It's a wrap: roofing and construction markets expand to

meet new demands for high performance weatherizaton

products.
If there's one thing producers of nonwoven-based roofing andconstruction products are seeing these
days, it's an even strongerpush to keep weather elements where they belong--outside rather
thaninside of building structures. Heightened product requirements havespurred new products
specifically engineered to offer top quality andperformance through breathability, moisture barrier,
durability andenergy efficiency.
This evolution can be traced clearly in the housewrap category, a segment that was created in the
1980s to initially serve as air barriers. Today, the category has evolved into moisture barrier
products and the days of housewrap performing exclusively as air barriers are over. Guarding
against moisture is no longer a trend--it's a requirement.
In terms of size, the North American roofing/construction market (U.S. and Canada) consumed
about $180 million worth of nonwoven materials at the producers' price level, according
INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry. "These materials were used primarily as
housewrap/underlay and as roofing substrates for the production of modified bitumen roofing
materials," explained Ian Butler, INDA's director of market research and statistics. "Sales of
housewrap/underlay nonwoven materials were about a third of the total and nonwoven roofing
substrate the balance," he said.
New, Newer, Newest
When it comes to new products, nonwovens producers have been busy rolling out innovations in
both the roofing and construction sectors. One recent introduction is Enkaroof Vent from Colbond,
Inc., Enka, NC. The product features a three-dimensional, entangled net Enkamat core bonded to a
water-resistant fabric. It is used for sound attenuation, ventilation and keeping water out of the
structure.
For its part, roofing specialist Johns Manville (JM) is partneringwith Tarco, a roofing underlayment
manufacturer, to create a new asphaltsynthetic underlayment called EasyLay. EasyLay is Tarco's
newLeakbarrier product that employs DuraBase, JM's innovativeweatherproof technology.
The latest innovation from JM's Engineered Products Group, DuraBase employs the proven
technology of asphalt with a new high performance nonwoven polyester reinforcement. DuraBase
technology also allows the EasyLay product to unroll flat in warm and cold weather. Additionally,
EasyLay offers greater waterproofing performance and better protection, as it employs DuraBase
technology, which provides sealing around nails.
"JM is the only manufacturer with the ability to produce this combination of asphalt and nonwoven
polyester, which means we can offer builders and contractors this innovative product that provides
the performance of synthetics with the benefits and value of felt," said Zain Mahmood, vice
president and general manager, construction materials and systems for JM's Engineered Products
Group. "Our partnership with Tarco's strong roofing products distribution network will enable us to
bring JM's DuraBase nonwoven technology to our customers through EasyLay in an efficient and
effective manner."

In addition, JM has also launched Gorilla Wrap, a synthetic polypropylene-based nonwoven

