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Milan, the city of fashion and culture, welcomes you to ITMA 2015!

12 - 19 NOVEMBER FIERA MILANO RHO MILAN, ITALY

@ the world’s largest integrated textile andgarment manufacturing technologies exhibition

SOURCE INNOVATIVE NONWOVEN & TECHNICAL

TEXTILE SOLUTIONS

•Excitingmanufacturingtechnologiesandprocessingtechniquesforadvanced materials

•Collaborationopportunitieswithworld’sleadinginstitutesatResearch andInnovationPavilion

• IndustryinfluencersandexpertsattheWorldTextileSummit, TextileColourantandChemicalLeadersForumand NonwovensForum

200,000sqmexhibitionspaceOver1,500exhibitorsfrommorethan40economies

100,000invisitorshipfromover140economies

CEMATEX Associations

ACIMIT (Italy) AMEC AMTEX (Spain) BTMA (United Kingdom) GTM (Netherlands) SWISSMEM (Switzerland)

SYMATEX (Belgium) TMAS (Sweden)UCMTF (France) VDMA (Germany)

Organiser

MP Expositions Pte Ltd

Show Owner Visit Us Now

ITMA 2015 NWTT (Green) 210x280mm.indd 1 9/6/15 12:25 pm

Asian Technical Textiles July-September 2015 3

corporatenews


SCA invests inBrazilian market

SCA will invest approximately SEK650 million (US$76 million) in a newproduction facility in Brazil for themanufacture of incontinence products.Production is set to begin in 2016.

Brazil, which is one of SCA'sprioritized emerging markets, is the thirdlargest retail market in the world forincontinence products where double digitgrowth has been reported in recentyears. With a population of 190 millionand favorable economic growth, Brazil isseeing strong growth potential across allhygiene markets.

'This investment will increase ourproduction capacity and improve ourprofitability in Brazil in the long term.The investment enables us to capitaliseon the growth opportunities that wecan see in the Brazilian market forincontinence products and to potentiallylaunch other product categories in thefuture,' says Magnus Groth, presidentand CEO of SCA.

Mitsui expands PPspunbond capacity

Mitsui Chemicals is expanding itsPP spunbond nonwovens in Japan. Thecompany currently has the productioncapacity of 49,000 tons/year on sixlines, and 15,000 tons/year will beadded when the new line is introducedin late 2017.

Additionally, the productioncapacity of its micro-porous film, beingproduced at MHM, its subsidiary inThailand, is going to be raised to10,000 tons/year from 6,000 tons/year by the end of 2016.

Bicma celebrates20th Anniversary

Bicma Hygiene Technologie GmbH, aGerman manufacturer of hygiene marketmachinery, celebrated its 20thanniversary in July 2015. The company

was founded in 1995 by Lothar Geigerand Thomas Spurzem, who are still theowners today, the team was small andthe focus was mainly on femcare andlight inco machines and rebuilds.

Today, Bicma’s portfolio compriseshigh quality machines and machinerebuilds for baby diapers, light incoproducts, adult shaped pads, adultdiapers, femcare products, underpads,meat pads, pet pads, nursing pads, andsimilar products.

TWE buys IsowoodGermany's TWE Group has

purchased a 90% stake in Isowood, ahighly specialized nonwovensmanufacturer using natural fibers such ashemp, flax, kenaf or jute in conjunctionwith plastics. Its main output is semi-finished, highly malleable carriermaterials for the automotives industry.Executives said Isowood’s experiencewith natural fibers makes Isowood aperfect member of the TWE Groupallowing the company, which alreadyhas strong ties to automotives, to expandinto new markets.

Founded in 1997 in Rudolstadt,Germany, Isowood is a leadingmanufacturer in the automotives segment.The TWE Group has made severalacquisitions in recent years, the mostrecent being Vita Nonwovens in the US,which includes manufacturing sites inNorth Carolina, Indiana and Texas.

Coated fabricsmarket to reachUS$ 21.6 bnby 2020

Future Market Insights (FMI), in itslatest report titled, 'Global CoatedFabrics Market Analysis andOpportunities Assessment, 2014-2020',reveals that the global coated fabricsmarket accounted for US$ 17.3 bn in2014. The market is estimated to reachUS$ 21.6 Bn by 2020, exhibiting aCAGR of 3.7% during the forecast period.Asia Pacific is projected to dominate the

coated fabrics market through theforecast period, exhibiting a CAGR of4.1% over the forecast period.

Region-wise, Asia-Pacific is projectedto dominate the coated fabrics marketthrough the forecast period, exhibiting aCAGR of 4.1% over the forecast period,followed by North America and WesternEurope. The growth is attributed to growingautomobile and industrial sectors.

By product type, polymer coatedfabrics segment accounted forapproximately 87% of total revenuemarket share in 2014 and is anticipatedto hold a significant revenue share by2020, displaying a CAGR of 3.6% overthe next five years. Furthermore, rubbercoatings and other segments areexpected to demonstrate a significantgrowth in the near future.

RKW Danafilmsrenamed

RKW Danafilms, a part of the RKWGroup, announced in July that it changedits corporate name to RKW NorthAmerica. The company says the new


corporatenews

More than 30 manufacturers use equipmentproduced by Sonobond, a leader in the application ofultrasonic bonding and welding technology, toachieve improved production speed, productdurability, cost-effectiveness and compliance with NIJstandards, the company reports.

'Instead of needles, thread or glue, our equipmentuses ultrasonic energy to create strong molecularbonds, resulting in durable, perfectly sealed seamswithout stitch holes, glue gaps, fraying or unravelling,'explained Melissa Alleman, Sonobond Vice President.

'Sealed seams mean better protection for thebullet-proof materials contained in the vest - such asSpectra-Shield and Kevlar - ensuring that they are lesslikely to lose their life-saving effectiveness by being

exposed to moisture. They also achieve compliancewith National Institute of Justice (NIJ) wet-conditioningstandards (NIJ-0101.06) requiring body armour to bewaterproof, even after submersion for 30 minutes.'

Sonobond offers a free, no-obligation ultrasonicbonding viability test, using materials supplied bypotential customers, to ensure that its ultrasonic equip-ment meets the requirements of specific applications.

The company also provides technical expertiseand quality service, assisting customers withquestions, customization needs, installation, and on-going technical support.

Sonobond is a leader in the application ofultrasonic bonding and welding technology, holdingmore than 150 patents. Today, the company manufac-tures a complete line of ultrasonic welding and bond-ing equipment used by leading firms in the electrical,automotive, appliance, HVAC, solar, aerospace, filtra-tion, medical, body armour and apparel industries.

Sonobond technologyfor reliable body armour

assembly

name reflects its solidposition in the NorthAmerican blown filmmarket and thecompany's commitment tosupply a range ofpremium technical andhygiene films to all clientsacross North America.

RKW Group, whichhas a global network ofR&D expertise in 22manufacturing sitesaround the world, says ithas a clear plan toleverage emergingtechnologies byreinvesting in state-of-theart equipment for itsconsolidated technicaland hygiene filmmanufacturing plant inFranklin, KY.

'Our current facilitycan accommodate severaladditional extrusion linesand we own enoughcontiguous rail-servedproperty to significantlyincrease the plant size asour customers' demandfor high-performancefilms continues to grow,'Powell says. According toRKW North Americaofficials, this strategy willopen the door to evengreater long-termopportunities for new andexisting clients alike.

LyondellBasell buysSJS Plasti-blends

Lyondell Basell hasacquired Aurangabad,India based privatelyowned polypropylenecompounds manufacturerPlastiblends for anundisclosed amount.

The acquisition of theIndian company isexpected to expand theexisting footprint of

Sonobond technologyfor reliable body

Lyondell Basell in India and enhance itsposition in the growing Indian automotivemarket. Polypropylene is a keythermoplastics material used forautomotive parts with as much as 50 kgof its used in a vehicle.

Established in 1996, SJS has annualproduction capacity of about 12,000 tonsof polypropylene compounds that areused in the production of thermoplasticmaterials for the automotive, homeappliances and other industry. It employsabout 60 people.

Lyondell Basell, which has beensupplying products to India throughimports since 2009, has 55manufacturing plants in eight countries.

Autoneum to opennew productionfacility in Mexico

Autoneum, the leading producer ofvehicle acoustics and thermalmanagement systems, has laid thefoundation stone for a new plant in theNorth American growth market of Mexico.

The decisive factor behind theexpansion of its production capacitiesin Mexico is the prevailing highdemand from international automobilemanufacturers for the lightweight andmultifunctional components, thecompany reports.

Autoneum is expanding its localpresence in Mexico with a thirdmanufacturing location in the NorthAmerican growth market.

From the start of 2017, carpetsystems, inner dashes and floorinsulators will be produced at the plantin San Luis Potosí (San Luis Potosí federalstate) around 400 km northwest ofMexico City. From the plant measuring19,000m2, Autoneum will supply US andGerman OEMs producing locally for theNorth American market.

Autoneum is already represented inMexico with a manufacturing location inHermosillo (Sonora federal state) and viaits subsidiary UGN with a plant in Silao(Guanajuato federal state).

As well as the locational benefits thatMexico offers due to its NAFTA (NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement)membership, the strong need amongvehicle manufacturers for noise protection


components for the vehicle interior floor isa decisive factor for the expansion ofproduction capacities.

DSM Dyneemanames MotahariPour as president

DSM Dyneema announces that,after five years in the post Gerard deReuver has elected to step down asPresident of DSM Dyneema on 1August 2015. He will be succeeded byGolnar Motahari Pour, a Germannational with extensive globalmanagement experience.

Golnar, meanwhile, is alreadyfamiliar with DSM Dyneema, having

beenengagedwith thecompany inthe lastcouple ofmonths, asanindependentbusinessstrategy andoperationsconsultant.She is well

versed in materials sciences. From 1993to 2007 she held several managementpositions at General Electric Corp. in thePlastics, Silicones and Consumer Productsbusinesses. Prior to joining DSM, Golnarwas a member of the European ExecutiveCommittee responsible for EmeraldKalama Chemical's plasticizer businessin Europe and the Middle East.

She has vast international businessexperience in the chemical industry,having lived and worked in theNetherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom,Hungary, France and Germany. Golnarholds a Master of Arts degree &Postgraduate Studies in Ecology fromthe Applied Sciences Faculty of theUniversity of Brussels.

Steady growth fororganic dyes

Global organic dyes market isexpected to experience steady growthover the next seven years. Increase in

demand forenvironmentfriendly productsis expected to bebeneficial for theoverall marketgrowth. Risingenvironmentalconcerns andincreasingdemand forcleaner dyes areexpected tofurther aid theglobal organicdyes marketgrowth.

Major dyesinclude dispersedyes, direct dyes,reactive dyes, VATdyes, sulfur dyesand acid dyes.These dyes aremostly used inapplications suchas construction,textiles, coatings,leather, paints,paper, printinginks, plastics andpaper &specialty.

Technologicaldevelopmentssuch asintroduction ofnew colours andprinting newdesigns areexpected tocreate ampleopportunities forthe industryparticipants toincrease theirmarket share andgainsustainability.

North Americaorganic dyesmarket accountedfor the maximumrevenue share in2014 owing tohigh demand fromthe paints &

Golnar Motahari Pour


corporatenewscoatings and construction industry. AsiaPacific is expected to rapid growth and shift ofmanufacturing base from North America andEurope to numerous Asia Pacific countries.China has dominated the regional organicdyes market owing to increase in the smalland medium scale industries.

Prominent organic dyes industryparticipants include Atlanta Ag,Huntsman International LLC, SunChemical Corp., Huntsman Corporation,E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co. andBASF. The industry is moderatelyconcentrated, although there arenumerous small and medium scalebusiness players in the market. Entrybarriers are high for the new entrants.High initial investment cost and need forinnovative technologies making the entrybarriers strong.

Technical textiles toreach US$ 193.7billion by 2020

The global technical textiles marketwill reach US$ 193.7 billion by 2020,amplifying at a compound annualgrowth rate of 4.5% during the forecast

period 2015-2020,accrding to Future MarketInsights’ (FMI) latestresearch report TechnicalTextiles Market: Global

Industry Analysis andOpportunity

Assessment2015-2020.

Thetechnicaltextilesindustry iswitnessingrapidinnovationsto meet thechangingpreferences

of consumers.It is also

expected thatgovernment supportprogrammes willprovide an impetusto the manufactureof technicaltextiles.

It has segmented the global technicaltextiles market on the basis of producttype into nonwovens, composite, andothers (knitting, braiding, and weaving).According to it, the nonwovens segmenthas the largest share in the technicaltextiles market, accounting for 52.6%share in 2015. FMI expects this segmentto expand at a CAGR of 5.1% during theforecast period 2015-2020.

The composite segment held a 14.7%share of the global technical textilesmarket in 2015 but estimates it willaccount for 14.4% market share by2020. The others segment, whichincludes knitting, braiding, and weaving,accounted for 32.7% share of thetechnical textiles market in 2015. FMIestimates this segment to expand at aCAGR of 3.8% during the forecast periodand reach a valuation of US$ 61 Bn.

NetCompositesconference

NetComposites, a leading researchand consultancy company, will presentCompIC ME (Composites inConstruction Middle East), an

international conference, which willtake place from 9-10 February 2016at Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai.

The conference is being heldamongst the composite flooded Dubaiskyline and will introduce and educatevisitors on the use of fibre reinforcedcomposites in construction, allowingdelegates to explore and discuss thecurrent and future innovations andtrends in the industry:

Materials and designReinforcement and strengtheningBiocomposites in constructionManufacturingTestingStandardsCase studies

‘The event will promote an activeexchange of technical and scientificinformation between seasoneddelegates and new visitors, providinginvaluable networking opportunitiesfor all,' commented Sue Keighley,Events and Communications Specialistat NetComposites.

BASF andFraunhofer todevelop electronicmaterials

BASF and Fraunhofer IPMS-CNTannounced, that they have joined forces todevelop innovative solutions for thesemiconductor industry. BASF hasinstalled a modern tool for electrochemicalmetal deposition at the Fraunhofer IPMSCentre for Nanoelectronic Technologies(CNT) in Dresden, Germany

In pilot tests at the CNT, the latesttechnologies and innovative chemicalsare further developed and tailored forBASF customers. BASF and Fraunhoferare using the same tool and technologyused by customers, enabling customers tosignificantly reduce qualification effort.This saves customers development time,reduces their costs, and allows them towork more efficiently. When the pilot testsat the CNT are completed, customers willhave direct access to ready-to-useprocesses for the production of advancedelectronic materials.

Dr Romy Liske, business unit managerat the Fraunhofer Center for

According to a new marketreport by Smithers Apex, the globalnonwovens market will experienceprojected annual growth rates of7.6% (tonnage) between 2013 and2018. Geographically, Asia willcontinue to grow in both tonnage andmarket share reaching 47.5% by2018, with Europe maintaining itssecond position while North Americaremains in the third place.

As such, EDANA and ITMA 2015organiser MP Expositions will jointlyorganise a Nonwovens Forum on 16November at ITMA in Milan, Italy,with a theme of 'Nonwovens: AWorld of Growth and Opportunities'to address pertinent issues,challenges and opportunities. Onemay register at their sitewww.itma.com

ITMA NonwovensForum open for

registration



corporatenewsNanoelectronic Technologies, adds, 'Thefurther development of materials andprocesses together with BASF is animportant step toward achieving the ever-growing requirements that microchipshave to fulfill in terms of functionality,speed, and energy efficiency.'

Oerlikon Textile’s50 years asambassador tothe USA

Many things change over time, butsome things remain the same. With aservice station in Dalton, GA that opened

in 2015, Oerlikon Manmade Fibers ismaking a clear statement about the highvalue it attributes to customer support inthe ‘Land of the Stars and Stripes’. ‘Wewanted to strengthen our service offerings

and Dalton is an important step towardsachieving this goal’, states Chip Hartzog,President of Oerlikon Textile Inc in the USA.

Exactly 50 years ago, Barmagdecided - for the very same reasons - toestablish its first US subsidiary. In 1965,the USA was the largest manufacturer ofmanmade fibers, producing one-third ofglobal output. Barmag’s businessactivities in the US were still limited tooccasional deliveries. In 1958, thecompany had signed a licenseagreement with a US partner for themanufacture of extruders and extrusionsystems. As the US textile industry hasbeen traditionally concentrated in the

cotton centers in thesoutheastern states,the economically-strong Charlotte sitein North Carolinawas chosen as thebase. From here, thecompany wanted toshow its presenceand compete withlocal players in theUSA, Canada andMexico.

A veritablesuccess story began

with the founding of the American BarmagCorporation (ABC) and initially just twoemployees. Over the three followingyears, US imports of textile machines roseto a ratio of 27 percent, whereby Germany

alone accounted for well in excess of one-third of these imports. The reasons for thiswere seen in the high quality andperformance standards achieved by theGerman technology. And Barmag alsoassumed an increasing share of this: overtime, successful products, such as the FK4,and later the FK6, the FK6M80 all the waythrough to the AFK and eAFK texturingmachines, polyester and nylon spinningmachines, winders and take-up machines.

In the 1990s, Neumag secured itselfa market share of around 40 percent inthe US with its BCF business. ABCrepeatedly reported record sales,increased its staff to 240 employees andinfluenced the entire US manmade fiberand textile industry with suchdevelopments as draw-texturing andfast-speed spinning for POY.

Dawning of a new age withSaurer and Oerlikon

A new age of textiles began at the turnof the millennium. The global textile

The laying of the foundation stone for the American BarmagCorporation on August 16, 1965 marked the beginning of the

successful 50-year presence of the current Oerlikon ManmadeFibers segment in the USA

50 years after establishing the firstsubsidiary of what is today the OerlikonManmade Fibers segment, the filamentand BCF yarn manufacturing machine

and systems construction marketleader opened a further service

station in Dalton, GA.

Belgian consortium Van de Wieleagreed to purchase the Frenchcompany Superba and the UScompany American Superba.Superba is a world leader in themanufacturing of heat settingmachines for carpet yarns.

With 40 years of experience inthe highly specialised field of yarnsfor tufted and woven carpet, Superbais providing advanced andcompetitive solutions with a completerange of machines.

Van de Wiele has for manyyears a leading position in themanufacturing of carpet and velvetweaving machines. Van de Wielehas extended its activities and isalso offering tufting machines(Cobble-Van de Wiele), extrusionmachines for carpet yarns, high-speed Jacquard machines, drives,yarn feeders and various otherelectronic components.

Van De Wiele andSuperba join forces


industry was increasingly shifting to theFar East, with the major playersreorienting themselves - also in thedirection of manmade fibers. In 2000, theSwiss Saurer Group acquired Barmagand Neumag, with the Oerlikon Grouptaking over the textiles division of Saurersix years later. During these years, thebusinesses were consolidated andrestructured: Neumag assumed the BCFactivities and increasingly focused on thenewly-oriented nonwovens division;Barmag concentrated its attention on thefilament business. Here, the high-perfor-mance technologies of both companiescomplemented each other and resulted insuperior products and, in part, high marketshares. To this end, Neumag secured thelion’s share of the entire US BCF market withits S5, S+ and Sytec One BCF platforms andsimultaneously supported the increasingpolyester boom. Today, Neumag is thepremium BCF brand throughout the world.

Oerlikon Manmade Fibers with itscurrent tally of 51 employees in the USA.‘We are adding BCF, IDY, FDY andtexturing capacities in North Americaand are also modernizing equipmentdelivered many years ago. We recognizean opportunity to better support ourindustry partners. This was a primaryreason for our investment in the newDalton Service Center’, states ChipHartzog - and adds, ‘We have been thetechnological ambassador to the US for50 years now - and are prepared tocontinue that tradition.’

Bostik opens newplant in India

Bostik, a leading global adhesivespecialist for industrial manufacturing,construction and consumer markets, has

extended its hotmelt pressuresensitive adhesives(HMPSA) productioncapacities with theopening of a newplant at itsmanufacturingfacility in Bangalore,India. Thedevelopment willparticularly enhanceBostik’s ability toserve customers inthe disposablehygiene sector.Working with globalmanufacturers ofbaby diapers,feminine hygieneand adultincontinenceproducts, Bostiksupplies solutions fordemandingapplicationsincluding elasticattachment, wetnessindication andstretch. ‘We arepleased to continueBostik’s expansion infast-growingeconomies with theextension of ourfacilities inBangalore, India,’says Jeffrey Merkt,Bostik senior vicepresident of Asia.‘Development inhigh growthgeographic marketsremains one of thecentral componentsof Bostik’s futuregrowth strategy andthis new facility willensure we maintainour close ties withcustomers in Indiawhile meeting thegrowing demands ofthis importantmarket.’

Bostik has beenactive in India since


corporatenews2001 and manufactures a range ofadhesives and related products for theindustrial manufacturing andconstruction markets. The new plant inIndia represents the latest milestone inthe Bostik group’s international ex-pansion following recent plant open-ings in China, Malaysia and Brazil.

Covestro new namefor Bayer MaterialScience

Covestro is the new name for BayerMaterial Science will be introduced at theFakuma trade fair in Friedrichshafen,Germany, from 13-17 October.

The name comprise terms embodyingthe identity of the new company.

Whereas the first syllable stands for'collection' with a variety of partners,'vest' refers to investment in modern,large-scale production facilities.

Finally, 'stro' is derived from theEnglish word 'strong' and standsfor strength.

Covestro is already active in thedevelopment and marketing of a series oflightweight solutions based onpolyurethane systems. The company isnow planning to enter into the productionof composites with the light performanceplastic polycarbonate, primarily for theautomotive, transport and informationtechnology industries.

Recently, while still operating asBayer MaterialScience, Covestrostrengthened its position in this key

market with the acquisition ofThermoplast composite in Langenfeld ,near Nuremberg, Germany.

ThermoreintroducesThermal Booster

Leading Italian producer of thermalinsulation for apparel and sleepingbags Thermore presented its newlydeveloped Thermore Thermal Booster, anext generation smart insulation, whichis said to provide greater comfort andfunctionality for a wearer.

The Thermal Booster smart insulationis available in two different weight

variations toperfectly matchmosttemperaturerangerequirements.The company isconvinced thatThermal Boosteris the future ofthermalinsulation and islikely to be usedin more apparelproducts overtime.

ThermoreThermal Boosteris the smart

insulation that is said to extend thecomfort zone by keeping users warmover a wider range of temperatures.The product is designed to providemore warmth when the weather getscolder, the company reports.

'Thermal Booster maintains itshigher warmth for as long as thetemperature is lower. And of course, ifthe temperature increases, itautomatically re-tunes to the warmertemps, thus keeping you in the comfortzone,' says the company.

Thermore, founded in 1972 inMilan, is a leader in the research,production and marketing of thermalinsulation for apparel with operationsin Europe, USA and Asia, includingproduction facilities in Thailand andoffices in Hong Kong. The company'scurrent product range includes Classic,Ecodown, Rinnova, Pro, and Aria.

Global automotivecomposites marketto hit US$ 7 bn by2022

According to a new market reportpublished by Persistence MarketResearch, the global automotivecomposites market was valued atUS$ 3.06 bn in 2014, which isexpected to increase to US$ 7.02 bnby 2022 at a compound annualgrowth rate of 8.8%

The Asia Pacificautomotivecomposites market(the largest marketin 2014) increasedrevenue from US$1.83 bn in 2014, aCAGR of 8.7%.

Increasingautomotiveproduction isexpected to fuel theoverall demand forcarbon composites inthe near future.

Automakers arefocused on usinglightweightmaterials tomanufactureexternal and

Mr Patrick Thomas, CEO of Bayer MaterialScience,introducing the new brand of the company.

Unifi, a multi-national manufacturer of textured and otherprocessed yarns, has reported an increase in net income forthe 2015 fiscal year, which constituted US 42.2 million,compared to US 28.8 million for the prior fiscal year.

The company also recorded high sales volumes ascompared to the prior year due to increased regional demandfor textured polyester and nylon yarns in North and CentralAmerica, as well as improvements in Brazil and China.

'The company's US 34.3 million Adjusted Net Income forthe 2015 fiscal year makes this our most profitable yearsince fiscal year 2000, and is attributable to our strictadherence to our mix enrichment efforts, our focus on recycl-ing and sustainability initiatives, and our commitment todriving operational excellence throughout the organization,'explained Bill Jasper, Chairman and CEO of Unifi.

Unifi reports mostprofitable year

"Focus on the future with spunbond processes for technical nonwovens. “

Dr. Ingo MählmannProduct Manager NonwovenOerlikon Neumag

The market for technical nonwovens annually grows by an average of 9 %. You want to grow with this market? With our equipment you are prepared for the future:

Fullscopesupplyuptothefinishedrolledgoods High throughput Low energy consumption High grade nonwoven material Competence in PET and PP

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ONE-Anzeige-Technisch-Nonwoven-fb-210x280-EN-150817.indd 1 17.08.15 11:16


internal parts of vehicles to reducevehicle weight, and in turn improve fuelefficiency. This is a major factor drivingthe growth of the automotivecomposites market.

www.persistecemarketresearch.com

Duni completesHygiene exit

Swedish airlaid producer Duni isnow completely out of the hygienemarket following the transfer of its

remaining production in Dals Långedto Skåpafors and conversion of theseassets to tabletop lines.

Duni announced it would exit thehygiene business in February 2013 butthe consolidation was delayed when abuyer for its airlaid line was not found.In September 2014, Duni said it wouldconcentrate its entire Rexcell airlaidbusiness in Skåpafors, Sweden,following its exit from the hygienebusiness. At that time, the companysaid the Dals Långed plant would

close by October 2015 and lines therewould be relocated to Skåpafors.

Donaldson makesacquisitions

Filtration specialist Donaldson hasmade two acquisitions to boost differentparts of its business. In the US, through itsDonaldson Torit business, the companyhas acquired a majority stake in IFILUSA, a manufacturer of pleated bagfilters for industrial dust collection. Theagreement with IFIL USA is expected toadd approximately US$6 million toUS$8 million of revenue to Donaldson'sfiscal 2016 results.

Meanwhile, in Colombia, Donaldsonwill enhance its engine filtrationbusiness through the acquisition of100% of the shares of Industrias PartmoS.A. Partmo is a leading manufacturerof replacement air, lube and fuel filters.Founded in 1963, Partmo generatesannual sales of approximately US$ 15million. Partmo has approximately 250employees at its main production site inBucaramanga, Colombia.

TAL invests inneedlepunch line

Technical Absorbents Ltd (TAL) hasrecently invested in a needlefelt line at itsfacility in Grimsby, UK. The SAF producingcompany has been involved in theproduction of SAF-containing roll goodsfor a number of years but has previouslyworked with a number of global partnersto make nonwovens. These relationshipswill continue, but the new line will provideTAL with greater flexibility and productdevelopment opportunities.

The line can produce fabrics up totwo meters wide in basis weights from130 to 1000 gsm, containing as much as80% SAF. To help protect the fiber duringprocessing, the line will be housed in alow-humidity environment.

EVS receivesUS$ 600,000order from China

Elbit Vision Systems, a pioneer inthe science of camera-based automaticvision inspection for textile fabrics and

Automakersare focused

on usinglightweightmaterials to

manufactureexternal andinternal parts

This report, INDA’s ninth analysis ofthis market, provides the mostcomprehensive and accurate viewavailable of the North Americannonwovens industry. Detailed demandand supply data (capacity, production,and trade flows) are presented for theNorth American industry for 2008,2013, and a forecast for 2018.

Brad Kalil, INDA’s Director ofMarket Research & Statistics, said,‘This new report goes beyond theinformation provided in the previouseditions. It defines and clarifies enduse market segments and productionprocesses to provide greater insightinto industry fundamentals. In 2013,the North American market consumed1.9 million tonnes of nonwovenmaterial; this is forecast to reach 2.3million tonnes in 2018, a 4.2 percent

annual growth rate. The reportcontains additional nonwovenconsumption measurements of squaremeters and roll good value, inaddition to number of individualwipes consumed and their value tothe end user.

The six disposable end usemarkets, comprised of 104 categories,are: absorbent hygiene, wipesfiltration, medical/surgical, protectiveapparel and other disposables. Thedurable end use markets, comprised of55 categories are: geosynthetics, home& office furnishings, transportation,building construction, apparel andother durables.

The report is available forUS$ 3,850 for INDA Members,and US$ 5,500 for Non-members.

www.inda.org/stores

North American Nonwovens IndustryOutlook 2013-2018

corporatenews


technical webs, has received a keyUS$ 600,000 order for 19 iBarsystems and one IQ-Tex4 system fortyre-cord application, from a majorChinese manufacturer of advancedmaterials and fabrics.

In total, 40 iBars have been soldfor this particular application out of atotal of 70 iBars sold-to-date, thecompany reports.

'iBar has more than proven itself tothe initial customers which have beenqualifying our machines by bringing avery quick return on investment. Some ofour customers, such as this one, are nowat the stage where they have seen thevalue that iBar brings, and areexpanding their integration of iBar acrossmore of their production lines,' said SamCohen, CEO of EVS.

EVS offers a broad portfolio ofautomatic state-of-the-art visualinspection systems for both in-line andoff-line applications, and process

monitoring systems used to improveproduct quality, safety, and increaseproduction efficiency.

Tredegar expandsin Hungary

Tredegar Film Products, a subsidiaryof Tredegar Corporation, will invest innew assets to provide Europeancustomers with local supply of unique,state-of-the art elastic laminates andelastic films for personal careapplications. In response to increaseddemand for elastic products for adultincontinence and baby care applications,the company is adding new technologyand capacity in the Rétság, Hungary,plant to enable production of its FlexAireand Extraflex products. The companyexpects this additional capacity to befully operational by the end of 2016.

In other news, Tredegar will downsizeits manufacturing facility in Lake Zurich,

IL. The facility, which currently employs134 people, is expected to downsiseover the next two years as products are

Technology leadersrely on Tredegar

surface protectionfilms for the most

sensitive optical andelectronic materials

corporatenews


transferred to other film productsmanufacturing facilities.

Global man-madefibre production

Andreas Engelhardt of The Fibre YearGmbH, Speicher/Switzerland, presentedsome high-lights of the new textileyearbook 'The Fibre Year 2015' which isnow available. The 218-page reportdelivers a wealth of information andlatest developments in the world textileand nonwovens industry.

In 2014, the global demand for fibreswas 93.7 million tons. This represents anincrease of 4.1% or 3.6 million tons on theprevious year, whereby synthetic fibresincreased by 2.7 million tons, cellulosicsby 0.3 million tons and natural fibres(mainly cotton) rose by around 2, 5% to30.5 million tons.

The segment of man-made fibres saw

continued growth in 2014with synthetic fibresincreasing by 5.0% to57.1 million tons, mostlycarried by increases inPET and PA. However,growth momentum hascooled for synthetic andcellulosic fibres. Syntheticfibres enjoyed strongergrowth than cellulosics(+3.8% to 6.2 milliontons) for the first timesince 2010.

China strengthenedits dominating positionwith roust productionincreases of 7.4% to 43million tons, especiallyin the PET and PA fibresegments. Nearly all ofthe global productionincrease took place inChina which has now aglobal share of 68%.The surprising growthrates of Chinese man-made fibres productionallow the assumptionthat inventories havebeen built up. The USAtighten its 2nd place(2.9 million tons, +0.7%)while India's man-made

fibre production decreased in the 4thconsecutive year. In 2014, India wasfor the first time largest cotton producerin the world.

American Starlinger-Sahm, Inc. has completed themove into its new North American headquarters.Located in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, the facilitycomprises a total of 23,000 sq.ft. and consists of amachine exhibition area, spare parts warehouse, andoffice space.

‘North America is an important market with stronggrowth potential both in woven plastic packagingproduction and in plastics recycling. In our newheadquarters with its machine exhibition area ourcustomers can see Starlinger and Sahm machinery inoperation and make test runs with their respective inputmaterials’, says Jimmy Cranford, President of AmericanStarlinger-Sahm, Inc.

In the new location Starlinger and Sahm will offerthe full range of their products and services.

Starlinger-Sahm movesinto new headquarters

Investments at spinning stage havebeen slowing, most nonwovens sectorscontinue expanding. Massiveinvestments in raw material markets forPET and PA 6 lead to over-capacity atunprecedented size.

Scottish technicaltextiles producerexpands in China

Scottish technical textiles specialistJ&D Wilkie is opening a new £ 3 mfactory in Jianxing near Shanghai toenable it to produce technical products.

Kirriemuir, Angus based J&D Wilkiebegan producing jute and flax inScotland in 1868, and has almostdoubled production since it establishedoperations in China eight years ago. Thecompany produces a wide range offabrics for commercial and industrialapplications, including for the military.

Wilkie said that the expansion inChina would safeguard 90 jobs inScotland. The new factory in China willhouse an integrated spinning andweaving unit on one site.

J&D Wilkie Ltd is a privately ownedglobal technical textile manufacturingcompany with head office based inScotland. With over 140 years experienceJ&D Wilkie takes pride in its ability toquickly adapt and implement the neces-sary changes in both technology and themanufacturing processes, to meet its chang-ing customer and market requirements.

Sandler addsfifth plant

Sandler is investing in the hygienemarket. Set to complete work on aEuro 17 million production facility-itsfifth-in Schwarzenbach/Saale,Germany, by the end of 2015, thenonwovens producer will next investEuro 26 million in a new nonwovensline targeting hygiene markets in the22,750 square-meter plant.

The investment will help expandSandler's role in the important hygienemarket where its nonwovens are alreadyvalued for their soft touch and gentle feel.

