Non-woven fabrics remain unchanged in the construction and construction markets. Although they are usually not seen, nonwovens play a huge role in new construction and renovation of existing buildings and houses-they are housing packaging materials, roofing materials, window flashes, insulation and sound insulation, and many other areas portion. Manufacturers of nonwovens and composites are optimistic about the future of nonwovens in this market. Let ’s take a look at the analysis and judgment of some industry players on the market.
Freudenberg Performance Materials Group
Freudenberg Performance Materials, a Freudenberg Performance Materials group, said that it has a 40% market share in the roofing industry. At the same time, it has also seen the growing use of non-woven fabrics in architectural applications, and the market continues to develop products that add value to end users. The company believes composites are improving the construction market. "The next generation of 'composite technology' is opening up new applications to improve the protection of architectural fabrics and the quality of life in living areas," said Dr. Frank Heislitz, CEO of Freudenberg Performance Materials Group, adding that "green" The strong development of construction provides further energy for the building materials market. End users are increasingly demanding sustainable products and have a clear preference for environmentally friendly alternatives and recycled materials.
In this case, the Freudenberg Group is competent for this task. The company's production process begins by recycling post-consumer PET bottles, which are its main raw materials, which are selected, washed and made into plastic masterbatches. The plastic masterbatch is then converted into short fibers or directly used in the spunbond process to make recycled polyester nonwovens. "Recycling PET bottles means that we can replace raw materials with recycled polyester of the same quality, allowing us to save natural resources," Heislitz explains.
Because non-woven fabric can combine good mechanical strength with high elongation, polyester non-woven fabric is the most commonly used carrier. In Freudenberg's reinforced products made from glass filaments, the flexibility of polyester combined with the stability of glass gives nonwovens excellent handling properties. Heislitz added, "Especially when used at high temperatures and on high-speed asphalt production lines, asphalt membranes have excellent dimensional stability and long-term durability."
According to Heislitz, Freudenberg's leadership in the rooftop market benefits from the company's long-term positioning and strong customer relationships, which are built on the company's deep understanding of customer needs and expectations. Advanced technology, flexibility and a broad product portfolio enable it to meet the most demanding customer requirements. "Although invisible, our polyester carrier, once embedded in the asphalt film, is critical for our customers to achieve their target product performance," he said.
At present, Freudenberg believes that the construction market generally has good expectations and is expected to grow further in the medium term. In terms of specific growth areas, the company believes that developing countries have great potential for non-woven applications.
Owens Corning continues to expand
Owens Corning offers fiberglass products, from fiberglass to glass mats for residential roofs, coated and uncoated specialty nonwovens for residential and commercial buildings. Its research results are reflected in advanced technologies for manufacturing glass fiber, glass coating and non-woven mat composites.
Owens Corning, Nico Del Monaco, European Vice President, Nonwovens and Glass Reinforcements, said the company sees growth in the nonwoven construction market in all regions, benefiting from growth in residential and commercial buildings and these markets The transition to composite materials. "Composites are reshaping the construction market, transforming the building paradigm from using standard materials to high-performance products and systems through glass reinforcement and specialty nonwovens. We expect this trend to continue.
Owens Corning is developing new solutions to support future penetration of composite materials into new markets. "One example is the constant shift in the construction market from paper and felt to non-woven solutions," adds Del Monaco.
According to Del Monaco, Owens Corning's non-woven glass fiber mats are usually produced on a slanted wire forming machine by a wet process, and then impregnated with a synthetic water-based adhesive, and the impregnated coil is dried and heated in Cured in a belt dryer. After passing the inspection, it is cut and wound on a cardboard core in a turret winder.
Owens Corning uses its proprietary Advantex glass formulation, which is corrosion resistant and boron-free. Typical adhesives include acrylic, urea-formaldehyde and renewable organic adhesives. "Increased urbanization and greater demand for housing mean demand for markets and composite solutions," Del Monaco said. "People want to improve indoor air quality, save energy more broadly and increase sustainability, and our range of organic adhesives is replacing products that use formaldehyde adhesives."
According to the company, composite materials products not only have aesthetic advantages; due to the special non-woven fabric solutions with fire resistance, mold and mildew resistance, enhanced acoustic properties, impact resistance, corrosion resistance, etc., the performance advantage is significant.
"Owens Corning's products often offer unique features," Del Monaco said. "The use of glass non-woven fabrics to replace the paper surface on the outer sheath of gypsum board is a good example. The paper surface has moisture and mold problems, so Owens Corning has developed a special coated glass Woven fabric solves these difficulties and improves the overall performance of the system. In addition, our gypsum panels allow the building to be used normally during construction. "
Recently, Owens Corning has been in expansion mode. In April 2018, Owens Corning completed the acquisition of Guangde Sikeda Rock Wool Co., Ltd., which produces mineral wool insulation materials for the construction and technical insulation markets. Due to its fire-resistant properties, mineral wool is China's main insulation material.
"We see an excellent opportunity to provide Chinese customers with products in the medium-temperature construction and high-temperature industrial applications market. This acquisition further advances our strategy to expand Owens Corning's technology portfolio in three of the world's largest insulation markets," said Julian Francis, President of Insulation, in Said during the acquisition.
The company currently has seven insulation manufacturing plants in China and is able to provide customers in the region with a full temperature range of products including glass fiber, extruded polystyrene foam, foam glass and mineral wool insulation for construction. Other Owens Corning investments include a specialty glass nonwoven facility in Gastonia, North Carolina in 2016, and a glass-based coatings facility in Brycewood, South Carolina, in 2017.
