Το Πρόσωπο Μάσκα Αγορά—Τρία Χρόνια Αργότερα

Ο έτη 2020 και 2021 είδε ένα άνευ προηγουμένου ποσοστό του ζήτηση και επένδυση στο πρόσωπο μάσκες και το υλικά αυτό χρήση τα. Αλλά%2γ με μέσο%7β%7β2%7δ%7δ%2γ περισσότερα σχολεία είχε άρει τους μάσκα εντολές και μάσκα χρήση ήταν όχι πλέον υπαγορευμένο σε περισσότερα δημόσιο περιοχές. ενώ μάσκα χρήση συνεχίζει—to κάποια βαθμός—on a διακριτικός βάση και παραμένει ευρέως διαδεδομένο σε περισσότερα ιατρικές εγκαταστάσεις, ζήτηση έχει συρρικνωθεί και η αγορά παραμένει υπερφορτωμένο.

"There will always be some market for industrial masks but nothing like demand during the pandemic," says Serkan Gogus, commercial director, Mogul Nonwovens. "Before the pandemic a majority of medical and industrial masks were being production in Asia, particularly China, and during the pandemic there has important capacity built in other parts of the world. αλλά ως ζήτηση έχει φύγει κάτω περισσότερο από αυτά έχουν είτε ήταν αδρανή, sold or closed so we have to see if some of these capacity will still continue in North America and Europe or if production will switch back to Asia."

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Mogul, who was already active in meltblown nonwovens production, expanded its meltblown output with the addition of two lines, which came onstream in 2021 and added another one—its sevenh in total—late last year. Αυτές οι γραμμές είναι σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες 160 εκατοστά πλάτος και ικανός από κατασκευή υφάσματα σε το 15-100 gsm range and feature electrostatically charged capabilities for N95 and higher efficiency masks as well as high efficiency filtration applications and other industrial applications.



Mogul is not alone. According to The Future of Meltblown Nonwovens to 2026, a dedicated study on the market segment published by Smithers in 2021, in 2019 Smithers estimated the global meltblown market at 207,400 metric tons; in 2020 it ballooned to 367,800 metric tons. The main end uses in 2019 were filtration (excless face masks): 44.1 percent , sorbents (κυρίως oil): 16.9 percent , and insulation (και τα δύο ακουστική και θερμική): 13.9 ποσοστό . In 2020, this changed to face masks: 33.1 percent , other medical: 16 percent , and filtration: 26.7 percent . While it has not yet published final figures for 2022, Smithers estimated the market breakdown to be filtration: 42.2 percent , insulation: 15.4 percent , sorbents: 15.1 percent , and face masks: 10 percent .

Ποιοτικά, Smithers θεωρείται το παγκόσμιο meltblown προσφορά και ζήτηση να είναι σχετικά ισορροπημένο προ-πανδημία, in 2019. "Σήμερα, προσφορά είναι σημαντικά υψηλότερο από ζήτηση," λέει έκθεση συγγραφέας Phil Mango. "Ενώ κάποια επενδύσεις μπορεί είναι δικαιολογείται οφειλόμενο σε κυβέρνηση κίνητρα έως 'on-shore' και%2για απόθεμα 'στρατηγικό' υλικά, περισσότερα είναι δεν δικαιολογείται."

Berry Global, the world's largest nonwovens producer, invested importantly in both meltblown production and face mask lines in 2020 and 2021. In addition to installing assets in every world region to meet heighted demand, the company also converted some pilot and/or underutlized assets to support market demand.





Last year, the company introduced three high efficiency filtration products—one for air, one for liquid, one for molecular applications. "These launches combine Lydall's well-known filtration and manufacturing expertise with Unifrax's proven, rapid innovation capabilities," says Paul Vallis, president of the Filtration & Catalysis Group. "This is the first of many innovations we expect to deliver as our portfolio evolves to meet the continuous demand for ever-higher efficiency and reduced energy consumption."