Excavations for the new plant,which will be similar to plant four,began in March. Sandler has alsoMan-made fibre production country-wise

corporatenews


Sandler premises in Schwarzenbach/Saale, Germany,

Following just ten months ofconstruction, the new technologycenter of the Chemnitz-basedmachine and systems builderOerlikon Barmag was opened on2nd July 2015. In the future, the1,600-m² new-build on Zwickauer

Straße will be the venue for thedevelopment and testing primarily ofextrusion systems for tapes andmonofilaments along with winding/texturing machines, twistingmachines and carbon fiber winders.Furthermore, the new, attractivebuilding will be used as a showroomfor Oerlikon Barmag innovations.

begun construction on a newadministration building.

'The commissioning of our newproduction line will create up to 50 newjobs. These investments take us one stepfurther towards the realization of newtextile concepts for the versatile market ofhygiene products. Our new plant willenable us to render our processes evenmore efficient and the new administrationbuilding will provide our staff with thebest possible work environment.’ saysCEO Dr Christian Heinrich Sandler.

Taylor named nextCEO of P&G

Procter & Gamble announced thatDavid S Taylor, current group president ofglobal beauty, grooming and healthcare,will succeed A G Lafley as itspresident and CEO, effectiveNovember 1. Taylor has beenappointed to the Company's boardof directors. Lafley will becomeP&G's executive chairman.

Taylor joined P&G in 1980. Hehas helped to build many of P&G'score businesses, including babycare, family care, hair care andhome care. He has led globalbusinesses, and lived and worked inNorth America, Europe, and Asia.Most recently, Taylor served as GroupPresident of Global Beauty, Groomingand Health Care.

Infiana invests inPennsylvania

After the first six successful months as astand-alone enterprise Infiana is nowannouncing the first capacity expansion

while continuing to supportInfiana's market leading positionin Building & Construction.

'With this investment we areresponding positively to thegrowing demand within our localand global customer base',points out Robert Shumoski,General Manager Infiana NorthAmerica.

The new extruder allowsInfiana to enter new marketswhile improving flexibility in themanufacturing process to support

the seasonal demands of its customers.Approximately a hundred employees arecurrently supplying silicone coatedrelease films as well as non-siliconisedsmooth and embossed films at theMalvern, PA location. The goodsmanufactured at this site primarily servethe Building and Construction Industry,the Pressure Sensitive Markets, and theComposites Market.

Drylock addsincontinenceproducts

Three years after introducing its pulp-free diaper, Drylock is adding products forthe adult incontinence market. The firstbatch of items from its Dailee adultincontinence brand began shipping in

June to an institutional customer inGermany. According to executives atDrylock, the company ismanufacturing a full range of adultincontinence products including apulp-free light inco product and a lowpulp allin- one adult diaper andplans to have a pulpless adult pant onthe market within the next two months.

In other news, Drylock has beenexpanding its manufacturingfootprint. By the end of the year, theBelgium-based company's third

plant-located in Tararstan, Russia-will becomplete. Drylock already has sites inNiznhy Novgorod, Russia, and Hradek,Czech Republic.

Mann + Hummelbuys Affinia

German industrial filter maker Mann+ Hummel has agreed to buy US peer

within its global growth plan. Thecompany is starting by investing inadditional extruder capacity at its site inMalvern, PA. This new asset increasesInfiana's ability to continue to grow with itscustomers. It will support Infiana'sdiversification into new product segments,

Oerlikon Barmagopens tech centre

at Chemnitz

High-precision winders for themanmade fiber industry aredeveloped and manufactured at theChemnitz-based Oerlikon Barmag plant

corporatenews


Affinia to boost its annual sales by US$ 1billion, or by more than a third, and gainaccess to the US market for heavy-dutyand hydraulic filters.

This is the third deal within a year inwhich a US auto supplier is bought by aGerman counterpart, following ZE'stakeover of Delphi's air conditioning unit.

Affinia makes oil, air, fuel, cabin air,transmission, hydraulic, and coolant filtersfor vehicles and machinery ranging fromrace cars to excavators and wind mills.

Mann + Hummel said Affinia'sbusiness would continue to operateseparately from its own for theforeseeable future.

Primaloft assupplier of bluesigninsulations

PrimaLoft, the leader in providingcomfort solutions with high-performanceinsulations and fabrics, has been namedthe largest provider of bluesign certifiedinsulation with the best managednetwork of worldwide production sites.

PrimaLoft was the first brandedsynthetic insulation manufacturer toobtain bluesign certification for itshigh-performance insulations backin December 2010 and nowoffers 16 different bluesigncertified PrimaLoftInsulations, includingstaple fibres andcontinuous filaments.

'PrimaLoft is thelargest ingredientbrand provider forbluesign approvedinsulations', saidPeter Waeber,CEO fromBluesignTechnologiesAG.

PrimaLoft,a materialssciencecompany

based in Latham, NY, with offices inGermany, Italy and China, is the leaderin research and innovative developmentof comfort solutions with highperformance insulations and fabrics.

The PrimaLoft brand delivers feel-good products that are used in the topglobal outdoor and fashion brands,home furnishings, workwear, hunting andmilitary applications.

Wacker postssignificant growthin sales

Wacker Chemie AG generated bothyear-over-year and quarter-over-quartersales growth from April through June2015, mainly thanks to higher volumesand favorable exchange-rate effects. InQ2 2015, the Munich-based chemicalcompany generated sales of Euro1,370.5 million compared with Euro1,242.3 million a year ago, up a good10% year over year and almost 3% overthe preceding quarter (EURO 1,334.9million). The chemical divisions andSiltronic all achieved double-digit sales

growthcompared with

Q2 2014.Polysilicon

sales,however,

fell slightly year over year as a result oflower prices.

Wacker Polymers has been atrendsetter on a number of fronts,including the development of polyvinylbutyral and polyvinyl alcohol. As aprotective colloid, the latter is anessential component of dispersiblepolymer powder, which was alsodeveloped by Wacker and hasrevolutionised the building industry. Theprecursor of dispersible polymer powdergave rise to innovative VAE dispersions,which are leaders in paint, adhesive andtextile applications.

Toray expands inCzech Republic

Japan's Toray Industries group isstrengthening its position in Central-Eastern Europe's textile market with therecord sales of its Czech subsidiary,Toray Textiles Central Europe (TTCE).

Toray Industries operates aproduction facility in Prostejov, in theCzech Republic's south-eastern part. Dueto the plant's increasing sales, the grouphas established itself as the largestforeign investor in the country's Olomoucregion. The Japanese producer is eyeingto further expand its output capacity thisyear, and plans to create 30 new jobs atthe Czech plant.

Toray Industries says its productsare 100% polyester filament fabrics,plain taffeta, textured taffeta andpongee. TTCE was the first Czech-based firm to start making textiles forautomotive air bags, and its portfolioalso includes lining cloth, sportswear,furnishing materials, outer wear, andbase fabric for industrial use.

Located in the country's Olomouc

The HalleyJacket placesthree different

types ofPrimaloft ECOinsulation in

body-mappedzones toenhance

unrestrictedmovement and

increasethermal

efficiency.

corporatenews



H.B. Fuller celebratesgroundbreaking of itsfacility in Surabaya,

Indonesia

region, about 203 km from the CzechRepublic's capital Prague, Prostejovhas served as the centre of the Czechtextile industry.

Valmet to acquiretissue rewinderbusiness fromMassimiliano

Valmet and Massimiliano Corsini srl.have signed a Sale Agreement of MCPaper Machinery and Focus Rewindingbusiness to Valmet on July 31, 2015.

The acquired operations mainlysupply rewinders for tissue and non-woven machines. In the past years the netsales of the acquired business has beenaround Euro 10 million. The operationsemploy 33 people and are located inPescia, close to Lucca, Italy.

Valmet and MC Paper Machineryhave had a long-term partnership and alarge amount of MC Paper rewindershave been installed in connection toValmet tissue machines.

H.B. Fuller breaksground on Indo-nesian plant

Adhesives supplier H.B. Fuller brokeground on its future manufacturingfacility in Surabaya, Indonesia. Thisfacility will strengthen H.B. Fuller'snetwork in the Asia Pacific region andwill complement the products andtechnical service offered today by thecompany's manufacturing facilities inChina, the Philippines, Malaysiaand Australia.

'This future manufacturing facility isan excellent example of how we will

leverage our global reach and technicalknowledge to empower local experts,'says Jim Owens, H.B. Fuller presidentand chief executive officer. 'Today, wemark an important milestone in ourcommitment to deliver value to ourcustomers in Asia, enhance our

competitive position, and continuemaking investments in the capabilitiesnecessary to support our long-termgrowth strategy.'

The company anticipates productionof hot melt and water-based adhesivesproducts to begin in the second quarterof 2016. This increased capacity in theregion will enable the company toconsistently meet local customers'requirements and grow significantly inSoutheast Asia, particularly Indonesia.

From this new site, H.B. Fuller willprovide adhesive solutions to customersin the hygiene, packaging,woodworking, filter, product assembly,container labeling and other durableassembly industries.

Belgotex installsIntarema lineone roof

A year ago, Belgotex FloorcoveringsPty. in Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal,was the first company in South Africa toinstall an Intarema line. Now, Belgotex isreporting the results and advantages ofthe Erema technology.

The biggest flooring producer insouthern Africa, Belgotex operates aproduction facility with 100,000 m2 toproduce carpets, industrial flooring,vinyl, floor coverings and artificial turf.The successful family-run company hasbeen able to recycle production waste.However, the previously used recyclingsystem made by another company wasonly capable of producing recycledgranules for the production of feltunderlayers, but no master batches,which had to be purchased. Until theyswitched to technology made by theEngineering Recycling Maschinen undAnlagen GmbH, headquartered inAnsfelden, Austria.

With the new 1007 TE line, Belgotexcan take polypropylene fibres from theproduction of needlefelt carpets, turnthem into high-quality, defined recycledgranules and use them to produce fibres- with one system, all under one roof. Thecompany was able to reduce PP wastefrom carpet production to almost zero.

With reliable technology and theinnovations of the new line generation,Belgotex was also able to achieve an

Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd, asubsidiary of denim and brandedapparel major, Arvind Ltd, enters intoa partnership with Aeropostale Inc.,

New York based retailer withspeciality in casual and activeapparel for youth, to sell Aeropostale'srange of apparels in India.

Arvind Lifestyle Brand MD andCEO J Suresh said that they areextremely pleased to bringAeropostale to India. Aeropostalewill be the first of its kind youthfocused retail format in India. With40 per cent of India's populationbelow the age of 20, it is expectedAeropostale to be hugely popularand successful.

Partnership bet-ween Arvind andUS Aeropostale

corporatenews



enormous output increase. Shortly afterlocal Erema technicians started the sys-tem, the output reached 300 kg per hour.

Teijin beginsproduction ofTeijinconex

Teijin Corporation (Thailand) Limited,has begun producing Teijinconex neo, anew type of highly heat-resistant anddyeable meta-aramid fiber, on thepremises of Teijin (Thailand) Limited inBang Pa-in Industrial Estate, Ayutthaya,Thailand. Teijin is now the first company

to ever to produce high-function, high-performance fibers in the ASEAN region.

The 2,200-tons-per-annum plant wasbuilt at a cost of around USD 36 millionand has begun operating with aworkforce of 70 people. The site measures22,985 square meters. Construction of theplant started in December 2013.

Teijinconex neo offers unsurpassedheat resistance and excellent dyeabilitythat enable highly diversified solutionsfor the design and manufacture ofprotective apparel. Teijin’s productiontechnologies assure that products arecompliant with REACH and otherenvironmental regulations directly out ofthe factory, without additional treatment.

Teijinconex neo will strengthen Teijin’sposition and competitiveness in theemerging markets of Asia and otherregions, where the demand for heat-resistant, flame-retardant high-performancematerials is growing. Teijin expects to take aleading position in the global market forprotective apparel, targeting sales of USD

160 million by2020.

Today, strongdemands exist indeveloped marketsfor protectiveclothing made witharamid fibersoffering comfort,maneuverabilityand excellentdyeability, as wellas high protection.In Asia and otheremerging countries,

rising standards forprotective apparelare boosting thedemand for Teijin-conex and Teijin-conex neo meta-aramid fibers inthese markets aswell.

Solvay toacquireCytec

Solvay, theBrussels, Belgium-headquarteredchemicals major isto acquire CytecIndustries in a dealthat values thecomposites produ-cer at US$ 6.4 bn.

Headquarteredin New Jersey, USA,


with 4,600 employees worldwide, Cytecgenerated sales of US$ 2 bn in 2014,almost half of which came from NorthAmerica and nearly a third from Europe,Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

In the composite materials sector,which represents two thirds of Cytecsales, its principal market is primary andsecondary structures for aircraft. It is alsodeveloping new technologicalapplications for automotive composites.

Industry excitementmounts forFiltration 2015

Building on the excitement of thecombination of the Filtration 2015International Conference & Exposition withthe INDA Nonwoven Filter Media Training

Course, INDA is expecting its largestturnout for this year's event as it returns toChicago's Navy Pier, Nov 17-19.

'Filtration 2015 will once againdeliver on its promise of 'PureOpportunity' by bringing together high-quality educational program content,training, product display sand connectionopportunities in one location to advancethe success of filtration professionals,'said INDA President David Rousse.

Industry professionals will learn thelatest industry intelligence from leadingspeakers and experts at the conferenceon Nov. 17.

Some 130 exhibitors are expectedfrom around the world. The Exposition willopen starting at 10:30 am on Nov 18 andNov 19 with an evening reception Nov 18.

Registration is now open for both theFiltration InternationalConference & Expositionand Nonwoven FilterMedia Training Course, atwww.inda.org.

KKR, toinvest inJBF Group

JBF Industries Ltd.(JBF), a leading manufac-turer of polyester valuechain products, has signeda definitive agreement withKKR under which the US-based investment firm willinvest US$ 150-mn into JBFGroup, an entity thatincludes JBF’s internationalsubsidiaries.

The JBF Groupmanufactures polyestervalue chain productsranging from polyesterchips, polyester yarn andfilms, which are used inthe fast-moving consumergoods, textile andpackaging industries. Thegroup has sixmanufacturing facilitiesacross India, Bahrain,Belgium and the UAE.

JBF, which is among thetop 10 producers ofpolyethylene terephthalate

Durst, the industrial inkjet specialist, hasexpanded the application options of the Rhotex 180TR to include a direct-printing option. In early 2015,Durst introduced dye-sublimation technology with theRhotex 180 TR. This technology makes it possible evenfor those not involved in the industry to start printing onsublimation paper and carry out the subsequenttransfer process with a calender.

At the request of many of our customers, Durstnow offers an optional 'Direct-printing kit' for theRhotex 180 TR. Direct printing is relevant not onlyfor flag materials, but also for standard materialswhere the intermediate step with paper can bedispensed with. With this expansion, the Rhotex180 TR has been promoted to a 'Multi-functionprinting system' for coated and uncoated materialsin applications ranging from sports clothing tointerior textiles to soft signage. Direct printing andtransfer printing use dye-sublimation inks which arewater-based, odorless, skin-friendly and free ofvolatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Durst expands theRhotex 180 TR

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corporatenews(PET) chips and of BOPET films globally,operates three domestic facilities in India -one in Gujarat and two in Silvassa. Inaddition, JBF is setting up a purifiedterephthalic acid (PTA) plant in MangaloreSEZ with 1.25-mtpa capacity, which it claimsto be among the largest in India.

Satu Perälampi newcommunicationshead of Ahlstrom

Satu Perälampi has been appointedvice president, communications, atAhlstrom Corporation and will begin herrole with the company on August 31,2015. Her responsibility areas includeexternal and internal communications aswell as investor relations. She will reportto Sakari Ahdekivi, chief financial officer.

Perälampi joins Ahlstrom from VarmaMutual Pension Insurance Company,where she worked as senior vicepresident, communications, and wasresponsible for external and internalcommunications.

Composites Europeto celebrate its10th anniversary

Composites Europe will take placefrom 22-24 September in Stuttgart,where it will exhibit a whole range offibre-reinforced plastics, among whichare numerous innovations in theapplications of automobile construction,air and space travel, boat construction,wind energy and the construction sector.

On its 10th anniversary, the trade fairis setting new records. The coming-together of 450 exhibitors from 30nations emphasises the internationalsignificance of Composites Europe, whichhas continuously performed at recordlevels since its inauguration. For the firsttime, this year Composites Europe isexhibiting across three fair halls.

The exhibition is also promoting newthemes, programme highlights andpremieres. In addition to automation forserial production and new light construc-tion concepts, future themes, such asmaterial repairs of fibre-reinforcedplastic components, potential biologicallybased materials and of basalt fibres, areincreasingly adopted.


SAHM WINDERS

Individual solutions inhigh speed winding with

SAHM

Georg Sahm hasrecently launchedtwo solutions for

the automatichigh-speed windingof technical yarns -

Twinstar II andSahm 3200.

Winding technology has alwaysbeen a hub of innovation for thefibre and filament industry as a

whole. It stands at the cusp where deve-lopment of new materials meets the scienceof perfecting their production, handling andindustrial processing. The demands placedon winding machines are as diverse as thematerials processed. New materialsand innovative end products requireindividual adaptation of windingtechnology. The better the package quality,the more economically it will perform indownstream processes. A well-woundpackage is a major step towards a top-quality end product.

Drawing on years of experience withthese development cycles, Georg SahmGmbH & Co KG of Eschwege, Germany,has recently launched two solutions for the

automatic high-speed winding of technicalyarns: TWINSTAR II and SAHM 3200.

TWINSTAR II - Automaticprecision cross winderseries for direct spinningup to 2500 m/min

The original TWINSTAR has alreadybeen a benchmark for winders in theindustry for many years. Now theTWINSTAR II raises the standard againand offers the highest performance withminimum space requirements. TheTWINSTAR II automatic winder is designedfor winding of high performance fibers,multifilaments, monofilaments, coated ortwisted yarns or tapes.

The new TWINSTAR II 380XE HS (high

Georg Sahm GmbH & Co KG, D-37269 Eschwege, Germanywww.sahmwinder.de


SAHM WINDERS

speed) was launched at ITMA ASIA2014. Designed to minimise installationspace, it was specifically developed toreplace existing winders for use in thedirect spinning process (i.e. existingspinning lines for HT PP, PE, PET and PAyarns for technical applications like tyrecord, ropes, nettings, webbings, sewingand embroidery yarns, etc.). TWINSTARII enables many previous users of manual1-cop and even 2-cop winders toautomate their processes, thereby savingnot only labour but also the considerableenergy needed to provide compressedair for the suction gun used in manualbobbin changeover. At high windingspeeds and with doffing times frequentlyless than 30 minutes, this is an importantcost factor. With automatic bobbinchangeover (99.9 % changeoverreliability), no waste occurs duringproduction. Customer requirements forbobbin changeover can be set accordingto yarn length, winding time, packageweight, package diameter, winding cycleor external signal. A dancer arm controlsthe winding tension in the range between5 and 1200 cN. Winding speeds up to2500 m/min and package weights up to20 kg can be achieved. Customers canselect the winding mode of precisioncross winding or random winding.

Besides replacement under existingspinning lines and thanks to theextended winding speed range upto 2500 m/min, a sophisticated tensioncontrol and gentle yarn treatment,TWINSTAR II model 380XE HS isalso particularly suitable for winding upof high performance fibers and technicalyarns with a high number of filamentsand/or high tenacity (i.e. UHMWPE,POK, PVA, PEN, Aramide, BICO yarns,high performance monofilaments).

Ongoing development is evident inseveral facets of the TWINSTAR II winderdesign. Gentle treatment of the yarnminimizes strain on the material.Operator convenience and ease ofmaintenance have been enhanced. Theoptimised drive helps reduceconsumption of power to new low levels.With recipe control and the possibility ofcomplete process documentation andforwarding of data to a master system,TWINSTAR II enables compliance withhighest quality control standards.

Another important aspect thatsets the TWINSTAR II apart from others onthe market is the availability of individualtailoring from SAHM. This applies notonly to an efficient and cost-effectivehandling and transport system which canbe supplied for the customer'sapplications, but also to the option ofcustomized frame design fitting toexisting spinning lines.

SAHM 3200Automatic winder

The SAHM 3200 is a compact winderand suitable for winding of 2, 3 or 4ends with a chuck length of 600 mm. Thestandard version can wind textile andtechnical multifilaments of PP, PA, PE andPET - FDY (165 to 4000 dtex) and BCF

yarns (1000 to 4000 dtex). The winderscan be run with different tubes: insidediameter of 73 mm for BCF and75 or 94 mm for continuous filamentswith a package outside diameter of320 mm. The winding speed depends onthe material and can be from 1500 to3500 m/min. The 3200 winders areused mainly in combination with compactspinning lines.

New materials and processesrequire individual winding solutions.Very fine monofilaments and hollowfibres for medical and hygieneapplications have different requirements

than high strength multifilaments ofdifferent polymers with minimalelongation for industrial applications.The latest design of the SAHM 3200 isable to wind these materials withoutcompromising on yarn quality becauseof the technically proven scroll camdrive, customized scroll cam geometryand the new active driven bail roller.

Adjustable bail pressure and yarntension assure excellent package quality.As with TWINSTAR II, there is a choice ofdifferent winding modes (precision crosswinding or random winding). The perfectdesign of all yarn-touching partsminimizes strain to the fibre. With thesementioned new features and optionsmodel SAHM 3200 is particularlysuitable in winding up many sensitivemultifilaments as LOY, POY or FDY

yarns, e.g. for functionalwear or filter fabrics evenwith a dpf of <1 and yarncounts from 30 dtex.

The SAHM 3200 canbe easily integrated inexisting processes. Due toits compact dimensions itfits below almost anyspinning line. The windersare designed for plug-and-play installation andcontrolled by amultilingual HMI which hasa self-explanatory menu.For additional systems thewinder has several. In andOutput options, progra-mmable for otherrequirements like handlingor doffing systems.

Georg Sahm GmbH &Co KG, with headquarters in Eschwege,Germany, is a leading manufacturer ofautomatic and manual winders forvarious applications, e.g. multifilaments,monofilaments, tapes, carbon fibres, pre-preg tapes, aramid fibres, highperformance fibres, nonwoven tapes,security tapes, etc.

SAHM belongs to the STARLINGERGroup, Vienna, Austria, and has officesin Guangzhou, China, New Delhi,India, and in the United States atGreenville, SC where AmericanStarlinger-Sahm, Inc. handles sales,service and spare parts supply.

SAHM 3200

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TECHTEXTIL INDIA 2015 : PREVIEW

Offering aconducive platform

to network andgenerate profitable

business oppor-tunities, Techtextil

India has trans-formed into an

outstanding andconsistent trade fair.

Exemplary Consistent Trendy

TECHTEXTIL INDIA

he 5th edition of Techtextil India willbe held in Mumbai from 24-26September 2015 at Hall No. 6 at the

Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre,Goregaon. There would also be a one-daySymposium ‘The World of Technical Textiles’

with a 50% increase in exhibitingcompanies. The show also saw a 20%increase in international exhibitors from 16countries. Several companies used TechtextilIndia as a platform to launch new andinnovative products to the industry.

T

on 25 September. The special focus will be onrecent developments and emergingopportunities in technical textiles.

Post the launch of Techtextil in India in2007, the exhibition has managed tosupersede exhibitor and visitor expectationsafter every edition. Offering a conduciveplatform to network and generate profitablebusiness opportunities, Techtextil India hastransformed into an outstanding andconsistent, user-oriented trade fair.

The 2013 edition of Techtextil Indiawitnessed a much larger audience with a46% increase in business visitors; paired

The Techtextil 2015 will have productgroups with applications in : agrotech,buildtech, clothtech, geotech, hometech,indutech, medtech, mobiltech, oekotech,packtech, protech, sporttech.

Some of the exhibitors are :The joint booth of INVESTKONSULTINVESTKONSULTINVESTKONSULTINVESTKONSULTINVESTKONSULT

SWEDENSWEDENSWEDENSWEDENSWEDEN and JAJOO HYGIENEJAJOO HYGIENEJAJOO HYGIENEJAJOO HYGIENEJAJOO HYGIENE (StandB45) will have Lars and Johan Berlin ofInvestkonsult there to discuss all mattersrelated to nonwoven and Absorbent HygieneProducts (AHP) with already existingproducers as well as with those that have ageneral interest to enter into these markets.


It has been the clear mission ofInvestkonsult Sweden to develop and tohelp develop the market for bothnonwoven and AHP in India in the past 5years. Investkonsult Sweden are veryactive, not only as brokers of pre-ownedequipment, but also as solution providersand general consultants to the industry.

Working closely together with thethree esteemed organizations of Edana(European nonwoven and AHP org) andINDA (the US counterpart) as well as ITTA(the Indian Technical Textile Association),Investkonsult strives to take the nonwovenindustry in India forward by adding theaccumulated knowledge they have.

At their booth will also be theirpartners in Jajoo Hygiene showing theproducts they make at Dewas (MadhyaPradesh, India) facility on the line thatwas inaugurated in February 2014.Investkonsult welcomes all visitors to stopby for a chat on the nonwoven and AHPindustries in general and the relatedefforts in India in particular.

Since 1976 Investkonsult havebecome from traders of conventionalsecond hand textile machinery toprofessional consultants with a strongfocus in the nonwoven and hygieneindustries. They are one of fewcompanies in the world solelyspecialised in these two fields. Thismeans they can focus on the nonwovenand hygiene sectors only - developingextensive knowledge in these sectors.

Investkonsult value building andmaintaining close relationships with theircustomers, always with a high degree ofdiscretion and confidentiality. Their clientsinclude most of the nonwoven andpersonal care producers worldwide.With their unique combination ofconsulting and knowledge of machinesand production lines there is no need toinvolve any other company.

GROZ-BECKERTGROZ-BECKERTGROZ-BECKERTGROZ-BECKERTGROZ-BECKERT will berepresented with the Felting productsector and present the new Cardingproduct sector for the first time. At StandA31 Groz-Beckert will present needlesolutions and card clothing systems forthe felting industry.

In the Felting product sector numerousflat needled and structured product sam-ples will be exhibited for diverse productrequirements and application areas. With

their product diversity and the completerange, Groz-Beckert offers the ideal needlesolution for every application purpose.

With the takeover of the CardingSolutions sector from the company Bekaertin May 2015, Groz-Beckert has extendedthe range of products and now offers acomprehensive porfolio of card clothingsystems for the felting industry and othersectors. At the Techtextil India theinnovative worker and doffer wiresSirolock and Evostep will be presented.

These are amongst othersdistinguished through improvedfibre control and as a result moreeven felt quality.

Groz-Beckert is the world'sleading provider of industrialmachine needles, precision partsand fine tools as well as systemsand services for the productionand joining of textile fabrics. Theproducts and services support thefields of knitting, weaving, felting,tufting, carding and sewing. Thefamily-owned company, foundedin 1852, employed nearly 7,700people and generated a turnoverof around Euro 570 Mio. in 2014.Groz-Beckert operates withagencies, production anddistribution subsidiaries in morethan 150 countries aroundthe world.

NOWOTECMANOWOTECMANOWOTECMANOWOTECMANOWOTECMA (Stand B44) wasestablished in April 2000 by MrFriedrich Oberlehner. He had workedwith Fehrer AG which used to

SirolockEvostep

manufacture needlelooms, airlay web-forming machines etc. Today, NowotecmaGmbH can proudly be said to be a topplayer in the supply of used machineryfor the manufacture of nonwovens andneedlepunched carpets as well asequipments for the manufacture ofautomotive interior trims and acousticbarrier felts and fabrics.

They supply fibre preparation lines,fibre reclaiming lines / rag tearing lines,textile recycling lines, staple fibre (PP +

PET) - POY - BCF extrusion lines, carding-crosslappers-needlelooms, webdrafters-thermobond or spray bond ovens,slitting/cutting, roll up stackingpackaging equipment, thermobond(calender bonding lines), hydro-entangling lines, waterjet cuttingsystems, airlay web-forming technologyin combination with needlepunchmachines, or thermobond ovens, orpowder bonding systems, spunbondlines, meltblown systems.

KHOSLA PROFIL PVT LTDKHOSLA PROFIL PVT LTDKHOSLA PROFIL PVT LTDKHOSLA PROFIL PVT LTDKHOSLA PROFIL PVT LTD isreckoned as a market leader inmanufacturing, exporting and supplyingof industrial textiles with over 30 years ofexperience. The company's range ofindustrial textiles includes filter fabricsand made-ups, outdoor fabrics, air slidefabrics, industrial and technical fabrics.Also, it is instrumental in makingavailable superior quality range of filterpress, rotary vacuum drum filter, andcentrifuges bags. Khosla Profil is India'sonly composite manufacturing planthaving state-of-the-art manufacturing

EcoStar



facilities right from fibre to made-ups - itis outfitted with highly advanced andmodern machineries like twisting,warping, weaving, checking, processing,coating, thermosetting, calendering,automated cutting and stitching facilitiesthat delivers an impeccable range.

SANRHEA TECHNICAL TEXTILESSANRHEA TECHNICAL TEXTILESSANRHEA TECHNICAL TEXTILESSANRHEA TECHNICAL TEXTILESSANRHEA TECHNICAL TEXTILES,based in Gujarat, India, is concentratingon the production of RFL-Dipped fabricsfor the tyre, conveyor-belt, and rubberproducts. In the year 1997, SanrheaTechnical Textiles Ltd (STTL) entered thefield of technical textiles by putting up amanufacturing facility for the productionof nylon and polyester based heavyindustrial fabrics for the tyre and rubberindustry.

Sanrhea Technical Textiles Ltd ispromoted and managed by Mr TusharPatel, who belongs to a family establishedin the textile industry since threegenerations. Sanrhea, an ISO 9001:2008approved firm set up its facility to manu-facture industrial fabrics in 1997 as a smallconvertor and has grown over the years tobecome one of the largest and most reputedmanufacturers of RFL-Dipped fabrics forconveyor belts, tyres and other rubberproducts. Today the company has aninstalled capacity of 160 tons per month.

The manufacturing facility of thecompany is located in the state ofGujarat, just in the suburbs of the cityof Ahmedabad.

The company has today establisheditself as one of the most accepted andrespected manufacturer of variousindustrial fabrics and technical fabrics inIndia. It is actively working in spreadingits product base into foreign markets likeAustralia, Brazil, Russia, Argentina,Colombia, Canada and Africa. Theirproduct range includes : chafer fabric,liner fabric, belting fabrics, diaphragm,impression and float fabrics.

A B CARD CLOTHING PVTA B CARD CLOTHING PVTA B CARD CLOTHING PVTA B CARD CLOTHING PVTA B CARD CLOTHING PVTLTD (ABCC)LTD (ABCC)LTD (ABCC)LTD (ABCC)LTD (ABCC) is a specialist producer offlexible card clothing. Their card clothingis made from top grade raw materialsensuring a high quality product.Production is carried out using the latesttechnology in an air-conditioned anddust free environment.

ABCC is constantly innovating,developing products and maintaininghigh standards to meet the stringent

quality demands in the international anddomestic market.

The product range includes : Cardclothing, raising/brushing fillet, otherfillets, accessories etc.

SURSURSURSURSURYYYYYA TEXTECHA TEXTECHA TEXTECHA TEXTECHA TEXTECH manufactureshigh quality spunbond fabric with thelatest state-of-art technology. Themanufacturing of spunbond nonwovenfabric involves a continuous process,which convert thermoplastic raw material(polypropylene) into a web composed ofcontinuous filament. Spunbond is highlyversatile and meets the needs of diverserange of products, and is fast replacingtraditional fabrics. Spunbond is safe,reliable, convenient and comfortable touse. Spunbond is highly versatile and itmeets the need of diverse range ofproducts like medical, hygienic andindustrial market application. Theproperties of the fabric are breathable,soft, light, chemical resistant, nontoxicand environment friendly.

DYNAMIC AUTOLOOMS INDIADYNAMIC AUTOLOOMS INDIADYNAMIC AUTOLOOMS INDIADYNAMIC AUTOLOOMS INDIADYNAMIC AUTOLOOMS INDIAPVT LTDPVT LTDPVT LTDPVT LTDPVT LTD is the designer, developer,manufacturer and exporter of variousmachines in the field of textiles. Dynamicdesigns its machines with a view to reducingmaintenance cost, lowering downtime andachieving consistently high quality.

These machines provide totalweaving solutions. In order to meet theinternational requirements, they areconstantly innovating, improvingand developing machines ofhigher capacities.

MADHU GLASSTEX PVTMADHU GLASSTEX PVTMADHU GLASSTEX PVTMADHU GLASSTEX PVTMADHU GLASSTEX PVTLTDLTDLTDLTDLTD, based at Odhav,Ahmedabad, Gujarat (India), isengaged in weaving and coatingof glass textiles. They have beenable to develop coated as well asuncoated glass textiles in differentweaves from plain, twill, satin, lenoetc for various industries like power,shipping, textiles, oil and gas,automotive, composites, food,construction, packaging, cement,glass, printing, garments, safety, rubbers,chemical, filtration, aerospace, defence,mining etc.

Madhu GlassTex Pvt Ltd, will bedisplaying its range of products fromglass textile, glass fibre mesh, siliconeelastomer coated glass textile,vermiculite coated glass textile, calcium

silicate coated glass textile, graphitecoated glass fabric, PVC coated glasstextiles, acrylic coated glass textiles, hightemperature masking adhesive tapes,high silica glass textile, PTFE coatedglass textiles. Temperature range from -70oC to 1000oC.

