Loepfe Brothers’ WeftMaster FALCON-i: New Projects In China And Taiwan

Loepfe WeftMaster Falcon-i

WETZIKON, Switzerland — July 1, 2020 — Printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. Used in quantities of millions, in 2018 the Global Single Sided Printed Circuit Board Market Analysis Report estimated that the PCB market would reach $79 billion by 2024.

PCBs are generally made of various layers of materials, which are bonded together by heat, pressure and other methods. Its basis, the so-called substrate, is commonly made of glass epoxy, also known as fiber reinforced plastic. In order to ensure and achieve an efficient and smooth PCB manufacturing process, a top quality and flawlessly woven glass fabric is the key to minimized rejection costs and ultimate quality assurance.

A fully integrated PCB manufacturer can control the entire manufacturing process. One of the world’s largest manufacturer of such boards and other technical glass fabrics, operating several plants in China and Taiwan, occasionally experienced tiniest unevenness on the surface of its PCB boards. Particular defects originated from exactly that woven glass fabric, eventually caused by minute filamentation of the yarn and slightest fluff accumulation during the weaving process. By using FALCON-i optical sensors to monitor the weft insertion during the weaving process, such tiny yet costly defects could easily and reliably be eliminated.

In order to detect even the tiniest yarn irregularities FALCON-i offers extensive sensitivity levels, allowing customers to fine-tune the ratio of machine stoppages caused by necessary quality control stops. Any manufacturer of demanding technical fabrics and composite textiles used in applications such as PCB manufacturing, automotive, architecture, filtration, aeronautics, medical and carbon industry can highly benefit from this type of versatile quality monitoring sensor. The implementation of FALCON-i optical yarn defect sensors in the quality control of any running yarn throughout the manufacturing process of fabrics is simple and easy.

FALCON-i’s unique flexibility to select the level of quality control enables technical fabrics manufacturers to respond quickly and flexibly to market trends, demand and developments.

Are you confronted with similar problems? Get in touch with us – Whatever your challenge, we’re waiting, ready to accept it!

Posted July 1, 2020

Source: Loepfe Brothers Ltd.

INDA’s World Of Wipes® And RISE® 2020 Conferences Transition To All Virtual Format Matching Corporate Travel Policies

CARY, N.C. — July 1, 2020 — INDA is transitioning two conference events scheduled for August and September to an all-virtual format for 2020 in deference to corporate travel policies and individual concerns about travel. 

Registration is open for the virtual World of Wipes® International Conference, aligned with the WIPES Academy training course, and the RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics) Conference. Visit https://www.worldofwipes.org/ for full details on Virtual WOW™. Visit https://www.riseconf.net/ for full details on Virtual RISE™.

“Survey results from INDA members are telling us companies have extended travel restrictions and people still have personal concerns on travel — at least until the end of September,” said Dave Rousse, INDA president. “While we look forward to the industry reconvening in person, Virtual WOW and Virtual RISE will provide an opportunity for our industry members to access relevant program content.”

Virtual WOW offers 30 speaker presentations focused on breakthrough wipe technologies, buyer demographics, sustainability, industrial and flushable wipes, substrates, preservatives, single use plastics, and strategy-setting market intelligence. Presentations will also address industry changes prompted by COVID-19. All speaker presentations will be recorded and available near real-time and on-demand for 12 months.

Participants will connect with senior-level wipes professionals through audio and visual presentations on relevant technical and educational content with business engagement opportunities through virtual tabletop displays, web pages, video, live chat, and calendar appointments.

Virtual WOW™ Event Schedule:

  • Virtual WIPES Academy – August 25-26
  • Virtual WOW™ Conference Presentations – August 25-27
  • 2020 World of Wipes Innovation Award® Presentations – August 26
  • Virtual WOW™ Tabletop Displays – August 26-27
  • 2020 World of Wipes Innovation Award® Announcement – August 27
  • For Virtual WOW™ conference information visit: https://www.worldofwipes.org/conference.php

Developed for technology scouts and product developers, the 10th edition of the Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference presents “What’s Next” in sustainability developments. Virtual RISE offers 23 speaker presentations focused on new developments in polymers, fibers, additives, and fabrics, from sourcing and disposal to reuse amid the trends that are driving nonwoven advances.

