What is the concept behind the Micrex Wet Wipe Process?

The Micrex Process has been an industry standard for enhancing dry, spunlace wipes.  Until the development of the Micrex/Wet Wipe Process however, the attributes of improved hand, increased bulk, and softness have been unavailable to manufacturers of spunlace wet wipes.  With this new process, producers of wet wipes can dramatically increase their product performance and consumer appeal.

What are the benefits of the Micrex Wet Wipe Process?

The Micrex/Wet Wipe Process allows for the nature and character of a spunlace substrate to be radically altered to optimize its appearance and performance for a wide variety of wet wipe applications.  This ability to modify functional and aesthetic qualities to match the unique needs of a particular product offers the savvy marketer a very effective way to achieve dramatic product differentiation.  For the purposes of this discussion, let us separate these enhancements into two categories, visual and performance.

                     More bulk translates to more absorbency

Visual Benefits:

A wide variety of unique patterns and visual effects can be created by the Micrex Wet Wipe Process.  These patterns remain highly visible after the wipes are saturated.  Microcreping not only improves performance, it adds a distinctive pattern consumers will easily recognize (and might be protected by a copyright).

A further refinement is by combining aesthetics with a functional improvement.  For example one problem in standard wipes is sheets attaching so that two or more are pulled from a dispenser when only one was desired.  By Microcreping a particular pattern into the web, a handle can be formed to ease the extraction of a single wipe.

As a cleaning wipe, the Microcreped substrate provides numerous folds or edges to trap dirt.  The way in which each pattern picks up dirt can be matched to a particular cleaning application.  These folds also break-up adhesions (or surface tension) when the wipe is in contact with a flat surface – allowing for the wipe to move smoothly over a surface.  This greatly enhances both the performance and the perception of a better cleaning product. 

                                A close-up of a used cleaning wipe

In summary: The Micrex/Wet Wipe Process allows each wiper product to be perfectly configured for a particular wet wipe application.

Performance Benefits:

Spunlace processed on the Micrex/Microcreper can absorb over 30% more liquid than the same weight of unprocessed material.  For the wet wipe manufacturer this translates into either a higher performing wipe, or alternatively, by reducing the basis weight of the material to achieve the same level of performance – a significant cost savings.

Processed materials will also absorb more quickly, which again translates into cost savings as wet wipe filling lines can be run faster.

What composition of spunlace respond best the process?

The optimal configuration seems to be a blend of at least 30% polyester and wood pulp.  Polyester and viscose also processes well, but without as dramatic an improvement in absorbency.  Polypropylene blends are an option, and Micrex is working to further modify the process to combat the melting of the polypropylene which reduces the absorbency and limits the ultimate processing speed.

What kind of protection does Micrex have on this development ?

The Micrex/Microcreper is covered by US and International patents.  Since the Micrex/Wet Wipe process is a new development , we have patents pending in the US and overseas.  Micrex will consider granting an exclusive license in particular fields to the wet wipe technology.  We also believe that individual styles or patterns of wipes may be protected by copyright.

What does it cost?

A complete Micrex®/Microcreper system for processing material 1.7 meters wide at 200 meters per minute would cost approximately $600,000.  For the purposes of a complete analysis, we assume that $150,000 of additional equipment (fork lifts, installation of services, etc.) is necessary.  Were this machine to be run for two shifts, 300 days per year, the cost of enhancing the wipes would be about $0.005 cents per square meter.  Slitting can be performed in-line, further reducing costs.

Micrex is focused on getting your product to market quickly and efficiently.  We can perform contract Microcreping to help with product development , market test, new product launch, or building market volume.  This is a way to quickly and economically launch a new generation of wiper products.  Converting prices start at $0.035 per square meter and decline with volume.  At the appropriate time, Micrex can supply a turn-key Micrex/Microcreper system or integrate a Micrex/Microcreper with your existing equipment.  Micrex can also arrange for production in Western Europe through one of our Micrex Associates.