housewrap.
Another producer, PGI, produces a range of products for the building and construction industry that
satisfy market needs from below grade to roof top. Offerings include fibers for reinforcing
concrete, pond liners, construction hoarding and curing blankets and roofing membranes. "The
latest product introductions from PGI's Fabrene Group make use of its high strength spunbond
assets," offered Eric Henderson, vice president sales and marketing for PGI Canada.
In December, the company introduced Matrix, a three-ounce roofing membrane with a unique grid
pattern to make installation of shingles easier. "Building and construction is a growing market and
PGI plans to continue to make new product introductions in this area," Mr. Henderson said.
Specifically in the area of housewrap, in the past year BBA has added a series of peel and stick and
flex flashings as well as an upgraded tape product. "The important thing is offering a
complete weatherization system around the house," offered Pat Marcouiller, business director of
construction for BBA. "Not many companies around are doing that. We are also now offering the
builder and homeowner a 10-year warranty that covers damages and offers replacement products,"
he said. Later this year BBA will introduce a housewrap product specifically designed for coastal
areas with high winds and high humidity. Mr. Marcouiller declined to offer further details on
the upcoming product introduction.
DuPont is also in the business of offering complete weatherizationsystems for buildings. Tyvek
HomeWrap is a highly vapor permeable, waterresistive barrier designed to protect buildings from
weather whileimproving the comfort of the occupants and improving the energyefficiency of the
home. DuPont FlexWrap is a unique flashing materialdesigned to protect windows and doors from
water intrusion, reducing therisk of mold and wood rot.
DuPont has just launched two new products into the construction market: Tyvek AtticWrap and
Tyvek ThermaWrap, two revolutionary nonwoven construction membranes made with DuPont's
flashspun polyethylene process coated with a breathable aluminum layer. "Tyvek AtticWrap is the
first roofing air barrier membrane to completely seal the building envelope," commented Arturo
Horta, DuPont roofing market manager. "Tyvek AtticWrap is a breathable roofing membrane
that helps create a drier, healthier, more environmentally friendly living space by protecting attic
areas that are prone to drafts, mold and mildew," he said.
Because Tyvek AtticWrap creates a continuous airtight building envelope up to the attic space,
homeowners can expect up to a 20% reduction in heating and cooling costs, according to DuPont.
Although Tyvek AtticWrap creates a sealed attic, it is breathable and vents the roof, allowing
moisture to escape while locking out water and air. "Tyvek AtticWrap creates a sealed attic and a
vented roof: the best of both worlds," opined Mr. Horta.
Tyvek ThermaWrap is an insulating breather membrane with a combination of thermal resistance
and high vapor permeability. Designed to help control condensation and prevent mold, it features
higher UV resistance than conventional building paper. Tyvek ThermaWrap adds R-2 insulation
value to a wall, when installed with an air space. It allows up to a 15% reduction in heat flow
through walls, significantly helping reduce energy costs. "As a low emissivity (low-e) surface,
Tyvek ThermaWrap helps increase the installed thermal resistance value, or R-value, of the
insulation and works all year round to increase energy efficiency, reducing the amount of heat loss
during the winter and reflecting radiant heat out in summer," Mr. Horta explained. It also helps
reduce cold-bridging by providing thermal insulation at the studs, making it a highly valued

construction product.
PGI is also active in this sector, where the company has witnessed growth in housewraps and multilayered products. "Our housewrap products have gained a large share of the market in the last
five years," offered Mr. Henderson. "We also have focused our efforts on more technical and
specialized end uses. We have brought some very sophisticated multi-layered products to market,
such as a termite barrier and chemical resistant fabrics for containment liners."
Up On A Roof
One key trend in the roofing market is growing interest in environmental and (fire) safety
applications such as cold applied and liquid roofing. "The market is growing, partly due
to hurricanes," observed Rob Noppen, Colbond's business manager.
There is also continuing growth in synthetic roofing underlayments, a trend that is being driven by
their ease of installation and durability. Here, bicomponent fabrics are used for strength,
integrity and tear resistance while microporous films offer holdout and breathability. "We definitely
see this new roofing underlayment category expanding very rapidly," said DuPont's Mr.
Horta. "Roofing manufacturers have already launched a product into this new category or are in
the process of launching it. The market potential is very significant and the growth rate is doubledigit," he said.
Manufacturers are also reporting a sustained trend in the market to replace the traditional 15- or
30-pound roofing asphalt felt by modern lightweight nonwoven roofing membranes. Some new
synthetic roofing underlayments have anti-slip treatments that increase their coefficient of friction,
making them much safer to work with, improving the grip of the roofer's shoes when walking on the
underlayment, especially in wet conditions.
Additionally, there has been an increase in demand for energy-efficient products and energy-saving
building solutions, designed to help builders achieve the Energy Star ratings, differentiate from
the rest and be able to market that advantage to their clients. According to Mr. Henderson of PGI
Canada, the benefits of nonwovens in the roofing industry are many. "The strength, stability and
longevity of synthetic nonwoven membranes make them attractive in comparison to other products
for the major companies that are installing 25-year roofing systems," he opined. "Breathability and
anti-skid properties for safety, particularly when wet, further enhance their appeal. Synthetic
materials offer excellent strength-to-weight ratios, are light weight, feature easy installation and are
much cleaner for the environment. PGI Canada's Fabrene Group combines the
technological capabilities of our traditional nonwovens business and our extruded business to
develop a superior product for this market," he said.
Global Growth?
In terms of growth, leading U.S.-based producers such as DuPont and BBA are reporting strong
sales primarily in the Northeast U.S., although the Southwest is also starting to enjoy significant
growth, especially in the roofing tile market.
"Products are growing across the U.S.," noted BBA's Mr. Marcouiller. "There is a growing
awareness of the value and benefit that housewrap can bring in the southern half of the U.S.
Most markets in the northern states have already been penetrated. Weatherwise, there are
opposite conditions in the south and this is currently where faster growth is occurring," he said.

