British Wool launches major cost saving initiative

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the global wool market. In order to ensure producers receive maximum value for their wool, British Wool has launched a major restructuring programme. Although British Wool has cleared the 11 million kg of unsold wool they had at the end of April 2020, the market remains extremely challenging.

January 15, 2021

“British Wool has managed to sell wool in decent volumes since August 2020, which has allowed us to clear last season’s unsold stock but prices are still severely depressed. The global market faces an oversupply of cross-bred wool, this is mainly from New Zealand but also from other European markets. Although we have seen some more positive signs in recent auctions on some wool types, carpet wools remain under a great deal of pressure. The contract carpet market which serves hotels, offices, cinemas, restaurants, airports, cruise ships, and the like, remains extremely depressed due to the closure of the hospitality trade due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Andrew Hogley, acting CEO of the company said in a press release.

“In order for us to maximise the value of producer’s wool, it is critical that we re-shape the business in-line with current market conditions. Next season, we will be reducing the number of grading depots that we operate from twelve to eight. This will result in the closure of our grading depots in Irvine, Porthmadog, Stamford, and Liskeard and the wool from these areas will be reallocated to other grading depots within our network. The annual savings from these measures are estimated to be £1.5 million per annum. Based on our current level of wool intake this equates to a saving of 6p to 7p per kg,” Hogley said.

“It is critical that we make the changes to the grading network but I want to stress that we will not change our service levels to producers. Where we close a grading depot, we intend to replace this with a new intermediate depot in the nearby area. This will ensure producers still have a local drop point for their wool with no onward haulage charges. We will contact all affected producers ahead of next season to let them know where the new drop off points will be. We will also continue to take all types of wool from any producer. The sites we are closing are still open for producers to deliver this season’s wool and will remain so until the middle of February 2021,” Hogley added.

The Nonwovens Institute Introduces New Comprehensive Spunbond and Meltblown Course—Virtually—in Response to Urgent Manufacturing Needs

Cary, NC, Jan. 13, 2021 – Professionals in the nonwovens/engineered fabrics industry are invited to advance their technical skills in a new 2-day nonwoven short course in the “Virtual Introduction to Spunbond and Meltblown Technology”. This course was developed by North Carolina State University’s The Nonwovens Institute and launched by INDA, the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics Industry. The all virtual course is designed to help manufacturers meet the demand for comprehensive training in the spunbond and meltblown web forming processes used to manufacture respirator/medical face masks, wipes, absorbent hygiene, filtration media, sorbents, and insulation among other end uses.

The course will be held on consecutive Wednesdays, March 24 and March 31, 2021, for a total of 11.5 hours of rigorous training, and available for a two-week review after the course concludes. Production tours of NWI’s spunbond and meltblown lines led by NWI’s renowned team of industry and nonwoven expert instructors are a key component of the virtual agenda. To register or for more information, visit https://www.inda.org/education/advanced-training.php.

“Nonwoven professionals have expressed great interest in expanding their knowledge in spunbond and meltblown technologies. We want to meet that need in spite of COVID-19 restrictions, hence the virtual offering. This new course will ground participants in these growing technologies, so they can continue to expand their product lines and business,” said Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., Executive Director of The Nonwovens Institute and Associate Dean of the NC State University College of Textiles.

Expert Instructors for the new course include:

Pierre D. Grondin, Product Development Director, The Nonwovens Institute NWI
Bryan Haynes, Ph.D., Director of Research and Engineering in Global Nonwovens, Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Jeffrey Krueger, Ph.D., Raw Material Technology Leader, Kimberly-Clark Global Nonwovens
Amy Minton, Physical Testing Lab Manager, The Nonwovens Institute NWI
David Nelson, Director of Industry Engagement, NWI, 3M, (retired)
Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor of Textile Materials and Associate Dean for Industry Research and Extension, North Carolina State University, and Executive Director, NWI

“INDA is delighted to partner with The Nonwovens Institute at NC State University on their new virtual spunbond and meltblown training course. INDA members, NWI members, and the industry at large will benefit from NWI’s expertise and the ability to further their professional development while complying with COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings. The addition of virtual tours of their spunbond and meltblown lines will truly round out participants’ experience and knowledge,” said Dave Rousse, INDA President.

About INDA

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, serves hundreds of member companies in the nonwovens/engineered fabrics industry doing business globally. Since 1968, INDA events have helped members connect, learn, innovate, and develop their businesses. INDA educational courses, market data, test methods, consultancy, and issue advocacy help members succeed by providing them the information they need to better plan and execute their business strategies. INDA Media is the business-to-business publishing arm of INDA and publisher of International Fiber Journal and International Filtration News, which reach a vast network of professionals who employ fibers, filaments, and filtration systems to optimize their application environments. For more information, visit www.inda.org, or download the INDA mobile app for immediate updates.

About NWI
The Nonwovens Institute is the world’s first accredited academic program for the interdisciplinary field of engineered fabrics. Based at the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, the NWI is an innovative global partnership between industry, government and academe. Operating on an “Open Innovation” platform, the Nonwovens Institute engages experts from industry and higher education in building next-generation nonwoven applications while also providing training and guidance to the field’s future leaders. For more information, http://www.thenonwovensinstitute.com/

About North Carolina State University

NC State University began as a land-grant institution grounded in agriculture and engineering. Today, we’re a leading public research university that excels across disciplines. NC State is a powerhouse in science, technology, engineering and math. We lead in agriculture, education, textiles, business and natural resources. We’re at the forefront of teaching and research in design, the humanities and the social sciences. And we’re home to one of the planet’s best colleges of veterinary medicine. Our more than 36,000 undergraduate and graduate students learn by doing. They pursue research and start new companies. They forge connections with top employers and serve local and global communities. And they enjoy an outstanding return on investment.

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