Virtual RISE™ Event Schedule:

  • Virtual RISE™ Conference Presentations – Sept. 29-30
  • RISE® 2020 Innovation Award Presentations – Sept.  29
  • RISE® 2020 Innovation Award Announcement – Sept. 30
  • For Virtual RISE™ conference information visit: https://www.riseconf.net/conference.php

Posted July 1, 2020

Source: INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry

lululemon athletica To Acquire Home Fitness Innovator MIRROR

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — June 29, 2020 — lululemon athletica inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MIRROR, a leading in-home fitness company that created an interactive workout platform that features live and on-demand classes, for a purchase price of $500 million.

With its best-in-class content and versatile platform, MIRROR positions lululemon to accelerate its vision and build upon an ecosystem that will fuel the company’s Power of Three growth plan, which includes driving the business through omni guest experiences. MIRROR will bolster the company’s digital sweatlife offerings and bring immersive and personalized in-home sweat, and mindfulness solutions to new and existing lululemon guests.

Calvin McDonald, CEO, commented: “In 2019, we detailed our vision to be the experiential brand that ignites a community of people living the sweatlife through sweat, grow and connect. The acquisition of MIRROR is an exciting opportunity to build upon that vision, enhance our digital and interactive capabilities, and deepen our roots in the sweatlife. We look forward to learning from and working with Brynn Putnam and the team at MIRROR to accelerate the growth of personalized in-home fitness.”

MIRROR offers weekly live classes and thousands of on-demand workouts as well as immersive one-on-one personal training. MIRROR has seen rapid growth and strong engagement since it launched in 2018 as demand for in-home fitness offerings continue to increase significantly.

This transaction builds on a successful partnership between the two companies, which began in mid-2019 with an initial investment in MIRROR by lululemon, and also includes a content partnership which brought sweat and meditation classes to the MIRROR platform by lululemon’s Global Ambassadors. This acquisition will further expand the content creation partnership between the two brands and will help lululemon, MIRROR and lululemon Ambassadors reach new guests.

Putnam, founder and chief executive officer of MIRROR, and a former lululemon Ambassador, said: “We are thrilled to officially become a part of the lululemon family. As part of lululemon, MIRROR can further strengthen its position and accelerate its growth by leveraging lululemon’s deep relationships with its guests, ambassadors and communities, as well as the company’s infrastructure, including its store network and ecommerce channels, to acquire new users.”

The purchase price is expected to be paid from the company’s primary sources of liquidity, which include over $800 million in cash, its existing $400 million revolving credit facility, and a new one-year, $300 million revolving credit facility.

Following completion of the transaction, MIRROR will operate as a standalone company within lululemon and Putnam will continue as MIRROR’s CEO, reporting to McDonald. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of fiscal 2020.

Advisors

Barclays served as the financial advisor to lululemon and Fenwick & West LLP and Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP served as legal counsel. Cooley LLP served as legal counsel to MIRROR.

Posted June 30, 2020

Source: lululemon athletica inc.

Carbios Begins Construction On Industrial Demonstration Plant In Final Step To Commercializing Its PET Recycling Technology

CLERMONT-FERRAND, France — June 29, 2020 — Carbios, a company pioneering new bio-industrial solutions to reinvent the lifecycle of plastic and textile polymers, announced the launch of the construction of its industrial demonstration plant for the enzymatic recycling of PET plastic. The demonstration plant is located near Lyon, in France’s Chemistry Valley, the French hub of innovation and industrial production in the chemical, environmental and cleantech sector. Carbios is supported and advised by TechnipFMC for the engineering and construction of this demonstration plant1.

The objective of the plant is to generate technical data that will allow Carbios to define the main parameters for each step of the enzymatic recycling process, on a sufficient scale to be able to plan the operation of future industrial units. The first phase of the system operations is scheduled to launch in the second quarter of 2021. This will allow Carbios to establish the complete engineering documents for the process, from waste to monomers, for the construction and implementation of the first industrial unit for a licensee (estimated capacity between 50 and 100 kt per year).

