Culp Expands Production Of Critical Products In Support Of COVID-19 Relief Efforts

HIGH POINT, N.C.— Culp Inc. today announced updates to recent measures the company has taken across several locations in its global platform in North America and Asia to increase production of face masks, bedding covers, and fabrics for healthcare operations and consumer health. These additional steps include:

  • Expanding its work with several companies to produce face masks for supply to FEMA. These non-medical grade, three-layer cotton masks are made in accordance with FDA standards and are sewn at the company’s CLASS facilities in North Carolina and Haiti;
  • Producing and supplying face masks for consumers and healthcare workers through the company’s Culp Hospitality platform in Knoxville, Tennessee, (Read Window Products) and through the company’s strategic partner relationships in Vietnam, which are now sewing face masks instead of upholstery fabric kits for the company. These non-medical grade, three-layer cotton masks are also made in accordance with FDA standards;
  • Producing and supplying sewn bedding covers and bedding fabrics used for hospital beds at the company’s CLASS facility in North Carolina and through the company’s Asian platform;
  • Working to assist other companies by using certain of Culp’s lamination equipment and finishing capabilities at the company’s facilities in Stokesdale, North Carolina, and Canada for their production of critical products for the healthcare industry, including woven medical gowns; and
  • Utilizing the company’s full-scale research and development team to develop fabrics and other solutions for current and future personal protection equipment (PPE) needs.

Iv Culp, Culp CEO, said, “As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread across the world, I am extremely proud of our employees and strategic partners across our global platform for stepping up to assist in Culp’s relief efforts. We are utilizing our production and sourcing capabilities in the United States, Haiti, Canada, and Asia to supply much-needed PPE for healthcare workers and the communities we serve, and to support numerous customer requests for bedding covers and mattress fabrics used for hospital beds. Our mattress fabrics and upholstery fabrics divisions are working cross-functionally in these efforts and leveraging their resources to meet critical needs. Our plans are to produce at least one million face masks and to supply fabric and covers for tens of thousands of hospital mattresses over the next few months. The initiative to reprioritize some of our operations to produce PPE is not about profit, but rather to support our nation during this crisis while also keeping as many workers as possible employed. Culp associates are honored by the opportunity to pitch in and support our front-line workers, our healthcare operators, our communities, and our nation during this unprecedented time.”

Posted April 21, 2020

Source: Culp

Hemp Fiber Processing Is No Longer Just An Idea — It Is Here

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. — April 21, 2020 — Global Hemp Solutions is a veteran owned company that is known for its variety of specialized hemp processing equipment and continued service we provide to the industry. GHS has been and will remain a strong advocate for farmers, processors, and retailers in this industry. Many are seeing a standstill in the current market and there are reasons for this: a lack of processing infrastructure. We have the solution!

GHS has substantial manufacturing capabilities, amazing equipment designs, and many partnerships formed in order to provide the industry with the best possible equipment, genetics, and services. Our team of executives and engineers spent years researching equipment and ensuring we could find the right match with a manufacturer. After many discussions and meetings, GHS has solidified this amazing relationship with a company that has the same morals and ethics as well as an evident desire to help farmers and create a sustainable environment to pass on to generations.

Global Hemp Solutions is the United States distributor of the largest and most sophisticated hemp fiber processing and decortication system in the world. This system is capable of upwards of 10 tons per hour input processing! Now imagine this system that is nearly 100-percent automated!

We have formed an amazing relationship with our team of manufacturers in Europe. This is not even the best part! As you know, GHS loves transparency! We believe that full transparency is what will help this industry grow. GHS currently manufactures a majority of our equipment in Kentucky with a manufacturing team of over 750 employees and we are excited to bring the European technology here to increase production for the US hemp industry!

