Andritz is to supply new needlepunching lines for industrial nonwovens to Sioen Technical Felts in  Liège, Belgium, and to Siteks, part of the Hassan Group, in Tekirdag, Turkey.

Sioen’s Liège plant specialises in the production of technical fabrics used mainly in industrial applications such as pipe linings, acoustics and filtration. The Andritz equipment will allow Sioen to produce fabrics weighing more than 3,500gsm in a single step, using fibres such as recycled PET, OxPan and various bicomponents. Normally, two or three layers have to be needled off-line in a second processing step to achieve such fabric weights.

The single-step process results in a higher quality end product by minimising the risk of delamination – the separation of layers during use. It also increases productivity by reducing the need for fabric handling.

The Andritz DF-4 needleloom, which can operate in double and single stroke modes, provies Sioen with the flexibility to process fabrics with different mechanical charasteristics and operators can easily switch between products via the remote-control touch screen. The line will be equipped with the latest ProWin fabric weight profiling technology to ensure maximum weight evenness.

Start-up of the new line is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.

Sioen Technical Felts is part of Sioen Industries, a global leader in technical textiles and protective clothing headquartered in Ardooie, Belgium. Established in 1960 as a family venture, the company has continuously expanded its business.

The new line to be installed at Siteks will meanwhile significantly expand the company’s production capacity to meet the international demand for needlepunched nonwoven insulation products in the automotive and construction sectors. The line is also scheduled to start up in the first quarter of 2025 and is the second line Siteks has purchased from Andritz.

The Andritz eXcelle line for Siteks can process a wide range of fibres and is specifically designed to meet the company’s requirements in terms of productivity, quality and sustainability.

“The new line will not only increase our production of high-quality materials, but also meet our goal of offering more environmentally friendly products through the use of recycled and natural fibres,” said Siteks CEO Oguz Sisman.

Siteks insulation felts  are used in a wide range of applications in the automotive, white goods, construction and mattress and furniture industries.

www.andritz.com