The annual demand for nonwoven products in developing countries is expected to increase between 10 and 12 percent, while the rise in the United States, Europe and Japan is forecasted between three and five percent over the next five years.

During the official opening of Fibertex Nonwovens Sdn Bhd International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said based on current consumption trend worldwide, sales of nonwoven products were expected to exceed RM76 billion (US$20 billion) in 2006.

"Demand for nonwoven fabrics in many of the developing countries, especially in Asia, currently exceeds the domestic capacity by 50 percent or more," she said.

"The nonwoven industry in Asia has achieved tremendous growth in recent years. The growth among the eight major producing countries - China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines - has expanded by an average of 4.5 per cent annually from 856,000 tones in 1997 to slightly over a million tones in 2002," she said.