Prediction of the development of non-woven fabrics in the construction industry

Nonwovens remain unchanged in the construction and construction markets. Although they are usually not seen, non-woven fabrics play a huge role in the new construction and renovation of existing buildings and houses - they are house packaging materials, roofing materials, window flashes, insulation and sound insulation, and many other areas. portion. Non-woven materials and composites manufacturers are optimistic about the future of nonwovens in the market. Let's take a look at some of the industry's big coffee analysis and judgment of the market.

Freudenberg Performance Materials Group

Freudenberg Performance Materials, a Freudenberg Performance Materials Group, says it has a 40% market share in the roofing industry. It also sees the growing use of nonwovens in building applications, and the market continues to develop products that add value to end users. The company believes that composite materials are improving the construction market. Dr. Frank Heislitz, CEO of Freudenberg Performance Materials Group, said that “a new generation of composite technology” is opening up new applications to improve the protection of building fabrics and the quality of life in living areas.” And added, “green” The strong development of the building provides further energy for the building materials market. End users are increasingly demanding sustainable products and are clearly preferring environmentally friendly alternatives and recycled materials.

In this case, the Freudenberg Group is qualified for this task. The company's production process begins with the recycling of post-consumer PET bottles, which are the main raw materials, choices, washes and made into plastic masterbatch. The plastic masterbatch is then converted to staple fibers or used directly in a spunbond process to produce a recycled polyester nonwoven. “Recycling PET bottles means we can replace raw materials with the same quality recycled polyester, allowing us to save on natural resources,” explains Heislitz.

Polyester nonwoven fabrics are the most commonly used carriers because they can combine good mechanical strength with high elongation. In the reinforced products produced by Freudenberg using glass filaments, the flexibility of the polyester combined with the stability of the glass gives the nonwoven fabric excellent handling properties. Heislitz added, “This is especially true at high temperatures and on high-speed asphalt lines, which 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 based 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 it is not visible, once embedded in the asphalt film, our polyester carrier is critical to our customers' performance of their target products,” he said.

At present, Freudenberg believes that there are favorable expectations in the construction market, and it is expected to grow further in the medium term. As far as the specific growth areas are concerned, the company believes that developing countries have great potential in the application of non-woven fabrics.

Owens Corning continues to expand

Owens Corning offers fiberglass products ranging from fiberglass to glass mats for residential roofing, for coated and non-coated specialty nonwovens for residential and commercial buildings. The research results are reflected in the advanced technology in the manufacture of glass fiber, glass coating and non-woven mat composites.

According to Nico Del Monaco, vice president of the nonwovens and glass reinforcements division at Owens Corning, Owens Corning, the company sees growth in the nonwovens construction market in all regions, benefiting from the growth of residential and commercial buildings and these markets. The transition to composite materials. “Composites are reshaping the construction market, transforming architectural paradigms from the use of standard materials to high-performance products and systems through glass reinforcements and specialty nonwovens. We expect this trend to continue.”

Owens Corning is developing new solutions to support the penetration of composites into new markets in the future. “The constant shift in the construction market from paper and felt mats to non-woven solutions is an example,” adds Del Monaco.

According to Del Monaco, Owens Corning's non-woven fiberglass mats are usually produced by a wet process on a slanted wire forming machine, followed by impregnation with a synthetic water-based binder, drying the impregnated rolls and heating them in gas. Cured in a belt dryer. After passing the test, it is cut and wound on the paperboard core in the turret winder.

Owens Corning uses its proprietary Advantex glass formulation, which is corrosion resistant and boron free. Typical binders include acrylic acid, urea formaldehyde, and renewable organic binders. “Increased urbanization trends and greater demand for housing mean demand for market and composite solutions,” said Del Monaco. “People want to improve indoor air quality, save energy and increase sustainability, and our range of organic binders is replacing products that use formaldehyde binders.”

According to the company, composite products not only have an aesthetic advantage; because of the fire resistance, mildew and mildew resistance, enhanced acoustic properties, impact resistance, corrosion resistance, etc., the special nonwovens solution has significant performance advantages.

“Owens Corning's products usually offer unique features,” says Del Monaco. “Replacing the paper on the outer jacket of the gypsum board with a glass non-woven fabric is a good example. The paper has moisture and mold problems, so Owens Corning worked with the plaster manufacturer to develop a special coated glass. The 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 an expansion mode. In April 2018, Owens Corning completed the right

The acquisition of Guangde Shida Rockwool Co., Ltd., which produces mineral wool insulation materials for the construction and technical insulation market. Due to its fireproof properties, mineral wool is China's main insulation material.

“We have seen an excellent opportunity to offer Chinese customers a medium temperature building and high temperature industrial application market. The acquisition further drives our strategy to expand Owens Corning's technology portfolio in the world's three major insulation markets,” said Insulation President Julian Francis. Said at the time of the acquisition.

The company currently has seven insulation manufacturing plants in China that provide customers in the region with a full temperature range of products including fiberglass, extruded polystyrene foam, foam glass and construction mineral wool insulation. Other Owens Corning investments include special glass nonwovens facilities in Gastonia, North Carolina in 2016, and glass-based coating facilities in Blythewood, South Carolina, in 2017.

