Don & Low expands Forfar (UK) facility with state-of-the-art Reifenhäuser line

In line with parent-company Thrace Group’s strategy, Don & Low of the Scottish city of Forfar in the UK has agreed to a multimillion Euro deal with Reifenhäuser GmbH KG Maschinenfabrik of Troisdorf, Germany, to supply a new 3.5-yard (3.2-m) Reicofil 4 bicomponent spunbond line specifically configured for industrial spunbond markets. The new investment will see the UK’s only spunbond manufacturer initially increase its plant`s capacity by 5,500 tons (5,000 tonnes).

The new technologies incorporated into this investment will broaden the company’s manufacturing capabilities, increasing its product offering, and providing technical solutions to meet both future customer and market demands. This investment will further cement Don & Low’s position as a technical leader in industrial markets.

The new RF4 line has been specifically configured for industrial applications incorporating a unique capability: to produce significantly higher tensile and isotropic spunbonds. In addition, the line will produce both mono- and bicomponent spunbond utilizing combinations of polypropylene and/or polyethylene, and offers improved filament distribution. The line will further benefit from Reifenhäuser’s latest digital platform. This investment will be on stream in April 2019.

In addition, the investment will see the nonwovens site expand to create a new unit to facilitate a secondary processing center of excellence, enhanced by a further investment into a high-output, three-color printing line. Completion of the nonwoven site expansion is due April 2018.