OREANDA-NEWS. May 19, 2008. In 2009 Svetlogorsk-based chemical company Khimvolokno plans to start manufacturing new nonwoven hydrobonded materials, which can be used for manufacturing disposable medical and hygienic products, head of the company’s marketing department Tatiana Gorina said.

In her words, polypropylene will be used as the raw material for manufacturing low-density synthetic fabric. When used for dressing wounds, medical personnel uniforms, linen for seriously ill patients, these materials largely reduce the possibility of internal hospital infections in surgery, traumatology, and obstetrical units of medical institutions. Apart from that, such materials will find many uses in manufacturing children’s and women’s hygiene products.

The company is now preparing premises for installing new equipment supplied by Reifenhauser, the trendsetter in this part of the global market. Some plants have been supplied and installation schedules are being defined. The annual output is expected to near 5,000 tonnes. A pilot batch of the make will be manufactured in mid-2009.

However, potential customers will be able to see sample products in a week. Khimvolokno will demonstrate the nonwoven hydrobonded materials at the IV international textile, nonwoven materials and protective clothes expo Techtextil Russia 2008 in Moscow. Tatiana Gorina believes Belarusian investors will be interested in setting up the production of medical and hygienic products using the new material.

Founded in 1964, SPA Khimvolokno is a major Belarusian petrochemical company and is part of Belarusian petrochemical concern Belneftekhim. The company incorporates enterprises, which produce textile threads and artificial fibres, polymeric materials and consumer goods.