Events around Europe: New EU countries boost population above the U.S. (European Scene).

Earlier this year we saw the first really tangible signs that the concept of a coherent Europe was actually moving forward.

The excitement surrounding the EURO currency's formal adoption into 'real' money was partly hidden by the announcement by the leaders in Europe that the European Union was on track to gain 10 new members by 2004. Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia are all expected to join.

The 10 new member states will add 75 million people to the EU's existing population of 375 million. When Romania and Bulgaria join, probably during the next few years, another 30 million citizens will be added, bringing the population above that of the U.S. by 200 million.

Our nonwovens industry has a need for constantly emerging new markets in order to sustain its growth. Much of the nonwovens business, in both long life and short life product areas, is very much related to population numbers. Many of the countries joining the EU, despite having made significant recent advances, are still way below the per capita consumption of nonwovens that is present in the West. It is therefore likely that these political events will have a major positive impact on our 'home' market and create annual growth way ahead of that of the U.S. and Japan.

This change represents a real opportunity for nonwovens, but we must be careful in our assessment as to what that is likely to mean. We cannot simply assume that all of these changes will be beneficial. The unification of East and West Germany 11 years ago weakened the West German economy and, in itself, did little to improve the unemployment problems and, therefore, the living standards of the former East Germany.

The big event for year 2002 is the EDANA, European Nonwovens and Disposables Association-sponsored INDEX 02 Conference and Exhibition scheduled for April in Geneva, Switzerland. Easily the biggest and best in the world, this event is the most magnificent showcase for our international nonwovens business and the ever-increasing range of applications for nonwovens. I am really counting the days to April when once again INDEX takes place.

Although not in the same league as INDEX, this year also brings another smaller but still significant event. This March is the 10th anniversary of the EDANA-sponsored and widely acclaimed Nonwovens Training Course. Held in Brussels, three times a year (and with one or two extra programs added because of demand), this course has welcomed more than 1000 delegates, mainly from Europe, but with the occasional U.S. visitor, to the two-day program. The program covers everything from a definition of a nonwoven, through raw materials used, web forming and bonding and onto markets and a look at future developments.

With a constant expansion of our industry, we need well-informed people, and these programs provide an excellent way for newcomers and established professionals alike to broaden their knowledge of the nonwovens business and enjoy the opportunity to meet and interact with others with a common interest.

Although the program is conducted in English, at times at coffee breaks you can hear up to 10 different languages spoken!

The Technologies Scene

The Short Fibre Airlaid technology (the DanWebforming and M&J Fibertech web forming technology) debate continues to go round and round with the main discussion surrounding whether or not to use this technology to produce a preformed diaper core and to use such a core in place of the existing fluff pulp/SAP core made on a conventional diaper line.

Each side of the argument puts forward strong opinions to support its case, but it seems to me that the whole argument has become far too simplistic. Obviously someone must believe In the technology (simply judging by the amount of capacity that has been installed). Looking at the European figures for shipments of the airlaid material, one gets the impression that someone is not telling the whole story when indicating what It is used for. However, the real point seems to be that if all one proposes to do is replace one predominantly fluff pulp and superabsorbent structure with a different structure produced a different way, then maybe this misses the point.

This forming technology enables us to produce a multilayer structure. We can design each layer in that structure to fulfil specific required functions. Therefore it is not simply about making an alternative core but rather about making an alternative absorbent product.

In such a multilayer structure we could form the top sheet (now designed primarily to enhance skin care properties], acquisition/distribution layer (now designed as a really effective temporary storage and distribution system), the absorbent core (designed to make the best use of the different superabsorbent materials we have available) and a containment layer (the back sheet, no longer a film but a porous, coated nonwoven).

It is understandable that existing producers with multiple lines producing diapers by the conventional assembly line technique may be reluctant to change. I understand that it takes real courage to tell the CEO of a company that a multimillion dollar investment is now redundant, but this does not mean that the newer technology is not good.

Having arrived at the point where all baby diapers work within the meaning of the word, we are left with adding almost cosmetic touches to the product in order to achieve some limited degree of product differentiation.

We have educated the caregivers of babies to expect more and more of what is basically a single use product.

Surely it makes good sense to make as good of a product at as low of a cost as possible not withstanding the costs of re-investment? Manufacturers in other industries, such as automotives, have had to learn the exact same lesson.

Returning to the news of pending new entrants to the EU reminds me that there have been a number of import technological contributions from behind the 'iron curtain.' As far as I am concerned one of the most significant was not a new technique but a book. In 1971, an English version of Prof. Dip-Ing Dr Radko Krcma's book "Manual of Nonwovens" became available. Prof. Krcma held the chair at the then-Technical College of Engineering and Textile Technologies in Liberec in what is now the Czech Republic.

With this publication, some of the secrecy that was very prevalent at that time was lifted, and we could read something about the technologies that had been developed in Eastern Europe. The techniques of needling and stitch bonding, with names such as Arachne, Arabeva, Maliwatt and VP systems, owe their development to activities in this part of Europe. Some, such as Uvutan, a method for forming a fibrous mat with free laid filaments or arranging filaments with a system of pins or a current of air or water, were probably precursors of modified techniques to come. Meanwhile others, such as the Skelan technology from the GDR, of laying down predominantly longitudinal fibres and then cross-laying reinforcing threads on a single carded web during lamination, seem to have disappeared.

Although some have been superseded and some have been further developed beyond recognition, the contribution from what was Middle and Eastern Europe has been significant and continues to day--the Struto technology from the Czech Republic won the prize for innovation at the 1999 INDEX.

On all counts, this part of the world has had a lot to offer our nonwovens industry.

Colin White is a well known nonwovens industry veteran and principal of consulting firm MCW Technologies. Based in Cumbria, U.K., Mr. White specializes in wetlaid, thermal bonded and airlaid technologies. He can be reached by telephone at 44-1228-562-831; Fax: [phone]; E-mail: [e-mail].