Similar market observations were made by Freudenberg Politex's Richard Shaw, business director
for North America. "In North America the market in recent years has shown no sign of decline and
in 2005 the demand was further driven by reconstruction needs after the disasters caused by
hurricanes. The demand is expected to carry-over into 2006," he predicted.
Jeffery Umberger, Freudenberg Politex's senior regional manager in the U.S., confirmed that overall
market demand together with the reconstruction business continues to drive optimism in the
roofing industry for polyester nonwovens and other nonwoven products. "Key growth areas are
underlayment sheets of all types and configurations: asphalt based, peel and stick, woven
polypropylene, lightweight polyester etc. Furthermore, cool roof leads technology and
potential legislation to mandate these types of roofing systems; also the long-term impact of code
reviews resulting from the hurricane damage to commercial and residential buildings," he said.
In the roofing sector, the North American market continues to surprise the players with more than
10 years of growth in the residential shingle market. "This growth is expected to decrease with the
recent slowdown of the new home building boom," commented JM's Mr. Mahmood. "Western
European construction is expected to grow this year with a 4-5% increase. Central and Eastern
Europe is again expected to grow at a rate of 10% or more. Asia remains the most robust growth
area with China, the Middle East and India all expected to surpass a 10% growth rate (in
construction spending)," he said. "Latin America, especially Brazil, Chile and Argentina are
all expected to grow this year as well."
As for growth rates, housewrap as a category is growing faster than housing starts in the U.S. Key
factors driving growth in U.S. markets are codes, legislation and builder and homeowner awareness
of both air quality and damage caused by moisture. Not surprisingly, degradation of building
materials due to mold remains a top issue.
Along with growth has come increased competition, with many new manufacturers entering the
market to try to capitalize on current growth rates. The majority of entrants are at the low price/low
performance end, offering basic perforated products that target a different segment than more
specialized bicomponent products combining nonwovens and film. Consequently, manufacturers of
high end roofing and construction products do not necessarily see these new entrants as
competitors because custom builders generally know they need to use more specialized products.
That said, however, producers worry that builders are using these specialized products either
simply to meet codes or in response to recently increased litigation regarding mold. The challenge,
they agree, is educating builders. "The builder who knows why he is using housewrap is an easy
sell," pointed out one industry observer. As for homeowners, they typically know the problem they
don't want to have but may not be well educated when it comes to specific product characteristics.
In the building process, homeowners may be more interested in interior upgrades such as granite
kitchen countertops than in the highest performing housewrap or roofing membrane.
Around The World
From a global perspective, manufacturers are seeing pockets of growth in central and eastern
Europe, South America and Asian countries such as China and Japan. In Canada, there is a higher
percentage of housing starts for houses that use housewrap than in the U.S. In general terms,
wherever there is stick construction--as opposed to block houses--there is potential for housewrap
growth.
Headquartered in Novedrate, Italy, the Freudenberg Politex Group has seen growth in regions such

