Like the rest of the Nonwovens world, it faces constant pressure on price and costs, which are two very different things, as well as legislation, environmental concerns, changing consumer trends, increasingly demanding corporate buyers and local specificities that make any one-size-fits-all approach impossible.
The supply chain adds another layer of complexity with global rolled-goods manufacturers, some selling finished products under their own brands through distribution partners, regional converters offering local and own-brand alternatives and direct imports of finished goods from Asia.
Complex? Absolutely.
So, as the Race to Zero gathers momentum, what can manufacturers, converters and brands do to capture real value in wiping?
Five areas matter in particular:
Innovation
Developing materials and products that reduce plastics, minimise waste in use, and improve efficiency in manufacturing and converting.
Integrity
Making sure that what you say you are doing is factual, evidence-based and traceable. Sustainability claims need to stand up to scrutiny.
Intimacy
Getting closer to your customers and, importantly, the real end users. Understanding their processes and identifying where wiping, when done properly, can reduce waste, improve efficiency and lower overall operating costs.
Involvement
Being actively involved throughout the supply chain and helping converters and distributor teams understand the drivers behind your products, what makes them different, and what they can deliver for their customers and their customers’ customers.
In-depth understanding
Recognising internally that wiping operates very differently from many other sectors within the same business. The dynamics, routes to market, customer requirements and value drivers are unique and need to be understood as such.
These five areas are often discussed in terms of products, materials and technologies, but one of the challenges many organisations underestimate is that delivering on these objectives requires more than new products and technologies.
It requires people who understand the specific dynamics of the wiping sector, leaders capable of navigating increasingly complex supply chains, and commercial teams able to move conversations beyond price and towards value.
In our work at numaH.world across nonwovens and related industrial sectors, my colleagues Grégoire Depeursinge, Philippe Wijns, Catherine Librandi and I help organisations attract, assess and develop the leaders and specialised commercial talent needed in complex markets and supply chains. The companies best positioned for long-term success are often those that invest not only in products and innovation, but also in the people, leadership and organisational capabilities that create value throughout the supply chain.
The wiping sector will continue to grow, and the focus on new materials, technologies and applications will become increasingly important.
The greatest opportunity lies in B2B, particularly within industrial markets, where the potential for sustained, profitable growth is significant.
Both wet and dry wiping products have the opportunity to move beyond being viewed simply as consumables and instead become solutions that add measurable value to industrial processes.
That, ultimately, is where the real opportunity lies: not simply selling a wipe, but demonstrating the value that the wipe delivers.
By Stuart Grimley
