K-C HITS THE ROAD TO PROMOTE COTTONELLE Stops on the tour include Tampa, Atlanta and Nashville. High traffic venues to be visited include festivals, concerts, malls, air shows and fairs. Local advertising and promotions will support the tour. A consumer website - www.rollwipes.com - provides consumers with product and tour information (see following article).
The trailer has been transformed into "an oasis of freshness" that houses a mini-pictorial museum chronicling revolutionary products. The retrospective unfolds to reveal a full-size dream bathroom, created by K-C, that features innovative and luxurious features. Inside the mobile unit consumers can touch and feel the product at special test stations, practice installing the dispenser and enter the 21st Century Dream Bathroom sweepstakes. The winner will receive a cash prize of $25,000 to create their own dream bathroom.
K-C ALSO LAUNCHES WEBSITE TO SUPORT ROLLWIPES The site takes a lighthearted, but straightforward tone to help engage users and make them comfortable with the subject of pre-moistened wipes on a roll. The strategic marketing and creative team used such elements as "The Washroom Post" bathroom reader with amusing anecdotes, gossip, facts and cartoons, and an interactive "Cheek 2 Cheek" game that challenges visitors to click on toilet lids in search of matched sets of "buns." The site also incorporates more conventional components such as an email-a-friend feature, sweepstakes, and the ability to buy Cottonelle products through several online retailers.
BUCKEYE ONLINE WITH NEW AIR LAID CAPACITY BBA NONWOVENS SELECTS DATASTREAM'S IPROCURE According to Dave Richardson, director of information technology for BBA Nonwovens: "We estimate that iProcure will pay for itself in less than one year because it will better automate our current procurement processes, enable us to reduce inventory levels and help us control spot purchasing, thereby gaining greater benefit from our negotiated volume discounts with suppliers."
The iProcure marketplace integrates seamlessly with Datastream's asset management software, which BBA Nonwovens has been using for more than two years. This software lets BBA Nonwovens track and manage its capital assets across many North American manufacturing locations.
BUY SOME DIAPERS, HELP SEND YOUR KID TO COLLEGE These college contributions will be available on more than 2,000 items purchased at all Stop & Shop, Shaw's Supermarkets, Star Market, ShopRite and A&P Super Foodmart locations in New England. Upromise Grocery will expand nationwide in 2002.
Kimberly-Clark is pledging 3% of all Huggies diapers and wipes and Pull-Ups training pants and 5% of Kleenex, Cottonelle, Scott, Viva, Kotex and Depends purchases.
"Upromise Grocery represents the biggest step yet for our service," said Upromise founder and chairman Michael Bronner. "These are the products families buy each week and use every day. Add up these purchases from now until your child goes to college, plus those at all of our other contributing companies, and it can really make a difference."
K-C DONATES TO RELIEF EFFORTS Of that amount, $1 million was immediately donated to the Red Cross Liberty Disaster Relief Fund by the Kimberly-Clark Foundation, the company's charitable and philanthropic arm. To support and encourage individual contributions to the Red Cross, the company is matching dollar-for-dollar all gifts made by Kimberly-Clark's 66,000 employees.
The company also has filled specific requests of the Red Cross and the city of New York for Kimberly-Clark products to support rescue and relief efforts. This has included the donation of Scott paper towels, Kleenex facial tissue, Tecnol face masks, Kimberly-Clark bathing cloths and Cottonelle toilet tissue.
P&G SELLING COMET BRAND The sale includes the Comet global trademark and retail business in North America. Under a licensing agreement with Prestige Brands, P&G will continue to market the retail Comet brand in central and eastern Europe and the Professional Line Comet brand in North America that is sold to commercial consumers including lodging and food service businesses.