The demonstration plant will validate the technical, environmental, and economic performance of Carbios’ innovative technology. It will also produce batches of monomers for technical and regulatory validation of recycled PET by future licensees.

Martin Stephan, COO of Carbios, commented: “Our technology is able to meet a very strong market demand, particularly from the brand-owners of our Consortium, which include companies like L’Oréal, Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo, and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe. Each of these, and many other global multi-national firms, have made ambitious commitments towards sustainable development. This demonstration plant will be a showcase site to validate the economic and technical performance of our process and to ensure the training of our future licensees.”

Antoine Sévenier, Industrial Development director of Carbios added: “The demonstration unit allows us to test different waste streams, and to adapt certain steps of our process to the specification of collection systems. I am very excited to see our revolutionary technology industrializing and becoming a commercial reality in the near future.”

Posted June 30, 2020

Source: Carbios

Ascend Files First FDA 510(k) Submission Based on Acteev™ Technology — Findings Show Deactivates Bacteria, Fungi And Viruses, Including SARS-CoV-2

HOUSTON — June 30, 2020 — Ascend Performance Materials announced today it submitted its first FDA 510(k) for clearance to market its patent-pending Acteev™ technology in the United States in a medical device, a surgical mask under a new brand called Acteev Biodefend™. Independent laboratory testing has found Acteev materials to achieve greater than 99 percent efficacy at deactivating bacteria, fungi and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

“We’ve partnered with independent labs for comprehensive testing and have reallocated resources to ready ourselves for world-scale production upon receiving regulatory clearance,” said Dr. Vikram Gopal, Ascend’s chief technology officer.

Acteev Biodefend technology has been shown in laboratory tests to deactivate SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and other pathogens including H1N1, coronavirus 229E and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria such as staphylococcus and E. coli, Dr. Gopal said. The testing was conducted following the protocols of ISO, ASTM or other international standards organizations.

Acteev technology, covered by more than 15 patent families, embeds active zinc ions into the matrix of a specialty polymer.

“What is unique about Acteev is the marriage between the antimicrobial ingredient like zinc and the specialty polymer that keeps the zinc ions active and bound at all times,” Dr. Gopal said. “Because it isn’t a simple topical finish or coating, the antimicrobial protection can last much longer – it will not flake off or be worn away. And, unlike some other antimicrobials, zinc is environmentally friendly.”

Acteev technology has been tested in multiple end forms, including knit and woven fabrics; engineered plastics; and nanofiber, meltblown and spunbond nonwoven materials.

Acteev Biodefend could provide an answer to the calls to identify an immediate, positive solution to restart the economy and reopen our schools and universities safely, Dr. Gopal said.

“The current global scarcity of pathogen-resistant materials is not going to end unless scientists and engineers look for novel ways to face the challenge, and we are proud to submit Acteev Biodefend as a potential solution,” Dr. Gopal said.

Earlier this month, Ascend launched Acteev Protect™, an antimicrobial line of protection specially formulated to guard against the growth of fungi, bacteria and other microbes to keep textiles and nonwoven fabrics fresher for longer. Acteev Protect, available for sale today in the United States and select other jurisdictions, can be used to make face coverings, filtration devices, and textiles for upholstery and apparel such as activewear.

About Acteev

  • Tests show >99% antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal efficacy;
  • EPA-registered zinc ions embedded in the polymer;
  • Hygroscopic nylon 6,6 fabric attracts moisture, which actives the zinc ions;
  • Not a topical treatment or coating;
  • Not dependent on silver, copper; and
  • Proven efficacy in many end forms —
    • Knit and woven fabrics for consumer textiles, upholstery, uniforms, face masks;
    • Nanofiber, meltblown and spunbond nonwovens for filtration;
    • Fibers for carpets; and
    • Engineered plastics for high-touch surfaces.

