Product: Multipurpose Moist Nonwoven and Paper Wipes Company: Albaad Massuot Yitzhak Ltd. Start of Development: 1985
In 1985 Kibbutz Massuot Yitzhak acquired a financially troubled factory that manufactured nonwoven material and named it Albaad. The material was used by the factory to manufacture moist wipes – a product that was then relatively innovative and that was based on American knowledge. The kibbutz succeeded in identifying a marketing opportunity for the wipes in Israel and in Europe, where the use of wipes was less common. The brand name chosen for use in Israel was “Fresh Ones”.
Over time, the wipes’ nonwovens, liquids, and packaging have undergone significant technological and qualitative improvements. In addition, Albaad developed different types of thick wipes, without added binder, and replaced the commonly used detergents and preservatives with more natural elements.
The range of uses for the wipes also evolved. Initially, the wipes were aimed exclusively at the babies’ market. From the beginning of the 21st century, this field has undergone a revolution and the range of uses has since expanded to cleaning products and subsequently, also to cosmetics. Today, only 50 percent of the market’s wipes are intended for babies.
With the expansion in the wipes’ uses, both local and global sales also grew. Albaad’s manufacturing plants are located in Israel, the United States, Germany and Poland and the company is today the biggest manufacturer of wipes in Europe and the third largest in the world. The company controls approximately 50 percent of the Israeli market and about 30 percent of the market in Europe. In 2017, Albaad sold 500 million wipes.
The widespread use of wipes in the western world, raised a severe problem of sewage pipes blockage caused by the disposal of the non-dispersible wipes in the toilet. During the last seven years, Albaad has led the current industry revolution: the transition to moist dispersible toilet paper. Albaad and its partners have developed an innovative technology for manufacturing paper that disperses and is flushed down the toilet, sold under the brand name “Hydrofine”. As part of its vision to create jobs for residents of Southern Israel, Albaad chose to establish the advanced factory in Dimona.
Albaad is currently working on developing a range of future products including wipes for washing machines, for protection against mosquitoes and for face care, as well as wipes for diabetic patients.