Please note: We need multiple facilities throughout the country. This is NOT a “one person runs it all” scenario. Having these facilities strategically placed throughout the country will allow farmers to shift from struggling with raising hemp for oil production and focus on a row crop scenario with harvesting equipment that already exists. Shifting our focus to hemp fiber production/processing is what will save the farmers in the long run. Global Hemp Solutions needs companies that have a true desire to build infrastructure that will help this industry grow. We work hand in hand with the manufacturer. You will also deal directly with the manufacturer.

If you are interested in the equipment, contact us. We will bring you directly to our manufacturer to discuss your layout. We are currently working with a few select clients on their designs and are in a position to take on many more. We have a dedicated team standing by to help with this endeavor. GHS has every cost computed and every detail outlined to help get you operational. No smoke and mirrors here. Global Hemp Solutions is paving the way for Hemp! Investors are welcome to contact us directly. Some of our clients are seeking investments.

Posted April 21, 2020

Source: Global Hemp Solutions

COVID-19: Miller Weldmaster’s Response

NAVARRE, Ohio — April 21, 2020 — What Miller Weldmaster is doing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19

We have faced many things in our 45+ year history, but nothing quite like the global pandemic we are faced with today. We are confident in the resilience of our country, and that we will get through this difficult period together. We are proud to be part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by supplying life sustaining, critical need machines to fulfill the unprecedented demands of crucial industries. Miller Weldmaster is committed to providing solutions when our customers and colleagues need us most. Here’s how we are responding.

Virtual Demos: Even when traveling is not an option, business must go on! Miller Weldmaster is accommodating our customers by offering live virtual demonstrations and training sessions to help with your research, buying decisions, or service needs. Visit https://www.weldmaster.com/virtual-demo/ for how we can help you.

Near-Immediate Shipment: Recently, we have had a lot of inquiries about welding machines for tents, masks, protection gear, prevention signage and more. To help companies essential businesses to continue to give back, we have made our T300 Extreme and T600 Extreme welders available for near-immediate shipment.

Production of Trauma Center and Hospital Field Cots: The demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) and hospital beds is acute throughout the nation and around the world to care for the increasing number of affected people that need critical care. We are collaborating with other local NE Ohio manufacturers to create and develop an emergency field hospital cot. Due to the simple design they are able to produce a cot in high volume in very short periods of time. Miller Weldmaster helped PioneerIWS develop a prototype for the mattress along with Seaman Corporation, Snyder Manufacturing, Arise Tents, and many other key contributors.

As of this writing, 5,000 cots have been delivered to New York and Ohio, with additional interest from new “hot spots” and distributors. These cots are being shipped out as they are completed as they are urgently needed.

“Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said recently “this is not an ordinary time”; he likened it to a war. The term “this is not an ordinary time” came from Eleanor Roosevelt in 1940. The first lady at that time said, “this is no ordinary time, no time for weighing anything except what we can best do for the country”. We need to focus on this and what we do as citizens to protect ourselves and our families,” said Brent Nussbaum, president, Miller Weldmaster.

Miller Weldmaster manufactures and services innovative and custom-made hot air, hot wedge, impulse, radio frequency and other welding technologies for the needs of the industrial fabric and thermoplastic industries. Miller Weldmaster is recognized around the world as the first choice in industrial fabric welding for over 45 years. Contact us if we can help your company further prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Posted April 21, 2020

Source: Miller Weldmaster

A. Monforts : Industrial-Scale Testing For New PPE Finishes

MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany — April 21, 2020 — In the current fight against Covid-19, a number of formulators of textile finishing chemicals have rushed out new antiviral and antimicrobial treatments intended for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks and medical gowns and drapes.

These finishing chemicals have naturally already been thoroughly tested in laboratories and their effectiveness verified at laboratory or pilot scale. However, they are new to many manufacturers of textiles and nonwovens now preparing to use them on an industrial level.

“We know that in this current, unprecedented situation, many of our customers are rapidly preparing to transition from their usual manufacturing programs to the production of PPE items,” said Klaus Heinrichs, vice-president at Monforts. “Some, such as Trident and Welspun in India, which both operate a number of our machinery ranges, have already embarked on new PPE production programs.

