Interview with Mr Martin Kleinebrecht

Yes, Johns Manville was a pioneer in the development of polyester spunbond nonwovens and glass nonwovens. The spunbond technology was developed by Hoechst AG and came to Johns Manville via an acquisition in 1999. The glass nonwoven technology is based on an invention in 1948 by a German, Werner Schuller, in response to the increased demand for roofing membranes during the reconstruction of Germany after WWII. JM acquired the family-run business about 40 years ago. Today we conduct nonwovens-related research and development in Europe in two technical centers: for glass nonwovens in Wertheim, Germany (close to Frankfurt) and for polyester spunbond in Bobingen, Germany (close to Munich). We see it as a big advantage that we have pilot lines for spunbond and for glass mats available in these locations, so we can easily mirror production conditions on a smaller scale. On top of that we are cooperating closely with the JM Technical Center in Littleton, Colorado, that supports all four JM divisions (Engineered Products Europe/Asia, Engineered Products North America, Roofing Systems, and Insulation Systems) worldwide with its vast technical knowledge and state-of-the-art equipment. At JM Nonwovens Europe all major technologies used are our own and not bought “off the shelf”, which makes it easier for us to optimize and further enhance our current and future production lines ourselves. This is very different from, for instance, the hygiene nonwovens business.

Hybrid nonwovens can either be produced by combining a glass mat with a polyester spunbond mat in two process steps or by producing a wet laid glass mat with a certain amount and a certain mix of polymer staple fibers. Depending on the respective composition, we are able to achieve very different properties in a diversity of applications – from battery to roofing. Most of these developments are elaborated in research partnerships with key customers, which means - they are tailor-made for very specific applications.

I think we need to distinguish between the different types of nonwovens, which vary significantly. In the end we are talking about a vast area of technologies and products that can produce and form nonwovens, be it staple fiber, spunbond, wet or dry laid glass mats, PP based, PET based, with or without chemical binders, needle punched and so on. Developments in the field of hygiene, medical or apparel applications are definitely different from the ones in the technical textile area. In Europe, technical nonwovens are suffering from the poor conditions and outlook of the building and construction industry - this is why producers are working hard on alternatives with some success. I have already mentioned a number of new applications JM is active in and others are under development as we speak. Filtration is certainly one area where we will continue to see a positive development for nonwovens. The penetration of cabin air filters will continue to grow in the future especially in the so-called developing countries. Also, the requirements on indoor air quality in the private and public sector is ever increasing. JM has a broad product portfolio for filtration applications ranging from micro glass mats for HVAC (heating, ventilation, a/c) to spunbond cabin air filtration to industrial applications such as mist elimination. We will continue to invest in that business over the coming years.

Our division operates two plants in China. Compared to the overall size of Johns Manville the production output of these two Asian facilities might be small, but we see it as strategically important to have a manufacturing footprint in the region. You need to be where the markets are.

Apart from our traditional markets, which are in building and construction, flooring and filtration we work with a dedicated European business development team on new opportunities. One example is the development of engineered wood composites, where a b-stage laminated glass mat is the basis for improvements in the area of laminate flooring, furniture and other innovative applications you hopefully will see emerging in 2013. With regard to laminate flooring, we can tremendously improve the quality of the product in terms of impact resistance; additionally, we help to achieve lightweight properties in the furniture industry. In partnership with our glass fiber business, we are also involved in the composite industry where, for instance, we are taking advantage of the growing wind mill blades market. Another big opportunity is in the enhancement and development of polyester and glass mats for the energy storage sector – which is another business area that will continue to experience high growth rates medium term. But we do not stop here. More is in the pipeline…

As I said earlier, the building and construction industry in Europe and in North America is suffering from low housing starts. We are certainly gaining from the ongoing renovation activities, but the outlook for new construction remains, at least in Europe, pretty bearish. I would expect only marginal growth rates until 2015. We will see improvement eventually, but it will take more time than the industry originally expected. Other segments like filtration, energy storage and renewable energy production will see above-GDP growth rates during the next five years. The lightweight developments in the furniture industry I mentioned earlier are an example of a general trend that will be seen in other applications. We will see nonwovens taking a higher share in the automotive industry, be it as an alternative for woven materials or as part of more technical applications such as lightweight composite structures. In a nutshell: a very cautious outlook for building and construction but a bright future for all the rest.