Global premiere of PET-core-BICO for hygiene applications

Beaulieu Fibres International (BFI), the leading European polyolefin fiber supplier, will cement its place at this year’s IDEA®19 Miami, as an important ‘all solution provider’ for polyolefin carded nonwovens in Personal Care and Hygiene, Geotextiles, Automotive, Floorcoverings and Filtration applications. At this leading North American event BFI will launch its PET-core-BICO Fibers for hygiene applications as well as its new UltraBond staple fiber, again demonstrating its commitment to help customers stay at the forefront of carded nonwoven products.

Recent BFI investments have enlarged the company’s product range, further helping producers to maximize value from their production equipment and to pursue exciting opportunities in emerging areas.

Highlights for IDEA19 visitors include:
PET-core-BICO Fibers launch and complete Meralux range on display – IDEA19 will see the global premiere of PET-core-BICO for hygiene applications. This staple fiber completes the offer for the hygiene market. It comes in a dtex range from 1,3-6,7dtex/40mm in both polymer-configurations PP/PET and PE/PET. The specific use of PET in the core improves the resilience/loft of the nonwoven. The use of PE in the sheath provides softness as required in top sheets, for example, while the configuration with PP in the sheath answers the requirements for ultrasonic bonding.

Also on display will be the complete range of Meralux-fibers, bicomponent fibers with a special cross section shape that combines good coverage and better liquid management in one staple fiber. This enables a higher loft/bulk, unique opacity and enhanced fluid distribution, providing significant improvements to the dryness of nonwoven for hygiene and medical applications.

American premiere of UltraBond fiber – For the first time in North America, BFI will be showcasing UltraBond, a new, unique fiber created for automotive and flooring needlepunch applications. A patented polyolefin bonding staple fiber, UltraBond eliminates the need for latex or other chemical binders to bind nonwovens, providing significant sustainability and cost efficiency benefits.

The staple fiber is already showing potential as a replacement for traditional binders like PE and low melt PET included in Carpet Backing, Contract Carpet, Outdoor/Residential Carpet and in automotive applications.

Karena Cancilleri, Vice President Engineered Products, Beaulieu Fibres International, comments, “Together with our customers, we look forward to exploring the potential of this unique thermal bonding fiber in other applications such as laminated nonwovens or as an alternative to dry powders.”

Discover more about our Hygiene product portfolio and our UltraBond from the Beaulieu Fibres International team at Stand 1716, IDEA 2019 in Miami, U.S.A. from March 25-28, 2019.