INDA, the association of the nonwoven fabrics industry, has announced three worthy recipients for the INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards. David Powling, Paul Latten, and Arnold Wilkie are being recognised for their key contributions to the advancement of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

“It is our pleasure to recognize David, Paul, and Arnold with these well-deserved awards. INDA appreciates their contributions in advancing the nonwovens industry and being advocates for INDA,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA president and CEO. “These awards honour individuals with long-established records of service and technical achievement. All three have given their best both personally and professionally to the nonwovens industry and INDA.”

Powling and Latten will receive their awards at the World of Wipes (WOW) International Conference, on June 18. Arnold Wilkie will receive his award at the RISE Conference on October 1.

“I was excited to be nominated for this award, and humbled to receive it. As I prepare to retire, I have reflected on the progress our industry has made over the last 15 years – it has been quite the journey. I feel grateful to have been a part of that journey and fortunate to have met and worked with so many talented people along the way,” said Powling.

Powling has worked for Kimberly-Clark Corporation for nearly 25 years and has been a contributor to the wipes task force and technical committees at INDA and EDANA for over 15 years. Powling served as chairman of the INDA Wipes Task Force from 2009-2013. His work on these committees include developing the first and second edition of the Flushability Guidance Document (GD) and he was later instrumental in the roll out of the third and fourth edition GDs. Throughout this time, Powling coordinated activities with Kimberly-Clark Corporation to provide critical supporting data, as these flushability test protocols were developed.

“Thirty-five years ago I selected a postcard that said ‘My great ambition in life is to build something that will last.’  For me, this quote applies to people and things.  In the spirit of the quote, I am deeply humbled and honored to receive this award for developing products for the ultimate benefit of people everywhere.  Our work is not done yet…more to do for the benefit of mother earth,” Latten said.

Latten has been an active member of the nonwoven and fiber industries for over 35 years. Most recently, he has led innovation at Southeast Nonwovens, commercialising more than 75 new nonwoven products per year. Prior to joining Southeast Nonwovens, Latten held senior leadership positions with Basofil, Consolidated Fibers, Invista, and KoSa (and Trevira and Hoechst Celanese precursors to KoSa).

“I am extremely honoured to receive this award, and to contribute to the nonwovens industry. Today’s nonwovens processes produce defect free fabrics at >5,000 sq-mt/min. Multicomponent fibres produced from spin-packs with >35,000 holes, and having >1 million individually metered polymer streams have contributed to advanced commercial capabilities. Speaking with our neighbors in the high-tech Space Coast of Florida, I am proud to realise that the nonwovens industry has created a comparatively advanced technology,” said Wilkie.

Wilkie has a distinguished career in advancing yarn, fibre and nonwoven technologies since 1970. Since 1988, he has been president and owner of Hills, Inc where he has sustained their innovative culture. Wilkie has over 40 patents and applications covering yarns, bicomponent fibres, ultra-fine fibres, nanofibres, dissolvable filaments, meltblown nonwovens, and polymer processing innovations. He established Hills as a leading innovator in bicomponent fibre nonwovens and in the equipment to produce these materials. During Wilkie’s time leading Hills, their pilot capabilities have become well-known and highly regarded for enabling material innovations.