DISCLAIMER: Acteev™ technology has been shown in laboratory tests to destroy SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and other pathogens including H1N1, coronavirus 229E and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria such as staphylococcus and E. coli. All data presented on this page comes from testing performed by independent third-party laboratories following the protocols of ISO, ASTM or other international standards organizations. Not all claims are permitted in all jurisdictions, including in the United States. Some device designs currently under review with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — submission number K201714. Ascend has more than 15 patent families pending on Acteev technology.

Posted June 30, 2020

Source: Ascend Performance Materials

Accel Lifestyle Aims To Keep Children Protected From COVID-19 Using Proprietary Prema® Fabric To Manufacture Face Masks For Children

HOUSTON, Texas — June 24, 2020 — When the pandemic first began months ago, Accel Lifestyle pivoted and began making masks for healthcare workers and the public. Now, as states start to open back up, families start to host barbecues, camps start to open and children start playing sports again, Accel Lifestyle wants to make sure each and every child is protected and safe. To that end, the apparel company is now manufacturing masks sized perfectly for children.

Just like the Accel Lifestyle Adult Prema® Anti-Bacterial Face Mask, the child-sized masks are made with Accel Lifestyle’s exclusive, anti-bacterial Prema fabric. The masks are washable, breathable, soft and reusable – perfect for children who may resist having to wear something on their face. The CDC recommends face coverings for children two years old and up. Accel Lifestyle’s Children’s Prema Anti-Bacterial Face Masks fit a large range of ages and can be adjusted to fit secure and snug.

“We have had many friends, family and customers purchase the adult Prema masks for their children and adjust them to make them smaller. We wanted to create a better option to fit a child’s face, all while providing extra protection against the virus,” said Accel Lifestyle Founder and CEO Megan Eddings. “We feel so fortunate to be able to provide a product that not only provides an additional layer of safety and health, but also a product  that is soft, comfortable against the skin and 100 percent made right here in the USA.”

In addition to coming in black and white, Accel Lifestyle’s Children’s Prema Anti-Bacterial Face Masks are also available with fun designs kids will love — including a unicorn or rocket ship. Since it appears as though masks will be required for the foreseeable future, schools, children’s hospitals or other companies can also order customized masks with their logos. For added safety and breathability, the designs are applied with a water-based heat transfer and not screen printing.

“Not only are our masks safe because they’re anti-bacterial, but even the inks we use for the graphics are water-based and safe for breathability,” Eddings said.

Prema fabric was developed by Eddings. It uses a proprietary blend of silver-poly fibers woven with Supima®, the finest cotton in the world. It has undergone years of development and testing — focusing primarily on Gram-negative and Gram-positive
bacteria. Even after 100 washes, tests have shown a 99.38-percent reduction rate of
Staphylococcus aureus and a colony reduction rate of 97.44-percent of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

While initially intended to be a non-stink fabric for athletic wear, Eddings’ creation — due to its antimicrobial properties — has proven to be popular with cancer patients and others with compromised immune systems. Now, in the wake of the pandemic, Accel Lifestyle has sold over 290,000 Adult Prema® Anti-Bacterial Face Masks, including to the US Navy, Navy SEALs, Marines, hospitals, universities, and nursing homes.

“When I think of how many people may have been spared the devastating effects of COVID-19 due to our Prema® anti-bacterial face masks, I’m overcome with emotion,” Eddings said. “Our staff has been working around the clock for months, and I could not be any more proud of the positive impact we are making in the world.”

Posted June 30, 2020

Source: Accel Lifestyle

Stäubli Offers Solutions For Process Optimization In Weaving Preparation

TIEPRO tying machine

PFÄFFIKON, Switzerland — June 30, 2020 — The year 2020 is challenging the textile industry worldwide. Now more than ever, to remain at the forefront in this uncertain market environment, textile mills must be sure to operate with the highest efficiency while remaining flexible in terms of applications. At the same time, high quality is imperative in order to avoid second-choice production and material waste. Downtimes must be minimized, so rapid style and warp changes are mandatory. Suboptimal processing steps must be corrected because they can cause problems in the downstream weaving process. Stäubli, a global leading provider to the weaving industry, has a range of machinery that solves all these problems. The company’s state-of-the-art automation solutions for any woven application can be adapted to the specific needs of any mill and easily integrated into existing operations.