Fibertex specializes in roofing materials

Fibertex 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 the installation of the job site as simple as possible. One of the innovations is a unique solution with a self-adhesive nonwoven specifically designed for flat roofing membranes. Fibertex's nonwovens are laminated on the back of the waterproofing membrane for flat roofing, industrial or commercial construction. The nonwoven fabric acts as a barrier to the film 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 roofing liners, the Fibertex nonwoven is laminated to the film. The goal is to make breathable materials under the tiles that are nailed to the roof. In this field, Fibertex nonwovens are advantageous because of their high tensile strength and high tear resistance. At the same time, Fibertex's non-woven fabric is called Absorex, which is laminated on the back of a single metal plate before molding. The Fiberex nonwoven fabric acts as a condensation-proof water droplet.

“Fibertex Nonwovens provides the perfect compromise between soft textile materials and high tensile strength,” said Thomas Boudailliez, Building Flooring Business Manager. “Our non-woven products combine the advantages of lightweight and sturdy materials, which perfectly match the new installation technology.”

According to Fibertex, the roof construction market has been expanding in recent years and it is expected that this situation will continue. “Market growth is driven by the need to install roofing materials more easily and quickly from Europe and the US,” Boudailliez said.

DuPont increases Teweiqiang product portfolio

DuPont DuPont's Tyvek Tyvek is basically synonymous with building envelopes – an invention that was made more than 30 years ago, but the company continues to develop new products and improve its existing product line.

In the roof section, the company recently developed the DuPont Tyvek Protec roofing liner for the residential building market. Launched in 2016, the product provides industry-leading walking performance, referring to the grip that the surface provides when the installer walks on the roof, and the proper grip on the roof slab. DuPont Performance Building Solutions Roofing is responsible for the roof business. People Rupa Kibbe said. “Another feature of the Tyvek Protec product is the tiling characteristics of its use, which is essential for increased productivity and ensures that the liner is evenly mounted on the roof slab,” adds Kibbe.

In other new product launches, DuPont Tyvek DrainVent Rainscreen was launched at the end of last year to provide advanced moisture protection for exterior wall systems. The product is DuPont Safety & Construction's first windproof, waterproof, vapor-permeable membrane and moisture-proof vapor-permeable membrane coil that creates a 6 mm (0.25 inch) space for drainage and air flow for drying after enclosing.

Tyvek DrainVent can be installed behind stucco, stone veneer, brick, wood, fiber cement and metal sheets to help extend the life of the outer cladding by creating gaps that help prevent rot, cracking and flaking problems. This product replaces the intermediate layers required for plaster and stone, while the additional heavy-duty filter fabric prevents mortar and mortar from penetrating.

Tyvek DrainVent is easy to cut and install, flat and roll at the corners to help prevent improper installation and detail errors. Heavy-duty filter fabric prevents mortar from entering, helps to form a flat surface, lays the cladding flat, and has a high perm rating, making it very breathable. It also provides uniform, unstructured support for a variety of claddings due to its unique three-dimensional honeycomb texture design and durability.

Kibbe said that if they are well designed, non-woven fabrics may enhance the properties of the product. “The product is not ideal because it is a non-woven fabric, or it has excellent performance. DuPont chose to combine non-woven technology with textile technology to provide the desired physical properties.”

According to Kibbe, new construction growth is slow as macroeconomic conditions such as mortgage interest rates and student loan debt continue to hamper potential first home buyers. “However, the old home renovation market has grown by 50% since 2010. As the home ages, we will see an increase in the roof reconstruction business. DuPont achieves this growth by providing innovative roof solutions for homeowners.”

Texel's acupuncture products have been successful 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, roofing webs, sound absorbing ceilings and wall applications. According to Alex Alexis, Texel's business unit manager, the company's sales growth is directly related to the needs of acoustic solutions and technology to replace asphalt roofing technology.

“For acoustic technology, needle-punched nonwovens have proven to be highly efficient,” Alexis said. “In the past, acupuncture techniques were used cautiously behind floors and walls, but the trend was to use acupuncture to achieve both aesthetic and acoustic performance. For roofs, Texel's needle-punched nonwovens are used in liquid applications, flashing systems and tile technology to replace some of the stitching materials and fiberglass nonwovens. “Acupuncture technology can provide good elongation at a cost-effective cost,” he added.

In 2016, Texel was acquired by Lydall, 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 acupuncture nonwovens company acquired in the past, Lydall is combining their technical knowledge. “This new synergy allows us to improve technology transfer and market knowledge,” Alexis said.

The Gutsche Acoustic Nonwovens, known as Audiovel, are gaining a growing share of the European and North American markets. At the same time, Texel's new product line Feltkütur will appear more in North America. "This new synergy should provide better global impact and should accelerate the development of new acoustic panel technologies," Alexis explained. Texel's Feltkütur is a series of sound absorbing panels made from a 100% PET blend. These sound absorbing panels are hard and are used for ceiling and wall partitions. For the roof business, Texel developed a 100% PET fluff pulp for liquid applications. This product has a strong absorption and capillary action. “Our production line has been adjusted to produce this product,” Alexis said.

Texel 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 acupuncture technology gains more market share in the rooftop industry, and we also see North American governments invest more in infrastructure, which will affect our industry in the next few years. ”