PCMC’s latest converting line helps wipe away demand for COVID-era consumer products

Finding disinfectant wipes has become like winning the lottery during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Images of empty store shelves are a common sight as consumers stock up on the products that promise to clean and sanitize household and commercial surfaces. The United States canister wet wipe market totaled nearly $1 billion in 2020 with sales increasing rapidly through the year.

With demand at record heights, PCMC launched its new Forte NW narrow canister wipes converting line. The Forte NW eliminates the expense of slitting parent rolls to run on multiple narrow machines, and provides the productivity and efficiency of wide-web converting. The base technology for most of the line includes PCMC’s well-established tissue/towel unwinds, tail sealers, extractors, accumulators and logsaws. New is PCMC’s patented Invisible™ coreless technology, which winds logs on recirculating plastic mandrels. The new and old come together to create numerous competitive advantages.

Parent roll flexibility: The Forte NW line runs 56"- 70" wide parent rolls, allowing manufacturers to purchase different size parent rolls from a variety of suppliers. The flexibility also reduces end waste as manufacturers can divide larger parent rolls to match the size of the finished roll.

Increased efficiency: The Forte NW unwind stands handle larger diameter parent rolls. Doubling the size of the diameter means operations stop to splice 25% as often. The unwind stands also feature auto-splice technology which keeps the line running at all times.

Faster product changeovers: Operators can change a perforator pattern on the Forte NW rewinder in less than five minutes. Sheet length changes are instantaneous with the push of a button. Many more controls and product settings simplify product changeovers throughout the line.

Greater tension control: The Forte NW uses surface rewinding to keep constant tension from the center to the outside of the finished roll. Whether tight or loose, the consistency allows the finished roll to absorb moisture evenly while in the canister.

Superior product quality: The Forte NW line uses plastic mandrels to maintain a firm hole in the finished log, ensuring crushed rolls never appear in the canister. The rewinder produces a tail on the finished log, creating an easy “first pull” out of the canister. Logsaws cut clean edges on the finished log, resulting in even rolls in the canister.

Improved safety and troubleshooting: The Forte NW line provides clear visibility to all machine modules from outside the guards. Operators can perform most troubleshooting visually and without coming into contact with hazards.

“While we are using proven tissue converting technology, the Forte NW is specifically designed for a nonwoven process,” says Cory Gussert, PCMC Engineer. “Our engineering team considered everything from ideal web speeds to finished roll tensions. Ultimately, we were able to produce a superior finished non-woven product while also simplifying the machines for operators.

”Manufacturers will begin running the first Forte NW narrow canister lines in late 2021. The products produced will include disinfecting and sanitizing wipes for household, cleaning and automobile markets. Work is already underway to expand the narrow canister line into the medical market, which requires larger finished roll diameters.

“Everybody at PCMC is feeling really confident about this line,” says Laercio Catao, PCMC Nonwovens Sales Director. “We continue to learn more every day about the potential these machines have through internal testing and customer feedback. We are pleased to have multiple orders within the first year of launch, and are excited to know the machines will help fulfill a great need for consumers.”