TENOTEX ENTERING SPUNLACE MARKET FOR WIPES REPORT PROJECTS BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER GROWTH PAMPERS RANKED A TOP 100 GLOBAL BRAND COPAMEX CREATES NEW COMPANY FOR NON-STRATEGIC BUSINESSES LYSAC RECEIVES $8 MILLION INVESTMENT The injection of $4 million in share capital will allow Lysac to complete the first phase of its development plan. The company will expedite the international market launch of its first generation of products, quintuple the size of its research and development laboratories and complete the scale-up of its second-generation products, which will be used in the production of baby diapers and adult incontinence products, among other applications.
CONCERT CONSOLIDATES BANKING FACILITIES, NAMES NEW EXEC Also at Concert, Philip Falls has been appointed Vice President-Corporate Affairs. In this position, Mr. Falls will be responsible for Concert's public relations and investor relations, corporate human resources initiatives, pension plans and supporting the evaluation of strategic growth opportunities.
SINGLE POP-UP WET WIPE DISPENSING SYSTEM TAPE TAB APPLICATOR BUCKEYE SAYS AIR LAID UNIT HOLDING OWN IN SOFT ECONOMY … In less than five years, Buckeye has grown into a market leader with the world's largest production capacity for airlaid nonwovens, a key raw material in the new products. This raw material also for years has improved the absorbency of such products as feminine hygiene pads, disposable diapers, adult incontinence products, baby wipes, moist tissues and household cleaning products.
But use in future brands of diapers may hold one of the biggest growth opportunities for the company, one analyst said. "I think the key for Buckeye is when we see their new technology gain market acceptance, and when we see one of the major diaper manufacturers sign a long-term contract," said Anna E. Torma, an analyst with Merrill Lynch Global Securities in New York. She said five diaper companies, including Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, and SCA of Stockholm, Sweden, are talking with Buckeye and other makers of airlaid materials about new brands of extra-absorbent diapers.
Buckeye estimates it currently supplies about 30% of the world's airlaid materials, said Dave Ferraro, president and chief operating officer. "With today's economic conditions, we're not making a lot of money in any one division, but we feel we're well-positioned in airlaid to capture (significant market share) during an economic upturn," Ferraro said.
Buckeye recently invested $100 million to build an airlaid facility in Mt. Holly, N.C., which increased the company's capacity from 82,000 tons to 132,000 tons per year. That machine began production in July."
K-C DEPENDING ON POISE TO OVERCOME INCONTINENCE TABOO K-C is hoping its new addition could even overtake market leader SCA, which currently has the lion's share of the U.K. sector with Tena, within two years. It has also set itself a clear target to grow the market by almost 50% in the first year.
One major obstacle following next month's launch will be the company's ability to break down the stigma attached to incontinence products, even though one in 10 women is thought to have light bladder weakness and the average age of sufferers is only 46.
Kimberly-Clark plans to combat the problem not only with adverts but also by distributing educational leaflets and by setting up a help line. Ian Jones, Vice-President-customer management, Europe, said: "We believe Poise will drive growth and profit for retailers through innovation and by normalizing the incontinence category."
NONWOVENS INDUSTRY RANKS TOP ROLL GOODS PRODUCERS Without giving away too much of the list, here's the Top 10: Freudenberg, DuPont, BBA, PGI, Kimberly-Clark, Johns Manville, Ahlstrom, Japan Vilene, Buckeye Technologies and Colbond. Check out the September issue or log onto www.nonwovens-industry.com for more.
AN INTERNATIONAL LOOK AT WOMEN'S PRIVATE 'BITS' Young and middle-aged women gathered for research groups for the first above-the-line campaign for Carter Wallace's Femfresh feminine wipes and struggled for words.
'Front bottom' was out there in, well, front, and 'private parts' was seen as a safe bet. One of the ladies opted for 'oofah doofah' but all decided they didn't want to be embarrassed by the ads when out with their families.
So the agency Parker Hunt came up with the subtle 'Breath of fresh air' strapline, which showed a lady walking along the beach with the wind blowing up her skirt.
Still, the buyers at Carat, which planned the campaign, don't beat around the bush (if you'll forgive the pun) - they call them fanny wipes."