as the Middle East and Eastern Europe. A leader in the production of high tenacity staple and
spunbond polyester nonwovens, mainly used as reinforcements for bituminous roofing membranes,
Freudenberg Politex describes Western Europe as a mature and mainly stagnant market, with only
some Mediterranean countries showing a growth trend. "Freudenberg Politex has over the years
been able to differentiate and expand its sales toward other markets," explained Federico Pallini,
business director Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. "This is why we decided to invest in a new
production line in Russia that beginning in the end of 2006 will be able to strengthen our position
in markets that are constantly growing, such as Eastern Europe and Asia."
Mr. Pallini added that in these areas there is not only overall growth within the construction
industry but also a process of substituting lesser performing inlays in favor of polyester. "Polyester
offers membrane manufacturers the highest performances and technical characteristics at a
competitive price," he said.
Additionally, Freudenberg Politex's new line for the production of spunbonded nonwovens started
up in mid-2005 in its Pisticci plant in Southern Italy. It offers additional capacity to the most
demanding markets and again to the growing markets in the Middle East and Asia.
Up, Up, Up ...
While there's no doubt the pressure of raw material price hikes is being felt throughout the
nonwovens industry, oil-based roofing products are being hit especially hard. "The industry is
facing strong raw material price increases as raw materials are related to the oil industry,"
commented Colbond's Mr. Noppen.
Echoing this sentiment was Don Brown, senior account manager for Colbond. "Material pricing is a
huge issue with many industries, but especially with roofing due to the oil-related materials used
in both polyester reinforcements and bitumen coatings," he said. "We have entered a new age of
pricing for these materials, based not only on world supply and demand, but also concerns about
stability and unrest in many parts of the world. Therefore we believe we will continue to see high
prices, which must ultimately be born by users of the products. This applies not only to our
customers but also to users of final roofing materials," stated Mr. Brown.
Increasing energy costs--in particular, the high level and continuous growth of bitumen costs--are
also worrying Freudenberg Politex's Mr. Pallini. "Bitumen is in fact the driver of the roofing market
as a key raw material. Prices are forecast to remain at record highs as long as crude continues to
trade over $60 per barrel," he said.
Freudenberg Politex's Mr. Shaw added that in the U.S., again as a consequence of supply
interruptions caused by Hurricane Katrina, utility costs doubled in late 2005 versus early 2005 and
all petrochemical-based raw materials (fiber and binder) were in short supply and therefore
increased in cost from mid-2005 through the present.
DuPont's Mr. Horta also commented on the strong impact of rising polymer costs on the whole
roofing industry. However, he said that DuPont does not expect this to slow down the shift from
asphalt roofing felts to modern nonwoven synthetic underlayments. "The product benefits surpass
the higher cost," he said.
Mr. Marcouiller of BBA added that rising petro chemical costs have been passed through to the
market in varying degrees by different competitors. "The key to success is how effectively you can
manage this pressure. Balancing home builders' willingness to pay versus higher costs-this is the