Included in this new launch is a new line of meltblown liquid filtration media, LyPore MB, which is designed to meet the most critical application requirements, while providing high filtration efficiency, low-pressure drop and excellent dirt holding capacity. It's available in polypropylene and PBT, single layer or composite and calendered to meet the most complex liquid filtration challenges. Επιλεγμένο για τέτοια εφαρμογές ως τρόφιμο και ποτό και λιπαντικό λάδι, ενσωματώνοντας Lypore MB into a filter design can improve filtration efficiency and extend filter life resulting in a higher performing finished filter and lower total cost for the end user.



New line investment in meltblown was also strong at Fitesa. The Brazilian nonwovens producer has been in investment mode since the early days of the pandemic, partnering with Reicofil to install state-of-the-art equipment spanning multiple technologies and targeting the health and hygiene markets, making products for medical gowns, surgical face masks and N95 respirators, diapers and sanitary products. This included new meltblown capacity in Brazil, Italy, Germany and South Carolina.

According to executives, these investments did not solely center on demand for face masks but were part of a longer term strategy to position the company as a long term partner and reliable supplier for the global hygiene and healthcare markets, which includes solutions not just for masks but also for other personal protective equipment. In these markets, demand is stabilizing much higher than pre-pandemic levels thanks to government measures such as the U.S. Infrastructure Bill, which was signed into law by President Biden in November 2021 as a part of the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act.

This provision, which is based on U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH)'s Make PPE in America Act, was expected strengthen efforts to onshore production of PPE in the U.S. by requiring federal agencies to issue long-term contracts for American-made PPE. Reshoring production will ensure American workers, health care professionals, and more have the PPE they need as the economy continues to reopen. Domestic production of PPE supplies also will create American manufacturing jobs and ensure that America is better prepared for the next pandemic.

The provision will require federal agencies include the Department of Homeland Security, HHS, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to purchase American-made PPE. The bill also requires federal agencies to issue long-term contracts to U.S. manufacturers.

In 2022, U.S.-based PPE specialist 3M stepped up its U.S. production in Nebraska. The company's respiratory and hearing protection products unit announced it would grow its plant in Valley, NE. 3M is investing approximately $58 million to fund the 80,000 square foot expansion that will create around 50 new jobs at the facility.

"Our colleagues at 3M's Valley plant have played an important role providing critical supplies to frontline workers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic," says Matt Huset, plant director at 3M Valley. "We're pleased to announce this investment in our growth in Nebraska which will allow us to further meet demand for personal safety equipment for the U.S."

As part of the expansion, 3M plans to invest in additional production capacity for re-usable elastomeric respirators and Pelto hearing protection products in 3M's Personal Safety Division. The additional investments and jobs will help increase capacity and reduce manufacturing cycle time to help meet customer demand. The expansion will include new production lines, equipment and a warehouse.

3M partnered with the state of Nebraska in this expansion through the ImagiNE Nebraska Program, a tax incentive-based program intended to encourage companies to invest in Nebraska by create jobs and growing the state and its economy.

"Εμείς είμαστε ενθουσιασμένοι για αυτό επένδυση σε μας ανάπτυξη at 3M Valley to further help customers in need of personal safety protection in two key product portfolios," says Ray Eby, president, 3M Personal Safety Division. "We want to thank the state of Nebraska and the NDED for their collaboration so far in this expansion."

The Personal Safety Division is also celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the first U.S. government-approved 3M filtering facepiece respirator (a precursor to what is now known as the N95), and the 3M E-A-R Classic Ear Plug.

In response to concern over the excess waste face masks are contributing, companies like Ahlstrom are developing products that offer a more sustainable option. The company has advanced product functionality and sustainability within its TenderGuard face mask product portfolio. TenderGuard now offers a full suite of fabrics for medical and civil use face mask materials, TenderGuard BioBased and BioFilter, are βιώσιμη, ανανεώσιμη και βιοδιασπώμενη. Εν τω μεταξύ, TenderGuard Φυσικό και Λεία υφάσματα είναι σχεδιασμένα για ιατρικά πρόσωπο μάσκες. Είναι μαλακά%2γ προστατευτικά%2γ υποαλλεργικά και φιλικά προς το περιβάλλον φιλικά.