FILTRATION 2001 SET FOR EARLY DECEMBER IN CHICAGO For Vision readers, here's a sneak peek at the schedule:
FILTRATION 2001 Registration VISION 2002 PROGRAM TAKING SHAPE For further details: www.inda.org, or call INDA at 919-233-1282.
TWO DOZEN NOMINATIONS RECEIVED FOR VISIONARY AWARDS The awards selection committee is meeting in mid-October to determine the finalists, who will be invited to attend Vision 2002 in January to make a 5-10 minute presentation on the product. The attendees at the Conference will then have the opportunity to vote for their choice of the best new consumer product of the year and the award will be presented during the Conference.
For more information of the Visionary Awards, go to www.inda.org.
TABLE-TOP & SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT VISION 2002 THAT'S ALL FOR THIS MONTH If you do not wish to continue receiving this email newsletter, please respond to cgarcia@inda.org and you will be immediately removed from the list.
TKimberly-Clark is in the middle of three-month road trip that is putting the company's considerable marketing muscle behind its latest technical development. The mobile marketing tour "celebrating" the in-store arrival of Cottonelle Fresh Rollwipes, billed as America's first and only dispersible pre-moistened wipe on a roll, features a 41-foot customized trailer. The tour is traveling to key Southeastern cities through November.
As part of its full-court marketing and technology press to promote Cottonelle Fresh Rollwipes, Kimberly-Clark has teamed with Luminant Worldwide, a provider of technology-enabled business solutions, to launch of www.rollwipes.com. This website represents the latest project in an ongoing relationship between the companies, and follows Luminant's June corporate site relaunch for Kimberly-Clark.
Buckeye Technologies now has an additional 50,000 tons annual capacity of air laid nonwovens following the completion of a line at its Gaston, NC plant. The new line, billed as the world's largest air laid machine, manufactures proprietary air laid nonwovens and incorporates its Stac-Pac packaging technology that ships product in a baled format.
BBA Nonwovens, the world's third largest manufacturer of nonwoven fabrics, has selected Datastream Systems' iProcure as its automated industrial procurement solution. The iProcure network boasts more than 60 suppliers offering more than five million industrial parts.
Disposable diapers are among the many consumer products Americans can purchase that will help them save money to send their children to college under the innovative Upromise grocery service in New England. Under the plan, many of America's leading consumer product manufacturers, including the makers of favorite brands such as Huggies, Kellogg's, Keebler, Kraft, GLAD, and Coca-Cola, will automatically contribute 3-5% of their products' purchase prices into Upromise members' accounts.
Among the many corporate reports of charitable giving in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Kimberly-Clark and its employees have so far donated or pledged nearly $1.3 million in cash and products to the American Red Cross and other agencies.
Procter & Gamble is selling its Comet cleanser brand to a Florida company that has bought two other P&G brands since going into business two years ago. P&G management declined to say what Prestige Brands International Inc. of Bonita Springs, Fla., paid to buy Comet.
Tenotex, a European supplier of nonwovens to the hygiene market, will soon be entering the spunlace market. Commercial product from a new facility in Campo de Mirra, Spain, should be available next April. The Tenotex process is based on hybrid technology, combining webs of carded staple fibers and air laid pulp bonded together through the spunlace process with a staple/pulp ratio capability of 100:0 to 25:75. Primary end use markets are wipes.
A recent study from Business Communications projects growth in the North American biodegradable polymer market of 10 million pounds in the next four years. The report says the market, dominated by loose-fill packaging, will expand from an estimated 25 million pounds in 2000 to 35 million pounds by 2005. Growth will be led by increased demand in hygiene products, compost bags, films and paper coatings.
In a ranking of the most valuable consumer brands in the world by BusinessWeek, Procter & Gamble's Pampers placed 92, immediately after Armani and right in front of Absolut Vodka. The magazine placed the brand's value (reached through a complicated series of formulas) at $1.41 billion and commented that "P&G's diaper line moves into disposable bibs to boost its bottom line." No other nonwoven-related consumer product made the list.