One step ahead of weaving and during the weaving stage itself, mills must master time-consuming process steps such as the drawing in and tying of warps. Stäubli enables mills to quicken the pace of such steps with its automation solutions which together ensure rapid preparation of high-quality warps. The recently launched TIEPRO tying machine sets a new standard for tying warps with or without a 1:1 lease. It features a new yarn separation system based on rotating spindle cones and is designed for universal use with standard warp yarns in any weaving mill [count range (tex)1×30 to 1×6.7]. TIEPRO boasts extremely high mechanical precision supported by high-performance digital technology, with unique control features such as Auto Reverse: When a separation error is detected (two or more ends separated together), the spindle cone reverses its rotation and retracts the separated yarns onto the cone. The machine repeats the separation process automatically, with no need for intervention by an operator. Once the single end has been properly separated, the yarn is automatically cut and a simple roll knot is tied. The length of the knot ends is freely adjustable; very short ends enable quick pulling-through on weaving machines. TIEPRO gives the mill immediate economic benefits such as savings of time and labor, lower operating costs, and lower maintenance costs due to simpler and easier maintenance requirements. The machine is ideally employed with Stäubli’s newly designed TPF tying frame. It can be placed very close to the warp beam and provides high tolerance regarding parallel alignment of the two yarn sheets, which makes stretching fast and easy and shortens the overall time required for warp changes.

SAFIR S60 automatic drawing-in machine with AWC technology

When it comes to drawing in warps, the SAFIR automatic drawing-in machines allow repeat-specific distribution of the warp yarns into the drop wires, healds, and reed in a single cycle. Highly flexible in terms of application and layout, SAFIR drawing-in machines can be integrated easily into existing material flows in mills of any size. These systems feature Stäubli’s unique state-of-the-art Active Warp Control (AWC) technology, and Initial Conditions Settings (ICS) for specific yarn properties are now available as well. These technologies allow mills to further enhance their quality and processing performance of multicolored warps with or without a lease. Yarn-repeat detection & management and S/Z detection & management are two AWC features prized by mills around the globe that require optimum drawing-in for their high-quality fabric production.

All Stäubli weaving preparation solutions share a key critical attribute: They support the production of perfect warps that enhance the downstream weaving process, which leads to greater volumes of first-quality output. Stäubli machinery optimizes production processes in the weaving mill, and the flexibility these solutions offer allows the machines to be adapted to the mill’s future needs. “Our global and local service teams, our agents, and our spare parts network are also there to support mills with personalized services,” said Fritz Legler, marketing and sales at Stäubli. “Our customers can achieve their goals more easily and master challenging situations.”

Posted June 30, 2020

Source: Stäubli

Teijin Frontier’s New High-Stretch SOLOTEX® ECO-Hybrid Fiber Made Using Plant-Derived And Recycled Materials

TOKYO — June 30, 2020 — Teijin Frontier Co. Ltd., the Teijin Group’s fibers and products converting company, announced today its new SOLOTEX® ECO-Hybrid high-stretch side-by-side (S/S) conjugated fiber an eco-friendly plant-derived polymer with a chemically recycled polyester polymer, each featuring different heat-shrinkage characteristics to enable the formation of coiled crimp yarn.

SOLOTE® ECO-Hybrid represents a new line in Teijin Frontier’s polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) fiber SOLOTEX family. SOLOTEX ECO-Hybrid filament yarn and textile will be introduced as a featured product for 2020 autumn/winter fashion apparel, offering many possibilities for enhanced sportwear, uniforms and more. Annual sales of SOLOTEX ECO-Hybrid are expected to grow from 500 million Japanese yen ($4.6 million) in 2020 to 1.5 billion Japanese yen ($14 million) in 2022 (filament yarn equivalent).