Few application includes hightemperature textiles for weldingblankets, for thermal insulation jackets,high temperature textiles for flexibleexpansion joints, high temperaturetextiles for compensators, hightemperature textiles for flexible hoses,high temperature textiles for bellows,gaskets and seals, high temperatureconveyor belt, impression and releasesheets, textile for Radomes, hightemperature filter textile for pulse jet andreverse jet bag houses. Water and oilrepellent glass textile, glass textile forfire curtains, high temperature glassfabric sleeves and cables.

They manufacture products from 0.1mm thick to 1.5 mm thick, and widthsupto 2000 mm for uncoated glass textileand upto 1520 mm for coated glasstextile. Their facilities include warping,weaving, texturising, coating, stitchingand belting. Lamination textiles project isunder development.

TEXTEST AGTEXTEST AGTEXTEST AGTEXTEST AGTEXTEST AG, Switzerland, is proudto introduce the new FX 3340 MinAir(New Model Air Permeability Tester), a

compact and affordable, but stillaccurate, durable, and easy-to-use AirPermeability Tester, at Techtexil India onBooth A - 29

This instrument is available as atabletop model, or as a model for mobileapplications directly at the production line.

MARIO CROSTMARIO CROSTMARIO CROSTMARIO CROSTMARIO CROSTA GROUPA GROUPA GROUPA GROUPA GROUP, has



SSM DURO-TWprecision winder

been designing and manufacturingcoating and laminating machines andcomplete lines for over 25 years. MarioCrosta Group, who has a longexperience in the field, can offer acomplete range of coating andlaminating machines from flamelaminators to classic knife coatingmachines, and to machines to applyhotmelt adhesives, in powders, pastes,web/films and granules, together withcustomized lines, designed to meetcustomer's specific requirements.

SSMSSMSSMSSMSSM will show their latest machinefor technical yarns. The SSM DURO-TW

precision winder for all technical yarnsup to 50,000 dtex offers a new level offlexibility and winding quality in onemachine; thereby ensuring the fulfilmentof all customer requirements.

The assembly winder DURO-TDallows the plying of multiple ends/yarns;independent of them being of the sametype or completely different. Optionalintermingling guarantees loop-free twistsas well as optimal unwinding duringtwisting. The ability to run closedprecision winding enables higherpackage densities, thereby increasingthe knot-free length.

Besides of the presentedapplication, SSM does providemachines for Air Texturing, False Twist

Texturing (from SSM GIUDICI), aircovering, draw winding, assemblywinding, sewing thread winding, yarnsingeing and conventional covering.

MARMIK INDUSTRIESMARMIK INDUSTRIESMARMIK INDUSTRIESMARMIK INDUSTRIESMARMIK INDUSTRIES is a leadingmanufacturer of monofilaments, is anintegrated, research-based companyproducing a wide range of quality,affordable products. Today they havebecome the largest manufacturer ofmonofilament yarn. Now the group hasdiversified its activities into themanufacturing of synthetic monofilamentyarn made out of polyester, nylon 6,nylon 66, PP, PBT, nylon 610, nylon 612

and HDPE with the state-of-the-arttechnology, have production capacityof almost 150 mt/month.

Marmik Industries is driven byvision to achieve significant businessin the global market by producing the

most innovative products thateffectively matches the specificpurposes, needs of the finalapplication. It is situated in a welldeveloped industrial area inGujarat (India).

Their products find applications inembroidery, lace, zari, fishing net,velcro, agriculture, zipper, toothbrush, paint brush, industrialbrushes, grass trimmer line, filter,paper, spacer and chafer fabric.

Marmik manufacturesmonofilament yarn in variousdiameters which are used intextile. The most important part in

this application is accuracy in productwhich they maintain. Diameter used forthis application is 0.08 mm, 0.11 mm,0.12 mm,0.16 mm, 0.22 mm & 0.23 mm.

They also manufacture monofilamentfor filter, chafer and paper fabric. Thecontrolled elongation and shrinkage ofmonofilament yarns facilitatesoutstanding processibility in all types oflooms and makes it best suitable for alltypes of fabric applications.

SUPERFIL PRODUCTS’SUPERFIL PRODUCTS’SUPERFIL PRODUCTS’SUPERFIL PRODUCTS’SUPERFIL PRODUCTS’ philosophy,which keeps customers in sharp focus, hasseen the company make significantinvestments in world-class expertise, bestpractices, and state-of-the-art infra-structure. These combine with technologyorientation at every level to enable Superfilto develop new products/applicationsworking with various polymers,

specifications, colours and packages.The acquisition of a multifilament

plant in the year 2003 has made Superfila truly multi-product company, earningthe trust of customers across products,markets and applications. From a smallunit whose high-quality monofilamentmet the needs of the domestic fishing netindustry, Superfil products has grown to amulti-product company that caters to thestringent needs of discerning globalmarkets with a wide range of syntheticfibre products.

Apart from fishing industry, thecompany also meets the demand ofdiverse industrial applications withhigh-quality products such as hook andloop fasteners, zippers, filtrationfabrics, terry-towels and transmissionbelts, amongst others.

RABARABARABARABARABATEX'STEX'STEX'STEX'STEX'S range of machines aresuitable for small weaving units as wellas latest modern weaving set-ups. Sinceits inception in 1962, Rabatex is servingthe textile industry by providinginternational quality of advancedcomputerised sectional warpingmachines, direct warpers, warping creelswith electronic stop motions, precisiontensioners and hydraulic trolleys athighly competitive rates.

Rabatex is known to be one of thecompanies to maintain the best qualitystandards and utilise the talents ofskilled professionals for designing andmanufacturing of these machines.Rabatex manufactures : sectionalwarping machine, cone creel, singleend/sample warping machine, materialhandling and storage equipment,ultrasonic reed cleaning machinery,beam to beam rewinding machines,customised machines.

SANKHLA TEXTILESSANKHLA TEXTILESSANKHLA TEXTILESSANKHLA TEXTILESSANKHLA TEXTILES is a part of theSankhla Industries group. Sankhla Textilesmanufactures the best quality nylon,polyester and aramid fabrics for thetechnical textile industry. Their facility wasimported from the USA and has been setup in Bangalore. The world class facilityhas a capacity of producing 3,00,000metres a month and have an expert teamof people specializing in technical textiles.They cater mainly to the defence industryas well as the luggage industry.

Since its inception in 1984, SankhlaIndustries has grown to be a leading

TECHTEXTIL INDIA 2015 : PREVIEWTECHTEXTIL INDIA 2015 : PREVIEW


manufacturer of Soft PVC Compoundsand Masterbatches for extrusion andinjection moulding applications rangingfrom power and automotive cables tomoulded items like plugs and connectors.The other products manufactured bySankhla Industries are Flexible PVC andTPR Sleeves and Tubes for use in waterpurifiers and automotive wire harnesses.Their technical team understands theintricacies involved in the chemistry ofPVC Compounding. New ProductDevelopment in PVC CompoundingTechnology has made them specialists inthis segment of the plastics industry.Sankhla Polymers (P) Ltd, a groupcompany of Sankhla Industriesmanufactures top quality Polyolefin,HFFR, PP, PE compounds andMasterbatches for telecommunicationcable industry including filled Polyolefinsfor injection moulded applications.

One of LENZING INSTRUMENTSLENZING INSTRUMENTSLENZING INSTRUMENTSLENZING INSTRUMENTSLENZING INSTRUMENTS(Stand A25) new developments withinthe field of quality control for interlaced

yarn, is RAPID 600 V, which completesthe standard version RAPID 600 to nowoffer even more possibilities forentanglement testing. RAPID 600 V isintended for customers who requireabsolute values of the maximum distancebetween interlace knots. The fullyautomatic testing procedure also givesreliable feedback about the number ofentanglements per unit length as well asof the entanglement quality in termsof tenacity.

Vibrodyn 500 is the new version ofLenzing Instruments laboratoryinstrument for determination of the tensileproperties of single staple fibers. Theinstrument features state of the arttechnology and offers accuratedetermination of tenacity and elongationof single fibres being extended untilrupture at constant rate of elongation.Additionally to the standard test,Vibrodyn 500 also offers options such asa cycle test function and a device to testthe fiber in the wet state.

For detection of broken filaments andfluff on filament yarn, Lenzing Instrumentsoffers various possibilities: One of them isthe sensor PROMPT FFD, which providesonline process control with a cleardistinction between broken filaments andfluff. Together with the PROMPTVisualisation software, it forms a systemwhich offers vast possibilities for real timeprocess control and historical dataanalysis. For visualisation of detecteddefects, PROMPT FFD may be combinedwith the camera system FRAY VIEW.Each detected event triggers the camerato generate a separate image of eachdefect. The images give yarn producers asophisticated tool for thorough problemanalysis and further action takingtowards improved product quality. FRAYVIEW may be used together with analready existing PROMPT FFDinstallation or as a single unit with anintegrated PROMPT FFD sensor.

One of the newcomers for detection ofthe spin finish level on filament yarn is



Opumeter. With Opumeter, spin finishtesting becomes quick and easy:Opumeter measures the spin finish levelonline, directly in the production on therunning yarn. The measurement result isgenerated just a few seconds after thehandheld instrument has been presentedto the yarn.

SIDWINSIDWINSIDWINSIDWINSIDWIN manufactures a wide rangeof nonwoven fabric, PP nonwoven fabric,spunbond nonwoven fabric and relatedpolypropylene items from high qualitymaterials. They are connected with manyreputed customers based in India as well asoutside India include UK, France, Dubai,

Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman and many othercountries. Many customers are placing bulkand repeated orders that show thereliability and the quality of their products.

Their largest capacity plants are wellequipped with latest technology. Thesetechnologically advanced machinesassist them in the manufacturing ofnonwoven fabrics of sizes 1.6 m and3.2 m with double beam technologyknown as SS Line. The product is moreefficient, high tensile strength and longdurable than single ‘S’ Line.

NOMACONOMACONOMACONOMACONOMACO (Stand B-35) offersmachines and production lines for

practically all nonwoven applications andproduction processes. These includemachinery and equipment for theproduction of nonwovens for the followingapplications: automotive, geotextiles,hygienic, filtration, insulation etc. Theircustomers have the choice between new andpre-owned machines and production lines,and Nomaco can also offer a combinationof new and second hand machines. More-over upgrades of the electrical controlsand drives of customers' existing machinesor production lines can also be offered.

Nomaco can supply new nonwovenmachines and production lines for allfields and applications of the nonwovenindustry, these include : fibrepreparation, webforming, bonding,finishing, make-up, recycling etc.

The service portfolio of the flexibleplayer ranges from modernisation(mechanical and electrical) of usedmachines to turnkey nonwoven productionlines. In order to expand the portfolio at thestart of the year, the company added MST,based in St Ulrich, Austria, as a specialistfor components, tools and replacementparts for needlefelting machines to theNomaco Group.

The company is now named NomacoComponents GmbH. The combination ofthe parts and machine segments offerseveral benefits for customers. Apart froman overall simplified administration, thesales department was optimised as well.Peter Neuhofer was appointed Head ofGlobal sales, since January 1, and theEuropean sales have been theresponsibility of Ronny Oettel, a textileengineer with in-depth experience innonwoven production.

GLOSTER LIMITEDGLOSTER LIMITEDGLOSTER LIMITEDGLOSTER LIMITEDGLOSTER LIMITED (formerlyGloster Jute Mills Ltd), having itsregistered office in Kolkata, is aprofessionally managed companyengaged in the manufacture of jute andjute allied products. The factory is situatedat Bauria, Howrah. The presentmanagement has experience of over 50years in running large jute manufacturingunits. The unit has extensively beenmodernised to produce value-addeddiversified jute products like floor covering,geo-textiles, processed decorative andindustrial fabrics, food grade quality jutecloth and bags apart from traditional juteproducts including yarn/twine.

Gloster Jute Mills is one of the fewISO Certified companies in the juteindustry. It is one of the fast growing jutemanufacturing and exporting company,and is a recognised export house.

The company's product rangeincludes : standard products, geotextile,yarn, nonwoven, floor covering and homefurnishing, promotional consumerproducts etc.

LITEL INFRARED SYSTEMSLITEL INFRARED SYSTEMSLITEL INFRARED SYSTEMSLITEL INFRARED SYSTEMSLITEL INFRARED SYSTEMS knownfor manufacturing, supplying, exportingand distributing a wide range of highquality heating solutions and ovens, anISO 9001: 2008 certified Litel InfraredSystems Pvt Ltd was set up in 1987. Theproduct range offered by them consists ofInfrared lamp, Infrared heaters andElectric infrared ovens. The materials,which are best in the market, are used formanufacturing of these heating systemsand ovens. By using cutting-edgemachinery and equipment, these productsare in compliance with the industry setnorms. Owing to their robust design, lowpower consumption, seamless finish, user-friendly operation and long functional life,these heating systems and ovens are inhigh demand. Furthermore, they are one ofthe leading service providers of optimumquality Infra-red heating system andSolution services.

NEO CORP INTERNANEO CORP INTERNANEO CORP INTERNANEO CORP INTERNANEO CORP INTERNATIONALTIONALTIONALTIONALTIONALLTD (NCIL)LTD (NCIL)LTD (NCIL)LTD (NCIL)LTD (NCIL) is dedicated in makingtailor designed products under Packtech.NCIL reached the status of a fore-runnerinternationally as a reliable supplier ofPacktech products. With its currentgrowth initiative, it has entered into othertechnical textile segments like Geotechand Agrotech.

NCIL also enjoys a Star Export Housestatus recognized by the Government ofIndia in view of the Company's excellentexport performance. As the barriers ofthe trade have come down, strong marketlike India has become cynosure of theindustries worldwide. To encash theseopportunities, NCIL has endeavoured toreinvent itself with planned capitalinvestment and management culture.

Their product range includes :packtech, agrotech, geotech, buildtech,hometech, and end-user solutions.

SCAP TECHNO FAB PVT LTDSCAP TECHNO FAB PVT LTDSCAP TECHNO FAB PVT LTDSCAP TECHNO FAB PVT LTDSCAP TECHNO FAB PVT LTD isone of the leading traders andmanufacturers of nonwoven fabric. It is

Sidwin nonwovenfabric fruit covering



counted among the distinguishednonwoven fabric traders in Surat andactive in the field of manufacturing PPnonwoven fabric since 2011.

Scap manufactures PP spunbondnonwoven fabric by utilising the lateststate-of-the-art technologies andmachineries. The manufacture of spunbondnonwoven fabric involves a continuousprocess, which converts thermoplastic rawmaterial (polypropylene), into a webcomposed of continuous filaments.

A wide range of PP spunbondnonwoven fabric in colour options likewhite, ivory, beige, black, red, L yellow,G yellow, pink, orange, brown, maroon,grey etc from 10 gsm to 250 gsm weightare available. Spunbond is highlyversatile and it meets the need of diverserange of products like medical, hygienicand industrial market applications. Theproperties of the fabric are breathable,soft light, chemical resistant, nontoxic andenvironment friendly.

RSWM LIMITEDRSWM LIMITEDRSWM LIMITEDRSWM LIMITEDRSWM LIMITED, the flagshipCompany of the LNJ Bhilwara Groupestablished in 1961, is one of the largesttextile manufacturers in the country,primarily producing the best quality ofyarns like synthetic, blended, mélange,cotton, Speciality and value added yarnssuitable for suitings, shirtings, hosiery,carpet, denim, technical textiles andindustrial applications.

It offers one of the broadest range ofproducts in terms of fibre blends, countsand shades. Fibres processed by thecompany include polyester, viscose,acrylic, cotton, wool, rayon, silk,polyamide and linen. In addition itproduces a range of speciality products

made out of both unorthodox fibres i.e.soya, protein, bamboo, and brandedfibres such as tencel and lycra.

It manufactures a range of blendedsuiting fabric and has a significantpresence in the domestic market with itsMayur brand. Apart from this, othersegment includes a fabric processingplant in Mordi (Rajasthan). The companybelieves that there is a huge potential forthis business in the new market scenarioand has plan to strategically move to thehigher value added products in fabric.

LNJ Denim, a denim manufacturingfacility established in 2007 under thehead of RSWM Limited, is a well-knowndenim fabric supplier in India. Within ashort span of time, it has earned goodreputation among international anddomestic brands, as an innovative andquality denim fabric supplier.

CHARANKACHARANKACHARANKACHARANKACHARANKATTU COIR MFG COTTU COIR MFG COTTU COIR MFG COTTU COIR MFG COTTU COIR MFG COPVT LTDPVT LTDPVT LTDPVT LTDPVT LTD has long experience, vastknowledge in coir, and have in-houseproduction facilities. They have been thewinners of the Coir Geotextile ExportersAwards of the Government of India in thelast consecutive years. Reliable quality,strong business commitment, positiveattitude, professional management, andthe ability to execute bulk orders on timeare their hallmarks. They are the first 75years old coir exporting company inIndia having ISO 9002 Certificate.

The company has in-house productionfacility consisting of the most modernpowerloom, handloom, latex backings,rubber edgings, dyeing, drying,bleaching, stenciling, shearing, trimmingand packing units, and also a strongR&D department, design studio and a

highly-experienced workforce.They are located in the Alappuzha

district, in the State of Kerala, India,nearest port is Cochin, which is 55 kmnorth. Their product range includes : coirmats and matting, seagrass matting,rubber door mats, jute carpets, coir rugs,coir erosion control products etc. ATT


Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI™) (Nasdaq:EFII)established an industry-leading presence in high-growth inkjet textile printing with the strategicacquisition of Reggiani Macchine. Based inBergamo, Italy, Reggiani is a leading technologyprovider with an extensive lineup of industrial inkjetprinters utilising water-based inks in printing onfabric - recently identified as the industry's mostexciting growth application.

Reggiani has customers in more than 120 countries

served by a wide distribution network and agents in over40 countries.

The acquisition enhances an EFI portfolio that add-resses the fastest-growing segment of the industrial inkjetprinting space. Respondents in the FESPA/InfoTrendssurvey selected UV inkjet printers as their top expectedtechnology purchase, followed closely by textile printers.EFI is already the leading manufacturer of industrial UV-inkjet printers and ink, and now EFI is also a leadingtechnology provider in the digital inkjet textile space.

EFI enters digital printing with acquisition of Reggiani Macchine


TEXTILES IN CONSTRUCTION

OerlikonManmade Fibres

sees growingopportunities forspunbonds withinthe construction

sector, also becausethey are particularly

inexpensive tomanufacture.

The world constructed from

TEXTILES


Roofing has a lion’s share of the global marketamong industrial spunbond applications

tadium roofs made from high-techmembranes, fibre-reinforced concrete,geogrids crafted from polyester in

road construction and nonwovens forinsulating or roofing. Textiles have long beenan integral aspect of the construction sectorand play an innovative role as the ‘fifthconstruction material’ - alongside steel,concrete, wood and glass - and also featurein the technological quality solutions suppliedby Oerlikon’s Manmade Fibres business unit.

The very first textile construction project isalmost as old as humanity itself, but alreadyrevealed - and still reveals - some of thecentral benefits of the material used - the tent.Light and flexible, suitable for covering largeareas and, depending on its composition,light and air-permeable - the properties ofthis archaic mobile housing are also factors inone of the construction materials of the future.Even today, so-called textile membranesenable impressive architectural ventures,including the stadiums for the UEFA Euro2012 in Warsaw and Kiev, and Bangkok’sinternational airport.

Their outer skin, or roofing, deploysspecially coated polyester or fibreglassfabrics. These flexible, highly durablematerials permit not just new forms ofarchitectural expression and movingconstructions. Combined with PVC, PVDF orPTFE coatings, with insulating materials or asmulti-layer systems, they also provide tailor-made heat and fire protection and can evenbe dirt-repellant. Membrane constructions canalso be used as secondary building layers orfor thermal refurbishment.

Hence, construction textiles offerinnovation potential, and also marketpotential. To this end, the increasingutilization of textile materials within theconstruction sector alone is predicted togenerate annual global growth rates ofbetween 5 and 8 percent for industrialtextiles. The US market researchers at theFreedonia Group predict annual globalgrowth of 8.3% for so-called geo-textiles orgeo-plastics used in civil engineering andwaterway and road construction.

Oerlikon Barmag technologies have also

S

Markus Reichwein and Toralf WeissOerlikon Barmag, www.oerlikon.com/manmade-fibers



been able to contribute towards thisdevelopment. To this end, the Remscheid-based market leader for manmade fibrespinning systems and texturing machinesoffers special low-shrinkage systems forpolyester fabrics with PVC coating, as inthe sample application of membranesmentioned above. In conjunction withmodern HF godet systems, these systemspermit the spinning of evenly drawn,break-resistant and (super) low-shrinkage industrial yarns with titers ofup to 18,000 denier per position.Similarly highly productive, multi-endand energy-saving machine concepts foryarns with maximum titers of up to18,000 denier permit the manufacture ofhigh-tenacity polyester yarns for so-called geogrids.

These stable, woven geo-plasticsare water-permeable and in roadconstruction are used above all forstabilising the subsoil. As a reinforce-ment for asphalt, for instance, and asfilter and drainage elements, as aseparating layer between sand andgravel, or for anchoring embankments,dams and supporting walls - thesestrong fibres excel above all with theiruncomplicated and, hence, cost-efficientprocessing. Due to the fact that theirreinforcing character permits areduction in the excavation depth of thecarriageway substructure and thevolume of the base layermaterial including transport costsand construction times, geogridsare becoming increasinglyinteresting for deployment ondifficult-to-access terrain or inlarge countries such as China,India and Russia - particularlyin view of the fact that the tear-resistant yarns also reduce long-term maintenance costs. The finalapplication requirement decideswhich types of geotextile providethe optimum properties.

The company also suppliessystems for woven, fibrillatedpolypropylene tapes with thehighest tenacities - in excess of7.5 grams/den - available on themarket, which can also be used inroad and railway track cons-truction, tunnel protection or soilreinforcement for coastal and

riverbank protection. ‘With the support ofpartners, we can offer the entire processchain for manufacturing these materials,’said Senior Expert R&D Industrial YarnMachines at Oerlikon Manmade Fibres,Stefan Becker.

Load-baringapacityOerlikon Barmag also has a special

winder for one of the most promisingtextile materials of all - WinTrax supportsthe efficient production of carbon fibres ofthe very highest quality withsimultaneously perfect package build.The light and extremely high-tenacitycarbon fibres are not only superlativewhen used in vehicle and aircraftconstruction, they are also increasinglyreplacing strengthening steel in so-calledtextile-reinforced concrete. This not onlyreduces corrosion problems in theconstruction sector, it also increases firesafety at the same time. Textilereinforcement with two or three-dimensional fabrics made from fibreglass or carbon fibres can also beconsiderably thinner - a huge benefit forstructural design freedom when lookingat filigree buildings. This is shown at thelongest textile-reinforced concrete bridgein the world, which was opened in 2010in Albstadt, in southern Germany.Nevertheless, just one layer of carbonfibres in concrete can quadruple the

load-bearing capacity. Structuralapproval for utilising carbon fibres intextile-reinforced concrete is expected tobe issued in the near future. As soon asthe first approval is available, additionalapprovals will follow, paving the way forbroader applications.

Nonwovens innovationA completely different breed of textile

materials is also perfect for utilisation inconcrete - and not just here, that is,nonwovens. Since 2002, these diversetextile fabrics have seen something of astratospheric rise with six percent annualgrowth in terms of its utilisation for geo-textiles. According to expert reports fromthe organisation ‘Bayern Innovativ,’ theconstruction sector was conversely thesecond-largest purchaser of nonwovensin 2010 with 18.2% of the overall market- just behind the cleaning cloth market.This cross-fertilisation with thedevelopment of innovative products andthe opening of new applications for theconstruction industry will ensure evenwider utilization and greater demandover the coming years.

Important driving forces behind thistrend are the increasing orientation of theconstruction industry on topics such as heatpreservation, energy consumption and(sound) insulation including thecorresponding legal guidelines. Even in

The Groz-Beckert textile concrete bridge in Albstadt



Geogrids made fromindustrial yarn

thin layers, polyester nonwovens, forexample, protect - as in the case offunctional textiles - against overcoolingand absorb very little moisture. They alsoeasily adapt to roof constructions and arequick and easy to use as insulatingmaterials and to replace, render or cover

cracks in façade systems and can alsobenefit impact insulation. In bothrefurbishments and new-builds, they aretherefore an excellent alternative to foams,glass and mineral wool, particularly inview of the fact that these materialsfrequently lack the required flexibility foroptimum sealing. Not least, nonwovensare resistant to environmental influencesand can be recycled to a high extent.

Flexible textiles have a very promisingfuture - and are also entering the high-techsector. To this end, the company alreadyhas smart nonwovens, which integrateconductors or conducting materials. In thecase of ‘intelligent floors,’ they canautomatically - by means of sensors -activate lights and are able to register thefact that a senior citizen has fallen over in aretirement home.

Roofing - SpunobondsIn terms of industrial nonwoven

applications, so-called roofing currentlyhas the lion’s share of the global marketin excess of 420,000 tons per year. Onthe one hand, this application focuses oncalendered polypropylene spunbonds,which are laminated with a breathablePP film and inserted between roof tilesand the load-bearing wood construction.In addition to these roofing underlaymentmembranes, bitumen roofing as a coverlayer is predominantly used for flat roofs.The material comprises needle punchedand heat-set PET spunbond that has beentreated with an acrylic binder.

These nonwoven applications excelas a result of a series of functionalproperties - they provide a moisturebarrier, but are nonetheless air-

permeable and resistant to mold andmildew as well as being stable in termsof their dimensions and temperature, theycan be installed easily onsite and beglued or welded together, they areresistant to fatigue, impact andpenetration as well as resilient todebonding, and work well with standardpaints and lacquers.

With systems and equipment formanufacturing substrates for bitumenroofing membranes, for roofingunderlayment and also for geo-textiles,Oerlikon Neumag, one of the leadingsuppliers of nonwoven technologies,offers the complete spunbond process -from polymer granulate all the waythrough to rolled goods. ‘The combinationof effectiveness, productivity andnonwoven product is particularlyinnovative in the case of the spunbondprocess. In terms of the system width, thecompany’s machines are not just able toproduce up to four times more material,they also help cut operating costs forenergy and maintenance and save onoperating staff costs,’ explained Dr IngoMählmann. The Oerlikon ManmadeFibres Business Development Managerfor Nonwovens sees growingopportunities for spunbonds within theconstruction sector, also because they areparticularly inexpensive to manufacture:‘The trend is very clearly moving towardsutilising spunbonds, also as a substitutefor fibreglass products. Bitumen roofingand geo-textiles are perfect examples ofthis, but this trend fundamentally alsoapplies to many other constructionnonwovens, such as those used forreinforcement or drainage.’


ATT

Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, ajoint venture between JohnsonControls and Yanfeng AutomotiveTrim Systems, a wholly ownedsubsidiary of Huayu AutomotiveSystems (HASCO), has beenformally launched.

Yanfeng Automotive Interiorsis said to be the world's largest automotive interiorsparts supplier with global multi-industrial JohnsonControls having a 30% share of the company, which

will be headquartered inShanghai, China.

The new company will haverevenues of US$ 8.5 bn. The newcompany will have more than 90manufacturing, development,engineering and customer servicelocations worldwide.

The product portfolio will include instrument panelsand cockpit systems, door panels, floor consoles andoverhead consoles.

World's biggest auto interiors supplier begins operation

Superior Performance

Hipro card clothings with innovative tooth design for more effi cient and economic processes on roller cards.

www.graf-companies.com

Visit us at ITMA 2015 in Milan / ItalyNovember 12 - 19Spinning Hall 2, Booth A 105 Nonwoven Hall 3, Booth C 102


MEDICAL NONWOVENS

The Allied MarketResearch report says

surgical nonwovenproducts had a

54.8% marketsharelast year and would

continue to leadthe market

through 2020.

On expansion mode

MEDICALNONWOVENSA

the 2015-2020 time period and will reachUS$ 10.6 billion globally by 2020.

The report says surgical nonwovenproducts had a 54.8% marketshare last yearand would continue to lead the marketthrough 2020. Incontinence products will havethe fastest growth during 2015-2020 due tothe rise in the aging population, as well aspersonal hygiene awareness and increase inper capita healthcare spending.

Among other findings in the report arethat the increasing occurrence of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) would contribute tothe growth of the nonwoven disposablesmarket. Other growth drivers include stringentregulations for hygiene and the increase inthe number of people with incontinence.

Cardinal Health, a supplier of medical-surgical products such as surgical drapes,surgical gowns, face masks, sterilisationwraps and incontinence items, finds thatnonwovens are a reliable material forbroad usage in the healthcare market andis seeing growth in several categories. 'Weare seeing small shifts in surgical drapesand gowns due to shifts in proceduretypes,' says Debra Schotz, senior vicepresident and general manager of MedicalConsumables at Cardinal Health. 'Someareas, like the isolation gown market,continues to grow steadily, while otherareas, such as the incontinence market,are seeing growth in part due to theaging population.'

Schotz says nonwovens offer several

Cardinal Health EnduraScrubs, are designed to fit both

men and women as well, andbring a level of professionalism

and performance totheir daily ‘uniform’.

ccording to a recent report fromAllied Market Research, the globalmedical nonwoven disposables

market is projected to record a 9.6% CAGR(compound annual growth rate) during



HALYARD Health’sDuckbill Fog-Free

Surgical Mask

MEDICAL NONWOVENS

benefits in the medical field. 'Nonwovenstechnology offers flexibility in softness,colour and barrier levels, which allowsfor application to various medicalproduct categories,' she explains,adding that they are also cost effectivedisposable products, they provideconsistent protection and performance,and they lower the amount of lintcompared to previous products.

With the acquisition of DuPont'sSontara business last year, the JacobHolm Group has gained exposure to

healthcare markets. Sontara offerssurgical gowns, drapes, tape basesand other wound care products-specialising in soft and comfortablesolutions that are lightweight, lower lintand specially treated.

'Healthcare is a key marketsegment for our Sontara business,' saysMartin Mikkelsen, CEO, Jacob HolmGroup. 'Sontara has maintained itssolid reputation of high quality andhigh performance, especially in theoperating room, and is well-known inthe industry for extreme softness,comfort and breathability.'

'Although spunlace has lost shareover the years in the healthcare market tospunmelt,' Mikkelsen sees a lot of valuein the material. 'Spunlace continues to beused in a variety of healthcareapplications. The unique properties ofSontara and the flexibility to use a broad

variety of fibre technologies inmanufacturing allow for a wide range ofhigh-performing, customised fabrics formany diverse applications.'

Last year Kimberly-Clark announcedthat its medical arm, Kimberly-ClarkHealthcare, was being spun off to forman independent company, which wasrenamed Halyard Health. Halyardbecame an independent public companyin November 2014.

According to Mike Tuck, vicepresident, Global Product Supply,

Halyard Health, the US$ 1.7billion medical technologycompany is now able to investto drive its long-term growth,which it could not do when itwas part of a much largercompany where capital wasreturned to K-C.

Freudenberg PerformanceMaterials, which producesnonwovens for advanced woundcare, traditional wound care,stoma care and trans-dermalsolutions in the medical field,has recently focused on thedevelopment of solutions foradvanced and active woundcare.

'The fastest growth is beingseen by hydroactive andsuperabsorbing nonwovens aswell as by antimicrobially-

treated nonwovens and foams,' saysMarcus Simon, business segmentmanager medical, FreudenbergPerformance Materials.

Freudenberg acquiredPolymer Health TechnologyLtd. (PHT) of Ebbw Vale, UK,a leading specialist ofpolyurethane foams foradvanced wound care.Hydrophilic foamsolutions play anincreasingly importantrole in modern advancedwound care. Currentglobal market share lies atover 40%.

PHT's hydrophilicpolyurethanefoam systemsabsorb woundexudate,

creating an ideal environment forwound healing, according to Simon,and these are special featurescustomers are seeking in wound careproducts. 'They protect the wound fromdrying out, from cooling and ensure anunhindered exchange of gases andwater vapour, thereby accelerating thewound healing process.'

Advanced Fabrics (SAAF) of SaudiArabia, an innovator in the medicaland hygiene markets, added a secondtreatment line in May 2015 for alcoholrepellent and anti-static products. Thenew line is close to full production, andwill give the company a treatmentcapacity of over 1000 metric tons permonth, according to Ian Disley,general manager.

'SAAF added a second treatmentline due to demand from customersand a belief that we could betteroptimise quality and efficiency byhaving the treatment line next to thenew fabric production line in ourRabigh facility,' Disley says. 'The newstate-of-the-art Reicofil line hasenabled us to take our well-knownMedalon product further to produceMedalonS, with enhanced softness. Asa leading supplier worldwide oftreated barrier fabrics we believe thebest results are achieved bydeveloping the base fabric and

treatment processtogether.'

Another

Gowns made with Sontara® fabric allowsthe level of protection that one requiresin an operating room



MEDICAL NONWOVENS

investment this year came from Turkishnonwovens producer Bayteks, whichproduces PP spunbond, SMMS, PETspunbond and meltblown fabrics. Thecompany installed a hotmelt laminationmachine at the end of April.

'With this one we are targeting themedical sector for the drapes, gowns,

and all the surgical, single-usedisposables,' says Mehmet Bozkan,director of sales and marketing, addingthat the medical market is the company'smain target right now.

Biovation, a technology design and

manufacturing company that producesadvanced, nonwoven fibre products withintegrated antimicrobial properties, isusing its expertise in the medical market.