Mexico's second largest paper company, Copamex, recently created a new company to administer its non-strategic businesses. The producer of Regio toilet paper, Saba feminine napkins and Scottis disposable diapers, will transfer real estate properties to the new company, Corporacion Industrial Corporativa. Copamex is also planning to issue a bond for $200 million in order to refinance its debt and is in the process of selling its writing paper division.
Lysac Technologies, Canada, announced recently that SGF Sante, a subsidiary of the Societe generale de financement du Quebec, CDP Acces Capital, a subsidiary of CDP Capital and Investissement Desjardins, the venture capital subsidiary of Mouvement Desjardins, have jointly invested a total of $8 million in the company. Founded in 1998, Lysac is a specialized technology company that researches, develops and creates commercial applications for renewable superabsorbent polymers.
Concert Industries, of Canada, has completed a global consolidation of its credit facilities in the amount of C$145 million. With this transaction Concert Industries Ltd. will replace its subsidiaries' existing credit facilities with new financing provided by a syndicate of five Canadian financial institutions. The lead lender, the National Bank of Canada, along with the Scotia Capital Group, Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, Laurentian Bank of Canada and Caisse Centrale Desjardins will participate in the financing.
From The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN: "While Buckeye Technologies Inc. of Memphis is taking a big financial hit to one-third of its business due to falling pulp and paper prices, the company's growing airlaid nonwovens division is holding its own in a softening economy.
From The Grocer (UK): "Healthcare giant Kimberly-Clark is aiming to break the taboo surrounding adult incontinence by launching a new brand into the not-much-talked-about market. It is also planning to back Poise, which will replace its existing Depend brand, with a significant marketing investment that will include TV and newspaper advertisements.
The annual ranking of the Top 40 Nonwovens Roll Goods Producers published by Nonwovens Industry magazine is out (September 2001 issue) and it certainly reflects the changing nature of the business. It also provides a glimpse at the marketing and production plans for many of the leading suppliers of roll goods to the consumer products industry.
From Campaign: "This will be a familiar problem for agencies setting up focus groups to research those more 'intimate' products. Just what do you call, well, um, you know - private parts?
Planning is just about done for the long-awaited Filtration 2001 International Exposition and Conference, set for December 4-6, 2001 at Navy Pier in Chicago, IL. Conference sessions will focus on test methods, medical and automotive transportation and filter applications for appliances. Back again will be the popular Filtration 101 Short Course, which will feature a number of test machines to demonstrate the basic principles of filtration. Filtration 2001 is. For more information: www.inda.org.
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
Tuesday, December 4, 2001 12:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M.
Wednesday, December 5, 2001 7:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M.
Thursday, December 6, 2001 7:30 A.M.-4:00 P.M.
Filtration 101-The Fundamentals of Filtration
Tuesday, December 4, 2001 1:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M.
Conference
Wednesday, December 5, 2001 8:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M.
Thursday, December 6, 2001 8:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M.
Expo Hall Open
Wednesday, December 5, 2001 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.
Thursday, December 6, 2001 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.
Reception
Wednesday, December 5, 2001 5:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M.
More than two dozen products have been nominated for consideration as finalists in the Visionary Awards competition being held in conjunction with the Vision 2002 Consumer Products Conference. The Visionary Awards will recognize the top new consumer products of the past year that utilize nonwoven fabrics and technology.
Companies looking to reach out to the consumer products market will have the opportunity to do so in a special networking opportunity during Vision 2002. Registrants may purchase a table-top display to display products and talk with customers and prospective customers. The displays are available during the Tuesday, January 22, 2002 reception. The cost for each table-top display is $2,200 (INDA members) and $3,000 (non-members) and must be accompanied by a paid conference registration.
The next issue of the Vision Consumer Products e-Report from INDA will be sent November 12. In the meantime, feel free to contact editor Michael Jacobsen at 201-612-6601 or email at mjacobsen@inda.org.
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