challenge," he said.
For The Future
Looking ahead, despite growth obstacles such as raw material costs and strong competition,
producers remain optimistic. "Without a doubt, energy efficiency will have the most impact on
the roofing/construction industry in the future," remarked DuPont's Mr. Horta. "Integrated PV
(photovoltaics) to produce energy for the home and roofing air barriers to seal attics to reduce the
energy consumption of houses will be two major trends that will reshape the current roofing market
status quo," he forecast.
"The U.S. government is supporting research of new building technologies to reduce energy
demand," Mr. Horta added. "We believe that new revolutionary roofing technologies, like the
sealed attic system, are cost-effective, sustainable ways to deliver a step-change in reducing the
energy loads for heating and cooling of buildings going forward."
Mr. Noppen of Colbond predicted a continuing trend toward thinner polyester-based carriers with
excellent dimensional stability. He also pointed to future globalization of the nonwovens industry
from a few suppliers (mainly in Western Europe and the U.S.) to an increasing number of producers
around the globe in areas such as Central and Eastern Europe and Asia. He expects the industry to
continue to foster an interest in high and consistent quality nonwovens to complement demand for
commodity products.
According to BBA's Mr. Marcouiller, building codes will play a key role in the future. He explained
that the IRC (International Regulatory Code) commission has recommended to every code writing
body that housewrap be included. "Despite the fact that building paper is recognized as housewrap
according to this code, it's still a major step for IRC to acknowledge the value of housewrap. This
will increase awareness of the category, along with more publicity on moisture and mold damage
and more attention on indoor air quality," he predicted.
Mr. Marcouiller went on to forecast that the category will continue to grow but companies' ability to
succeed will be tied to three things: first, offering products designed to perform the function
of housewrap; second, effectively managing costs against great fluctuation and upward pressure on
manufacturing and raw material prices; third, providing education to the market. "The focus has to
be on working with the builder and homeowner, not just making a quick buck. Ultimately it is the
builder and homeowner taking the risk," he concluded.
Ellen Wuagneux
Associate Editor
RELATED ARTICLE: New capacity being added for roofing & construction markets.
Johns Manville (JM) hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking in February for a new nonwoven glass mat
production line at its facility in Etowah, TN. The new state-of-the-art, high-speed line will be capable
of producing more than one billion square meters of glass mat per year and underscores JM's
commitment to its roofing, wallboard, flooring and specialty glass mat customers. The line will be
fully operational by early 2007.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place against the backdrop of an increasingly tight capacity
situation. Glass mats are a key component in the manufacturing of asphalt roofing shingles, glass-

faced wallboard and many specialty applications. According to industry projections, glass mat
demand will exceed supply in the near future, making glass mat production the bottleneck in
shingle and other finished-material production.
"Given the industry capacity situation--and our customers' needs--we are delighted to respond with
this major investment, which demonstrates our continued commitment to the glass mat business
and our valued customers," said Zain Mahmood, JM's vice president and general manager,
construction materials and systems. "We especially look forward to supporting the growth plans-and the accompanying glass mat needs--of our shingle customers as they increase capacity to meet
market demand."
The new line will also enable JM to support growing and evolving specialty mat applications. "We
see opportunities to leverage our unique technical capabilities in support of the wallboard and
other construction segments where moisture management is a key advantage," said Fred Stephan,
JM's vice president and general manager, high performance nonwovens.
In Europe, JM's new spunbond line is slated to go into production in the third quarter of 2006. This
new line has significantly enhanced capabilities to provide new product characteristics that
are going to be launched globally by the end of the year.
In another recent upgrade, Polymer Group, Inc. Canada has expanded its coating and printing
capacity to meet growing demand for its engineered fabrics for building and construction and other
industrial uses. The company's Fabrene Group has installed a wide-width extrusion coating and
laminating line that offers multilayer capability for nonwovens, paper, foils and films, as well as the
ability to coat with specialty resins for a range of technical end uses.
PGI Canada also announced it will install a new flexographic printing line that offers widths in
excess of 144 inches, providing customers with even greater flexibility and shorter turnaround
times in delivering customized printed materials for industrial packaging and other uses. The new
line will be operational by June.
According to Eric Henderson, vice president sales and marketing, PGI Canada, the $8 million
investment by Fabrene in new technology for these expansions strengthens the company's position
as one of the world's largest manufacturers of coated woven polyethylene.
"Building and construction is a growing market for PGI, and this investment in new technology will
satisfy demand for products like housewraps and roofing membranes that are even stronger and
easier to install," explained Mr. Henderson. "The additional printing and coating capacity also will
bring more value to our customers."

The new technology will enable PGI to provide better service to customers in lumber- and steelwrap markets, and improve its product offering and performance in specialty laminates, automotive,
military and apparel markets.