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Our Company Story
1975
The story of 5k Fibres starts with its parent company Biax-Fiberfilm. Founded in 1975 by Dr. Eckhard C.A. Schwarz, Biax-Fiberfilm has engineered and manufactured Nonwovens production systems for customers worldwide. These systems transform plastics and other solutions into very fine fibers and convert them into fibrous Nonwoven roll goods in one step. Dr. Schwarz invented, patented, and manufactured high performance machinery for the Nonwovens industry.
Over the past 45 years, Biax-Fiberfilm performed hundreds of R&D trials for customers interested in creating various types of Nonwoven media. "Prove that you can make it, and we may buy a system from you" is the business model Biax subscribed to for many years.
This experience led Biax’s leadership to realize that while trials often result in successful media creation, customers don’t always have the financial resources or concise business strategy to justify the purchase of a full-scale turnkey system.
2003
After 28 years as President, in 2003, Dr. Schwarz turned over the reins of Biax-Fiberfilm to
Douglas Burton Brown. Douglas has more than 32 years of experience with Biax-Fiberfilm and some innovative ideas continue to be explored in our R&D department with biodegradable microfibers and submicron fibers. Douglas remains confident that our existing meltblowing and web/film stretching technologies along with these new developments will help keep Biax-FIberfilm an innovative company that would make Dr. Schwarz proud.
2018
Enter 5k Fibres. 5k Fibres began to develop with the concept of using our knowledge and our own systems to act as product developer and roll goods manufacturer for companies looking to outsource fabric production.
2020
In early 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic sparked 5k Fibre's leadership team into action. As the world ran into a supply shortage for a unique kind of filtration material used for N95 masks, 5k Fibres expedited its plans to form a roll-good production division.
Years of process knowledge, experienced engineers, and a commercially-viable production system on hand allowed a two year start-up plan to come together in less than one month.
5k Fibres was called to support a global pandemic, and will continue to supply quality Nonwoven materials and unique filtration far beyond the last time the words "COVID-19" hit news headlines. Our machines run enough material for 8 million masks per day. The next time the world needs an abundance of N95 masks to control an infectious disease outbreak, there will be a better backlog of supply thanks in large part to the efforts of 5k Fibres.
2021
As the demand for N95 material returns to its equilibrium, the original vision for 5k Fibres will prevail: to be a manufacturer of specialty Nonwoven media for companies who want to outsource Nonwoven production for a variety of applications or need help with product development.
Our equipment is capable of producing Nonwoven media of countless classifications, but our focus remains on manufacturing premium, high-end fabrics with medical, filtration, and advanced industrial uses.
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Our parent company Biax-Fiberfilm remains as an in-house machining and fabrication shop, as well as support for our 50+ global customers who own our equipment and want to maintain it. While we continue to accept a small amount of orders for full-scale nonwoven systems, 5k Fibres will allow customers the opportunity to acquire the material needed for their next product innovation without the upfront cost of a full-scale system. That is where we thrive. Please contact us to discuss any system or material needs you may have.
Dr. Eckhard C.A. Schwarz
Founder
Douglas Brown
Current President
Display case in Neenah, WI showing a variety of our products.
Greenville, WI production facility
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