D. Keith Osteen

Principal, Smith, Johnson & Associates

D. Keith Osteen joined Smith, Johnson & Associates (SJA) consulting in July 2006 as a Principal. SJA is a nonwoven industry consulting firm established in the 1970s.

Keith has 40 years of experience in the nonwovens industry; primarily at Kimberly-Clark Corporation where he held various research and engineering manager and director positions in product and technology development, nonwovens technology and personal care materials development. He directed research programs ranging from early stage innovation to business support.

He has a broad background in new nonwoven materials development, technology and product innovation and holds eight patents. As a consultant, he works with companies to acquire or develop novel nonwovens, identify new market opportunities and understand the technology and competitive landscape.

He is an author of multiple industry reports and magazine articles, including a Ten-Year Forecast of Disruptive Technologies in the Nonwoven Industry, Stretchable Nonwovens, and a Nonwovens Innovation and Technology Review. He has reviewed emerging technology in the RISI Nonwovens Markets newsletter patent column for over ten years and is a regular speaker at various nonwoven industry conferences.

Recent Trends in Three-Dimensional Nonwovens

The disposable hygiene market continues to drive innovation in absorbent nonwovens. Companies are investigating alternative thin and efficient absorbent system designs and components to accommodate higher superabsorbent particulate loadings. The patent literature reveals interest in pockets, channels, texture and other forms of three-dimensional materials. This presentation will examine the materials, technologies and trends from the last five years of development in this area including nonwovens, films and contributing raw materials such as fibers.