"Χρήση τεχνολογία από μας επιχείρηση και η τεχνογνωσία της ιατρική προϊόν ανάπτυξη ομάδα, were were able to advance product functionality in our smart fiber-based solutions. Having products that are sustainable, renewable, and biocompatible allows for the opportunity to provide environmentally friendly options," comments Stuart Nixon, VP, Beverage and Casing, Ahlstrom.    

The TenderGuard product portfolio consists of protective fabrics applicable for medical use as well. TenderGuard Natural is a wetlaid fabric that can be used as the inner or outer layer of a face mask. It is environmentally friendly, and the hypoallergic inner layer makes it super soft for the wearer. With both layers together, TenderGuard Natural achieves nearly 50 percent Bacterial Filtration Efficiency, which is remarkable without a filtration layer included.



Borealis, one of the world's leading providers of advanced and circular polyolefin solutions and a European market leader in base chemicals and fertilizers; and the Grabher Group, a leading manufacturer of high-tech textiles, are accelerating plastics circularity in a partnership that safeguards human health while helping minimize waste. The key component of the high-quality, filtrating face masks produced by Grabher in Austria is made of fully recyclable meltblown polypropylene (PP) supplied by Borealis. To further drive circularity, Grabher has initiated a novel collect-and-recycle scheme for used face masks which turns them into new value-added products such as oil absorption fabrics.

The Vorarlberg, Austria-based Grabher Group is a leading expert in nano-air and micro-liquid filtration and designs smart-textile systems for the manufacturing of medical and healthcare products, μεταξύ άλλων.

As the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Austria were iment. Grabher acted by becoming the first Austrian company to establish a dedicated face mask assembly facility which included a state-of-the-art meltblown production system for the manufacturing of high-quality face masks.

These certified masks, including FFP2 filtration respirators, medical masks, and washable community masks, are marketed by Vprotect, a 100 percent owned member of the Grabher Group. One essential component of the Vprotect masks – the filter made of densely spaced micron-size fibers – is made of meltblown PP supplied by Borealis, a material which is fully recyclable.

"Our συνεργασία με Grabher is the embodiment of EverMinds circular thinking," claims Vedran Kujundzic, Borealis vice president Commercial Performance Materials. "Using our full recyclable meltblown PP to manufacture high-quality masks helps protect human health, and finding a way to use them again protects our planet."

"Εμείς είμαστε υπερήφανοι να έχουμε απαντήσαμε so γρήγορα to the επείγον ανάγκη για PPE και FFP2 μάσκες, in particular, at the start of the pandemic in Austria," says Günter Grabher, managing director of the Grabher Group. "In the mean, we are gratifie that our collect-and-recycle initiative continues to attract numerous other participants, include OMV, a major food retail group, and several large hospitals. In Borealis, we have found a reliable partner who shares our commitment to both innovation and sustainability, and we look forward to continued collaboration."

Επιπλέον, Ezzigroup Inc., a personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer and distributor based in Toronto, OT, has develop a compostable surgical grade face mask, which is also ASTM F-2100 certified and Health Canada approved. The company is distributing the mask in partnership with Previcare, Inc., a company focused on delivering industry leading hand sanitizer, hard surface disinfectants, cleaners and PPE προϊόντα έως πελάτες παγκοσμίως.
Ezzigroup has also signed a distribution agreement to provide the masks to the U.S. market with Medtheos LLC, a U.S.-based, wholesale distributor of high-quality healthcare products registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The substrate and nonwoven materials used by Ezzigroup are made with PLA (a resin made from corn-based pulp), or cotton and soft wood pulp, which makes them compostable.

"These compostable masks will not have the adverse effect on our environment when compared to existing synthetic masks made of microplastics and will compost in less than 90 days under the soil, improving the soil quality of any landfill," says Ray Rasouli, CEO, Ezzigroup Inc.