Fibertex focuses on roofing materials
TexFibertex Nonwovens works closely with some of the largest industrial roof manufacturers. It continues to expand its product range, part of which is to create solutions that make installation at the job site as simple as possible. One of these innovations is a unique solution using a self-adhesive non-woven fabric dedicated to flat roof membranes. Fibertex's non-woven fabric is laminated on the back of the waterproofing membrane for flat roofs, industrial or commercial buildings. Non-woven fabric protects the membrane and acts as a barrier between the roof and the membrane. In addition, the nonwoven fabric material imparts tensile strength and elongation to the film.
For roof pads, Fibertex nonwovens are laminated with film. The goal is to make breathable materials under the tiles, which are nailed to the roof. In this field, Fibertex nonwovens are advantageous because they have high tensile strength and high tear resistance. At the same time, Fibertex's non-woven fabric is called Absorex. It is laminated on the back of a single metal plate before molding.
"Fibertex Nonwovens provides the perfect compromise between soft textile materials and high tensile strength," said Thomas Boudailliez, building floor business manager. "Our non-woven products combine the advantages of lightweight and strong materials, which perfectly match the new installation technology."
According to Fibertex, the roof construction market has been expanding in recent years, and this situation is expected to continue. "The market growth is driven by demand for easier and faster installation of roofing materials from Europe and the United States," Boudailliez said.
DuPont increases Tyvek portfolio
Pont DuPont's Tyvek Tyvek is basically synonymous with building envelopes-it was invented more than 30 years ago, but the company is constantly developing new products and improving its existing product line.
In the roof section, the company recently developed DuPont Tyvek Protec roofing liners for the residential construction market. Launched in 2016, this product provides industry-leading walking performance, which refers to the grip that the surface can provide when the installer walks on the roof, and the proper grip on the roof panel. DuPont Performance Building Solutions roof business is responsible for Said Rupa Kibbe. "Another feature of the Tyvek Protec product is its tiling characteristics when in use, which is critical to increasing productivity and ensuring that the gasket is evenly mounted on the roof panel." Kibbe added.
Among other new product launches, DuPont Tyvek DrainVent Rainscreen was launched late last year to provide advanced moisture protection for exterior wall systems. This product is DuPont Safety & Construction's first windproof, waterproof vapor-permeable membrane and moisture-proof vapor-proof membrane coil, which can create a 6 mm (0.25 inch) space for drainage and air flow for drying after enclosure.
VeTyvek DrainVent can be installed behind stucco, stone veneer, brick, wood, fiber cement, and metal plates, helping to extend the life of external claddings by creating gaps that help prevent problems with decay, cracking and flaking. This product replaces the intermediate layers required for plaster and stone, while additional heavy-duty filter fabrics prevent penetration of mortar and plaster.
VeTyvek DrainVent is easy to cut and install, lay flat and roll around the corner, helping to prevent improper installation and details. The heavy-duty filter fabric prevents the entry of mortar, helps to form a flat surface, lays the cladding flat, and has a high perm grade, so it is very breathable. Due to its unique three-dimensional honeycomb texture design and durability, it also provides uniform non-structural support for various claddings.
Kibbe said that if they are well designed, nonwovens may enhance the properties of the product. "Products are not necessarily non-woven because they are ideal or have excellent performance. DuPont chooses to combine non-woven technology with textile technology to provide ideal physical properties."
According to Kibbe, new construction is growing slowly as macroeconomic conditions such as mortgage rates and student loan debt continue to hamper potential first-time buyers. "However, the market for refurbished homes has grown by 50% since 2010, and we will see growth in the rooftop rebuilding business as the home ages. DuPont has achieved this growth by providing owners with innovative roofing solutions.
Texel's needling products succeed in the market
Texel Technical Materials has been involved in the building materials industry for nearly five years. It plays a role in different market segments, including acoustic flooring, roof fiber mesh, sound-absorbing ceilings and wall applications. According to Alex Alexis, manager of Texel's business unit, the company's sales growth is directly related to the demand for acoustic solutions and technology to replace asphalt roof technology.
"For acoustic technology, needled nonwovens have proven to be efficient," said Alexis. "In the past, needled technology was used cautiously behind floors and walls, but the trend is to use needled technology to achieve both aesthetic and acoustic performance "For roofs, Texel's needled nonwovens are used as a reinforcement for liquid applications, flash systems and tile technology, replacing some stitching materials and fiberglass nonwovens. "Acupuncture can provide good elongation at a cost-effective price," he added.
Texel was acquired by Lydall in 2016. Lydall is a leader in specialty engineering products and materials and is now part of the Lydall Technical Nonwovens division. In this group, Texel and Gutsche, the German needled nonwovens company that was acquired that year, Lydall is combining their technical knowledge. "This new synergy enables us to improve technology transfer and market knowledge," Alexis said.
Audio Gutsche Acoustic Nonwovens, called Audiovel, are gaining market share in Europe and North America. At the same time, Texel's new product line Feltkütur will appear more in North America. "This new synergy should provide better global reach and should accelerate the development of new acoustic panel technology," Alexis explained. Texel's Feltkütur is a series of sound-absorbing panels made from a 100% PET blend. These sound-absorbing panels are rigid and are used for ceiling and wall partitions. For the roofing business, Texel has developed a 100% PET fluff pulp for liquid applications. The product has strong absorption and capillary action. "Our production line has been adjusted to produce this product," Alexis said.
ExTexel is passionate about the role of needle punched nonwovens in the construction market. "In the past three years, the building materials division has grown rapidly within Texel," Alexis said. "We want to maintain this growth as needle punch technology gains more market share in the roofing industry and we are also seeing more investment from North American governments in infrastructure, which will affect our industry in the coming years. "
