilla, Terramac, Cottoace
Major markets
Agriculture materials, carpet backings, geotextiles, able wraps, wipes, storing bags, coverstock roofing sheets
Unitika has produced PET spunbonded and spunlaced nonwoven fabrics. PET spunbond nonwoven fabrics are produced in Japan and Thailand (TUSCO company), with a production capacity of 20,000 tons a year in Japan and 10,000 tons in Thailand. The company also makes 5000 tons of spunlaced materials per year in Japan.
In 2022, PET spunbond sales were negatively impacted by slowdowns in the automotive market, however sales of automotive, carpet backings, filters, lifestyle-related materials and others were more favorable. As a result sales of spunbond nonwovens were higher last year than in 2019 before the pandemic. Nevertheless, profits declined due to a rise in fuel costs. Sales of the spunlaced nonwovens fabric were higher than in 2021 but lower than in 2019.
Unitika has obtained Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification for three products as a new environmental measure for nonwoven fabrics. This certification system is an international safety standard to prove that a product is free from toxic chemical substances, and these three products have obtained the highest level, class 1, which can be suitable for infants and toddlers up to 36 months. The certified product are Marix, a PET spunbonded nonwoven fabrics; Eleves, a spunbonded nonwoven fabrics made of bicomponent fibers using PET and PE; Cottoace, a spunlaced nonwoven fabric made of 100% cotton.
Furthermore, the company is developing a spunbonded nonwoven fabric made from recycled resins and polylactic acid in environmentally friendly nonwoven fabrics. Ekomix, made from recycled resins, is a spunbonded nonwoven made of core-sheath bicomponent fibers with a core consisting of recycled PET resins and a sheath consisting of virgin PET resins. Bicomponent fiber contains 50% or more recycled PET resins. Terramac is a spunbonded nonwoven fabric made of polylactic acid, which is used in geotextiles that decompose and disappear in soil.