Key Features of SOLOTEX® ECO-Hybrid

Polymers Extra stretchability achieved with new technology for conjugating PTT polymer and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer made with chemically recycled raw material, which are then processed to create a crimp structure.
Filament production Crimp structure is equivalent to that of petroleum-derived raw materials.

Dyeability achieved with optimized yarn-making conditions.

 

SOLOTEX ECO-Hybrid has the same features as conventional S/S conjugated fiber made with petroleum-derived raw materials.

Eco-friendly PTT polymer is partly made with plant-derived raw materials and PET polymer is made with chemical recycled raw materials such as used polyester fibers.
Versatile fineness Wide range of fineness, from 33-330 decitex,* and filament yarn processing is possible.
Highly practical Very stretchable and dyeable, equivalent to those of petroleum-derived materials, and soft texture.

*Thread thickness measured in grams per 10,000 meter

In recent years, demands have been growing for materials offering functionality and comfort, such as stretchability and soft textures. Also, users are seeking eco-friendly fabrics made with recycled and plant-derived materials.

Teijin Frontier’s existing S/S conjugated fiber comprises a highly stretchable SOLOTEX® PTT-fiber polymer made with about 40-percent plant-based raw materials and PET made of recycled raw materials. The newest version, SOLOTEX® ECO-Hybrid, solves the problem of achieving a consistent crimp structure in an eco-friendly S/S conjugated fiber made with recycled PET.

 Posted June 30, 2020

Source: Teijin Frontier

Pantone Launches New Digital Color Platform For Designers To Help Adapt To A Changed Workflow  

CARLSTADT, N.J. — June 30, 2020 — Pantone LLC today announced the launch of Pantone Connect, a digital platform for designers that streamlines their color decision-making and communication. The new platform provides access to all Pantone Color through a single-user account across mobile, web, and the Adobe® Creative Cloud® applications and includes the first ever Pantone Color Match Card, a revolutionary credit card-sized target that calibrates a phone’s camera to capture color from real life, match to Pantone Colors, and then save the color into the designer’s palette workflow.

With the ongoing digital evolution of design workflows, there has increasingly been a need to close the gap between the physical and digital for designers. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated these challenges by rapidly replacing the collaborative, light-filled and resourceful design studio with virtual chats at living room tables, making design ideation and communication much more challenging. Communicating color intent as part of design is a familiar pain point under normal circumstances, but becomes far more of a challenge in these remote settings.

As a result, Pantone has expanded its Pantone Connect suite of products to bridge this gap and help designers adapt to what a changed workflow looks like post-COVID. Within the new suite includes the revolutionary Pantone Color Match Card and Pantone Connect Mobile App (for iOS and Android). Merging physical color with a digital workflow through an innovative approach, this Card-App pairing makes Pantone color identification and communication from physical inspiration to final design a streamlined, accurate, and affordable option for large dispersed design teams and freelancers alike.

“While designers have previously taken photos with their phone to capture Pantone Colors from images, the results were more inspirational vs. accurate due to factors like poor lighting and camera performance” said Nick Bazarian, senior product manager for Pantone Digital Solutions. “With the Color Match Card and Pantone Connect app, a designer’s phone has now become a legitimate color capture device to match the physical world more accurately to Pantone Colors, as well as a workflow productivity tool to shorten the color communication process, at a nominal cost.”

This latest announcement builds upon the company’s 2019 launches of the Pantone Application Program Interface (API) and its Extension for Adobe Creative Cloud, by integrating with new mobile apps for iOS and Android and the Pantone Connect Color Finder web application. Additional features include:

  • Pantone Color Match Card calibrates a mobile device’s camera to more accurately measure a targeted physical color, which is immediately matched to the closest Pantone Color(s).
  • Pantone Connect mobile app saves captured colors into palettes for sharing to social media or designing via the Pantone Connect Extension for Adobe Illustrator®, InDesign®, and Photoshop®.
  • Color conversion to Pantone, improved digital navigation of the Pantone Color Libraries, and inspiration features such as color extraction from images, color harmonies, and trending color palettes
  • Pantone Connect’s expanded suite also serves as a newer alternative to Pantone Studio for iOS, and a replacement for some of Pantone’s pre-existing digital solutions, including myPantone for Android, the Pantone X-Ref web app, and Pantone Color Manager desktop software.