In March, the company launchedthe BioArmour Blood Pressure CuffShield to mitigate the spread ofinfectious pathogens from blood

pressure cuffs.According to thecompany, this first-in- class medicalproduct offers amulti-use barrierfor prevention ofhospital acquiredinfections.

The BioArmourBlood PressureCuff Shield is adisposableantimicrobialhygienic barrierthat attaches to

the blood pressure cuff to preventdirect contact of the cuff with thepatient's skin. The latex-free shieldmaterial a PLA meltblown nonwoven iscomposed of a sustainable biopolymerimpregnated with antimicrobial and

antifungal agents to mitigate thepropagation of a wide spectrum ofpathogens in controlled release fashion.Contaminant pathogens includingMRSA, VRE, c. difficile and others aremitigated by the blood pressure cuffshield, allowing for multi-patient useover a 24-hour period. Biovationworked with antimicrobial solutionsspecialist Sciessent to develop theantimicrobial technology.

The company has also been hardat work on an advanced wound caredressing, which is also going throughthe FDA approval process. An all PLAbiopolymer nonwoven 'back-bone'construction with a proprietary gel-castcoating with wound healing agentsand antimicrobials as a non-adherentwound contact surface, Kerem Durdag,CEO of Biovation says it will be ableto be used on low to medium exudatewounds. The dressing will havecomparable benchmark performance tocurrent foam, hydrocolloid and alginatebased products and be available inseveral formats with pricingsignificantly lower than presentincumbent solutions.

(Courtesy : Nonwovens Industry )

BioArmour Blood Pressure CuffShield (BPCS) from Biovation


TECHTEXTIL FRANKFURT

Techtextil withTexprocess hosted

1662 exhibitors witharound 42,000

visitors. Range oftechnical textiles

was characterisedby diversity and

innovations.

Diversity and Innovations at

he focus of Techtextil 2015 inFrankfurt was on new applications,technologies and materials. The

range of technical textiles and nonwovenson show included innovative fibres beingused across the full range of applicationareas, in particular agricultural, automotive,construction, apparel, energy and medical.While the range of product on display waspredictably vast, from textile integratedLEDs, and electrodes and sensor systems,to three dimensional interlaced structuresand woven fabrics, all showing thepotential for future fabrics.

In automotive there were non-combustibleglass-fibre mats for seats, flooring andluggage racks and in apparel a multi-functionjacket that can communicate, warm andilluminate. Other highlights included

embroidered electrodes for use in healthcare toprovide long-term heart scanning and anartificial womb to support the development ofpremature babies. Environmentaldevelopments included algae-based artificialsnow and a maritime textile for cultivatingkelp, and a wide variety of new coatingsystems for multi-functional finisheswere also launched.

Over 5,500 trade visitors to Techtextilcame from the concurrent Texprocess. ForTexprocess 273 exhibitors (2013: 270) andalmost 13,500 international guests (2013:12,128) came to Frankfurt for the LeadingInternational Trade Fair for ProcessingTextile and Flexible Materials. Together, thetwo fairs welcomed 1,662 exhibitors from54 countries and almost 42,000 tradevisitors from 116 nations.

T



Michael Jaenecke, Director of BrandManagement for Technical Textiles &Textile Processing at Messe Frankfurt,said: 'The consumption and demand fortechnical textiles is growing from allthe industries. From that point of view,it is a growing demand market. Wehave also more and more companiesand countries looking into technicaltextiles and functional apparel textiles.That's also the reason why we have agrowing number of exhibitors.'

Six modules were incorporated intothe symposium, covering newapplications, functional clothing, newmaterials, new technologies, surfacetreatments and textile components.

Sustainability continues to be animportant underlying consideration forthe whole sector, and the theme was

never far awayduring thesymposium. Topicscovered by presentersincluded biopolymerbased fibres, textilesfor open sea biomasscultivation anddurable andrecyclable fibres.Numerous nonwoveninnovations were also

presented, indicating the increasinglytechnical nature of the mature yetgrowing nonwovens industry.

Techtextil was extended by a dayfor the first time. The bulk of exhibitorsare in favour of a fourth day. Thus,Techtextil 2017 will also last four days.At the request of many exhibitors,however, the sequence of days willchange to Tuesday to Friday.

‘Together with our expectation towelcome even more exhibitors andvisitors to the fair in 2017, the Tuesdayto Friday sequence of days offers anumber of important advantages: moretime for detailed discussions, theopportunity to visit Texprocess and thechance to use the weekend from theFriday’, adds Michael Jaenecke. Thus,Techtextil 2017 will be held at the

Techtextil 2015 at a glance

Techtextil 2013 2015

Exhibitors 1,330 1,389Exhibitor nations 48 52Visitors 27,418 28,491Visitor nations 97 102Internationality 57 percent 59 percentExhibition halls 3 4Country Pavilions 13 15

At the opening ceremony of Techtextil 2015 (From L to R) Mr Olaf Schmidt, Vice PresidentTextiles & Textile Technologies Messe Frankfurt, Mr Elgar Straub, Managing Director,

VDMA Bayern Garment and Leather Technology, Ms Brigitte Zypries, Member ofParliament, Mr Detlef Braun, Member of the board of Management of Messe Frankfurt,

Mr Michael Jaenecke, Director Brand Management Technical Textiles & Textile Processing

Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre inFrankfurt am Main from 9 to 12 May2017 (Tuesday to Friday).

Since 2012, COMEZCOMEZCOMEZCOMEZCOMEZ and JAKOBJAKOBJAKOBJAKOBJAKOBMULLER AGMULLER AGMULLER AGMULLER AGMULLER AG have combined theirbusiness activities in crochet and warpknitting machines. The two brands jointlyexhibited their machinery at Techtextil.

Comez brings a range of machinessuitable for use in technical textiles, suchas ribbons, bands, plain and tubularfabrics, and 3D fabrics. The machinesoffer a high degree of versatility whenusing special yarns; a wide range ofwarp knit construction ; and variedpattern repetitions and special effects onfabrics, guaranteeing a constant anduniform yarn feed, said Comez.

One machine on show was theAcotronic 8B/600 model, a high efficiencyelectronic crochet knitting machine usingcompound needles for the production ofribbons and technical textiles, both elasticand non-elastic. According to Comez, theAcotronic 8B/600 comes in gauge 15 npi,with a 600 mm working width, and isfitted with eight weft bars with electroniccontrol. While a compound needle resultsin good versatility, allowing theprocessing of synthetic and natural yarnand special fibres, such as Kevlar,fiberglass and carbon.

In addition, the electronic operatingsystem allows for the creation ofelaborate patterns, with very long repeatpatterns, said Comez.

Swiss company SANTEX AGSANTEX AGSANTEX AGSANTEX AGSANTEX AGpresented the Caviscat scatterer atTechtextil, which can be combined withother machines of the Cavitec brand toform complete coating and laminatingsolutions. According to the company, thegrit is fed via a funnel-shaped trough onthe scatter roll underneath. An oscillatingbrush then scatters the material through asieve onto the moving web material. Thequantity can reach up to 4,000 gm perminute and one metre material width.

In the next step an infrared heatermelts the scattered grit, which is connectedto the base material web. An additionallayer can be laminated onto the baselayer if needed. The scatterer is suitablefor all kind of grit from fine powder topellets of 2,000 mm size. Depending onthe material and the scatter quantity,different types of scatter rolls are used.



The Caviscat scatterer, which isavailable with working width of 500 mmto 7,000 mm, is designed to guaranteeeven coating of the web material. Andtailored solutions can be achieved whenthe Caviscat is combined with othermachines of the Cavitec brand.

Germany-based OERLIKONOERLIKONOERLIKONOERLIKONOERLIKONGROUPGROUPGROUPGROUPGROUP comprises two parts OerlikonBarmag of Remscheid and OerlikonNeumag from Neumünster, Germany,covers manufacturing technologies forindustrial fibres, yarns and nonwovens

The company demonstrated itslatest developments, particularlyfousing on recycling initiatives, using avirtual showroom displaying informationin three dimensions.

Oerlikon Barmag’s industrial yarnssystems with a titre range of 50-12,000denier per filament can produce a widerange of products, including: high-tenacity, high modulus yarns for safetybelts; high-modulus, low-shrinkage(HMLS) yarns for tyre-cords, low andultra-low shrinkage yarns for tarpaulins.

Oerlikon Barmag also suppliesequipment to make woven, fibrillatedpolypropylene (PP) tapes with hightenacities. Monofilament yarns and tapesare being used in agriculture for such asbaler twine and wind-protection nets, aswell as bulk-goods sacks, carpetbacking and geotextiles.

Oerlikon Neumag offers systems formanufacturing monofilament andbicomponent fibres capable ofproducing about 5 tons a day.Synthetic staple fibres, mostly polyester(PES) and PP are used to make cardednonwovens for geotextiles, insulatingmaterials and filters, as well asreinforcing concrete and plastics.

The market for industrial nonwovensis growing at more than 9% a year,according to the company. To help meetthis demand, Oerlikon Neumag cansupply lines able to manufacture the mostimportant types of meltblown fabrics, forindustrial filters, and spunbond fabrics,for geotextiles and roofing.

The Manmade Fibres Segment of theSwiss Oerlikon GroupOerlikon GroupOerlikon GroupOerlikon GroupOerlikon Group presented itslatest development for tape production,EvoTape and WinTape.

Extruded tapes are used in textilepackaging via agricultural textiles

and in geotextiles, and in carpetbacking fabrics.

The EvoTape operates with a cold pre-drawing process with an approximate 1:3ratio. In the subsequent second drawingstage, the tapes are lighter; the take on theheat from the hot-air oven more easily.These two drawing stage are said to resultin superior process stability, Reaching thesame tenacity values with higher speedsor superior properties at the same speed.

While the automatic WinTape preci-sion winder has electronic crossingangles that ensures packages buildwith optimum quality for furtherprocessing downstream. As the tapesdwell in the yarn guide duringpackages transfer, automatic take-up offolded tapes is possible.

Operating the WinTape in conjunctionwith the EvoTape systems helps to reduceproduction waste during package tansfer.

Swiss company WERNER MAWERNER MAWERNER MAWERNER MAWERNER MATHISTHISTHISTHISTHISAGAGAGAGAG presented the new continuouscoating system KFT-S at Techtextil. The

system, which isavailable in a width of300 mm, 450 mm, or600 mm, consists of adoctor knife coatingmodule and a dryingunit. According toMathis the KFT-S issuited for variousapplications in thetextile andpharmaceuticalindustries, foil andpaper manufacturing,or in research anddevelopmentlaboratories.

The heart of thehot-air dryer, which isdivided into an upperand lower nozzlesection. Two flaps canbe adjusted toregulate the dryingprocess accordingly.While the combinationof powerful aircirculation andregulated heatingguarantees the bestdrying capacity, saidMathis.

The KFT-S can be customised withvarious add-on modules. Examplesinclude an infrared pre-dryer, alaminating device or an additional hot-air dryer. Alternative coating devices, likea slot die system, engraved roller, reverseroll coater, powder scattering system androtary screen can also be used.

At this year's Techtextil exhibition,SANDLERSANDLERSANDLERSANDLERSANDLER booth was a veritablemagnet for visitors from the nonwovensindustry. The nonwovens manufacturerfrom Schwarzenbach/Saale, Germanywelcomed the audience to the ‘textilebuilding’ for a mini-break in the worldof nonwovens-a model home en-compassing a showroom and ameeting room, complete with aterrace and garden.

A cycle of reusable materials placedspecial emphasis on recycling andsustainability, demonstrating howfibercomfort nonwovens set standards inthis area as well. Made from 100%polyester, they contain recycled raw

Quantum leap in tape yarnmanufacturing: in conjunction with the

WinTape tape yarn winder, thenew EvoTape extrusion system produces

under extremely efficient conditions


material and are easily recyclablethemselves, even after years of use.

In the garden, sample collectionsshowcased a wide product range for theautomotive industry, filtration, construction,technical insulation, hygiene products andwipes. Visitors from the automotiveindustry were particularly interested inSandler's lightweight, recyclableabsorber nonwovens for interior andexterior applications, nonwovens formoulded parts and upholstery nonwovensfor comfortable seating. Syntheticnonwovens for climate filtration, that

provide indoor air quality by keeping theair clean; as well as nonwovens for air andliquid filtration in the automobile werealso in demand. Techtextil exhibitionfocusses on technical applications.Nevertheless, representatives from all ofSandler's markets visited the booth.Customers and potential clients from thehygiene industry were impressed by thesoftness and functionality of Sandlerhygiene nonwovens and by the manifolddesign opportunities through printingand embossing.

NILITNILITNILITNILITNILIT, a producer of customisednylon 6.6 solutions, offers a range ofproducts and services for apparel andengineering thermoplastics applications.At Techtextil it displayed Heat insulationyarns, developed to conserve andmaintain natural body heat in garments.According to the company, composedcoffee charcoal, together with an oxideadditive integrated in the yarn, absorbsbody heat and captures it for anextended period of time. The yarn alsoprovides anti-bacterial properties, apowerful deodourising effect andenvironmentally-friendly benefits. It is

also suitable in apparel applications likemedical socks and gloves by improvingstimulation via body heating.

Headquartered in Israel, withmanufacturing facilities also in China,Latin America and the US, NILIT developsa broad spectrum of continuous filamentyarns for a range of textiles, includingseamless, circular knitting and wovenapplications. End-uses range fromlegwear and intimate apparel tosportswear and outerwear.

STÄUBLISTÄUBLISTÄUBLISTÄUBLISTÄUBLI, a manufacturer of high-speed textile machinery, showcased two

machines for processingtechnical textiles, plus aselection of technicalfabrics produced inconjunction with Stäubliproducts such asdobbies, Jacquardmachines, warpdrawing-in, andtying equipment.

Its UNIVAL 100,single-end controlJacquard machine issaid to benefit thetechnical application

areas of automotives, sports, industrialand medical supplies, as well as newfabric constructions; even with glassfibres, carbon and Kevlar.

While its MAGMA T12 warp tyingmachine is suitable for technical yarn fortying monofilaments, coarse multi-filaments, PP ribbons, etc. It has beendeveloped for universal applicationranging from coarse technical yarn tomedium yarn count range. Plus, its rigiddesign includes an optical double-enddetection system.

Information on Stäubli’s extensiverange of high-performance machinerywas also available at their stand, as wellas the company’s configurable technicaltextiles weaving systems - offeringvarious machinery combinations and set-ups for weaving any application anddesired technical fabric.

TANATANATANATANATANATEX CHEMICALSTEX CHEMICALSTEX CHEMICALSTEX CHEMICALSTEX CHEMICALS presentedseveral innovations based onperformance concept. The companydeveloped its Express FR technology tobring flame-retardant properties topolyester. According to Tanatex, ExpressFR allows a special flame-retardant

Brigitte Zypries, Member of the German Parliamentwas given in-depth information on nonwovensby Sandler CEO Dr Christian Heinrich Sandler

product to be added to the dyebath, withno additional finishing processnecessary. The process reduces water,energy and time.

Tanatex also offers a wide range ofCosmetoTextile finishes, such as its Tastexrange of cosmetic products andtemperature regulators, its Bayscentupmarket line of scenting finishes, and itsnewest range Tana Care, which offersskin care and protection benefits.

Other products include the company’sAcrafix PCI, a crosslinker and adhesionpromote, Baygard FBI - a booster thatimproves repellent finishes on substrates,and HydrECo - an eco-friendly finish thatensures a highly durable, water repellenteffect on fabric.

EMS-GRILTECHEMS-GRILTECHEMS-GRILTECHEMS-GRILTECHEMS-GRILTECH presented itscustom-designed GRILON fibers andyarn for the bonding of technical textiles.Its GRILON fibres and yarns forexample, are mainly used in the resintransfer moulding (RTM) process. Whileits GRILTEX adhesives are used for thestrengthening of unidirectional tapes andstabilisation of fabrics and knitwear.

The company’s GRILTEX copolyesterand copolyamide adhesives are used forcoating and laminating technical fabrics,fleeces, clothing textiles and non-textilesubstrates. Copolyesters are used to bondsmooth surfaces such as PET or aluminium.

GRILON melt bonding yarns,bicomponent fibres and GRILTEXadhesives are key components in thereinforcement of technical textileconstructions. While its NEXYLON FR issaid to be the world’s first flame-retardant polyamide fibre in the market,designed to increase the working life offlame-resistant protective wear.

A new moisture-curing polyurethanehot melt adhesives from the seriesJowatherm-Reaktant was introduced byJOWJOWJOWJOWJOWAAAAATTTTT, new standards wereestablished, especially in the areas ofbreathability and washing resistance.

Utilising the new, breathableadhesives from Jowat supports theoptimisation of the laminatingprocesses, with reduced pressing times,higher reproducibility and improvedhandling flexibility of the basematerials and laminates.

Apart from numerous otherapplications for adhesives in


automotive interiors, Jowat focused onproducts for the lamination ofautomotive interior panelling.

The VACFLOW method, developedjointly by Jowat SE and solution partnercompanies, is another result of ‘thinkingdifferently’. VACFLOW ensures that themanufacture of pilot production compo-nents is less time- and cost-intensive,processes are more reliable, waste in serialproduction is reduced and the finishedcomponent has a clearly lower weight.

A complete range of reactive PUR /POR and PO hot melt adhesives from theproduct series Jowatherm-Reaktant andJowat-Toptherm is ready to be used in theVACFLOW process.

ECKARTECKARTECKARTECKARTECKART of Hartenstein, Germanypresented its optical and functional effectpigment portfolio. Mr Peter Wissling Head- Technical Marketing Smart Textiles -Special Applications, was very muchimpressed with this edition of the show,and elaborated. ‘This year’s Techtextil fairin Frankfurt is bigger than ever, withregards to space and number ofexhibitors. Also the number of visitors wehad expected exceeded our expectations.Compared to other locations, Frankfurt isthe most important venue for TechnicalTextiles fair, reflecting the importance of

Europe for development of technical andfunctional textiles.’

Commenting in general he furtherstressed ‘Exhibitors from the whole valuechain are present, starting from fiberproducers, through to weavers,

embroiderers, finishing companies andraw material suppliers as well as end-users, textile machinery companies andmanufacturers of auxiliaries showed up’.

Eckart offers raw materials to thetextile market in special effect pigments.Focus this time was laid on the Texmetbrand special effect pigments withunique properties for the textile market.

Effect pigments for optical and designmarkets and also the functional effectpigments were presented. From these byfar highest visitor response was found forthe conductive pigments Econduct. Theseare commercial solutions to providehighly conductive, heating and EMIshielding properties in Smart Textiles.

Eckart expects significant sales inmid-term range, as currently a lot of R&Dwork goes on in Smart Textiles(development of suitable contact devices,high washability performance, etc.).

Second biggest visitors interest at theEckart booth was detected from highvalue optical effect pigments, e.g. Texmet5040, an attractive effect pigmentsuitable for laser marking.

German manufacturer RSGRSGRSGRSGRSGAUTOMAAUTOMAAUTOMAAUTOMAAUTOMATION TECHNICSTION TECHNICSTION TECHNICSTION TECHNICSTION TECHNICS buildsspecial machinery for fully or semi-automated processing of textiles, and a

particular focus forRSG at Texprocesswas on workstations andassembly lines fornarrow fabrics.

Over the lasttwo years RSG hasintroduced itsNarrow-Maticassembly lines.These facilitiesallow fullyautomatedprocessing ofproducts such aslifting and lashingstraps, loops,slings, seat andsafety belts, but

also hook-and -loop materials andmedical textiles.

RSG production lines and retrofitting ofan existing facilities are fully monitored byRSG’s patented systems. Modules monitorthe upper, lower and remaining thread,

Business discussion at the Eckart stall at Techtextil


and RSG said they guaranteed bestpossible thread hot cutting.

The company said their automation ofmanufacturing processes have up anddown stream ultrasonic units and hadgained importance, since many of thesetechnical textiles were still produced inhigh-wage countries. In order to remaincompetitive, RSG said, automation istherefore essential. RSG has created anadditional future-proof pillar and can offerits clients solutions to remain cost efficient.

A. MONFORTS TEXTIL-A. MONFORTS TEXTIL-A. MONFORTS TEXTIL-A. MONFORTS TEXTIL-A. MONFORTS TEXTIL-MASCHINENMASCHINENMASCHINENMASCHINENMASCHINEN GmbHGmbHGmbHGmbHGmbH ofMönchengladbach, Germany, producescontinuous dyeing plants, and systems

for the finishing and coating of wovenand knitted fabrics. Monforts is a leadingsupplier on the global markets.

The company provided information/and on display were :

a stenter frame, which it has modifiedfor airbag coaters

a system used for makingmembranes for water filters

machines for manufacturing of glassfabrics, and work to develop one for theproducers of carbon fibre prepregs

an installation in Germany for a manu-facturer of felts for high-temperature filters

the Montex 8000 stenter for coaters,which can be operated at upto 320oCand process heavy materials.

SCHAETTI’SCHAETTI’SCHAETTI’SCHAETTI’SCHAETTI’sssss SLX 1390 - theadhesive powder, developed incollaboration with a Swiss researchinstitute, is ideal for bonding sensitivesubstrates such as leather, textiles andfoams, as it can be processed at lowtemperatures. It can resist temperaturesup to 200oC depending on curingconditions. According to the Wallisellen-based company, the product's advan-

tages also include a solvent-free formula,good shelf life and easy application onexisting production lines. SLX 1390combines the advantages of a thermo-plastic adhesive powder with those of areactive system. Whereas processingconventional reactive adhesives is subjectto tight time constraints, the pre-appli-cable system allows processing andcuring to be carried out at different times.The powder is solid at room temperatureand is only cured when exposed tosecondary heat.

TENOWOTENOWOTENOWOTENOWOTENOWO, a part of Hoftex GroupAG, presented a range of technical textilesproducts and nonwovens at Techtextil.

Technical nonwovens andinterlinings constitute the mainpillars of Tenowo, with productsincluding acoustic non-wovens,nonwovens for construction, thecable industry, and interlinings forthe apparel industry.

Tenowo manufactures awide range of automotivenonwoven products - its largestcustomer segment - such aswire harnessing, specialtechnical tape, foam substitutesfor car seats, nonwovens for

decorative interior, acousticapplications, heat shields, secondarybacking for floor mats and underbodycomponents, and injection moulding.

A joint booth of A MonfortsTextilmaschinen and Fong’s

In addition to needle-punched,thermo-calandered and chemicallybonded nonwovens, Tenowo also offersspunlaced, and stitch-bonded fabricsusing Malimo technology, as well as therecently introduced thermo-fusionedHigh-Loft nonwovens.

Technical nonwovens solutionsprovider NORAFINNORAFINNORAFINNORAFINNORAFIN presented itsexpanded range of protective wear,industrial use and process-orientatedfiltration products. Together withresearch and industry partners, thecompany successfully developed sinternonwovens with a high amount ofmetal particles or fibres. These metallicsinter nonwovens make it possible toproduce complex-shaped structuresthrough the development of thin-walledsinter metal materials, which are usedfor, among other applications, hot gasand liquid filtration.

Norafin has also developedelectrically conductive nonwovens in aseparate industrial project.

TRANS-TEXTILTRANS-TEXTILTRANS-TEXTILTRANS-TEXTILTRANS-TEXTIL showcased arange of products in Frankfurt, fromtextiles for use as laser protectionapplications to membrane laminates forpersonal protective equipment, andfootwear and medical devices to cut-to-shape membrane solutions forlightweight construction.

Among its latest innovations, Trans-Textil hasdeveloped a newgeneration ofprinted laminatesthat combine thecharacteristics ofmultifunctionalflame retardantwovens withtransfer printtechnology-offering a widevariety ofcolouration anddesignpossibilities.

Trans-Textilsaid testsshowed thattransfer printingdid not affect theprotectivecharacteristics,

Tenowo stand at Techtextil



surface feel, breathability, comfort andwearability of the new laminate typesin any way.

The company has also developed theTopaz ELEMENTS sustainability concept,which focuses on reconciling the provisionof specific protective effects withconsideration for natural resources andthe environment.

RETECHRETECHRETECHRETECHRETECH showcased a range of itslatest machinery components in the fieldof thermal and mechanical processing ofsynthetic filaments.

The manufacturer's heated godet rollsfor applications in spinning are suitablefor the highest temperature and speedranges of up to 7,000 m/min, withenergy saving motors and temperatureefficient heating or active coolingconcepts, including control units.

Meanwhile, its air bearing separatorrolls (ABSR), in an extended range ofdimensions, are aimed at meeting thehighest demands in terms of high speedand long service life, even during intenseusage for high end technical yarns.

And its Win-OLT yarn tensionsensor, developed to offer completemonitoring of spinning machines for theimprovement of yarn quality, was alsofeatured at the exhibition. The rangeincludes the complete system togetherwith the necessary software, serviceand spare parts, as well as singleyarn tension sensors.

The international groupGLANZSTOFFGLANZSTOFFGLANZSTOFFGLANZSTOFFGLANZSTOFF industries produces andprocesses high-tenacity viscose filamentyarns with downstream integration intoconversion of cords and fabrics fortechnical and textile applications. Withits central location in Europe (CzechRepublic with viscose and yarnproduction, Italy and Luxemburg withconversion i.e. weaving, dipping andsingle end) and state-of-the-arttechnologies, a broad product portfolioand variety of solutions is offered to thetextile and rubber industry.

The main business activity is theproduction of high-tenacity viscosecontinuous filament yarns for the divisions:

Viscose for textile applications (PPE,racing, military)

Viscose for technical applications(tyres, air suspension, oil and gas hoses,flexible tanks, lifting bags)

Conversion: high performancereinforcing cords and fabrics (viscose,aramid, polyamide, polyester, PVA,hybrids): single-end-cords as well astyre cord and woven dipped fabrics

The Viscont HT high-tenacity viscosefilament yarns have a cool grip, areuniform and have easy dyeingcharacteristics, allowing limitlesscombinations in textiles fabrics. The high-tenacity viscose filament yarn Viscont FRhas a flame-retarding effect and com-bines very good protective and wearingcharacteristics. This is made possible bythe combination of high-tenacityand the incorporation of a flame-retardant agent.

Viscord is a high-qualityviscose continuous filament yarn forthe usage in demanding rubberapplications such as tyre andindustrial hoses.

WELLMANWELLMANWELLMANWELLMANWELLMANINTERNAINTERNAINTERNAINTERNAINTERNATIONALTIONALTIONALTIONALTIONAL, claims the titleof Europe's largest recycler of post-consumer polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) bottles. Thecompany, based in Mullagh,Ireland, says it uses the waste from2.2 billion such products each yearto make high quality polyester(PES) staple fibres. It adds that ithas a strong focus on thedevelopment of new fibretechnologies, led by dedicatedresearch and development team.

PHP FIBRESPHP FIBRESPHP FIBRESPHP FIBRESPHP FIBRES of Wuppertal,Germany, showed its portfolio ofindustrial polyamide (PA) andpolyester (PES) filament yarns.

Highlights and new products

included new grades ofpolyethyleneterephthalate (PET) -Diolen- and PA 6.6- Enkanylon- yarns for foodpackaging. Plasticsintended to come intocontact with food have tocomply with the EuropeanUnion (EU) RegulationNumber10/2011. PHPFibres has now developedspecial yarns that areproduced only withcomponents approved bythis regulation.

The company introduced a low-shrink PET yarn (Diolen 162S) withgood adhesive properties. The yarncombines the adhesion properties ofDiolen 164S with the low-shrink ofDiolen 174S, PHP will say. Thecompany developed Diolen 162S forthe reinforcement of materials, such asrubber and thermoset resins, that areused in applications requiringdimensional stability.

NOBLE BIOMANOBLE BIOMANOBLE BIOMANOBLE BIOMANOBLE BIOMATERIALSTERIALSTERIALSTERIALSTERIALS isharnessing its flagship X-STATICantimicrobial technology to fight against

High- tenacityviscose filament yarns

Pressure sensible textile byNoble Biomaterials Inc beingdisplayed at Techtextil




the global issue of Healthcare AssociatedInfections (HAIs).

The US company, which specialises inantimicrobial technologies for a widerange of markets, used a pressconference at Techtextil to demonstratehow its X-STATIC technology is beingwoven into finished products as a way ofreducing bacteria on soft surface fabricsin healthcare environments.

Typical standards for preventing HAIsfocus on patient screening, isolationprecautions, hand washing and hardsurface disinfection. However, Noble saidsoft surface could be the missing link inbreaking the chain of infection andsupporting the target zero HAIs.

The company said products usingX-STATIC had been proven to beclinically effective and safe in providingpermanent antimicrobial protection andodour management. It also ensuresoptimal comfort in healthcare appareldue to its natural temperatureregulating properties.

A polyamide -imide (PAI) fibre(Kermel Tech) that can with stand hightemperatures has been developed byKERMELKERMELKERMELKERMELKERMEL of Colmar, France, for use infiltration media. The company says thefibre has a thermal resistance that isbetter than that of pure meta-aramidsand close to that of pure polyimides. Thefibre's amorphous structure also gives itan excellent abrasion resistance and ithas a high elongation-at-break.

In addition, Kermel displayed thelatest fabrics it has developed from itsmeta-aramid fibres (kermel) for the mili-tary, law enforcement officers and industrial

workers, as well as explaining its strategy todiversify into other markets (such as high-performance apparel for athletes).

COACOACOACOACOATING APPLICATING APPLICATING APPLICATING APPLICATING APPLICATIONSTIONSTIONSTIONSTIONSGROUP (CAG)GROUP (CAG)GROUP (CAG)GROUP (CAG)GROUP (CAG), a manufacturer ofhigh-performance PU and PVCtechnical fabrics, presented itsextensive product range of PVC fabricsfor inflatables, lightweight structuresand multisensory environments.

It exhibited its range of fabrics andgarments developed in association withJD Sports fashion for the Peter Stormcagoule, and also its new development ofaeronautical fabrics for thehigh-tech sportswearmarket.

Regarded as one of theUK’s leading fabric coatingspecialists, CAG’s techno-logies include waterproof,breathable, flame-retardant and chemicalresistance, which are usedin protective garments,load-bearing equipment,the medical sector, hot airballoons, and sport andleisure equipment.

MILLIKENMILLIKENMILLIKENMILLIKENMILLIKEN ofSpartanburg, SouthCarolina, USA, iscelebrating its 150th anniversary during2015, says that its exhibit designedaround an Innovation Gallery instead toshow the depth of its experience built-upover the company's lifetime.

Some of the specific exhibits were:Reinforcements for roofing, tape and

industrial applications;

Reinforcements for tyres and rubbergoods;

Flame-retardant (FR) fabrics forprotective clothing;

Table lines made from recycledfibres.

Milliken says it offers a wide rangeof fabrics for reinforcement, forinstance: its reinforcements for roofingmaterials help manufacturers complywith standards and regulations, andimprove the durability and longevity ofthe products; reinforcements for rubber,meanwhile, help make products strong

and lightweight, reduce the amount ofrubber needed and make tyres thatreduce fuel consumption.

In 2014, Milliken acquired WestexInc of Oak Brook, Illinois, a manufacturerof branded FR fabrics. The new business,called Westex by Milliken, providestextiles to protect workers from a range ofthreats: arc flash, flash fire, moltenmetal; combustible dust, other thermalhazards. Brand names include UltraSoft,Indura and True Comfort.

Finally, Milliken's portfolio of tableline (The Signature) is made usingpolyester (PES) fibre Recycled frompolyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles(Repreve) from Unifi Inc of Greensboro,North Carolina, USA.

Based in Coesfeld, Germany, THIESTHIESTHIESTHIESTHIESTEXTILMASCHINENTEXTILMASCHINENTEXTILMASCHINENTEXTILMASCHINENTEXTILMASCHINEN exhibited itsdyeing and finishing machines in Hall3.0. The company supplies :

yarn dyer (iCone), which can alsotreat fibres, flakes, cables, ropes andbelts, as well as bleaching fibres

Milliken’s reinforcementfabrics in action on a roof of

the new convention center inGrand Rapids, Michigan




fabric dyer (HT-Jigger), which cantreat fabrics upto 143oC and isrecommended for crease-sensitivefabrics. Key applications are forautomobile interiors and filters

also used by automotive fabricmanufacturers, the iMaster H2O which isdesigned to keep water consumption low

the fabric dyer (soft-TRD SIII), whichcan treat crease-sensitive fabrics andsurface-sensitive textiles at speeds ofupto 600 m/min.

a feeder (MPS-Systems) for supplyingchemicals, dyestuffs and textileauxiliaries to the company’s otherequipment

an energy-recovery system based ona tubular heat exchanger.

Turkish nonwovens manufacturerMOGULMOGULMOGULMOGULMOGUL highlighted its new core/sheath type bicomponent polyesterspunbond fabric, which is sold under theBuffalo brand. The new bicomponent linewill provide area thermal bonded flat

fabrics in round and tiptrilobal filamentshapes in low denier, with an estimatedweight range of 15-200 gsm. Mogul alsoshowcased its standard range of fabricsincluding spunlace, polypropylenespunbond nonwovens, polyesterspunbond nonwovens (mono polyester;

flatbond, pointbond,round and trilobal crosssection filaments),meltblown nonwovens,SM-SMS-MMM grades,extrusion coated/laminated fabrics, PEVAfilm and convertedproducts made fromnonwovens andcomposites.

FARÈFARÈFARÈFARÈFARÈ presentedsolutions that weredeveloped for bothstaple fibre andspunbond lines. Mainly,these solutions aim to

optimise the efficiency of the lines in termsof energy and raw materialsconsumption. Enhancements include newextrusion design for quick colour change;new flush back filters for no-stopoperations (no manpower required) andnew supergodets for the production of


Mogul stand at Techtextil


high performing fibres to be utilised ingeotextile applications.