“We have experts on hand at our operational Advanced Technology Centre (ATC) here in Germany, to help any of our customers to rapidly transition to new finishing techniques and treatments they may not be familiar with, and to run trials on their behalf, should they require this assistance.”

The three lines at the ATC situated at the Monforts HQ in Mönchengladbach, are of a true industrial scale and trialling new products on them goes beyond lab or pilot plant testing to rapidly identify any problems that might occur once full production is underway.

Since its opening in 2013, more than 3 million euros has been invested in equipment at the Monforts ATC, which over an area of 1,200 square meters houses two full finishing lines, engineered to accommodate an extremely diverse range of processes and based around the industry-leading Montex stenter, in addition to a Thermex range for the continuous dyeing and the newly developed process of yarn dyeing. Recent expansions have included the installation of the latest Monforts Montex®Coat coating system, with which it is possible to operate in seven different application modes in s single machine.

The Monforts teleservice team is also fully available as normal to help customers via remote service on trouble shooting issues.

“We congratulate those customers who are doing all within their power to combat this pandemic that is having such a devastating impact globally,” Heinrichs concluded. “We are here to support them in any way we can and put our services and know-how at their disposal.”

Posted April 21, 2020

Source: A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG

Web Industries Launches Composite Formatting Line In France

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — April 21, 2020 — Web Industries Inc., a precision formatter of composite materials, has announced the installation of a high-volume composite slitting and spooling line at its Omega Systèmes plant in Nantes, France. The new production line adds capacity to serve growing demand for both thermoset and thermoplastic slit tape composites from aerospace fabricators across the European market.

The 48-head line is the first of many that Web Industries expects to install at Omega Systèmes, which was acquired by Web in January 2019. The line’s custom slitting and spooling capabilities mirror those of Web’s North American precision converting operations, enabling the company to offer identical formatting services and quality standards to customers on both sides of the Atlantic. The new line can take master rolls of composite materials, precision slit them into narrower widths and then traverse wind the slit material onto spools. Customers can then easily load these spools of slit tape onto their robotic automated tape laying machinery or other fabrication equipment.

“We are entering an era in which competition will intensify, and production optimization will be an increasingly important factor in productivity gains,” said Web Industries Vice President of Corporate Development Kevin Young “The new machinery we have developed and implemented can format both thermoset and thermoplastic composite materials to supply the entire European market.”

With this capacity investment, Web Industries is deploying resources to help customers meet composite material requirements for next-generation aircraft programs. These programs are expected to drive a surge in manufacturing of single-aisle airplanes with significant composite content. “We are focused on this challenge and are working with material suppliers, automation developers and fabricators to find new approaches that deliver improved yields, increased throughput and lower cost,” said Michael Quarry, vice president of aerospace operations, Web Industries.

COVID-19 Mask Production Update

Web Industries is equipped to develop nonwoven and material converting solutions that support the manufacture of disposable medical products, including masks and gowns, for the COVID-19 crisis throughout North America and Europe.

Web Industries’ Omega Systèmes business is currently filling an order for 7,800,000 personal facemasks, up from 900,000 one week ago. The masks are approved by the French General Directorate of Armament to the Ministère des Armées for distribution to food manufacturers, supermarkets and nursing homes conducting business in France.

Posted April 21, 2020

Source: Web Industries Inc.

LinenMe: Zero-Waste Manufacturing — Mission Possible In Home Textiles

NEW YORK CITY/CHICAGO — April 20, 2020 — To further its commitment to sustainability linen home textiles manufacture LinenMe launches new LinenUs collection of homeware basics made from linen offcuts and unused scrap material. This range aims to further reduce LinenMe’s carbon footprint and achieve a zero-waste target for newly manufactured products.