“Our company has worked closely alongside creatives in the graphic, fashion, and product design industries to understand how color can become an enabler of performance rather than a hindrance,” said Adrián Fernández, vice president and general manager of Pantone. “Pantone Connect’s unique combination of technology (enabled by X-Rite), features, and platform accessibility will give designers the tools they need to be confident in their color choices and ultimately successful with their creative work. They win with the Pantone Connect platform because their color choice reflects an informed decision made efficiently and communicated effectively.”

Pantone plans to continue expanding the platform rapidly through 2020 and 2021, with further integration into the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem and other design tool platforms, as well connection to color reader devices from X-Rite, Pantone, and 3rd party Pantone licensee partners.

Free Period and Bundled Access

Through July 8th, 2020, a Pantone Connect account is still free to register for with all features and platforms accessible as part of Pantone’s COVID-19 free access offer to designers, announced previously on April 1st, 2020. All new Pantone color guides also include 6-months of free access when registered.

For more information on Pantone Connect and how to create a new account, visit www.pantone.com/connect.  Mobile apps for iOS and Android can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, respectively, while the Pantone Connect Extension for Adobe Creative Cloud can be downloaded from the Adobe Creative Cloud Exchange website.

Posted June 30, 2020

Source: Pantone

Lydall Awarded $13.5M Contract By U.S. Department Of Defense To Support American-Made Face Mask Production

MANCHESTER, Conn. — June 30, 2020 — Lydall Inc. — a U.S. manufacturer of value-added engineered materials and specialty filtration solutions that create a cleaner, safer and quieter world — today announced the signing of a $13.5 million contract award with the United States Department of Defense (DOD). The contract will support Lydall’s investment in two new meltblown production lines — including one that had been announced on June 2 — in its Rochester, N.H., facility. This investment will significantly accelerate Lydall’s domestic production of meltblown filtration media that comprises the critical filtration layer of N95 respirators and surgical masks. By May 2021, Lydall will increase its capacity of meltblown filtration media to support the monthly domestic production of 140 million N95 respirators or 540 million surgical masks, and of high-performing air filtration media to improve air quality in indoor spaces.

“Face masks are the ‘armor’ that protects Americans from contracting COVID-19. As with the equipment the U.S. military provides our soldiers, our face masks, and the filtration media inside, must be highly engineered, backed by science and adhere to the rigorous standards of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the CDC,” said Sara A. Greenstein, president & CEO, Lydall. “We are incredibly thankful to the U.S. government for recognizing the importance of accelerating domestic production of N95 and surgical face masks and providing the grant we need to do just that. We also want to congratulate the state of New Hampshire and the city of Rochester on this investment and are grateful for their collaboration and partnership. Together, we are supporting domestic supply chains, creating American jobs and contributing to the fight against COVID-19.”

With the installation of these two new production lines, Lydall’s New Hampshire facility will be the largest site for meltblown filtration media production in the United States and a center of excellence for advanced filtration media innovation. To support the wider need for improved air quality beyond COVID-19, Lydall’s innovation team is focused on developing new carbon-based, high-efficiency media for MERV-, HEPA- and ULPA-grade filters for hospitals, airplanes, restaurants, office buildings and other public spaces. Lydall expects to generate new jobs to support the increase in production.

“As a market leader in specialty filtration solutions for nearly 100 years, we are proud to bring the full extent of our deep manufacturing expertise, assets and people to bear in the production of personal protective equipment for our first responders, medical professionals, military personnel and the general public,” Greenstein added. “We have done everything within our capacity to ramp up our production of filtration media for N95 respirators and surgical face masks. With the support of the U.S. government, we will increase production even further.”

This contract award is a product of the ongoing collaboration between the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services, led by the Department’s Joint Acquisition Task Force and funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Posted June 30, 2020

Source: Lydall

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