U.S. Nonwovens Joins P&G with New Detergent Packaging

BRENTWOOD, N.Y. — The Proctor & Gamble Co. (P&G) has launched Tide & Cascade Pods, and U.S. Nonwovens Corp. (USN) is in “high-level discussions” with global consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies in efforts to license and/or sell its newly granted patents for the dual-compartment detergent pouch, according to USN.

P&G is the only other company aside from USN to market “Dual Pod Technology,” according to USN.

Industry analysts expect Unilever (Surf®), Reckitt Benckiser (Finish®), Henkel Dial (Purex®), Church & Dwight (Arm & Hammer®) and The Clorox Company (Clorox®) to speed up plans for dual pod technologies and possibly even try to beat Tide to market.

This innovation may help combat the downward spiral of detergent sales. Sales of liquid detergent fell 3%, and sales of powder detergent fell 10% in the 52 weeks ending March 20, 2011, according to Symphony IRI data that excludes Walmart. According to IRI data reported by Deutsche Bank, sales at Walmart are down 10% in liquid detergent and 20% in powder last quarter.

“Global CPG powerhouses must innovate convenience at a value now, in efforts to curb the down trend,” says Rody Mehdizadeh, USN’s chief operating officer.