DILOGROUPDILOGROUPDILOGROUPDILOGROUPDILOGROUP machines are used forproduction of the complete range ofstaple fiber nonwovens, includingtechnical applications, automotive andhousehold, medicine and hygiene,

decorative felts and floor coverings, butalso base material for coatings,composites and high-tech applications.

There is a constant demand fornonwoven lines used for needled filtermaterial. The increasing need forenvironmental protection andsustainability led to a requirement forhigh quality needled filters in growingnumbers and with special characteristics.This is an ever-growing challenge for Dilomachines and their technology.

Dilo installations for the production ofgeotextiles represent another significantapplication area. Due to the requiredstrength values and homogeneity inlongitudinal, cross and diagonal directions,these installations can include draftingsystems before and after preneedling.

For the production of nonwovens usedin the car, Dilo offers lines for flat andstructured felts. The focus is still on velour,needled on the DI-LOUR machines. Forthe production of felts used as sound andheat insulation in the car, Dilo machinesare often equipped with the DI-DUSTsystem, as these felts are produced withrecycled fibers and filling material.

A special installation is a line forproduction of the so-called wheelhouselinings. In this case, two parallel card/crosslapper lines produce the base andthe cover felts. The intermediate layerconsists of flakes of recycled automotive

carpet. This construction results inexcellent strength values in thesubsequent thermal molding.

Machines and lines for the productionof wipes, for needling spunbonds, formedical and hygiene applicationsrepresent further challenges that are met

by DiloGroup.DiloGroup also

offers nonwovenmachines for theneedling of metaland inorganicfibres, for fibresused in highperformance andhigh temperatureapplications aswell as machinesfor tubular felts.

The demandson the fibers used,in terms of

processability, mechanical and textileproperties are steadily increasing.DiloGroup delivers highly efficientproduction lines from fibre opening tofinished roll goods in all working widths.The card capacity which determines theefficiency of the whole line is between 300and 550 kg per meter of working widthdepending on fibre type and fineness.Working widths can be more than 5500 mm.

DYNEON NEUSSDYNEON NEUSSDYNEON NEUSSDYNEON NEUSSDYNEON NEUSS of Germany,discussed glass fabrics that are coatedwith its polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tomake membranes, and films made from its

ethylene-tertrafloroethylene (ETFE), both ofwhich are used in architectural structures.

Coated glass fabrics are used insuch as stadium roofs, the company says.The coating protects the material againstultraviolet (UV) radiation, moisture andother environmental influences, andmembranes can be produced that havean elongation-at-break of as much as600%. The membranes remain flexibleafter many year's service and rain willclean the surface to a significant extenteach time it falls. Finally, the high tensile strength of the membranes (up to10 kN/5 cm) offers architects the optionto use large spans.

CONWEDCONWEDCONWEDCONWEDCONWED, a global plastic nettingmanufacturer, displayed its innovativeindustrial netting portfolio at Techtextil.Conwed netting is used in hundreds ofproducts in many different industriesworldwide, from automotive, filtration andmedical applications to hygiene,disposable and consumer products.

Among the products displayed wasConwed's co-extrusion netting. Co-extrusion is a multi-layer extrudednetting that can be oriented to enablepolymers to form different layers on thesame netting configuration.

'Netting is an ideal reinforcementand bonding element to createexceptional composites with film, paper,foil, foam, bubble wrap, nonwoven andother fabrics. It is lightweight yet verystrong. It is an exceptional reinforcementmaterial,' said Ivan Soltero, Strategic

Marketing Manager at Conwed.The company stressed that

manufacturers, OEMs andconverters could all incorporateConwed netting to achievelightweight reinforcement andstretchable features.

'Our netting brings keyperformance functionalities tomany different products, and ourability to customise it to differentchemical, performance andprocessing requirements allowscustomers to create truly distinctiveproducts,' said Mr Soltero.

FORSSTROMFORSSTROMFORSSTROMFORSSTROMFORSSTROM’’’’’sssss at Techtextilmark’s the company’s 45th year inoperation. Founded by WillyForsstrom, the Swedish companyhas built more than 900 travelling

High performance materials fortextile architecture fromDyneon, Stadium in Kiev




High Frequency (HF) welding machinesduring that time for joining PVC/PUmaterials.

One of these machines is Forsstrom’sMG-Flex machine, a new compact HF-

welding machine on wheels, whichmakes it easy for the operators to joinheavy materials. ‘The welding head canbe moved freely, and rotate 180degrees. It also features a suspensionmachine for simplified handling ofvolume products’, explained Ms AnnelieWester, Marketing Manager, Forsstrombased in Sweden.

MG-Flex won the ShowstoppersAward 2014 in the ‘Best New Product’category at the Speciality Fabrics Expo inMinneapolis, US. These awards aim tohighlight ‘new and improvedapplications for revolutionary designsand increased efficiency’.

To increase manufacturing efficiency,MG-Flex offers several unique features,such as a Z-guide for controlling overlapsof up to 80 mm in width, increased liftheight of the welding head of 190 mmand Forsstrom’s recently developedsoftware with a 12-inch touch screen.

The many different applications ofpressure sensitive adhesives (PSA)undoubtedly make SIKA SERVICES AGSIKA SERVICES AGSIKA SERVICES AGSIKA SERVICES AGSIKA SERVICES AGas one of the most fascinating groups ofadhesive products. For more than half acentury now Sika has been developingand producing PSA with different perfor-mance characteristics for a wide range ofapplications, and has consequentlyamassed a wealth of experience in everyarea of adhesive technology.

As a globallyleading supplier ofadhesivetechnologies Sikaoffers a broad

range of hotmeltsand water-basedadhesives. Morethan 50 yearsexperience and fullpackage of allappliedtechnologies haveenabled Sika tobecome the expertin the adhesiveindustry.

Mr FrancoisBauduin, SeniorManager -IndustrialLamination, of Sikaelaborated, 'Sika’swide range of softlaminationadhesives meanssolutions areavailable forSportswear,Protective-wearand Industrialapplications fromflooring to roofing.At Techtextil wehave introduced‘SikaMelt-9607,which is a new andversatilepolyurethane

Forsstrom’s MG-Flexmachine at Techtextil


based reactive hot melt adhesive withoutstanding performance for breathablemembranes bonding. With an excellentinitial strength profile to suitmanufacturing needs and cross-linking toform a durable elastomer in the laminatedtextile, it provides the best of both worlds.SikaMelt-9607 is manufactured inaccordance with ISO 9001 / 14001quality assurance system.'

Organic growth stands at the centerof the Sika strategy. In 2014 new

subsidiaries were established inAlbania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, IvoryCoast, Mozambique, Nigeria and SriLanka. Sika furthermore has invested in2014 considerable ressources in theexpansion of capacity, for example inSerbia, Indonesia, Singapore, India,Mexico, Brazil and the USA. The first half-year 2015 delivered double-digit salesgrowth in the core markets of the USA,Latin America, Africa, the Middle East,Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and thePacific and therefore underlined thestrength of the Sika growth model.

FORMFIBER DENMARKFORMFIBER DENMARKFORMFIBER DENMARKFORMFIBER DENMARKFORMFIBER DENMARK’’’’’ssssspatented Spike Aircarding formingequipment delivers innovative airlaidnonwovens technology, designed toefficiently form carding length or shorterfibrous raw materials. If a customer’s mat

Mr Francois Bauduin,Senior Manager -

Industrial Lamination,Sika at their stand

product application requires heavy basisweight mats up to 10,000 gsm, SpikeAirCarding is an ideal technology, whichcan also be used for applications thatrequire a low-basis weight web of 10 gsmor more.

Spike AirCarding formers are beingapplied to applications with productionline speeds of up to 600 mpm for lowbasis weight webs to deliver consistentlygood formation, with short fibre lengths,and superior productivity.

Formfiber corporate facilitiesin Denmark provide test plantfacilities for its clients’ productdevelopment trials,’ explained MrMorten Stenbro.

KARL MAKARL MAKARL MAKARL MAKARL MAYER TEXTIL-YER TEXTIL-YER TEXTIL-YER TEXTIL-YER TEXTIL-MASCHINENFMASCHINENFMASCHINENFMASCHINENFMASCHINENFABRIKABRIKABRIKABRIKABRIK ofObertshausen, Germanypresented on a sprawling stand of80 sqm a meeting room in theshape of a tower with a spiralentrance, the whole structuremade from warp-knitted spacertextiles. The three-dimensional(3D) textile absorbs sound so as tokeep meeting room insulated fromexternal noise, the company says.

As well as demonstrating theability of its machinery to makespacer fabrics, Karl Mayershowed textiles made fromcarbon and glass fibres forreinforcing composites, andproducts made from thecomposites.

Another theme was the functionaltextiles for sportswear. the companyshowed fabrics made on its machinerycapable of wicking perspiration from thewearer, as well as managing heat.

ORGANOCLICKORGANOCLICKORGANOCLICKORGANOCLICKORGANOCLICK of Swedenlaunched OC-aquasil Tex, aflurocarbon-free water repellent fornonwovens and textiles.

OC-aquasil Tex confers textiles andnonwovens with excellent waterrepellency. It also protects textiles andnonwovens from snow and from water-based soiling such as stains from redwine, coffee, ketchup, etc. OC-aquasil Texretains the treated material's appearanceand its ability to let vapours through. Thusits repellency effects are invisible.

‘OC-aquasil Tex does not contain anyfluorocarbons or per-and polyfluorinated

compounds (PFCs), a group of substancesknown to be bio-accumulative. Somesubstances within this group are alsohormone-disruptive. OC-aquasil Tex doesneither contain isocyanates, substancesknown to be causing respiratoryproblems, explained Robin Grankvist,Business Manager, OrganoClick.

On woven textiles containingsynthetic fibres, one variant of OC-aquasil Tex, OC-aquasil Tex W, confers ahighly durable performance thatwithstands numerous cycles of homelaundry and wear. However, in thepresence of the plant-based catalysts,the reactive end binds to the textile fibresand it is then rendered non-degradableand becomes highly durable instead.

On nonwoven material containingeither cellulose-based or synthetic fibres,another variant of OC-aquasil Tex, OC-aquasil Tex N, confers a high degree ofwater repellency without having to becured at elevated temperatures.

WEKOWEKOWEKOWEKOWEKO provided information andsolutions on textile and nonwovenmaterials specific properties. ‘Only theamount necessary is applied with non-contact, exactly metred liquid applicationby WEKO. This preserves resources, theenvironment and your budget,’ saidThomas Laissle, Product Manager atWEKO. ‘And, because of the minimumamounts applied, both the applicationchemicals and drying energy is saved,increasing productivity.’

For the optimal finishing of textiles,WEKO applies liquid substances, suchas plasticizers, avivages, flameretardants, hydrophilic/hydrophobic oroleophilic/oleophobic finishes. Rotatingspray disks apply the liquid via non-contact application to the continuouslytransported web.

Swedish supplier of band-cuttingmachines, SVEGEASVEGEASVEGEASVEGEASVEGEA, presented a fullcollection of its products at Texprocess. ItsEuro Collarette 300S series machines,featuring high pre-feed devices, and thenew ‘e-drive II’ and ‘true-drive II’controllers, designed for professionalprecision, were on display.

Visitors also viewed its Simple E-Drive, a new standard turn-table device,and its FA 500 heavy duty, fullyautomatic slitting machine. According toSvegea this machine boasts advanced



features including a 2,000 mm widthcapacity, touch screen panel, adjustablespeed blade penetration, PCL controlsand an automatic blade cooling devicewith variable settings. Plus, it slits anytype of material on the roll, includingopen knits, woven and nonwoven fabric,PVC, vinyl, polyester and satin.

The international Tubingen basedcompany CHTCHTCHTCHTCHT presented specialchemicals for technical textiles andnonwovens. The versatility and variabilityof technical textiles is, after all, oftencreated with functional treatment orcoatings. CHT provides individualcoating solutions for automotives,protective gear, filters and even textile-reinforced concrete.

CHT is focused in particular on textilesin vehicle constructions and adhesivebonding. Highlights for the nonwovensindustry were treatment agents to makenonwovens hydrophilic (DURON SL 4069)with excellent 'rewet' for spunlace and alow-fogging agent (DURON NV7) forintensive nonwoven needling that treat thefibres gently and has good static properties.The agent ensures smooth processing andprevents odours.

The company also presentedhydrophobic agents that canaccommodate many differentrequirements: fluoride-free hydrophobicagents of the ECOPERL series; FC-basedproducts that can make the textileswater-and oil-resistant and addresistance to alcohol and other chemicals;silicone-based high performancecoatings which can be used wheneverregular water-based systems cannotmeet the technical requirements.

LENZINGLENZINGLENZINGLENZINGLENZING presented innovative shoeconcept with the Lyocell fibre, Tencel atTechtextil. Tencel, the Lyocell fibre, is nowbeing used in component parts for shoes.‘It all started with shoe laces,’ MarinaCrnoja-Cosic, Lenzing Segment Managerof Technical Textiles, says. As a result ofLenzing’s initiative and strong interest onbehalf of manufacturers, more and moreshoe components were developed, manyof which are already in use incommercial products. ‘Now the goal is tolaunch a shoe on the market in which allof the component parts are made withTencel’, Crnoja-Cosic continued.Innovative shoe manufacturers are

searching for eco-friendly andsustainable materials. ‘Tencel has a goodreputation when it comes to sustainabilityand, particularly when it comes to shoes,the moisture management function, whichTencel fulfils to perfection, is a must,’Crnoja-Cosic explained in more detail.

The variety of the Tencel productportfolio supports the wide application ofit in shoes. It is available as a fibre or inpowder form. Thus it can be used in innerand outer shoes, as an outer fabric, andin shoe laces and sewing thread.

The Austrian company, Legero, issearching for new possibilities in the fieldof sustainability and is at the point ofcommercializing a new shoe conceptcalled VIOS. In this shoe, Tencel shoelaces are used for sustainability andwork is already underway to furtherextend it to additional components. ‘Forus a partnership with Lenzing AG is alogical step on the way towardsecological responsibility since, due to ourjoint passion for sustainability, we areable to produce things which did notappear possible at first glance,’ StefanieStolitzka, Sustainable DevelopmentManager at Legero, commented.

ZEUSZEUSZEUSZEUSZEUS has delivered dependableinnovation for almost 50 years. It is amongthe first to work in the arena of minimallyinvasive techniques for revolutionaryprocedures such as neuromodulation. theirPEEK drawn fibre offers a non-metallicreplacement for stainless steel.

PEEK is a high-performance

engineered polymerwith amazingstrength and heatresistant properties.The material is a veryrigid plastic withexcellent lubricity andpurity properties.PEEK can be used asan alternative to othermaterials, includingaluminum, steel, glassand other polymers.

PEEK is used in anarray of industriessuch as fluid handlingsystems and oilexploration. Its choicefor analytical and lifesciences applications

in challenging environments, PEEK istypically used in magnet or winding wirefor motors and electrical insulation.

It is ideal stainless steel replacement,lightweight, biocompatibility, hightensile strength, lubricity, hightemperature resistance, excellentpurity and high burst pressure.

As significant as the development ofPTFE was to polymer science, FEP wasequally significant to polymer processing.

FEP tubing is used primarily inapplications that require more clarity,flexibility, or a lower heat shrinkabletemperature than PTFE. FEP tubing issuited for applications ranging fromenvironmental monitoring equipment tomedical devices and electronicsapplications. In the medical deviceindustry, the melt processability of FEPallows for long continuous extrusions.

The French company NSC FIBRE TONSC FIBRE TONSC FIBRE TONSC FIBRE TONSC FIBRE TOYYYYYARNARNARNARNARN,,,,, Guebwiller, promoted spinninglines for processing long staple fibres fortechnical applications. Long staple yarnscan be spun in various blends from anyhigh-performance fibres: natural fibres(wool, silk, flax, ramie, hemp etc) andman-made fibres (e.g. acrylic, high-tenacity PVA, aramid). Long staple yarnsand fabrics are appreciated for theirstrength, flexibility, cleanliness, evenness,traditional look and soft touch. Typicalend-uses are individual protection, fabricreinforcement, sewing threads andbraids for firefighting, industry,automotive outdoor, military, and sport.


(From L to R)Christina Okorn,Legero; StefanieStolitzka, Legero;and Marina Crnoja-Cosic, Lenzing,model the new‘botanic shoe’concept


Eurolaser’s3XL-3200 CO2laser machine

The company proposes 3 processes toproduce long staple top of technicalfibres: carding, stretch breaking, crushcutting. This is composed of different kindof machines: cards, converters, pindrafters, blenders, defelters, combers,rubbing, roving and spinning framesbased on two tradebrands (N.Schlumberger, Seydel).

EUROLASEREUROLASEREUROLASEREUROLASEREUROLASER’’’’’sssss 3XL-3200 CO2 lasermachine makes it possible toautomatically handle textiles with a widthof up to 3,210 mm directly from the roll intothe laser cutter. Automationis increasingly important tothe textile industry as itmakes processing more

effective and more economical. Variousfeed systems allow fully automatedprocessing of the textiles direct from theroll which are routed after laser cuttingdirectly to a table extension. Unwinding,cutting and software driven optimizationare now standard.

Eurolaser said this fully automatedprocess means production can continuearound the clock, seven days a week,and the potential of the laser cutterwill be exploited.

Some manufacturers are unawarethat ultrasonic welding can be used tojoin nonwovens quickly, without the needfor additives and an energy-efficientmanner, even when the fabrics are madefrom different materials, HHHHHERRMANNERRMANNERRMANNERRMANNERRMANNULULULULULTTTTTASCHALLETCHINKASCHALLETCHINKASCHALLETCHINKASCHALLETCHINKASCHALLETCHINK GmbH & Co GmbH & Co GmbH & Co GmbH & Co GmbH & CoKGKGKGKGKG of Karlsbad, Germany promoted thevirtues of this technique.

Company says that a wide range ofbasis weights can be processed, fromhygiene fabrics (9-85 gsm) to filtrationfabrics (100-800 gsm). Ultrasonicwelding can apply longitudinal andcross seams, as well as being used tolaminate materials, even foams and

carbon fibres. Web speeds of 800 m/min are possible and by combiningseveral meters in width.

A highlight of the company's exhibitwas its patented MicrogapControlsystem, which controls the weld gap tocompensate for the thermal expansion ofthe tools and any variations in materialdensity. Herrmann Ultraschalltechnik alsoshowed how the continuous process isvisualized on a tablet computer runningits Microbond software.

Based in Helmbrechts, Germany,CORPORACORPORACORPORACORPORACORPORATE FABRICSTE FABRICSTE FABRICSTE FABRICSTE FABRICS GmbH GmbH GmbH GmbH GmbH makes

protective textiles forworkwear. The company

exhibited textilesdesigned to protectagainst heat andflames, and electricarcs.

One lightweightwas the Textreme

range, which Corporate Fabricshas recently extended with the additionof a soft shell fabric designed to offer thewearer protection from electric arcs andthe weather. A single layer meets therequirements of the European standardEN 61482-1-2 class 2 (7 kA), thecompany claims. Another addition to thisrange is called 'textreme protect camou',a protective clothing fabric that allows forcompletely new designs.

The company also showed its denim-style reflector fabric, designed to keepthe wearer visible at night, and a fabric(Contra Tick) that permanently protectsthe wearer against stinging and bitinginsects. Contra Tick withstands 100wash-cycles and does not containharmful chemicals, according to thedemands of the standard Oeko-Tex 100.

The company also makes a flame-retardant (FR) febric, Kermel X-Flash-based on the aramid fibre from Kermel ofColmar, France - which it says meets thelaundering requirements of theinternational standard ISO 15797, aswell as withstanding 150,000 cycles ona Martindale tester, demonstrating itshigh abrasion-resistance.

Finally, the company has developedits own fibre blend to make fabrics (Fireand Flames) that provide FR protectionfor corporate wear.

HILLS INCHILLS INCHILLS INCHILLS INCHILLS INC of West Melbourne,

Florida, USA, exhibited its latestinnovations for fibre extrusion. Thecompany's portfolio includes equipmentfor spunbond and meltblown fabrics,staple fibres, filaments, and solutionspinning equipment. It has opened a newEuropean office, which is located withinthe Centre European des TextilesInnovations (CETI) in Tourcoing, France.

The company is a specialist in multi-component fibre technology, exploiting itsproprietary techniques for precisionmetering and distribution systems in itsspin-pack, and its unique temperature-based polymer separation systems. Thetechnology can produce nearly any multi-component cross-section, including sharpimages of logos, for identification.

For its spunbond machines, Hills usesthe latest slot-draw technology, whichresults in high-speed spinning of thefilaments, and allows users to tailor thefabric's properties by choosing from awide range of polymers, fibre cross-sections and sizes; commercialproduction with titres of less than I denierto more than10 denier are possible.

Meltblown technology from Hills isbased on thin-plate, split-die systemsthat allow the commercial production ofhigh-quality bicomponent fibres. Thecompany claims it can manufacturevirtually any size and length of spinningorifice for commercial production ofunique meltblown products, including thelarge-scale production of nanofibres.

At the fair, visitors were able to seevarious fabrics made using Hillsequipment: artificial leather and wovenlike spunbond fabrics produced usingmulti-component fibres, spunbond fabricswith high loft; nanofibres made fromislands-in-the-sea configurations,filtration media, stretchable spunbondand meltblown fabrics.

The Turkish GENERALGENERALGENERALGENERALGENERALNONWOVENS GENERAL TEKSTILNONWOVENS GENERAL TEKSTILNONWOVENS GENERAL TEKSTILNONWOVENS GENERAL TEKSTILNONWOVENS GENERAL TEKSTIL,Gaziantep, is a producer of polyesterspunbond, polypropylene spunbond, airthrough bond nonwovens and SMS(spunbond-meltblown-spunbond)nonwovens. Air through bond nonwovensare mainly for the hygiene industry.

General Nonwovens in a range of 12-200 gsm upto 3.30 m width. The brandsinclude HyGen for hygiene and personalcare products, FilterGen for filtration



products, TexGen for coated andlaminated fabrics as well as hometextiles,AutoGen for the automotive industry,AgriGen for agriculture and horticultureapplications, IndiGen for industrial andtechnical textiles and MediGen formedical and surgical media.

At the Techtextil the companypromoted nonwovens roll goods forautomotive applications, technicaltextiles, carriers for extrusion coating,lamination and layers for composites.

LUBRIZOLLUBRIZOLLUBRIZOLLUBRIZOLLUBRIZOL, which has itsheadquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio USA,presented its portfolio of resins, polymers,additives, surfaced modifiers,dispersants and formulated solutions.

The range includes water-borne treat-ments to impart durability, flame-retar-dant (FR) properties, abrasion-resis-tance, water-repellence, breathabilityand cooling effects. The company stressesits philosophy of working with itscustomers to develop multi-functionalformulation to their requirements.

Addressing growing concerns amongcustomers and users about the impact onthe environment, and on health and safety,Lubrizol has developed products that arefree from formaldehyde, antimony andhalogen-based chemicals. Further, owingto the water-borne nature of the products,their use does not emit volatile organiccompounds (VOCs).

INDUSTRIAL FILTERS & FABRICSINDUSTRIAL FILTERS & FABRICSINDUSTRIAL FILTERS & FABRICSINDUSTRIAL FILTERS & FABRICSINDUSTRIAL FILTERS & FABRICSPVT LTD (IFF)PVT LTD (IFF)PVT LTD (IFF)PVT LTD (IFF)PVT LTD (IFF) based in Indore, India isyour platform for the filter bags, cages &accessories for your dust collectors. Theymanufacture a wide range of aftermarket filter bags for nearly all OEM’s.

IFF popularly known in industrycircles, soon gauged the pulse of themarket and started manufacturing madeups/finished products, as per need of theindustry. Today IFF stands as the largest infilter bag and cage manufacturing serviceprovider in Asia. IFF has done wonders inmastering the ability to provide quickquotes, rapid lead-time, and the highestquality filter products for the industry.

IFF has recently acquired Filtafelt,South Africa, which produces filter fabricsfor all Bag manufacturers based out ofAfrica. Its one of the only two felt manufac-turing company within South Africa.

Filtafelt has been in operation now for38 years and the Nonwoven Felt Plant

was commissioned 25 years ago, duringthis time it has manufactured a wide rangeof non-woven needle felt filter fabrics andtechnical textiles. It has a non-wovenmanufacturing facility, based close toJohannesburg and produces needle feltsfor both wet and dry filtrationapplications. On the dry side, Filtafeltmanufactures needle felts which arefabricated into filter bags for dustextraction systems such as pulse jet,reverse air and shaker type cleaningsystems. The fibre types they utilise are:Polyester, Polyester Antistatic,Polypropylene, Homopolymer Acrylic,Aramid, PPS & P84 (to name a few).

The acquisition, later combined withtheir own Bag & Cage manufacturing,will give opportunity for IFF to capture15-30% market share due to its technicalexpertise, integration with filtermanufacturing, competitive pricing andproduct range.

Filtafelt's strategic location will beused to cater to Latin American, Africanand European markets.

Mr Prateek Maheshwari, Director IFFfrom India and Mr Martin Cross fromtheir Filtafelt, South Africa were presentat Techtextil, and were glad to haveparticipated for the first time andexplained their range of filtrationproducts to technical visitors.

COLLANO AGCOLLANO AGCOLLANO AGCOLLANO AGCOLLANO AG of, Switzerland,which specializes in adhesives for the

apparel industry, including protectiveclothing and sportswear. The companyalso makes adhesives for the technicaltextiles used in the construction, medicaland civil engineering industries.

Collano displayed a broad range oftechnologies, including dispersionadhesives, reactive adhesives based onpolyurethane (PU) and silanes, solvent-based adhesives, reactive hot-melts.

The company says its products havebeen tasted to show that they contain noharmful substances and conform to theOeko-Tex Standard 100.

One highlight of the exhibit was thecompany's latest blackout film. This whitefilm has a soft handle and a high degreeof opacity.

PYROTEX FIBERSPYROTEX FIBERSPYROTEX FIBERSPYROTEX FIBERSPYROTEX FIBERS GmbH GmbH GmbH GmbH GmbH ofHamburg, Germany, produces the highlyflame and heat resistant fibre (PryroTex).

Company presented its latestinnovation - solution dyed shades of its 2.8dtex (2.5 denier) fibre. Pyro Tex says thefibre has a high degree of colour fastness.

PyroTex is an acrylic fibre with alimiting oxygen index (LOI) of 43% that iscapable of continuous use at 250oC. Thefibre is also resistant to acids, alkalis,water and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Further, because it is not athermoplastic, the fibre does not melt ordrip , and the FR properties do notrequire the addition of commonly usedagents (such as antimony, bromides or


Mr Prateek Maheshwari and Mr Martin Cross


phosphorus- based chemicals), so thefibre does not emit toxic gases when it isexposed to heat.

Available in titres of 2.0, 2.5 and 3.5with cut lengths of 10-120 mm, the fibre canbe used in nonwovens and spun yarns.

Applications include fire-blockersin aircraft, apparel and hot gasfilter media.

RKW GROUPRKW GROUPRKW GROUPRKW GROUPRKW GROUP presented the latestgeneration of its nonwovens. The 100%polypropylene spunbond nonwoven RKWHyJet is now available with a thermo-plastic polyurethane (TPU) coating.

The unique composite offers customersfrom the automotive, construction orfurniture industries a cost-effective andsimultaneously high-quality alternative tothe normal polyester-coated nonwovensfor a number of application areas.

Durable, waterproof and breathable,TPU coatings offer a number of benefits inthe textile area, according to thecompany. While polyester-coatednonwovens have become standard,polypropylene-based nonwovens havenot offered satisfactory bonding till now.As the only manufacturer worldwide, thishas now been achieved by the RKWGroup with RKW HyJet – ahydroentangled spunbond nonwovenmade from continuous filaments. The soft,durable and tear-resistant 100%polypropylene material is available invarious colours and weights and can besupplied with diverse additional featuresand additives.

PHARR YARNSPHARR YARNSPHARR YARNSPHARR YARNSPHARR YARNS of McAdenville,North Carolina. USA describes itself asone of the most diverse spinners servicing

the technical textiles sector. Pharr hasmanufacturing plants in the Carolinas,Georgia and California, and its PerformanceDivision serves about a dozen core markers,using machinery that spans the entirerange of spinning sectors.

The company suppliers yarns withinherent properties such as, resistanceto flames, chemicals and cutting, highstrength, electrostatic dissipation.Specific applications include, protectiveclothing for firefighters, work gloves forindustry and the military, filtrationfabrics, composites, aircraft interiors,

straps and harness, includingthose used at high temperatures,conveyor belts, sewing thread etc.

Based in Boras, Sweden, ABABABABABSVENSKT KONSTSILKE (SKS)SVENSKT KONSTSILKE (SKS)SVENSKT KONSTSILKE (SKS)SVENSKT KONSTSILKE (SKS)SVENSKT KONSTSILKE (SKS) isa global supplier of high-performance yarns and cords formechanical rubber goods (MRGs),tyres and paper felts.

The company operatesproduction facilities in Sweden,Estonia and China, and workswith Research Institutes andUniversities to improve productsand develop novel yarns foremerging applications. A recentdevelopment is that of a

monofilament for use in a feed materialfor three-dimensional (3D) printers.

JOHNS MANVILLEJOHNS MANVILLEJOHNS MANVILLEJOHNS MANVILLEJOHNS MANVILLE of Wertheim,Germany, highlighted its work withbicomponent spunbonds, in this casemade using its proprietary technology.The company plans to start-up a new linefor the production of lightweightbicomponent spunbonds. The exhibitprovided Johns Manville the opportunityto introduce to visitors the variety of newproducts that will be available from itsplant in Berlin, Germany, including thosefor filtration.

In addition, the company showed itslatest glass fibre and glass microfibernonwovens, as well as polyester (PES)spunbond innovations for construction,building interiors, filtration, energy-storage and composite applications.

German company DIENESDIENESDIENESDIENESDIENES offershigh-quality and efficient slittingsolutions. At the show, the companypresented a selection of its slittingtools. The focus was on solutions forshear and crush cut, heat cut and

edge trimming. A recent innovation isthe crush cut knife holder for textilesand nonwovens. The crush cut knife cannow comfortably be removed to thefront. Additionally, the holder is alwaysat the ideal 90-degree angle to thecrossbeam due to a widened design.The company says the holder can beused without difficulty in newinstallations and to retrofit existinginstallations.

The thermal treatment of carbon,glass and aramid fibres as well as forhigh-tech composites, often requires veryhigh temperatures to be generated in thecalender. WUMAG TEXROLLWUMAG TEXROLLWUMAG TEXROLLWUMAG TEXROLLWUMAG TEXROLL, based inKrefeld, developed the roller systems GT400 for this purpose. The steel rollers areelectro-heated directly and can generatetemperatures ranging from 50 to 400oC.Individual heating zones keep thetemperatures ranging within a range of+/-2oC at all temperatures and acrossthe entire width. The modular calendersof the GT 400 series are fully assembledand can be put into operation via 'plugand play'. The tempered chrome steelrollers can be run with or without nip.Temper rollers and winders can beadded to the calenders.

The Wenden-based BST PRO-BST PRO-BST PRO-BST PRO-BST PRO-CONTROLCONTROLCONTROLCONTROLCONTROL specialist for measurementand quality control of flat materialspresented solutions for continuousmeasurement of technical textiles andnonwoven materials. The productsmanufactured usually have preciselydefined characteristics which do notaccommodate almost any materialdefects. Therefore, the sensors of theIndicon product family ensure fast,reliable and exact measurement offactors like layer thickness, density,moisture or even the total thickness ofa material.

The company presented their moderncontrol software Indicon XL at Techtextilshow, which makes it easy to monitor andcorrect production data. Duringoperation, all relevant data is collectedand can be visualised so that possibleerrors can be corrected immediately andfaults are reduced to a minimum. Thesesolutions not only provide precisemeasuring results to the customer, butalso offer many options for moreefficiency and process optimisation.


ATT


NANOVAL SPLITSPINNING

Nanoval spinningis very effective as

the momentumtransfer from thelaminar air to the

polymer melt in theLaval nozzle is

high so that lowpressurized air

is sufficientfor Nanoval’s

split-spinning.

The Nanoval Splitspinning Processwith incorporated particles into

NONWOVENFILAMENTS

Christian GerkingNanoval GmbH & Co KG, Kienhorststrasse 61-65,D-13403 Berlin, Germany. E-mail : [email protected]

anoval was founded in 1987 inBerlin to make industrial use of thepatents of Prof. Alfred Walz, a

scholar of Ludwig Prandtl, the well-knownaerodynamicist. They describe anastonishing effect which occurs with metalmelts accelerated by laminar gas flows. Themelt jets bursts into a multitude of very finedroplets, i.e. powders after solidification. Inthe 1990s Nanoval applied the technologyfor high-melting metals, for which theproduction nowadays is driven by anincreasing demand for additive

manufacturing (3D printing). In the metalfield Nanoval every day produces metalpowders, but also manufactures completeatomization plants.

