The investment centres on a new hygiene line equipped with the latest, state-of-the-art long spin technology to meet the on-going increase in demand in the market for high quality polyolefin fibres, the company reports.

It will be housed in a new building offering space for further expansion, which will be constructed at the Terni site. The company expects to begin installation of the equipment from mid-2017.

New hygiene line

The new hygiene line is expected to enable BFI to add BICO PE/PET (polyethylene/polyethylene terephthalate) and BICO PP/PET fibres to its Meraklon product portfolio for the first time. This important step will support the company’s hygiene and personal care sector customers interested in using these fibres for nonwoven applications such as baby diapers, adult incontinence products, feminine care and wipes.

Nonwovens made with the BICO fibre combinations are said to have a higher loft/bulk and a good resilience. The higher melting temperature of the PET in the core of the fibre is said to allow a broad bonding window during the production process. In particular, PE/PET fibres aim to address the requirements of softness in the market in combination with a higher bulkiness through the PET.

BFI will also produce mono PP fibres on the new line, extending its current production capabilities for these fibres at Terni. BFI produces a broad portfolio of fibres for hygiene customers at the site including Trilobal and PE/PP BICO fibres.

Centre of excellence

“The additional production capacity is a key step in making the Meraklon Terni plant a true centre of excellence for hygiene,” commented Karena Cancilleri, Vice President Engineered Products, Beaulieu Fibres International.

“It reinforces our on-going commitment to increase support for customers in this sector following the extension of our production portfolio with Mono Trilobal fibres and PE/PP BICO fibres in 2015. Having an additional production line at Terni will give us the capability to be more flexible in our support and to offer an even wider product range through new BICO products.”

Meraklon was established in 1960 in Terni, Italy. The fibres business of Meraklon S.p.A. was acquired by Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI) in August 2013. The main areas of fibres applications are hygiene, followed by geotextile products and concrete fibre applications. The plant in Terni is BFI’s third production facility; two further BFI production sites are located in Belgium.

Beaulieu Fibres International

Beaulieu Fibres International is a leading European producer of polypropylene staple fibre (PP fibre). The company is part of the Engineered Products Business Unit of Beaulieu International Group, a renowned international group with headquarters in Belgium. Today this industrial group holds a solid market position both in producing raw materials and intermediate goods and in offering an extensive range of perfectly finished floorcoverings.

BFI has three production sites in Europe – two in Belgium and one in Italy – with a combined extrusion line capacity of 140,000 MT. It supplies PP and BICO – staple fibres with densities of 1.0 to 500 dtex to customers in industries such as hygiene, geotextiles, floorcoverings, automotive, filtration and upholstery.

BFI’s broad portfolio includes ultra soft fibres, high elongation fibres, coloured fibres and fibres with various cross-sections, including trilobal, suitable for a wide range of processing technologies.

www.beaulieufibres.com