In 2020, the production capacity of Nonwovens in Southeast Asia mainly includes spunbond / melt spinning, staple fiber needling and / or thermal bonding, and polypropylene spunbond needling technology. There are also some small-scale hot air production lines are constantly developing.
During 2015-2020, the capacity of fine denier spunbonded and melt spun polypropylene nonwovens installed in five Southeast Asian countries / regions will increase by 6.6% annually, from 185000 tons in 2015 to 255000 tons in 2020. During this period, the newly increased production capacity of 70000 tons includes 15000 tons of CNC / FITESA in Thailand, 20000 tons of Asahi (Thailand) and Toray (Indonesia) respectively, and 15000 tons of fibertex (Malaysia).
CNC / FITESA launched a new reifenhauser 5 production line at the end of 2020 with an annual capacity of 33000 tons. Asahi will install a new production line with a capacity of 15000 tons in Thailand in the second half of 2021. During the same period, fibertex will launch the reifenhauser 5 production line in Malaysia with an annual capacity of 15000 tons. Both lines will be put into operation in 2022. Through these investments, the annual production capacity will increase by 63000 tons (24.7%). These new capacities could lead to oversupply in the region.
In 2020, the annual production capacity of fine denier and medium denier spunbonded / melt spun polypropylene technology in Southeast Asia will be 264000 tons, accounting for about 7% of the global total production capacity of this technology category.
The production capacity of this technology is mainly concentrated in Thailand. At present, four manufacturers account for 43% (114000 tons) of the production capacity. In Malaysia, the total capacity of the two producers is 94000 tons, accounting for 36% of the region's capacity. In Indonesia, the capacity of the two producers is 52000 tons, accounting for 20% of the region's capacity. The Philippines also has a small amount of capacity.
In Southeast Asia, most large nonwovens manufacturers only use fine denier polypropylene spunbond / melt technology, and supply a large number of sanitary products market. By the end of 2020, fibertex (Malaysia) is the largest nonwovens manufacturer in Southeast Asia with a production capacity of 85000 tons.
Asahi (Thailand) has a fine denier spunbond capacity of 40000 tons in early 2021. FITESA / CNC (Thailand) has a fine denier spunbond capacity of 72000 tons in early 2021, while Mitsui (Thailand) has a capacity of 30000 tons.
Fine denier spunbond / melt producers in Southeast Asia will continue to rely mainly on exports to achieve acceptable capacity utilization. Although the demand for disposable nonwovens in Southeast Asia is growing, it is still small compared with the capacity of the installed production lines in the region.
Unitika launched a 30000 ton polyester spunbond production line in Thailand in 2017, making it the sixth largest nonwovens manufacturer in Southeast Asia. This series of products are used in carpet backing, geotextile, roofing materials, automobile and other industrial applications.
Southeast Asia's Jet nonwovens manufacturers include ocean cash in Malaysia, JNC in Thailand and daiwabo in Indonesia. Nanliuze announced that it will install new Spunlaced and air jet nonwovens production lines in India, and will invest in new production lines in Vietnam. Details have not been announced.