The Nanoval - effect fornonwovens

Later, Nanoval applied this same effect forspinning polymers, indeed continuousfilaments were produced rather thanpowders, as the surface tension of polymerscompared to metal melts is low, whereas their

N

Wood particles incorporated in a cellulose(Lyocell) filament of a nonwoven;

SEM photo with courtesy of TITK Institute,Rudolstadt, Germany

Metal particles incorporated in PP filaments –both made by Nanoval atomizing and

spinning process


viscosity is high. So, metal melts areatomized to fine droplets and polymersmelts are spun in laval nozzles tocontinuous filaments. When PP, PE, PA,PET, PBT, PPS and PLA were successfullymelt-spun by this new split-swingingmotion, Nanoval developed a processalso for solution spinning andconcentrated on cellulose/lyocell. In thefiber and nonwoven field, Nanovalsupplies this technology andmanufactures process equipment as wellas complete plants.

Controversial explanationof split-spinning : Productproperties of thesenonwovens

Other than the evident bursting ofmetal melts into fine particles, thesplitting of polymer jets into filaments hasbeen discussed controversially in the pastdecade. Up to now, this combined split-swing motion was not possible to befilmed in a high-speed picture sequence,as the incident is extremely fast andtakes place in a very small area.Although shutter speeds of 50nanoseconds for single pictures wererealized, to understand the effectcompletely, a video of the order of10,000 up to 1 million pictures persecond would have been necessary.Another problem to overcome is, that thestrong zoom lens for distinguishingbetween the individual filaments but alsohaving a tremendous depth of focus tocope with the 3D oscillation of the fibershas not been found yet.

Single photos show filaments orfilament bundles forming loops after akind of bursting of the liquid spunmonofilaments, but experimental resultsindicate that this new effect gives a betterspinning attenuation as, for example, PPcan be spun at a throughput per holebeing 15 times higher than standardmeltblown spinning, e.g. ≥5 g/min butreaching the same fine filament size.

However the Nanoval-effect exactlyworks – the properties and the structureof these nonwovens are different tostandard meltblown. The stochasticcharacter of this process results in avariety of filament diameters: there arevery fine ones as well as very thick

filaments. Theirorientation in crossdirection is higherand since thefilamentsintermingle witheach other on theway to the belteven the unbondednonwovens havehigh webstrengths.Moreover, thespecific energyconsumption islow.

Furthermore,maintenance costsare reduced ashigher throughputsper spin holeallow using lessholes. In case ofarising problemsat one of the spin-cones of Nanoval’ssystem, spin conescan easily bereplacedindividually.

Cellulosefeedstocks,functionaladditives,wood-nonwovens

For cellulosenonwovens thelarger spin holesallow add-on offunctionaladditives, such assuper absorbents(SAP) or woodparticles. Also,Nanoval is notlimited to puredissolving pulpand can spin evenpaper pulp or100% waste paperfrom solution.

In the mostrecent test series,


50% wood particles with respect to cell,were added, spun and formed to auniform web. The Nanoval spinning isrobust and self-stabilizing. This newprocess could be applied for reducingcosts for pulp or to control the reduction ofthe fabric tenacity (flushability).

Laval nozzle allows toincorporate particles withinPP filaments

The special gas-dynamic flowwithin a Laval nozzle is the root causeof the unique Nanoval spinning, to spinfine filaments with large spinneretholes as mentioned above. Forcellulose nonwovens, incorporating

NANOVAL SPLITSPINNING

additives is obvious, as they can acton aqueous but also on fatty or oilyliquids, which all can be absorbed bycellulose nonwovens. Another idea ofNanoval is to incorporate particles intoPP filaments to get a nonwoven withspecial properties, e.g. a nonwovenmade of PP with incorporated steelparticles to get special magneticeffects.

Low energy consumptionwhile cold air spinning forlarge filaments only

In the first years of applying thesplitting effect from metal melts topolymers, such as PP, PA etc., Nanoval

spinning process with cold air wasquite similar to the powder atomizingprocess working at temperatures up to2400oC. The smallest possible filamentdiameters d50 were in the range of 3-5micron, while the market demandedmuch finer filaments. Spinning of nano-filaments with cold air is not possible.Nowadays, Nanoval is able to spinnonwovens with 20-30 % filamentsbelow 1 micron with heated air.

Anyway, energy-wise the Nanovalspinning is very effective as themomentum transfer from the laminarair to the polymer melt in the Lavalnozzle is high so that low pressurizedair is sufficient for Nanoval’s split-spinning today. ATT

Footfalls & Heartbeats, a New Zealand-based companyfounded by award winning chemist Simon McMaster, hasdeveloped a proprietary process for manufacturing smart knittedfabric, which uses nano-scale interactions within the textile tomake the fabric itself the sensor,avoiding the need for wires or miniatureelectronics.

The company is now actively seekingresources and commercial partners in itsmarket application areas, includinghealth, sports, rehabilitation, aged care,aerospace and automobile industries.

Recently it set up a crowd-fundingcampaign using My Angel Investmentplatform that will be active until 7September, aiming to raise money thatwill be used to recruit staff, buymaterials, and meet potential licensees,among other things.

The company’s technology can beexclusively customised to meet theexact needs of its commercial partners inmultiple healthcare areas and athleticand performance disciplines, according to the manufacturer.

This includes advanced wound care, compression garmentsystems, infant monitoring, athlete monitoring and remote moni-toring of health and physiological symptoms for those in high riskenvironments, such as first responders and defence personnel.

According to the company , the sensor technology can beknitted using the full range of traditional flatbed and circularmachines through to the seamless technologies of Shima Seikiand Stoll, leading flat knitting machinery manufacturers.

According to the company, its technology also has thepotential to measure mechanical stress in composite structures toallow real time structural composite monitoring for satellites, air-craft wings, wind turbine blades, yacht hulls and foils and high

performance car chassis.The technology currently measures

tensile and compressive forces.Additional functionality being exploredis the ability to track movement, bio-electrical outputs, such as heart rate,active and passive skeletal musclesignals, as well as blood oxygensaturation, all of which willenable new applications, the company reports.

The company announced in Marchit had signed an exclusive licensingdeal with the world’s second-largestmedical compression therapy company,Germany-based Medi. Medisubsidiary CircAid intends to useFootfalls’ patented technology in itscompression bandaging products, used

to help treat venous ulcers, with a product expected to belaunched early next year.

According to the company, its technology can createdurable, safe, knitted and washable fabrics that arecomfortable and natural to wear, as well as ideal forapplications requiring a direct contact with the body, as thetextile itself is a sensor. The developed textiles are also saidto be inexpensive to manufacture, as they can be made oncurrent knitting machinery using standard fibres.

Footfalls & Heartbeats launches crowd-fundingcampaign to produce smart knitted fabrics

Footfalls &Heartbeatscompression sock


The twin factors of higher birthrates and an ageing population

in some European countrieshas increased the demand foradult incontinence products,diapers, sanitary napkins etc

European Nonwovens Market

DRIVING GROWTH

Like other majorglobal nonwoven

markets, the EU isexperiencing a

stable growth infairly predictable

end markets, such asthe automotive,

building and civilengineering.


EUROPEAN NONWOVENS MARKET

ccording to EDANA, the Brusselsbased international association ofnonwoven industries, the overall

production of nonwovens in Europe grew byaround 4.7% in 2014 to reach 2.17 milliontons, and the annual growth rate hasaveraged nearly 5.3% since 2009, despitetwo lower growth years in 2012 and 2013.The hygiene market, which is still the mainnonwoven end use in volumes, grew by 6.1%in 2014, following a limited growth of 1.8%in 2013 spurred by development of theincontinence market, says Jacques Prigneaux,

interlinings. The European Union (EU) industryslightly increased exports last year to341,800 tons, with shipments mainly going tothe US, Turkey, Russia, China andSwitzerland.

According to Mr Prigneaux, the EUhygiene market was not saturated, as somehave claimed, but EDANA's statistics includefigures from Russia and Turkey, and theassociation continues to see big developmentsin hygiene mainly due to these countries. Hesays there were growing exports of finishedproducts from Europe including raw goods for

EDANA market analysis and economic affairsdirector. Spunmelt nonwovens recorded theirhighest growth rate since 2011 at 3.3% butthe following two years of growth reachedaround 3%. 'The production of fibre basedmaterials, including drylaid, wetlaidand airlaid technologies, recorded ahigher increase of 5.9%,' he says.

The most significant growth areasfor European nonwovens in 2014 werein personal care wipes which were up12.1%, floor covering, up 12.3%; civilengineering, up 11.9%; and automotivesinteriors, up 13.1%. MrPrigneaux

also notes'positive evolution' in thosenonwovens materials usedin electronic and food andbeverage applications,adding that the only majordeclines were in garments and

hygiene from Turkey.As for the supply of raw materials, there is

currently difficulty regarding polypropylene( P P ) inputs, but this is due to a facility

shutdown in

A


EUROPEAN NONWOVENS MARKET

the Netherlands and is not regarded along term problem.

Like other major global nonwovenmarkets, the EU is experiencing a mixtureof relatively stable growth underpinnedby the growth of sales in fairlypredictable end markets, such as theautomotive, building and civilengineering industries. While in morespecific growth impulses from newproducts and approach in the hygieneand other markets are also increasingdemand. The twin factors of increasingbirth rates in some countries (Such asFrance, Spain and the UK) and anageing population have contributed to agrowing demand for hygiene productssuch as baby diapers, sanitary napkinsand adult incontinence products.

Jan Zidek, spokesman for majorproducer Czech Republic based PegasNonwovens, one of the largest producersof spunmelt nonwovens in the Europe,Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region -Pegas has nine production lines in theCzech Republic and one in Egypt,providing 90,000 tons and 20,000 tonsof nonwoven textile capacity respectively.

'90% of our production goes toindustries with hygiene applications andis used as raw material for disposableproducts, mainly nappies andincontinence and feminine pads,' says MrZidek. 'In Europe, the market is alreadyrelatively saturated and EasternEuropean countries are moving that wayand there is a relative slowing down.'

But Mr Zidek says it is important tonote the differences between 'commodityproducts', which are made on a largescale with high volumes, and some

specialties or technologically advancedproducts that provide higher addedvalue to customers and potentially widerprofit margins. In the hygiene sector,these products typically use low'grammage’ materials, which make themlighter, but are said to be more difficult toproduce because they're thinner.

'They need better R&D and bettertechnology, and cost more, but they areneeded by customers because they reducetheir costs,' he says. Pegas is a key marketleader in this sector, 'and every time a newtechnology comes from Reifenhauser wewill install it,' he notes.

Mr Prigneaux agrees that there havebeen decreases in grammage but he doesnot think that, as a result, manufacturerswere able to sell at higher prices.

In the UK,Andrew Hewitt,NonwovensInnovation &Research Institutionat the University ofLeeds, tells NRIthere has definitelybeen a move in thenonwovens industryaway from heavierproducts towardswhat he calls the'very high valuepremium area'.

'Take things likethe hygiene and medical areas; there area lot of medical products like wounddressings, where the product price ishigher for a more specialist product,' hepoints out. There are also growthprospects for incontinence products. 'A lotof research is being done in that area, tomake nappies and diapers thinner andcheaper and work better, but they are abulk product.'

Nonwovens have a lot to offer in thisarea. Research is aimed at improvingefficiency and better performance for lessbulk. 'It is a matter of material absorbency,how quickly it absorbs liquid and thesurface dries so the baby does not getnappy rash. So absorbent fibres are beingworked on, in the UK and in Europe,' hesays. 'You would not believe how complexthe average diaper is, made out ofdifferent components, different layers, allinteracting with each other and playing a

different part - the dynamics of nappy arequite fascinating.'

The uses of nonwovens in Europe todayinvolve everything from teabags andblood fibres, to building materials andbulletproof vests. The engineeringbuilding block on those is the individualfibres, Mr Hewitt says. ‘You orient the fibres,you can lay them down and bond them andthere is a multitude of ways you can do that.You can get tiny lightweight tissue or paper-like structures right up to geotextiles sodense they're used in composites asreinforcing media-like glass fibres.'

An EDANA note released in April,2015 stresses how nonwovens can alsocontribute to cleaner drinking waterthrough the manufacture of fibres. 'Theadded value of nonwovens in filtration liesin their versatility and their ability toremove particulates from fluids,' saidEDANA. 'Nonwoven filter media are usedto filter drinking water, but also beer, milkand dairy products, oils, fuels and otherliquids. Nonwovens can be tailor-madeaccording to the nature, volume andpressure of the liquid to be filtered and thetype of contaminant to be removed.'

Another major European player in theglobal nonwovens market, Finnishcompany Suominen Corporation,recognises the versatility of nonwovens,now being devoted to such productsfollowing the divestment of its flexiblesand packaging business last July.Suominen is now the ninth largestnonwovens company in the world andtop of the global league for wipes alone.The company has just completed a three-year revamping of its efforts on growth.

Nina Kopola, President and ChiefExecutive Officer of Suominen, tells abouta strategy to grow the business in areaswith increased value added, bothbeyond wipes and in the specificsegments in wiping.

'There is already clearly room toexpand nonwovens in Europe. The wholenonwoven market itself is growing.Nonwovens usually grow faster thanGDP (Gross domestic product), and eventhough the European economy hasn'tbeen booming so much lately, there's stillbeen growth in our market,' she says.Beyond that are the 'mega drivers'pushing demand, such as nappies.

'We do not have an interesting

Production ofnonwovens at

Pegas Nonwovens


population, but we have an ageingpopulation so there are always ageingproducts - incontinence products - beingsold and more medical products beingused because people live longer andhave a longer active life,' she explains.

'On the wipes side, it's actually aninteresting market because the usage ofwipes is increasing and new categoriescome on stream all the time. We started withbaby wipes, then household wipes madetheir entry. The penetration rate of householdsingle use wipes is much larger in NorthAmerica than in Europe, so there is still a lotof growth there,' Mrs Kopola says.

'When wealth increase and themiddle classes become wealthier, thenthe use of these type of product usuallyincreases. This is fairly well establishedthroughout Western Europe and it isemerging in Eastern Europe,' she adds.

In 2013 Suominen divided itsnonwovens unit into two businesssections, 'Convenience' and 'Care'. The'Convenience' section, generating 90% ofthe company's net sales, focuses onwipes but also has travel and cateringdepartments. While the 'Care' businessarea is aimed at consumers in themedical and hygiene sectors. Mrs Kopolasaid at the time that this would speed upthe company's capability to create newbusiness and launch new products, withhigher value added to the market. Shesaid the company would 'active utilise' itsstrength in wipes to expand its share inthe medical and hygiene segments. Andthat the company would seek to increaseits share of products with higher addedvalue, for instance, through investing inthe growth of flushable products.

One example is Biolace Skin,launched last year for the home spamarket. This range of nonwovens can beused in applications such as facial sheetmasks, cosmetic pads, patches andexfoliation sheets, said Suominen, whichdeveloped the product in cooperationwith Austrian fibre specialist Lenzingusing the latter's Tencel Skin fibres,featuring a nanofibril structure.According to Suominen, the combinationof its nonwovens technology andLenczing's fibre resulted in a product thatwas smooth to the touch, flexible andstrong enough to maintain fiscal shape,while delivering sheet mask lotions.

Suominen alsolast year introducedNovolino nonwovensfor tabletopproducts, a range ofsubstrates billed 'adisposablealternative totraditional lines orother textilenapkins'.

Mrs Kopolasaid, 'The demandfor nonwovens forwiping, medicaland hygieneapplications is highin volume andenjoys a healthygrowth globally,driven bymegatrends such asmiddle classgrowth, ageing ofthe population andurbanisation.' Shenoted there were,however,'differences in bothregional demandand supply, andthus in the balanceof the two.' Thespunlace supply inEurope continue toexceed the regionaldemand, and as aresult, margins inoversuppliedmarkets like Europetended to be tightfor the entire supplychain.

Overall, thereseems to be a firmly-based growth trendfor nonwovens inEurope based ongrowth in the endmarkets and a con-stant stream of techni-cal innovation withinthe nonwoven ind-ustry itself, with anyimpediments being ofa local and shortlived nature. ATT


WET WIPES

Increasing globalwipes markets

provide a bounty ofopportunities formanufacturers to

expand theirproduct range.

Global demand to surge in

WET WIPESbusier lifestyles, particularly with morewomen choosing to go out to work, would alsodrive demand for these convenience products.

Preliminary statistics for 2014 showedoverall production of nonwovens in Europegrew by around 4.7% over the year, animprovement on growth rates in both 2012and 2013 and resulting in a total productionfigure of 2,165,000 tons. The figures showed

personal care wipes to be one of themost significant growth areas in

European nonwovens,increasing in value by +12.1%.Wipes were only beaten bygrowth in nonwovens floor

coverings, at +12.3%, andautomotive interiors, at

+13.1%.Meanwhile,

the environ-mentalimpact ofincreasedglobalwipesconsumption

is receivingmuch needed attention inthe US. Five NorthAmerican associationsrepresenting the water

sector and thenonwovens

industry are

ipes in their many forms continueto represent a key driving force inthe nonwovens hygiene sector,

and a recent market report forecast thedemand for wipes would increase by 5.2%each year through to 2018.

This healthy outlook on demand actuallyrepresents a slight decrease in terms ofgrowth rate, with the increase over the period2008 to 2013 showing +5.7%, comparedwith the projected figure of +5.2% forthe current five year span.Nevertheless, these latest estimatesrepresent a huge marketopportunity for wipesmanufacturers, with demand inmonetary terms expectedto increase fromUS$ 10.5 million in2013 toUS$ 13.5million in2018.

The ‘WorldWipes'market reportcomes from TheFreedonia Group,whose researchers found thatworld wide sales of wipeswould benefit from the trendsof rising incomes andunbanisation.Researchers said


W


WET WIPES

collaborating on new guidelines aimedat cleaning up wipes disposal. Theguidelines will inform and influenceproduct design in a bid to ensure thatthe widespread use of wipes acrossNorth America dose not adverselyimpact on wastewater systems.

However, it is worth noting that it's notonly consumers who need to be educatedon the proper disposal of wipes. While

consumers represented 60% of wipesdemand in 2014, The Freedonia Groupreport suggests that through to 2018global demand for industrial wipes isexpected to outpace that for consumeruse, with healthcare wipes accounting forthe bulk of that growth.

While sales of healthcare wipes aredriven in general by efforts to minimisehealthcare associated infections, they are

further boosted in developing nations bythe continuing modernisation of hospitalsand other facilities, the report said. Theseincreasing global wipes markets providea bounty of opportunities for manufac-turers to expand their product range andreach, but they also only serve to highlightthe problems with disposal andflushability, and the need to address thesemore urgently than ever before.

Enjoying the hot sunshine of spring and summer is good forthe soul! However, for children's sensitive skin, too muchsunlight can be dangerous. Thanks to special UV-protectiveclothing that is particularly densely woven out of fibres with‘built-in sun screen’, responsible parents can effectively protecttheir children's skin from harm. Still a niche product just a fewyears ago, sun protection clothing is now very popular. Buthow well is this special clothing accepted by the kidsthemselves, and how do those aroundthem react to people wearing long-sleeved shirts and so on in the swimmingpool or bathing lake?

The international textile researchcentre at the Hohenstein Institute inBönnigheim has investigated thesequestions. The team led by Dr. AndreasSchmidt, in partnership with a well-knownmanufacturer, kitted out 143 children agedbetween 2 and 14 with sun protectionclothing. After a few weeks, their parentscompleted a questionnaire in which theyassessed important factors such aswearing comfort, and outlined how thechildren behaved in the clothes and thereactions of other people and the childrenthemselves.

The results were very pleasing: over88% of the children (126) were happy orvery happy to wear the clothes. Over 84%of the children (121) also judged thewearing comfort to be good. The concerns of parents that thechildren would find the mostly long-sleeved tops and ankle-length trousers uncomfortable when playing in the sun or inwater proved unfounded, because the high-quality brandedproducts dried really quickly. In addition, most of the parentsfollowed the advice of Dr Schmidt, ‘After being in water,children should swap their wet protective clothes for a dry set,to avoid the body becoming chilled. The same thing isrecommended, incidentally, for ‘normal’ swimwear.’

The UV-protective clothing was mainly worn by the littlevolunteers in their own gardens (103/44.8%) and in open-air

pools (81/35.2%). In the odd case, parents reported that thechildren had at first been prevented from entering theswimming pool by the lifeguards, on the grounds of theirunusual swimwear. Only when the parents explained thereason were they allowed to wear the shirts in the water.

For Dr Schmidt, these cases show that even among peoplewho are closely concerned with sun protection because oftheir jobs, like the pool staff, there is still a great need for

information about the benefits of UV-protective textiles, ‘With these specialtextiles, UV-protection factors (UPF) of80 or more can be achieved - andpermanently. That is a far better perfor-mance than cosmetic sun protectionproducts can manage. It means that even achild with sensitive Type 1 skin can safelyspend all day outdoors.’ Provided, ofcourse, that all the parts of the body notcovered by the textile are also adequatelyprotected by sunblock. For Dr Schmidt,the UPF also needs to be calculated byusing realistic testing procedures.

‘Reliable figures that also take accountof the drastic reduction in UV protectionthat occurs when the fabric is wet orstretched can only be provided bymeasuring in accordance with UVStandard 801.’

The participants in the trial and theirplaymates did not dispute the benefits of

the UV-protective clothing, but there was lively debate aboutfashion-related aspects such as the choice of colour and thedesign. Here, even the youngest children had clear individualpreferences. In his final report, Dr Schmidt noted one of themain demands from the group of teenagers, ‘The motifs for size140 and above were judged to be too childish and uncool.’ Thisis a problem that the manufacturers can surely quickly solve, sothat nothing will then stand in the way of the triumphantadvance of sun protection clothing.

More information on the subject of textile sun protection isavailable online at www.uvstandard801.de.

Out in the glorious sun - UV-protective clothing is all the rage

Since theskin's natural

protectivemechanismsare not fully

developeduntil the ageof about 15,

effective sunprotection is

especiallyimportant for

children.

ATT


IMPORTANT REGIONS

The technicaltextile industry is asbroad and diverse as

the products itgenerates, with new

and innovativeapplications. This

study examinessome of the key

regional markets.

Technical textiles

IMPORTANTREGIONS

he technical textile industry is onewhere applications, technologies andcompanies are constantly changing.

The demand for technical textiles in manycountries is growing causing existing marketsto expand and also leading to new ones.

As the market share of technical textilesconsumed in the emerging economies relativeto textile products overall is increasing, manycountries meet their domestic demand for manyof these advanced textiles through imports.

North America is the largest regionalconsumer of technical textiles due to thepresence of the majority of end-useindustries. Europe and Asia Pacific followNorth America in terms of currentconsumption; however, development inemerging markets including India, China,Japan, Korea and Taiwan is expected toincrease overall technical textile demand.

The end use markets for nonwovens areclassified as either disposable or durables.The disposable end use markets are made upof product categories such as absorbenthygiene, wipes, filtration, medical andsurgical and protective apparel, while thedurable end use markets are comprised ofgeosynthetics, home and office furnishings,transportation, building construction andother durables.

With respect to consumer goods, risingincomes and the standard of living indeveloping countries is propelling individualsto purchase convenience items, promoting theproduction of disposable infant diapers

among other items that are madewith significant amounts ofnonwoven fabrics.

Specialty and industrialfabrics serve an array ofmarkets, everything fromawnings to auto airbags.

Automotive textiles representthe most valuable world marketfor industrial textiles. Thesematerials cover a broad range ofapplications, including upholsteryand seating, floor covering andtrunk liners, as well as safetybelts, airbags, thermal and soundinsulators, filters, hoses, tyres anda variety of textile-reinforcedflexible and hard composites. Theautomotive textile industry is strong in manyAsian countries such as China, Japan, India,Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.

Medical textiles are one of the mostimportant, continuously expanding andgrowing fields in technical textiles. Themedical textile industry has been improvingexisting products and creating new ones withnew materials and innovative designs. Someof these new products are being designed forless-invasive surgical procedures, infectioncontrol, and accelerated healing.

Economies are now supporting andproviding various programs in order topromote the production and consumption ofmedical textiles. Population growth, agingpopulations and the construction of new

T


IMPORTANT REGIONS

legislation and the development of testsand standards. Technical textiles arebecoming one of the most promisingsectors within the Indian textile industry.

Currently domestic consumption oftechnical textiles only accounts for 3% ofthe total world consumption; however,demand for technical textiles is growingat a faster rate than it is in mostdeveloped countries.

The strength of the Indian textileindustry comes from its export earnings.The competitive advantage that India hadin terms of its labor cost has been erodingslowly due to competition from countrieslike Bangladesh and Vietnam that offer askilled workforce and cheaper labour. Inaddition to labor costs, the decrease inconsumer spending during the globaleconomic recession has forced the Indiantextile industry to focus its attention todeveloping its technical textile sector.

The Indian Government's incentiveprograms, focusing on both thedevelopment and production of technicaltextiles and the promotion of technicaltextile exports, have been key to the rapidgrowth of the technical textile industry.

India's nonwoven sector is still in itsearly stages, and is a sector of the textileindustry that relies heavily on imports.Nonwoven fabrics used as applicationsin the construction, infrastructure,filtration, and automotive sectors providethe best opportunities for suppliers oftechnical textiles.

India's specialty and industrial fabricindustry is highly fragmented and still inits infancy. India's share of the globalspecialty and industrial fabric marketwas about 9% in 2011 and was aboutthe same in 2012. About 67% of India'sproduction is of commodities; only 33% ishigh-end products.

Domestic demand for medical textilesis growing in India, but the sector is stilldependent on imports due to the non-availability of the fabrics used in makingthese products or the lack ofmanufacturing technologies tomanufacture these technical textiles.

Domestic demand includes : Baby

regulations tothe same effect.The Asia Pacificis expected tobe the fastestgrowingregional marketfor industrialprotectiveapparel at anestimatedcompoundannual growthrate of 12% from2014 to 2020.A key drivingfactor inprotectiveapparel is rapidindustrialisationandimplementationof stringentindustrial safetyregulations inemergingmarkets.

IndiaThe Indian

market is one ofthe largest andfastest growingeconomies in theworld, but the

Indian market continues to be one of themost challenging markets for exporters oftextiles and apparel.

India's textile and apparel industry isconsidered the backbone of the Indianeconomy. As the second largest producerof textiles and apparel in the world, theindustry is the second largest employerafter the agriculture sector. The textileand apparel industry directly employsabout 45 million people and indirectlyemploys about 60 million people.

The Indian textile industry isemerging as a significant market fortechnical textiles due to factors likeeconomic growth, strong governmentsupport, the introduction of necessary

medical facilities are a driving force forthis industry. Some markets have alsointroduced diverse programs aimed atsignificant improvements in thehealthcare of the country's population.

North America emerged as theleading regional market for industrialprotective apparel and accounted forover half of the total market volume in2013. Stringent regulatory guidelinescoupled with high levels of safetyawareness in the industry are expectedto drive the regional market growth overthe next six years.

Industrially advancing economies inthe Asia Pacific and Rest of the World(RoW) also started implementing


IMPORTANT REGIONS

diapers, adult incontinence diapers,feminine hygiene products, surgicaldisposables (masks, scrubs, gowns,booties, head coverings), disposablewipes, surgical dressings, artificialimplants etc.

The protective apparel sector of theIndian apparel industry relies on importsto meet domestic demand. US suppliersof textiles used in the manufacturing ofprotective clothing will find the mostopportunities for high altitude clothing,and high visibility and reflective clothing

ChinaAs competition in the textile and

apparel industry continues to increase,China has become a major producer andimporter of technical textile products. Itsmarket is expected to develop rapidly,driven by demand and governmentsupport. With constant market expansionand growth in the demand of technicaltextiles, opportunities exist for exporters,as there is substantial need from keytechnical textile industries, such asindustrial and medical textiles.

China is the number one supplier oftextiles and apparel to the United States.China was also the fourth largest marketfor US exports of textiles and apparel in2014, representing 5% of total exports.

China attributes this decrease inindustry growth and declining overseasorders to labor and other costs rising toofast. Increasing labor costs have to someextent undermined the internationalcompetitive advantage of the Chinesetextile industry. This has led to the growthof textile and apparel exports in otherAsian countries.

As China is losingsome of its global textileand apparel marketshare it is alreadyshifting to more value-added products, namelytechnical textiles. In thisendeavor the Chinesetextile industry hascommitted to improvebasic research anddevelopment projects andto bolster technicalinnovations.

The Chinese technicaltextile industry has

experienced rapid growth over the pastdecade. Technical textiles are growing ata much faster rate relative to the wholetextile industry. This industry developedrelatively late in China as most domesticproducers focused on the low and mid-end commodity market with littleinnovation. China is however, quicklyimproving its technologies. Withsignificant support from the centralgovernment, many Chinese producers inthe industry are now seeking to producehigh end, high value- added products.

In 2013, the Chinese National Bureauof Statistics stated that exports of plasticcoated fabrics, medical textiles,nonwovens, canvas textiles, bags andfibreglass were six categories ofproducts whose value accounted fornearly 80% of the entire technical textilesector. Among them, the nonwoven fabricexport growth rate reached 21.2%.Conversely, coated fabric, nonwovenfabric, glass fibre fabric, medical andhealth care textiles, and paper textiles

are the main imported products,accounting for 81.2% of the total imports.China mainly imports technical textilesfrom Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and theUnited States.

Constant infrastructure construction,fast development of the automotive,aerospace, and health care industries inChina is also driving technical textilesdemand. China's central government isalso supporting the industry'sdevelopment through different methods,and aims to increase the proportion of thetechnical textile industry relative to theoverall textile industry. In 2010 the shareof technical textiles in China reached20% and moved up to 23% in 2013.

Due to high market demand fortechnical textiles in China, more andmore foreign producers have planned toexpand their production and to introducenew products in China.

The high end technical textile marketin China is dominated by foreignproducers especially those from theUnited States and Japan.

Ongoing economic advances inChina will promote the development ofthe nonwoven sector, providingopportunities for nonwovens in a varietyof goods, such as filters. With respect toconsumer goods, rising incomes andstandards of living will propelindividuals to purchase convenienceitems, promoting the increasedproduction of disposables among otheritems that are made with significantamounts of nonwoven fabrics.

Medical textiles are a top growthsector for the Chinese technical textilemarket. China was the thirteenth largest

export market forUS products in thissector in 2008.

Protectiveapparel is anothertechnical textileindustry that isexperiencing rapidgrowth in China.Increasingindustrialisation inmarkets such asChina coupled withthe risingimportance ofsafety in industries

Plateena ropes made with Dyneema®

from Garware-Wall Ropes Ltd

Chinese workers manufacture protectionsuits for use by healthcare workerstreating Ebola patients at a factory inAnqiu city China's Shandong Province.


The new SUPERARMOR Firefighting

from Taiwan’s K KCorporation suits

incorporate RFIDchips to enable

stock maintenanceand on-scene fire

management.

IMPORTANT REGIONS

and the emergence of a manufacturingworkforce are expected to remain keydriving forces for the market.

KoreaDue to shifting market conditions

Korea refocused its textile industrytowards the production of more technicalproducts instead of basic textile andapparel items. It therefore is currently anattractive export market for technicaltextiles. Korea possesses a strongknowledge base in textile and apparelmanufacturing technology. Over the pastseveral years it has become verycompetitive in developing newtechnologies for the technical textilemarket.

Korea has set a goal to become theworld's 4th largest export country intextiles and increase production by 63%by 2022. The Korean Government wantsto boost the textile sector with the goal ofcreating new jobs, which will lead togrowing consumption and highereconomic growth.

Korean textile production amountedto US$ 40 billion in 2012 and haspositioned itself as a sustainableindustry, accounting for 3.2% of the totalKorean manufacturing sector. There are6,043 companies listed in that sector andthe sector employs 230,000 or 6.8% ofthe Korean workforce.

There has been a decline in thenumber of operations and employees inrecent years in Korea due to labourshortages, rising costs and growth incompetition from other Asian countrieswith far lower production costs. Koreanapparel companies have also movedmanufacturing operations to China,Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh tolower production costs. These companiesare producing apparel goods usingtechnical textiles in its foreign operations.Additional challenges are intense marketcompetition and the enhancement of theChinese industry.

The Korean Government announcedsteps in November of 2012 to ease workvisa and citizenship requirements. Allow-ing foreign workers in Korea is one steptowards addressing Korea's labor short-age and maintaining its continued growth.

The Asian market of nonwovens isexperiencing huge growth because of

explosive baby diaper needs fromemerging ASEAN countries and adultdiaper needs from Korea and Japan dueto their aging societies. To satisfy theseneeds, technical textile producer, TorayAdvanced Materials Korea has extendedits capacity in Korea, China andIndonesia. Toray Advanced MaterialsKorea has made global nonwovensmarket strategy and led R&D as aheadquarter with Toray Industry.

Korea has developed an importdependence on such medical textiles assurgical sutures, artificial blood vesselsand wound dressing products. Korea isalso dealing with trade deficits in highvalue-added fields, including woundtreatment, surgical sutures,transplantation meshes, blood filters andhemodialysis devices.

TaiwanTaiwan's textile industry stands out in

research and development, aiming at thecombination of fashionable, functionaland eco-friendly textiles. The chemicalfibre-based supply chain and thoseeco-friendly fibres, have satisfieddownstream firms', (includingweaving industry, internationalbrands and distributors) needs withhigh quality materials and service.

Taiwan started this process byfocusing on developing functionalfibres and fabrics. Textiles for homedecor are now moving towards high-tech industrial textiles, building anindustry value chain that integrates allproduction technologies and hasincreased the need of foreign technicaltextiles.

The Taiwan textile industry hasundergone a number of changes over thepast few years. Increased labor costs andenvironmental pollution caused much ofthe industry to relocate overseas. However,Taiwan has decided instead of competingwith rivals for the low skill, labor intensivesector of the apparel market, futureopportunity is to be found in creatingproducts through acquiring inputsfrom US advanced technicaltextile markets.

US and foreign firms related totechnical fabrics have establishedbusiness relationships withTaiwan. In some instances there are

competing interests in Taiwan amongthese firms. These include DuPont andInvista from America; Lenzing fromAustria; Toray, Teijin Fibres, Asahi KASEIand TOYOBO from Japan; Nylstar fromItaly; BASF and Bayer from Germany andHyosung from Korea. The above firms aresuppliers which provide Taiwan'stechnical textile industry with fibres andraw materials, and they are Taiwan'simportant partners in helping theadvancement of Taiwan's technical textilesector.

Most worrying to Taiwan's textilemarket is China gaining a stronger hold



EcoVina PP nonwovenbags from Vietnam

on Taiwan's domestic market and puttingever increasing pressure on Taiwan'scompetitiveness. If Taiwan'smanufacturers do not quicken theirtransformation, the next recessionarywave could be even more serious.

The increase in demand fornonwovens can be attributed to Taiwan'swell-developed manufacturing sectorand rising incomes and standards ofliving there are causing individuals topurchase convenience items, promotingthe production of disposable infantdiapers among other products usingmore and more nonwoven fabrics.

Imports and exports of Taiwan healthtextiles vary significantly, however,among different sectors. Generally,medical textiles such as sanitary itemsare more import-oriented whereas healthcare items are developed more forexport. US exports of medical textiles toTaiwan totaled US$ 13.8 million in 2014and are projected to increase 9% to US$15 million by 2016. A major exportmarket for Taiwan is the Philippines. ThePhilippine market has shown a steadygrowth over the years, which reveals theimportance of the Southeast Asia marketfor Taiwan manufacturers.

Producers of medical textiles inTaiwan are well-positioned to match newtrends since they enjoy a strongtextile industry infrastructure,complete supply chains, sufficienthuman resources and maturedproduction skills.

Taiwan medical textile producershave been at the forefront of using R&D todeliver new technology in the fields ofmacromolecule, medical and biotech. Theintroductions of chitosan, bamboo fibreand special metals have led to newfunctions including methods of enhancingwarmth, anti-bacteria, anti-odor andblood circulation. In short, Taiwan'shealth textile industry is heading towardgreat prosperity.

VietnamVietnam's textile and apparel

industry is growing faster than that ofmany of its regional competitors, andforeign companies are starting to pourmoney into Vietnam to take advantage ofpotential economic opportunities fromfuture free trade agreements.

The Vietnamese textile industry, withmore than 3,800 companies, is thecountry's leading export sector. Thecountry ranks fifth worldwide in textileand apparel exports and has a laborforce in that sector of more than 2 millionpeople, of whom 1.3 million are workingdirectly in the industry.

Vietnam's textile and apparel industryhas benefited from increased foreigninvestment over the past several years.Textile and apparel trade grew consistentlythrough the economic downturn of 2008-2009. The industry's greatest advantageis its low-cost labor and relatively youngand stable worker base.

About 70% of Vietnam's textile andapparel production is via 'processingtrade' using imported textiles and other

inputs, predominantly from China.However, pending trade agreements havethe potential to divert some trade fromChina to the United States. Investment infibre, yarn and textile manufacturing isrising, particularly for spinning andweaving, so the quantity and quality oftextile production is likely to increase.

Many textile and garment companiesin the region have already begun tomove production to Vietnam. Major USretailers such as Sara Lee, JC Penney,Express, the Gap, Macy's, Nordstrom's,Mast Industries and American Eaglesource a sizeable portion of their importsfrom Vietnam.

Vietnam is becoming known for beinga prime location for investors operating inthe textile industry. Manufacturers areheading to Vietnam assuming a positivecompletion to the Trans-Pacific

Partnership Agreement (TPP). Under thisfree trade agreement, Vietnam could seetariffs on textiles and garmentsdrastically reduced. In order to takeadvantage of this potential tariffreduction, foreign companies mustphysically locate themselves in Vietnamand begin producing textiles andgarments for export.

Figures from the Vietnam Textile andApparel Association (Vitas) showed that70% of more than 3,700 textile factoriesin the country make apparel; only 6%produce yarn, 17% make fabric, and 4%are dye houses. There is a huge void intextile production and as Vietnam'stechnical textile industry continues toevolve this will only increaseopportunities for exports.

Vietnam hasemerged as a hotbed

of activity innonwoven products

as USmanufacturers,led by Procter &Gamble,continue to investambitiously inthe region.Vietnam isseizing thisopportunity withan industryrestructuringplan for the

nonwovens market over the next twoyears. This should result in attractingadditional investment.

Vietnam has been expanding itsreach into industrial fabrics and higher-end textiles in recent years, including tirecord and coated fabrics.

BrazilBrazil is a growing market for

technical textiles with emphasis on thenonwovens sector. Brazilian nonwovensmarket lead the region and grow by 8-9% this year and next.

This large, advanced developingcountry has experienced rapid GDPgrowth rates and has reboundedmost quickly from the global economiccrisis. Given Brazil's attractiveness as agrowth market, foreign competition inBrazil is intense.

IMPORTANT REGIONS


The Brazilian textile industry isconstantly growing owing to theacquisition of modern equipment andtechnical development applied toproduction, and also the promotion of itsprofessionals through training programsand increasing productivity. Thisdevelopment program has alreadyreceived more than US$ 8 billion. Theprogram's objective is to strengthenBrazil's textile industry in the globalizedand competitive market.

Brazil is among the top ten textileindustry markets worldwide. Brazil'stextile and apparel sector is thesecond largest employer in the country.The technical textile industry in a keyexport driven country such as Brazilcontinues to rapidly develop withinvestment from both domestic andforeign multinational companies.

The technical textile sector hasover 200 companies currentlyoperating in Brazil, employingroughly 40,000 people.

Technical textiles and nonwovens aretwo sectors which have found an in-creasingly greater number of applicationsin recent years in Brazil. The local marketis developing at a fast pace, and manylocal textile manufacturers are nowconcentrating on this type of production.

The technical textile market expectedto grow the fastest include disposablenonwovens with end use applicationssuch as air and liquid filtration at 9.4%,absorbent hygiene at 8.4%, and wipes7%. Within the durables market the onlytechnical textile near the growth of thedisposables is in the automotive market.

Producing textiles in Brazil isexpensive and the cost of labor isparticularly high. In addition, UScompanies often find Brazil'sbureaucracy challenging, particularly forthe import and export of goods.

The consumption of technical textilesper-capita in Brazil is considered verylow in comparison to the developedworld, however, the use of nonwovensand technical textiles has risen 10% peryear. With an increased capacity for theproduction of technical textile industries,Brazil manufactures disposables,including absorbents (incontinence pads,diapers, tampons, sanitary towels,surgeon's wear, operating room drapes

and staff uniforms, etc.). These productsaccount for 40% of the total technicaltextile production in Brazil.

Nonwoven companies are beginningto focus attention on more non-traditionalareas of Brazil. New investments arecropping up in the Northeast area ofBrazil, which is one of the fastest growingmarkets in the country.

CanadaThe US and Canada have one of the

closest bilateral relationships in the world.Proximity, similar business cultures, and ahigh receptivity for US-made productscontribute to the high volume of bilateraltrade between the US and Canada. Likethe United States, Canada hasexperienced an economic shift in its textileindustry, moving away frommanufacturing traditional high-volumecommodity textile products to developingand manufacturing technical textiles.

The textile industry has a long andproductive history in Canada, and likethe United States has seen a productionshift over the last decade from traditionaltextile manufacturing to the development

and production of technical and non-woven textiles. Canada's textile industryhas declined in size over the past decadeand textile-related employment fell by60% between 2004 and 2011, from51,670 to 20,500. This is partly due tothe decrease in demand for textiles usedin the manufacturing of apparel, andbecause the manufacturing of textiles isautomated and not labor intensive.

Technical textiles comprise one of thelargest markets in North America. Unliketraditional textile sectors (i.e. apparel andhome furnishings), the manufacturing oftechnical textiles did not completely shift toAsia. The world market for technicaltextiles was worth approximatelyUS$ 133 billion in 2012, and is expectedto reach up to US$ 160 billion by 2018.

In Canada, while the share ofcommodity-type textiles has decreased,the technical textile industry hasexperienced rapid expansion due to anadvanced level of technical knowledgewhich is leading to the development ofnew textile-related materials that can beused in multiple applications in a varietyof sectors, including: aerospace,

construction andinfrastructure,marine, medical,defense, safety,transportation, andagriculture.

Even though thetechnical textilesector is growing, itis still susceptibleto overcapacityand pricecompetition. Forexample,spunbondnonwovens used inhygiene productsor hydroentangledfabrics for babywipes were onceconsideredprofitable niches,but due to globaloverinvestment ofcapacity and risingprices of rawmaterials like oil,this market hasbecome

Canada Goosejacket forprotectionin winter

IMPORTANT REGIONS



commoditised and is now characterisedby falling prices and low margins similarto traditional apparel-bound textiles.

Competition in the global market fortechnical textiles is very strong, but thebiggest opportunities for US exporters toCanada are in providing components forthe energy, agriculture, construction,protective, automotive, and medicaltextiles sectors.

In 2014, Canada was the secondlargest market for US exports ofnonwoven textiles. In 2014, the USexported US$ 434.6 million in nonwoventextiles to Canada, which was a 39%increase over US$ 312.2 million that theUS exported in 2009. Nonwoven fabricsused as applications in construction,infrastructure projects, filtration, andautomotive are the sectors in which USmanufacturers can be competitive in theCanadian market, as part of an overallNorth American strategy.

World demand for disposablemedical supplies is forecast to expand6.2% annually to US$ 198 billion in2016. Increased enforcement of infectionprevention standards, together with agrowing number of hospital, surgical,and outpatient procedures, will promoteoverall gains.

MexicoDue to the size of Mexico's textile and

apparel sector coupled with its proximityto the United States and the flexibilitiesafforded to US exporters through NAFTA,ITA expects continued investment in all

four technical textile sectors andcontinued growth into the future. Mexicoremains an important export market forUS technical textile products, accountingfor 36% of total US technical textileexports in 2014.

Mexico's textile and apparel industryaccounts for 6% of the country's grossdomestic product and nearly 20% of allmanufacturing employment in Mexico,employing almost 415,000 workers in2013. Mexico's industry is based oncompetitive labor costs and geographicproximity to the United States. The patternhas been for US companies to supplytextiles and fibres to Mexico's in-bondprocessing factories (known as maquilasor maquiladoras) that receive favorablefiscal and trade treatment. The maquila-doras then re-export these inputs afterprocessing in the form of finished garments.

After losing a portion of its US marketshare to developing countries, Mexicohas been clawing back some of itscompetitiveness in the United Statesthrough expanding its reach in othertextile markets.

Textile firms in Mexico realised theyneeded to increase their competitivenessby investing in expanding productioncenters and manufacturing high-qualitytextile products, in order to compete ininternational markets.

Mexico is forecast to become thelargest economy in Central and SouthAmerica within ten years. US exports oftextiles and apparel to Mexico accountedfor approximately 26% of total US textile

and apparel exports in 2014. Textile andapparel exports to Mexico increasedfrom US$ 5.8 billion in 2013 to US$ 6.2billion in 2014 (an increase of 8%).

The Mexican Government has acknow-ledged the need to promote technicalindustries, which have the ability of takingon other international manufacturers interms of price and quality.

Despite the country's close integrationwith the United States and Canadathrough NAFTA, the textile and apparelsector in Mexico has been facing anincreasingly strong competitive challengefrom China and other Asian producers.

Mexico is one of a select group ofcountries that has been identified as anemerging market for nonwoven textiles.In the Western Hemisphere it is the topmarket for this sector.

Mexico is the number one marketfor US nonwoven exports and has beenthe top export market for USnonwovens since 2009. Since 2009exports of US produced nonwovenshave grown 14.4% annually.

There is a great deal of interest inMexico and Central America for thetypes of specialty fabrics and relatedproducts produced in the United States.Since 2008 Mexico has been the topexport market for US specialty andindustrial fabrics. Specialty andindustrial fabric exports were US$ 1.5billion in 2012, an increase of 20.7%from the 2011 level, and accounted fornearly 30% of total US textile andapparel exports to Mexico.

SGL is receiving almostEuro 1 million from the GermanFederal Ministry of Educationand Research (BMBF) for thedevelopment of a customisedcarbon fibre for thermoplasticapplications.

The goal of this project isthe development of a carbonfibre with significantly increasedelongation and an optimisedsurface structure adapted to theexisting sizing system.

The total funding for thisproject of Euro 2.9 million hasbeen allocated as part of theBMBF's Leading Edge Clusterfunding programme, in which,as one of 15 technologynetworks in the Germany-wideinitiative, leading-edge clusterMAI Carbon (Munich, Augsburgand Ingolstadt) supportspromising projects for thedevelopment of carbonfibre composites.

SGL carbon fibre for thermoplastic applications

IMPORTANT REGIONS

ATT


Performance requirements in

FIREFIGHTINGCLOTHING

V K Kothari and Supriyo ChakrabortyDept of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of TechnologyDelhi 110 016. E-mail : [email protected]

In this reviewdifferent

components offirefighter

protective clothingand their

performancerequirements has

been discussed.


FIREFIGHTING CLOTHING

Firefighters’ protective clothing isdesigned to provide protection to theperson involved primarily from heat

and flame. Firefighters experience moderateto very high heat fluxes of very long durationor for a short duration. In addition toresistance to heat and flame protectiveclothing must have adequate mechanicalstrength and dexterity. Also the clothingshould protect the person from external water,steam and toxic chemicals. In this reviewdifferent components of firefighter protectiveclothing and their performance requirementshas been discussed. Evaluationmethodologies and researches onfirefighter protective clothing have alsobeen taken into discussion. Possibilities ofnew materials and latest researchapproaches and future trends to design newprotective clothing have also been touched.

Firefighting is an intense, strenuous andhazardous occupation that exposes theperson involved to a wide variety ofextremely challenging conditions includingexposure to high heat fluxes, hazardouschemicals and toxic gases. The person issubjected to work in an oxygen deficientsmoky atmosphere, there is additional riskfrom falling objects and in extreme case theremay be a structural collapse. Firefightersmay be exposed to high heat fluxes or may

come in contactwith surfaces ofhigh tempera-ture fordifferent

duration oftime. Apartfrom thermaland chemicalhazards there isalso heat stressand exertionrelated problems,biologicalhazards, and longterm consequencesfrom firefighting.

Primarily in a


firefighting situation the person involvedhas to be protected from convective heat,flames, contact and radiant heat. Alongwith offering protection from heat it mustfulfill some secondary requirement such asbeing cut-resistant, waterproof, andchemically resistant and should notaccumulate static electricity. Apart fromfulfilling these requirements the garmentor suit made for heat protection mustprovide convenience during interventionand should be comfortable under normalclimatic condition. Researches have beenconcentrated on evaluation methodologiesand development of test standards,estimating useful lifetime of turnout gear,protection against moisture and otherhazardous chemicals, heat stress andbreathability related issues, modelingheat and moisture transfer in protectiveclothing and different ways to enhanceprotection1. This paper presents a reviewof the fire research, firefighter protectiveclothing performance requirements,evaluation methods and researches onfirefighter protective clothing.

From Fig 1 it can be seen thatoverexertion and rapid fire progress arethe two major causes of firefighterfatalities. Whereas sudden cardiacarrest (30%), internal trauma (33%) andburns (25%) are the main reasons offirefighter deaths2. Increased rate offatigue, reduction in flexibility andmobility, and changes in a firefighter’scentre of gravity due to wearingfirefighting personal protectiveequipment (PPE) and carrying firefightertools can be assigned as reason to slip,trip and fall injuries as well as

overexertion/straininjuries. As per NFPAestimates 65,880firefighter injurieshave occurred in USin 2013, of which~45% occurredduring firegroundoperations. Theleading type of injuryreceived duringfireground operationswas strain, sprain ormuscular pain (55%),followed by wound,cut, bleeding, andbruise (14%)3.

Overexertion & strain (27%) and fall &trip (23%) are the two main causes offirefighter injuries.

Heat and fire hazard

Human skin is very sensitive to hightemperature and high incident heat flux. Atotal heat energy of value 26.8 kJ/m2

results a sensation of pain, and a totalheat of 50.2 kJ/m2 causes a seconddegree burns on the exposed tissues. Interms of temperature at 45oC the sensationof pain is experienced and at 72oC theskin is completely burnt4. The projectedtime to second degree burns on humanskin at a heat flux of 330 kW/m2 is only0.07s whereas for an incident heat flux of200 kW/m2 and 100 kW/m2 it is 0.15sand 0.39s respectively5. Protection timeincreases to 2.5s for a 100 kW/m2 heatflux, with an introduction of an insulationmaterial of thickness 0.5 mm only6.Intensity of thermal radiation at the firegrounds is a function of many factors viz.area and height of the fire or heatedsurface its temperature and smokepresent. For any given situation it has been

found that distance from the fire is and itssize are most critical factors. In Fig 2, acomparison of different heat sources hasbeen shown, where the radiant heatintensities can be linked and comparedwith the sources that we are normallyfamiliar with. While for laboratoryevaluation normally constant heat fluxesare generated using flame and radiantheat sources.

The environmental conditions in a firesituation can be identified as routine,hazardous, or emergency6,8. Typicalfirefighter exposure conditions where airtemperature and radiant heat flux in kW/m2 are hazardous and have extremeconditions. The routine condition can becompared with what a person experiencein a hot summer day and applied to thefirefighters operating hoses or involved insome other activities at some distance fromthe source. Hazardous conditions might beexpected when the person come closeproximity to a fire. Useful working time insuch situations is largely determined bythe onset of pain in hands and face whichare covered by gloves, breathingapparatus and heat protection ability ofthe clothing material. The emergencycategory extending from hazardous levelsto 100-200 kW/m2 corresponds toconditions that might be encounteredwithin a flash over or explosion. Severity offirefighter’s exposure conditions has beendiscussed by Stull9 in a similar waydefining routine, ordinary and emergencyconditions.

Flash fire, rollover andbackdraft

A fire that spreads by means of aflame front rapidly through a diffuse fuel,such as dust, gas, or the vapour of anignitable liquid without the production of

Fig 1 : Firefighter deaths by cause of injury2


Fig 2 : Radiant heat flux by various resources7


damaging pressure is called a flash fire,as defined in NFPA 211310. It occurs inan environment where fuel and airbecome mixed in adequateconcentrations to combustion produces anintense heat flux (80 kW/m2 or more) forrelatively short periods of time, typicallyless than 5 seconds11. Rollover occurswhen ignited fire gases, or incompletelyburned fuels, rise to the ceiling, andspread out horizontally and smokeappears to suddenly start burning, thiscondition may lead to flashover.Backdraft is created where air isintroduced to an area that is superheatedand oxygen starved, the hot vaporisedfuel bursts into flames, and thepressurised gases explode throughthe opening, resulting in a rollingfireball12.

For different accidentalconditions, measured heatfluxes lies in the range of 42-126 kW/m2, while 84kW/m2

is the estimate of flash fire11.Other peak heat flux valuesand ranges of intensity of flashfire has been estimated andreported by manyinvestigators. Simulated mineexplosions involving coal dustand methane, lasts for 2.2-2.6s and reach a peak heatflux levels varying from 130–330 kW/m2. Peak heat fluxintensities have beenmeasured to be between 167and 226 kW/m2, in manikintests with burning JP-4 fuelpools5. A study on JP-4 pool fire data byMorse et al13 revealed that fire had anequilibrium temperature approximately1000oC and considered radiating as ablack body. In a burning room, total heatflux at the floor, in a post flash over firescan be 170 kW/m2 and the hot gastemperature as high as 1000oC asmeasured at NIST. Studies revealed thatradiant heat flux from a window or doorof a building that caught fire can be morethan 50kW/m2(14). Heat flux may be evenmore than 50 kW/m2 produced by afully involved family house with flames.Krasny et al15 have reported measuredvalue of heat flux up to 180 kW/m2 fromjust before flashover to flashover andsevere post-flashover fires. Heat fluxes in

fire conditions are commonly measuredby steady state devices viz. a Schmidt–Boelter heatflux meter or a Gardon heatflux meter16, 17.

Chemical andbiological hazards

A major reason for firefighterfatalities (~50%) can be related tochemical hazards18. The toxicity of thesmoke greatly depends on the materialsor chemicals being burnt (ordinarycombustible materials: as wood, cloth,paper, rubber and many plastics;flammable and combustible liquids;combustible metals, the heat of the fire,availability of oxygen for combustion)12.Common combustion products include

carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide,nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide,hydrogen chloride and many others.Hypoxia which is created due todepletion of oxygen from air can result ina loss of physical performance, confusionand inability to escape.

Firefighters exposed to hazardouschemicals can develop cancer,particularly genitourinary, cardiovascular diseases, cardiac toxicitywhich can be directly linked to carbonmonoxide exposure. Risk of chronicand lung diseases, aortic aneurysms,lymphatic and hematopoietic cancers,brain cancers are under furtherinvestigation and study. While helpingvictims of fire or accidents, fire fighters

may be exposed to contagious andinfectious diseases including bloodborne diseases such as AIDS, hepatitisB and C19.

Components of thefirefighter’s protectiveclothing

Structural and proximity firefighter’sprotective clothing components includehelmet, a protective hood, turn out coatcomposed of an outershell, moisturebarrier, thermal liner, specific gloves &boots, and other accessories. Moisturebarrier and thermal liners are mostlymultilayered fabric assemblies. Forwildland firefighters a protective clothing

have an outer shell, providingabrasion, wear and punctureresistance, can be made of heatresistant fibres like aramids orFR finished (Proban® andPyrovatex®, for cotton) fibres,where thermal liner and amoisture barrier are optionallyincluded as for wearing duringwinter conditions. Stationuniform is a comfortableclothing over which a turn outgear is put on when required bya firefighter. Fibres that aresuggested in a station wear isflame resistant wool or cottonand fibres those are known tostick, melt and drip should beavoided20. Pants are composedof an inner thermal liner or

insulation layer and a protective outershell layer, reinforced at the knees andhaving large and small pockets and steeltoed rubber or leather boots, which mayhave handle at their tops to pull them onupto just below the knees. Positivepressure mask, respirators, eyeprotection, some form of communication(radio) and self contained breathingapparatus (SCBA) are other features.

Hood

Hood is a piece of knitted clothingwhen worn covers all exposed facialareas and protects the portion of thehead not covered by helmet and facemask. It includes side and back of the



head without interfering proper use of theSCBA, or fit of helmets. It must be testedfor thermal insulation in terms of TPP (TPP,thermal protective performance is definedas a value of product of heat flux incals.cm-2.s-1 multiplied by time to reachsecond degree burn in seconds, meetingNFPA 1971, 2013 standard ofperformance), flame resistance, thermalshrinkage and heat resistance. Standardhoods are usually of a two-ply or layereddesign which is needed to meetperformance requirements. It may beavailable in both knitted and non-knitform similar to turn out clothing orprovided with extra layers for moreinsulation.

Flame and heat resistant preshrunkmaterials are used to minimise shrinkageduring usage. Inherently heat resistantfibres viz. Nomex, PBI, Carbon, P84,Lenzing FR 100% or blends of thesefibres may be utilised for the constructionof protecting hoods. Products areavailable which utilised advancedcarbon technology claims to create anoxygen starved environment, expandswhen exposed to fire making it self-extinguishing21. Low thermal conductivitythermal knit (waffle knit) fabric allows airlayer protection claims to maintainperformance after laundering andusages. It remains as a weak area asknitted and stretchable hoods allowcontaminations to reach the neck area ofthe firefighter. Mixture of various toxicchemicals, carcinogenic and extremelyhazardous to skin created by fire andsmoke can reach bare skin of theconcerned person. Hoods with threelayered structure with moisture barrierand Nomex lining are available. Alongwith acceptable thermal properties andfit they expected to offer a betterprotection to soot contaminants as well asbeing permeable to moisture vapour.

Helmet

Helmets are used by firefighters toprotect head from falling objects, debrisand clinkers. Traditionally helmets weremade of leather pieces whereas modernhelmets are often made of lightweightthermoplastic or composite material andmay be covered with galvanised nickel(e.g., F1 Helmets (Gallet)). It is like a hard

shell with energy absorbing system whichprotects the wearer from both physicaland radiant heat/flame hazards. Otheressential features include a retentionsystem, retro-reflective trim, ear coversand either a face shield and/or goggles22.

Gloves

Work gloves with wristlets or gauntletsare a must for all fire services. Selection ofthe materials for gloves is such that certainlevel of dexterity and suppleness ismaintained with acceptable thermalinsulation. Structural firefighting glovesemploy the same functional multilayeredconstruction as turnout gear of which theouter shell may be either leather or textile.Inside the shell is a moisture barrier layerthat may be separate or combined with athermal lining. Purpose of the barrier layeris to keep interior of the gloves dry; inaddition it provides protection from bloodborne pathogens. Barrier layers in glovesis expected to remain intact on repeateduses and heat exposures. Variouscombinations of materials and differentlydesigned products are commerciallyavailable. Kangaroo, cowhide, elk or goat

leather are used as shell material23.Polyurethane/PTFE moisture barriers (viz.CrossTech®) are used as breathable liquidbarrier. Most commonly flame resistantModacrylic knitted materials or Kevlar-Nomex air spacers are used as thermallining provide softness and stretchability.Manufacturers provide gloves withseamless knitted aramid fibre lining withglass fibre core and viloft sheath to wickmoisture away from hand24.

Boots

Firefighter turnout boots consist of solewith heal, upper with lining, punctureresistant device and equipped with steelor composite toe inserts. Impact andcompression resistant toe cap andpuncture resistant insole material preventpuncture from sharp objects. Advantage ofcomposite puncture protection layer isthat, they provide adequate protection topenetration and at the same time is lighterthan steel plates and does not transmitheat and cold. Waterproof, flame and cutresisting leather upper (8-10 inches forwildland firefighting, minimum 10 inchesor more for structural and proximity

firefighting), waterproof and bloodborne pathogen barrier, slipresistance, protection fromelectrical shock hazards are someof the essential features of afirefighter’s boot.

Requirements offirefighter turnoutclothing

Primary requirements of thethermal protective clothing is flameresistance (must not continue toburn), integrity (garment shouldremain intact, i.e. should not shrink,melt or form brittle chars which maybreak open and expose thewearer), insulation (garments mustretard conductive and compressive,convective and radioactive heattransfer in order to provide time forthe wearer to take evasive action;during combustion they must notdeposit tar or other conductiveliquids) and liquid repellency (toavoid penetration of oils, solvents,



water and other liquids)25. Protectivegarments should have adequate tearresistance and seam breaking strength.Threads used must be of sufficientthermal stability and laminations mustnot disintegrate on wet flexing.Additional requirements are garment life,and abrasion resistance, resistance toUV degradation (for strength andappearance), thermal damage tolerance(ability to be reused after exposure tohigh temperatures), resistance to burningembers, clean ability and other thingsthat affect firefighter safety: ice sheddingability, water absorption on the fireground, weight and suppleness, mobility,visibility, breathability to water vapour.Polymeric membranes with a high water-tightness are used, to provide effectiveprotection against soaking through, whilesimultaneously showing a highpermeability for water vapour facilitatingheat loss and cooling.

All turnout clothing usually comprisedof three components: an outer shell, amoisture barrier, and a thermal barrier.

Outer Shell

Most fabrics have a content of meta-aramids and para-aramids, PBI, PBO andtheir blended spun yarns, with twill or ripstop woven construction and can have anareal density of 200–250 g/m2. The outershell materials are the first layer, exposedto thermal hazards. This layer providesflame resistance, heat resistance, andmechanical resistance to cuts, punctures,tears, abrasions, and other factors1. Adecrease in fabric weight will lead to anoverall lighter weight garment, but willsuffer in mechanical properties.Commercially available outer shell fabricis most often constructed of spun yarns.Spun yarns do not slide easily ofthemselves or on surface with which theycome in contact. Use of filaments improvesmechanical properties of the fabricresulting higher tensile strength andabrasion resistance, slipperiness andflexibility and mobility of the garmentresults a reduction of the metabolic heatbuildup but plain weave fabrics made offilaments have the problem of seamslippage. Multifilament yarns as warphas been incorporated with spun aramidweft woven into twill structure which will

be flexible as well as higher areal densitycan be achieved. Aramid spun andmultifilament yarns can be used in warpsand in weft alternately, filament yarnbeing stronger and slippery reducesfriction and reduce heat buildup, howevershould offer less extent of cover than thespun yarn fabric offers26. Composite andwrapped filament yarns are also used toprovide thermal stability, strength andabrasion resistance27. Outer shell protectsthe inner layers and should have adequateresistance to damage from high heat fluxesof short duration, penetration and punchresistance, UV resistance, abrasion andwear resistance etc. Reflective aluminisedfilm laminated to a knit para-aramid/PBI®

blend fabric is utilised in proximityfirefighting for protection against radiantheat (Globe turnout gears). Additionally it isprovided with proper moisture barrier andthermal liners.

Moisture barriers

During firefighting operations personsinvolved are often exposed to water andsteam hazards. Direct suppression of fireusing large hose liner with huge amount ofwater creates steam, mist and splashback and accumulation of water, whichmany firefighters may come in contactwith. Dripping of water from ceiling orwater on floor, can make firefighters wetduring operations. Internally coated fabriclayers known as ‘vapour barriers’ werebeing used to protect firefighters from bothsteam and hazardous gasesduring a fire. Vapour barriersmay be of impermeable orbreathable type, of whichstandard impermeable vapourbarriers viz ‘NeopreneTM’ wasfound to build up morephysiological heat compare tomicro-porous breathablecounterpart28. Breathablemoisture barriers constructed toprotect the clothing and theperson from outside water, steamallows some moisture vapourfrom the body to go out and offersome physiological comfort.Breathable membranes can beeither micro-porous, hydrophilicor combination of both. Millions oftiny pores of micro-porous

membranes which is produced bystretching PTFE membranes (vizGoreTexTM), keeps out water and manyother liquids, still allow moisture vapour topass through resulting reduced metabolicheat buildup. Compare to that hydrophilicnon-porous materials produced byadding hydrophilic compounds and watervapour transmission is achieved bydiffusion of molecules29. Commercialmoisture barriers (CrossTech) areconstructed of liquid resistant breathableenhanced bi-component ePTFE filmssubstrate with face and back meta aramidwoven fabric made of spun yarns or PBI/meta aramid spun laced nonwovens withareal density ranging typically from 150to 240 g/m2.Though moisture barriersmust be impermeable to many chemicals,it is required to meet intrinsic heat andflame resistance and breathable at thesame time. Clothing composites withmoisture barrier is required to have aminimum total heat loss value (THL, testedas per ASTM F 1868, part C) of 205 W/m2 as per NFPA 1971, which is theminimum requirement of breathability. Incomparison a non-breathable materialcombinations had total heat loss values inthe range of 100 to 120 W/m2 (30).

Thermal Liner

General multilayered arrangement ofa firefighters’ protective clothing is shownin Fig 3 where the innermost layer is thethermal liner with a facecloth. The


Fig 3 : General multi-layered arrangement of afirefighters’ protective clothing31


thermal liner blocks transfer of heat fromthe firefighting environment to the body ofthe wearer. It usually consists of aspunlaced, needlepunched nonwoven feltor batting quilted or laminated to awoven face fabric. Fabric areal densitymay be in the range of 200-300 g/m2.The felt or batting is made from PBI,Nomex or Kevlar or a mixture of thesetwo or others like FR cotton or basofilfibres. The woven face fabric has usuallybeen made from spun Nomex. Fabricsused in the manufacture of thermal linermust satisfy minimum performancerequirements for flame, heat and tearresistance, as well. The durability of thislayer is improved by quilting thesematerials to a woven facecloth fabric.Facecloth layer being close to the body,its friction and moisture absorptioncharacteristics can impact the comfortand mobility of the entire garment.Continuous filament Kevlar has beenused in face cloth to increase mobilityand make it easier to take the garmentson and off.

Firefighter protective clothing andgarment has incorporated air spaces infabrics by means of corrugated structurewhich does not deform easily andmaintain an insulating layer of air andairy channels claims to offer higherthermal protection and comfort32. Shapememory materials (SMM, e. g., SMMspring) are able to change their shapeand size at higher temperature newcrystal structure shape33. They may findapplication in firefighting turnout gearscreating insulation at some highertemperature. At skin temperature SMMsprings remain in collapsed conditionand expands instantaneous at highertemperature increasing air gap betweenfabric layers thus results higherinsulation. Shape memory polymers canhave the same effects besides beingpolymer they are compatible to textilematerials34.

Active thermal liner designed byDupont claims to be thin, flexible andbreathable under ordinary operatingcondition can expand or thicken attemperature as the material reaches120oC. Single layer light weight turn outgears has been designed (Ashburn HillCorp) to reduce heat stress claims tohave satisfactory performance levels.

Firefighters’ pants can be reinforced atthe knees providing additional protectionagainst abrasion, compression, heat andabsorbing shock. Reinforcementmaterials can be both side or single sidecoated woven twill fabric made usingspun aramid yarns, closed cell siliconefoam padding, for example.

Firefighters perform diverse rescueactivities, apart from firefighting, includingextrication of victims from road accidents,handling hazardous material incidents,emergency medical services and includebuilding collapses, contaminated waterdiving, bombings and other35, 36. With theincreased threats of terrorism firefightersmay need to handle toxic industrialchemicals and biologically toxicmaterials. Moisture barriers, commonlyused in conventional structural firefighterclothing, are required to resist thepenetration of blood borne pathogens,liquid water, battery acid, diesel fuel, andother corrosive chemicals. CBRN optionalrequirements of NFPA 1971 require thebarrier to resist permeation exposure tonerve and blister agents37. In partnershipwith NCSU, Globe Manufacturingcompany and DuPont Personal Protectiondeveloped a concept under the tradename CB ReadyTM which provides limited-duration protection in the event of achemical or biological incidents38. The keybreakthrough was the introduction of newsemi-permeable barrier materialcommercially known as ChemPak®39

invented by W L Gore and associatesproviding high levels of barrierperformance against chemical warfareand biological agents, and industrialchemicals but as breathable as a regularmoisture barrier40. CB (chemical andbiological) protective turnout suit that havebeen designed and engineered by Barkeret al37 used a selectively permeablemembrane and a light weight thermalliner which have improved ergonomics,fast donning and enhanced functionality.

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(To be concluded in ATT : Oct-Dec 2015)

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Technical textiles

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productnews

TECHNOLOGYAND PRODUCTS

A new fibre fortransmittingbiomedical data

A study published recently by a teamof Motreal researchers from the Centre d'optique, photonique et laser indicatesthat they have developed a fibre that,when integrated into clothing, can receiveand transmit the wearer's biomedicalinformation to an emergency call centreor responder via Wi-Fi. These smart,connected garments can send out alertsin case of health problems such asdiabetes, Alzheimer's disease or heartproblems, and ultimately make it easierfor the elderly and those with reducedautonomy to live at home.

The fibre acts both as a sensor andantenna, receiving information on glucoselevel, heart rate, brain activity, movement,spatial coordinates and more. The fibre ismade by overlaying multiple layers of mat-erial: copper, a polymer (polyimide), glassand silver. It is both resistant and malleableand can be woven with cotton or wool.

Though it is yet to be finalised, andsome aspects (such as the power supplyand washing resistance) must be workedout before it can be put to market, theteam of researchers has already appliedfor a patent for their innovation.

www.cop.ulaval.ca

Advanced 3Dprinted filter media

Croft Filters, based in Warrington,UK, has been creating some extremelyadvanced filter structures via additivemanufacturing (AM) - more widelyknown as 3D printing.

'Traditional metal filters aremanufactured from perforated plated andmore layers of woven wire mesh,'explained Croft director Neil Burns. 'Theperforated plate forms the support portion

of the filter and delivers the overallstrength of the filter to withstandoperational pressures. The woven wiremesh forms the filter portion with theaperture size chosen to suit the requiredlevel of filtration. An ideal filter would havethe maximum open area possible tominimize its resistance when in situ in theconduit. However, maximizing the openarea decreases the overall strength of thefilter and so open areas must be com-promised to deliver the required strength.'

With additive manufacturing,however, Croft is creating filter mediathat are depth filters with x, y and zplanes with an integrated supportportion and a filter portion.

The filter mesh has a definedaperture size and by reducing theequivalent wire diameter, the media hasa greater open area compared to theequivalent woven wire mesh. Thispotentially reduces the pressure dropacross the filter and so reduces pumpingenergy requirements.

In preliminary studies carried out byCroft with Lancaster University, AM filtermedia have been designed using a repeat-ing node unit to form the latticework.

Trevira fibres andfilaments for techni-cal applications

In the fibre sector the focus for Trevrialies in customised special solutions inpolyester, PLS and bicofibres.Fibresfrombiopolymers(PLA/Ingeo™) fora variety ofnon-wovensmake up anessentialelement in theproductprogramme.Trevira is themost important

RaiciGroup is one of the mostactive chemicals companies at aninternational level. Its diversifiedbusinesses operate worldwide andare focused on chemicals, plastics,synthetic fibres and nonwovens.

RadiciGroup's products areexported all over the world, and arethe starting- point for developmentsin the clothing, sport, furnishing,automotive, electrical/electronic andappliances sectors.

Radici Yarn SpA, a company ofRadiciGroup, is a leader in themanufacture of PA6 staple fibre forvarious uses, from apparel to theflooring sector and to technical/industrial applications where highperformance is required.

After a major development effortand scale up in production, RadiciYarn now offers a range of RadilonStaple Fibre Polyamide 6.6 productsfor technical uses.

www.radicigroup.com/fibres

Radilon staple fibre

partner in staple fibres with NatureWorks,its supplier of raw materials.

Initially used principally in hygieneproducts, bico fibres are appearing moreand more in developments forcustomer projects



productnewsaimed at technical applications, likefiltration or insulation.

Flame retardant fibres areincreasingly gaining ground in technicaltextiles as well. In this area Treviraintends to extend business particularly innonwovens, and to concentrate here oncustomised applications insoundproofing, insulation andapplications in the automotive sector.

Technical applications for Trevirafilaments are, for example, special yarnsfor medicinal and hygiene textiles,together with textured PBT filaments asbasis for plasters and bandagescontaining active ingredients.Meanwhile, demand has been risingsteadily for PLA multifilaments. Flameretardant Trevira yarns (TreviraCS0 havebecome the standard material in textilesfor exhibition construction and print base.

Hybrid yarns for stiffened materialsconstitute a rapidly growing specially,where a yarn from a co-polyesterfilament, modified at melting point, iscombined with another yarn.

Technical applications for flameretardant hybrid yarns in rathermaterials are for instance, acousticmaterials, exhibition construction textiles,and advertising banners. In home textilesinterior sun shading can be added to thelist. The textiles can be coloured andprinted, and fabrics can also be recycledwithout difficulty.

In economic and ecological termsmaterials in Trevira hybrid yarns providean interesting alternative to materialswith acrylic coatings.

www.trevira.com

Super - stretchableyarn made ofgrapheme

A simple scalable method of makingstrong stretchable graphene oxide fibresthat are easily scrolled into yarns andhave strength of Kevlar is possible,according to researchers at Penn Stateand Shinshu University.

The researchers made a thin film ofgraphene oxide by chemicallyexfoliating graphite into grapheneflakes, which were then mixed with waterand concentrated by centrifugation into athick slurry. The slurry dries, it becomes a

Trans-Textil GmbH has developed anew generation of printable laminatesthat combine the characteristics ofmultifunctional flame-retardant textileswith the advantages of transferprinting. The products offer optimumprotection against a wide range ofhazards and can be printed in a widevariety of colours and patterns.

These days the wearers ofmultifunctional safety apparel not onlyexpect reliable protection from heat,flames, electric arcs, injury,perspiration, adverse weather andwind; they also call for optimumvisibility by day and night, high wearcomfort and the same kind of visuallyattractive look as in leisure wear.

At present suitable dyestuffs thatfulfil the requirements of EN ISO20471 do not exist of flame-retardantfibres, particularly in the area of high-visibility, flame-retardant wovens influorescent orange and fluorescent red.Instead use is made up of polyester onthe outside and other flame-retardantyarns on the reverse side. However, thisapproach does not really simplifycolouration, as piece dying thecombination is not efficient in process

technology terms andcan even partially

destroy the

Printing of multifunctionalflame-retardant wovens by Trans-Textil

fabrics. In most cases the polyesterconstituents are thus dyed already atthe silver (fibre) stage or at the corss-wound package stage. This can addhigh storage and process to the priceof the woven.

For greater freedom in colourationand patterning, the development teamat Trance-Textil GmbH accordinglysought to combine a woven fabric forflame-resistant personal protectiveequipment (PPE) with the possibilitiesof the company's proprietary transferprinting process. A flame-resistant two-ply woven with a PES upper side andthe riverside side in aramid,modacrylic and FR viscose was printedin the sublimation heat transferprocess. Further tests showed that100% modacrilyc fibre textiles andblends of the same yarn with PES couldalso be successfully printed in this way.

Transfer printing is a verysustainable means of colouration anddoes not involve water consumption asin dyeing. Plus it enables variedsurface designs ranging from solidcolours though logos to full-colourcamouflage patterns for both functionaland fashion uses, even at short runs.The new development reduces fabricproduction costs and the resultingprinted wovens offer excellent wash

and dye fastness in use along withhigh UV, weather and abrasion

resistance.In conjunction with

Trans-Textil's technicalresources and expertisein the areas of

lamination, membranetechnology, bonding,

finishing and coating,printable flame-resistant

textiles open up furtherapplications.

www.trans-textil.de


productnewslarge-area transparent film that can becarefully lifted off without tearing. Thefilm is then cut into narrow strips andwound on itself with an automatic fibrescroller, resulting in a fibre which can beknotted and stretched without fracturing.

This method opens up multiplepossibilities for useful products. Forinstance, removing oxygen from thegraphene oxide fibre results in a fibrewith high electrical conductivity. Addingsilver nanorods to the graphene filmwould increase the conductivity to thesame as copper, which could make it amuch lighter weight replacement forcopper transmission lines.

www.matse.psu.edu

Cordenka high-tenacity rayonfilament yarn

Rayon is defined as a chemical fibrebased on renewable resources. This

definition points out twofundamental aspects of rayonproduction: the renewable rawmaterial base on the one hand andthe defined industrial productionprocess on the other.

The result is a high-performance, renewable materialwhich has well -defined propertiesand comprises a contemporary,sustainable product. Cordenkarayon, also referred to as high-tenacity multifilament viscose yarn,is a thermostable reinforcementfibre: it owes its resistance to heatand stress to its cellulose origin.

Today, Cordenka yarns areapplied mainly in the reinforcementof high-performance tyres andhoses; it is here that they haveproven their outstanding technicalperformance in safety-relatedcomponents. Cordenka sells some 32,000metric tons of rayon yarns a years, and

guarantees their consistent quality andsecure supply to its customers.

Good dimensional stability includeslow shrinkage and lasting high modules


(low elongation). High tensile modules isrequired to keep the dimension of thepressurised tire and the depth ofsidewall indentation at the splice withinlimits, and is also important for the easeof vehicle handling.

Comparison of the behavior of rayonand polyester in the showed that rayonoutperforms polyester with respect to theessential dimensional stability. Given itsthermoplastic nature, polyester isincapable of performing better thanthermostable rayon in this field.

This also applies to the fact that, unlikerayon, polyester suffers from creep.

In other words, once heated to acertain temperature, a polyester carcasswill expand and will not return to itsinitial shape.

www.cordenka.com

Power vest byFraunhofer

Each year, millions of people injurethemselves in the course of their work dueto lifting of heavy loads or from one sidedmovements. Together with the industry,Fraunhofer researches are developing avest designed to take the burden off

caregivers and others with physicallydemanding jobs, such as constructionworkers, roofers, garbage collectors,brick layers, and many more. In the'CareJack' project researchers from theFraunhofer Institute are working withindustry partners to develop an activevest designed for these professions.Cleverly, this non-bulky orthopedicprosthesis is light, soft, and comfortableto wear. That means it can be worn like acoat over regular clothes. Experts call itsoft robotics.

How is it possible to support thespine without limiting motion? Ratherthan relying on the hard shells often usedin orthoses, researchers opted instead fora material that is flexible andcomfortable to wear. All the electronicsare incorporated into the material. Theenergy required comes from the wearersthemselves, through their movements.When a worker bends down to liftsomething, the smart medical aid storesthe kinetic energy and can release itagain when required.

Above all, the orthosis ensures that

workers performmovements correctly. Lotsof orthopedic problems area result of impropermovements like liftingsomething heavy with acurved back instead ofsquatting down to lift theobject with a straightback. The smart vestfeatures a myriad ofsensors that monitor theway the wearer is moving.A processor comparesthese data against theoptimum movementpattern. As soon as itdetects an irregularity, awarning lamp is activated.Not only that, innovativesynthetic actuators withadjustable rigidity helpavoid incorrect movementsand support correct ones.

Functions of this degreeof sophistication call for alarge amount of electronicequipment. In the CareJackproject, the researchersdeveloped miniaturized

components, flexible circuit boards, andall the necessary sensors. A prototype ofthe vest should be finalized in 2015.

www.fraunhofer.de

Ultratech: PTFEfilter media

PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) felt isthe 'ultimate' in high temperature filtermedia technology. Of all the fibre typesused in the fabric filtration industry, PTFEoffers the optimum combination of chemical andthermal properties having a maximumcontinuous temperature rating of 250oCgenerally unlimited by gas chemistry.

PTFE filter media from Lydall IndustrialFiltration combines the latest in PTFE feltmanufacturing process development withsuperior global PTFE fibre sources.Resulting from substantial investment inproprietary carding and needlingsuperior fibre distribution, pore structure,and felt consolidation. Ultratech is thepremier PTFE felt technology available inthe air pollution control market today.

Its features : 100% PTFE, Scrim-

The CareJackvest supports

the backwithout

restrictingfreedom ofmovement.

Coats Groups launched Coats Signal thread, aninnovative reflective thread. The specially developedpremium thread has a high level of retro-reflectancewhen illuminated in dark or low visibility conditions.

Coats Signal thread is silver and designedprimarily for fashion applications. It can be used as anembroidery thread to differentiate products by creat-ing decorative reflective features in logos, stitchingpatterns and seams. While it is mainly decorative,when sewn on outdoor and active wear it also helpsenhance visibility at night time or difficult weatherconditions. Coats Signal thread combines the tenacityof a polyester filament cover with a retro-reflective coreand has excellent strength and durability.

Rajiv Sharma, Global CEO, industrial, CoatsGroup plc, said: 'At Coats, we understand theproduction challenges apparel manufacturers canface when using innovative new types of thread. Usingthat knowledge we have created a unique threadwhich can withstand the rigours of the sewing processans still retain its reflective functionality in the product.'

Coats Signal thread has a special lubricatedfinish to protect it from needle heat and ensuresmooth sewing so it retains its reflectivity after theintense sewing process during apparel production.

www.coats.com

Coats Signal thread

productnews


HEYstore is thecomprehensive range offlexible and extremely robustmaterials based on extremelysolid polyester fabric for thestorage and transportation ofvarious goods. With a tensilestrength of up to 18,000 N/5cm, HEYstore fabrics can alsobe used for big containersthat are exposed to extremelyhigh mechanical stress.

Particularly UV resistanton the outside, with specialcoating on the inside anddepending on the respectiveapplication (PVC, TPU, Alcryn,etc.), these flexible storagecontainers are ideal solutionsfor all major logisticsand industrial businessesdealing with the storage ofwater, chemicals, oilsand fuels.

HEYstore means high-strengthpolyester fabrics with differentcoatings-optimally tailored to yourapplication, for example it hasapplications in :

Mobile & stationary pillowtanks such as slurry tanks and fuelstorage tanks

Open storage tanks such asoil separators, water retentionreservoirs decontamination reservoirs

Decontamination reservoirsSilo and wine press membranesTank liningsLeakage protectionbulk material containers etc

www.heytex.com

Supported, High Density PTFE Fibre,Chemically Inert, Hydrophobic

Benefits it has : Continuous operationup to 250oC, Resistant to aggressivechemical environments, No degradationthrough acid dewpoint, Improvedrecovery from water dewpoint excursions,FDA Approved Polymer, Reducedcleaning energy requirement

Typical applications are : WasteIncineration, Coal-Fired Boilers, TiO2,Carbon Black, Pharmaceutical

www.lydallif.com

Infrared fabricsfor upholstery

Initially employed in functionalclothing, Energear textile technology

has exactly these properties of reflectionand can be applied to textiles either byfinishing or printing.

Energear has now been applied tomattress toppers by the Germancompany Atlantis Wasserbetten, one ofthe largest manufacturers of waterbeds,based in Huttenground, Germany.

Saum & Viebahn based in Kulam-bach, Germany, meanwhile offers itsModern Esprit upholstery fabric collectionwith an additional energear layer.

www.schoeller-tech.com

Thrace biaxialgeogrids &geocomposites

Thrace NG biaxial geogrids aremanufactured from PP sheets using theextrusion method of punching a pattern ofholes, followed by stretching undercontrolled temperature in both directionin order to reach the material tensilecharacteristics. The geogridsgeocomposites are produced by heatbonding the geogrids with any type ofThrace NG Nonwoven geotextiles.

The good tensile mechanicalproperties of Thrace NG geogrids inconjunction with the soil's goodcompressive but poor tensile propertiesimprove the total system's strengthinteraction. The high strength & lowelongation of the geogrids are ideal forreinforcing subgrades of roads andrailroads, as well as slopes ofembankments & retaining wals.

Thrace NG Nonwoven Geotextiles inthe geogrids geocomposites serve as afiltration layer thus between dissimilarearth materials allowing for integrity &functional of both materials, so they canbe improved or remain intact.

Thrace NG Nonwoven geotextiles inthe geogrids geocomposites serve as afiltration layer thus working inequilibrium with the soil to allow foradequate liquid flow with limited soilloss across the plane of the geotextileswhile avoiding pore clogging.

Uses & main characteristics are :Thrace NG geogrids/geocomposites

can be used both to decrease the fillmaterial thickness and to increase thebearing capacity of the underlying soilmaterial while reducing construction costs.

HEYstore coated fabrics forthe flexible containers

from Schoeller Technologies is nowbeing used in upholstery fabrics andmattress toppers.

Energear allows the body's ownenergy, which is radiated in the form of farinfrared rays, to be reflected back to thebody with a positive influence on its energybalance. The benefits are said to include anincrease of general wellbeing and balance,improved patterns of sleep, fast revitaliza-tion and the prevention of premature fatigue.In addition, a positive effect on concentrationand performance is claimed.

Far infrared rays are part of theinfrared ray spectrum and are radiatedby the sun, certain stones and metals andthe human body. Certain minerals canreflect this radiated energy. Energearconsists of a titanium-mineral matrix that

productnews


The aperture of the biaxialgeogrids aid in aggregate interlockthus allowing for effective reinforcementof soil confinement.

Easy to install, offering constructioncost savings.

Geogrids tensile properties rangingfrom 15kN/m to 40kN/m and aperturesizes between 25 mm and 66 mm.

Customized geogrids/Nonwovengeotextiles combinations to meetclients' needs.

www.thracegroup.com

Highly aligned flaxNetComposites, in collaboration with

Tilsatec and Formax, has developed ahighly aligned flax-based tape and non-crimp fabric, supported by the UK’sComposites Innovation Cluster.

The new material is said to be suitablefor thermoset composite applications andwill give improved properties overconventional woven natural fibre-basedcomposite materials. It has a higherstiffness per unit weight than glass fibre.

The material is suitable for a range ofapplications, including automotive.Variants with thermoplastics, such aspolylactic acid and polypropylene,and bio-based pre-pregs, are alsobeing developed.

www.netcomposites.com

BWF technicalneedle felts

BWF products opens up newhorizons- Individual solutions forextraordinary requirements andapplication areas.

Yard goods, endless needled specialproducts or ready-made parts_asspecialist for technical needle felt BWFProtec offer their customers innovativeproducts and individual solutions ofoutstanding quality for very diverseareas of industry and application.

Multitalent_ Technical needle felts forvarious fields of applications.

Seating_ BWF FireGurad and BWFFireblocker for railways, airways, bus,ships, public buildings.

HTM Handling _ Handling andtransport systems for the aluminum andglass industry.

Heat and Safety _ Personal protective

equipment, welding protectionand high-temperatureinsulation.

Industrial Specials &Components : Special felts forsteel, laundry, shoe industry aswell as car washs, medicine,office-machinery and many more.

Automotive : Acoustic andheat protection for interior andengine compartment.

Environment : Componentsfor filtration and water filters,acoustic felts.

Carbon Composite Felts.Yard Goods : Our yard goods are

made of various synthetic fibres, inaddition to pure-grade blends, we canalso produce our technical needle feltsfrom blends of different fibre types aswell as sandwich constructions, felts withsupporting scrim and/or with differentfinishing or surface treatments.

Thickness range: 0.5-35 mmRoll width new: up to 350 cmEndless needled products _ Endless

needled felt rollers, rings and tubes areavailable to individual requirements, e.g.with additional resin finish.

Inner diameter: 19-450 mmWall thickness: 5-14 mmEndless needled felt belts _ Our felt

belts are characterised by a soft surface,yet they are durable and abrasionresistant. They are also of high tensilestrength and low elongation.

Thickness range: 5-25 mmSpecial constructions up to 70 mm

Width up to 2,100 mmLength: 1,780-20,000 mm

www.bwf-protec.com

Elmarco NanospiderNS4S1000U

Elmarco's NanospiderTM ProductionLine is the ideal piece of electrospinningequipment for those ready to scale uptheir process from a lab concept to highvolume industrial production. Elmarcomakes safe and reliable equipment thatdelivers cost effective, uniform nanofibrewebs. Optimised for non water solublepolymers, with minimised usage ofsolvents the NS4S1000U is based onElmarco's proprietary needle-freeelectrospinning process, to deliver the

performance that your products andcustomers need.

Recommended usesRecommended usesRecommended usesRecommended usesRecommended usesDelivers high quality materials in a

compact and affordable formFour spinning electrode system

allows for high throughputNS4S1000U throughput example:

0,45 g/min for PA6 on PA spunbond,150 nm fibre diameter, 1, 0 m width

High nanofibre web uniformityLow solvent consumptionLow solvent consumptionLow solvent consumptionLow solvent consumptionLow solvent consumptionLow volume polymer systemMinimised solvent usageLow solvent evaporationPolymer and solvent f lexibi l i tyPolymer and solvent f lexibi l i tyPolymer and solvent f lexibi l i tyPolymer and solvent f lexibi l i tyPolymer and solvent f lexibi l i tyBetter able to handle volatile

solutionsTwo separate solution bathsNanospider needle-free technology

allows easy process optimisationwww.elmarco.com

THS anti-staticcoatings

THS Industrial Textiles Ltd hasdeveloped a new range of anti-staticcoatings for woven materials, designedfor use in explosive environments. Theseproducts have added conductive

productnews


Biovation reports that its DryRighttechnical boot drying products hasreceived positive feedback from theUnited States Marine Crops.

Biovation is a technology designand manufacturing company which

produces advanced nonwovens withintegrated anti-microbial properties forpackaging, healthcare, customadvanced material OEM products andother speciality scalable applications.

The DryRight product was founded,developed and tested in closecollaboration with the United StatesMarine Crops and it is believed itsstrong results will lead to thefinalization of product design and itscommercialisation in 2015,

as resistance to fuels and oils, weather,high temperatures and strong acids andalkalis, and now all can bemanufactured with the added benefit ofanti-static properties expanding thepossible range of applications.

THS manufacture a range of hightemperature coated and treated glass,silica and aramid textiles for use in thethermal protection markets. Sectors servedinclude oil and gas, power generation,automotive, aviation and construction. THSsupply manufacturers of componentsincluding insulation jackets andmattresses, compensators and flexibleconnections, trace heating insulation anda range of acoustic barriers.

www.thstextiles.co.uk

Nonwovens forprotective wearand filtration

Norafin Industries based in,Mildenau, Germany, expanded itsrange of nonwovens for protectivewear, industrial use process orientedfiltration products.

Together with research and industrypartners, the company developed sinternonwovens with a high amount of metalparticles or fibres. The metallic sinternonwovens make it possible to producecomplex-shaped structures through thedevelopment of thin-walled sinter metalmaterials, which are utilised for hot gasand liquid filtration, to name a few.

The company has also developedelectrically conductive nonwovens in adifferent industrial project. Theelectrically heatable and drapablematerials, which have a good resincapacity, were designed specially forpanel heaters and electrodes. In regardsto composites the conductive materialscan be used as molds or for antistaticapplications. New in the product rangeare materials with a grammage startingat 16g/m2, thereby expanding theproduct line to 16-800 g/m2. Thesenonwovens are available in a variety ofpolymer and natural fibres (i.e. flax,cotton), as well as in diverse colours.Materials for work wear have been addedto Norafin Komanda, the line of heat-resistant nonwovens for protective wear.

www.norafin.com

concurrently with the completion of afinal field trial by the US Marines.

Biovation is rolled and inserted intoa wet boot over time, the anti-microbialmaterials dry the boot and ensure thefoot health of the wearer. Poor foot care

is a significant contributorto lost combat readiness.DryRight is lightweight,portable and preventsunnecessary foot injurywhile never needing to bewrung out or washed. Asingle unit can be re-usedbetween 10-15 times with'recharging' (air drying)and is manufactured withmore than 50% non-hazardous bio-content.

DryRight sustains anoptimum microenviron-ment around the foot thatis critical to topperformance and long-term comfort. When in

use, it provides maximum bootdryness in all foot contact areas (toe,heel, top and bottom of foot)regardless of climate and weatherconditions within 6-8 hours. DryRightuse results in the reduction of footblisters and damp socks. Biovationhas applied its expertise inadvanced polymers, nonwovens,superabsorbents and multi-componentbiochemical formulations to createunique product.

Dry feet for the US marines

properties that inhibit static build up onthe coated surface. Even the tiniest ofstatic sparks can ignite flammablevapours - potentially leading to disaster.

'Anti-Static' or more precisely 'staticdissipative' products are already widelyused throughout industry, from electronicscomponents bags, footwear and workwear, to additives in aviation fuel. Thebasic concept is to make a material orsurface slightly conductive - stoppingstatic charge building up. THS have usedthis concept to modify a selection of theircurrent products to meet increasingdemand from manufactures of fabricatedcomponents for anti-static properties.

'These products are a naturalprogression to our existing extensiverange of fabric for use in extremeconditions, both in terms of temperatureand environment.' says John Newsome,Managing Director. 'We anticipatestrong interest in these fabrics asindustry and end users strive to achievehigher levels of safety, and demand anever increasing number of componentson site to satisfy strict requirements interms of static build up.'

The anti-static range now includesPTFE, Silicone, Neoprene, Vamac andViton coatings, each of these coatingshave their own specialist properties such ATT

productnews

bookreview

Textiles for SportswearEdited by Roshan Shishoo

www.woodheadpublishing.com, www.elsevier.com, Pages 290

TTTTThere is high demand for high functional and high-performance sportswear for both professional and amateursportspersons. This has led to significant technical developmentin the sports clothing industry aimed at enhancing performanceand comfort and, for certain sports, improvingsafety. ‘Textiles for Sportswear’ covers keytrends in sportswear design and materials,the use of novel and smart fabrics, and therange of applications of sportsweartechnology.

The book begins by surveying theprinciples of textile applications in sport,including design, materials and productiontechnology. The opening chapters examinedevelopments in the textile materials andfabrics used in sportswear design. Subsequentchapters then discuss the advances in knittingand joining technologies as well as theopportunities for biomimetics in sports textiles.The second part of the book focuses onsportswear for performance and protection. Theuses of smart textiles in sportswear areexamined, from intelligent materials to wearabletechnology. The closing chapters show how recentadvances in sportswear technology are being applied to coldweather and snow sports, and protective headgear.

Sportswear can be classified as performance wear, outdoorwear and sports-inspired wear. The crossover betweensportswear and leisure apparel grows in importance. Thesignificant increase in consumption of textile fibres and fabrics insportswear over the past two decades can be related to thesignificantly growing rise in worldwide interest in active indoorand outdoor sports as well as in outdoor leisure pursuits.

Many interesting developments have taken place regardingintelligent textiles and interactive materials with great market

potential in the sportswear sector. These materials readily interactwith human/environmental conditions thereby creating changes inthe material properties. For example, the PCMs and shape-memory

polymers embedded in fabric layers will be ableto interact with a human body and producethermoregulatory control by affecting themicroclimate between the clothing and thehuman skin.

The growing environmental challenges andtheir influence on the sportswear manufacturingindustry have resulted in serious discussionswithin all major companies regarding eachcompany's goal of sustainable production andsourcing of textiles for sport and sportswear aswell as the potential recycling solutions.Sustainability topics are becomingincreasingly important in the textile andapparel value chain, with growingawareness and building education on thesubject at the consumer, brand/retail andmill level.

The contents and layout are designed toprovide information about a variety of

important developments related to textile materials forsportswear with specific reference to environmental issues,performance and protection. The book should be of great interest tothe general public since the developments in materials and designof sportswear often lead to new functional and fashion trends in theleisure wear markets.

Professor Roshan Shishoo is Director of Shishoo Consulting AB,Sweden. He was formerly Director of Research and ManagingDirector of the TEFO and IFP research institutes in Sweden. AnHonorary Fellow of the Textile Institute, he has authored more than200 publications and has been an invited speaker at over 140international conferences worldwide.

Electronic TextilesSmart fabrics and wearable technology

Edited by Tilak Diaswww.woodheadpublishing.com, www.elsevier.com, Pages 330

TTTTThe integration of electronics into textiles and clothinghas opened up an array of functions beyond those ofconventional textiles. These novel materials are beginning tofind applications in commercial products, in fields such ascommunication, healthcare, protection and wearabletechnology.

‘Electronic Textiles: Smart Fabrics and Wearable Technology’opens with as introduction to the area from the editor, Tilak Dias.Part One introduces conductive fibres, carbon nanotubes and

polymer yarns. Part Two discusses techniques for integrating textilesand electronics, including the design of textiles-based sensors andactuators, and energy harvesting methods. Finally, Part Three coversa range of electronic textile applications, from wearable electronicsto technical textiles, featuring expert chapters on embroideredantennas for communication systems, and wearable sensors forathletes.

In Part I it describes the various aspects of drawable CNT andtheir resulting yarns, including synthesis and drawability of the


eventscalendarbookreview2015September09-10 Absorbent Hygiene Products Training Course

Brussels. www.edana.org16-18 54th Dornbirn Man-Made Fibres Congress

Dornbirn, Austria. www.dornbirn-mfc.com22-24 Composites Europe, Stuttgart, Germany

www.composites-europe.com23-25 Outlook 2015, Athens, Greece. www.edana.org24-26 Techtextil India 2015, Bombay Exhibition

Centre, Mumbai. www.techtextil-india.co.in

October07-09 IFAI Speciality Fabrics Expo, Anaheim, USA

www.ifaiexpo.com14-16 CINE Shanghai, Shanghai, China

www.cine-shanghai.com26-29 Hygienix 2015, Florida, USA www.inda.org27-30 A+A 2015, Dusseldorf, Germany. www.aplusa.de

November04-05 Hofer Vliesstofftage, Hof, Germany

www.hofer.vliesstofftage.de10-11 Turkish Nonwovens Symposium, Istanbul

www.edana.org12-19 ITMA 2015, Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy www.itma.com17-19 Filtration 2015, Chicago, USA www.inda.org

2016January16-19 Domotex 2016, Hannover, Germany

www.domotex.de25-28 Research Innovations & Science for

Engineered Fabrics (RISE) 2016, New Orleans,USA www.inda.org

March08-10 JEC World 2016, Paris, France

www.jeccomposites.com16-17 TCL2016 Prague, Czech Republic

www.intnews.com/TCL

May02-05 IDEA 2016, Boston. www.inda.org03-05 Techtextil NA/JEC Americas, Atlanta, USA.

www.techtextilna.com/www.jeccomposites.com

June01-04 ITM 2016/Hightex, Turkey.

[email protected] www.itm2016.com.tr07-10 World of Wipes Intl Conference 2016,

Chicago, USA www.inda.org

October11-13 FILTECH 2016, Cologne, Germany

www.filtech.de12-14 CINTE Techtextil China, Shanghai, China

www.techtextilchina.com19-26 K 2016, Dusseldorf, Germany, www.k-online.de24-27 Hygienix 2016, Orlando, USA www.inda.org24-28 ITMA ASIA + CITME 2016, Hongqiao, Shanghai

www.itmaasia.com

2017April04-07 INDEX17, Geneva. www.edana.org

CNT forests, and the formation structure, production, properties andapplications of the resulting yarns.

A classified catalogue that enables direct selection of sensor modulesgives developers in the textile industry and research in the near future anoverview of all developed textile-based sensors in different applicationareas. By Fully integrating electronics into heart of textiles at the yarnproduction stage, the aim is to facilitate the manufacture of a new generationof wearable electronic systems.

Textile-heating fabrics are one of the important developments inwearable electronic textiles. Thischapter has demonstrated thedevelopment of polymer-basedknitted heated textile which couldprovide a platform for thedevelopment of a new generation ofheating textiles which could beaesthetically pleasing, lightweightand washable.

At present, smart textiles play asignificant role in multi-disciplinaryresearch by bringing togethercompetences from different fields ofengineering, information technologyand design. Such textiles haveelectric applications, ranging fromfashion to highly technical andspecific medical solutions. Despite thevariety of utilised materials,investigated structures and proposedmanufacturing approaches, theprominent issue that characterises all

smart textiles is their ability to respond to and interact with the environment.Indeed, e-textiles, or smart textiles, that incorporate electronic

functionality into a fabric, do require a power source, and whilst it is likely tobe supplemented by a storage battery, this is one demand for some form ofenergy harvesting from the surrounding environment.

One chapter discusses in depth various types of energy harvestingtextiles, their testing methods and applications as variable energy sources. Italso introduces the use of piezo-, pyro-, ferro- and dielectric materials inintelligent textiles.

It also presents a novel class of embroidered textile antennas and RFcircuits based on electrically conductive metal-polymer fibres (E-fibres).These textiles-based RF circuits and antennas are developed to realisewearable RF electronics woven into daily garments.

Textile sensors are created by incorporating conductive materials intotextile structures. Fabrication methods include weaving, stitching, couching,knitting and printing.

In geotechnical engineering, technical textiles are utilised for soilstability, load distribution, and as filters or membranes. The capability ofsensing and monitoring the status of geotechnical constructions such as damsor embankments completes the traditional functions and provides insight intoreal soil behavior during the life of the structure.


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