“At LinenMe we don’t believe in fast fashion, and we create textiles and homewares that are designed to look and feel amazing for years. But the nature of textiles business requires constant innovation with colors and patterns of fabrics. Accurate forecasting of the lifecycle of each newly introduced fabric has always been a problem even running make-to-order business like ours,” said Inga Lukauskiene, CEO of LinenMe.

This is where the idea of LinenUs line was born. To use leftover fabrics to make basic homeware products like hand towels, napkins, placemats, storage bags, tote bags, bread baskets and openly share that concept with LinenMe’s loyal customers. Ordering LinenUs products customers either choose items made from specific “Fabric of the month” or “Surprise Fabric.”

Environmentally friendly business has always been at the heart of LinenMe. The company uses only green energy for its manufacturing processes as well as offers complimentary linen shopping bag for customers who opt for plastic-free wrapping of their orders.

“LinenUs is another step in sustainability journey that LinenMe is taking. Zero-waste manufacturing is very serious commitment we are making. The actions we need to take in our manufacturing processes go far beyond the introduction of LinenUs products, but I’m confident it’s a right choice for LinenMe, our customers and the planet,” Lukauskiene said.

LinenMe’s efforts in sustainability field has been recognized: Maison&Objet, Paris has included LinenMe. itinerary, Ambiente Frankfurt included LinenMe in their Ethical Style Guide. LinenMe is regular exhibitor at NYNOW, New York.

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: LinenMe

UPS Supports Textile Producer SanMar By Shipping Over 1.7 Million Face Masks

ATLANTA — April 20, 2020 — UPS today announced that it is operating flights to deliver 1.7 million face masks made by textile producer SanMar. UPS is honored to be a part of SanMar’s national Coronavirus response.

SanMar converted its clothing production facilities in Honduras and Tennessee to support protective mask production and distribution. SanMar reached out to UPS and the company moved quickly to provide supply chain and global shipping services for each phase of the collaboration.

“The national response by companies to the Coronavirus Pandemic is inspiring, said Kate Gutmann, UPS chief sales and solutions officer. “SanMar’s leadership is the perfect example of the speed and determination required to protect people on the front lines. We are honored to be part of their mission.”

“We knew immediately that SanMar should be part of this effort as a result of our ability to make and sew textiles here in the U.S., as well as in Central America,” said Renton Leversedge, chief customer officer for SanMar. “We have manufacturing expertise and we have scale, which enables us to take part in this very important work.”

Since the program began at the end of March, SanMar has manufactured more than 100,000 masks at its Tennessee production facility. When the masks are completed, UPS will ship the life-saving cargo to healthcare providers throughout the U.S.

Production and distribution started in April of more than 1.7 million masks produced at SanMar’s Honduras location for shipment to its Jacksonville, Fla., distribution center. The masks will be shipped via UPS Air Freight on pallets and then repackaged to the correct quantities for distribution by UPS’s small package division to healthcare providers around the United States.

UPS has a special appreciation for companies who are working to support the needs of front line workers during the pandemic.

More than 495,000 UPS employees have continued to operate in markets throughout the world, where the company has been designated as a critical infrastructure business. The company has modified its operating plans to ensure employee and general public safety while it continues to operate. All UPS employees, including our delivery personnel, have been trained on proper social distancing and all employees have been given protective equipment, sanitizer and other materials. The company has ramped up facility and equipment cleaning and is ensuring adherence to CDC protocols.

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: UPS

Hexion Introducing New Epoxy System And Curing Agent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — April 20, 2020 — Hexion Inc. is launching both a new lower yellowing epoxy system for concrete protection and a unique amine curing agent to help coatings manufacturers meet lower indoor air emissions requirements while also reducing costs.

The INFINIUM™ Lower Yellowing Epoxy System is EPON LY™ Resin 1810 combined with EPIKURE LY™ Curing Agent 3801. This two-component, ambient-cure system offers five times lower yellowing while providing excellent epoxy performance and overnight cure.

“The Infinium System can be used as a single coatings layer to potentially replace two-layer coating systems, thus enabling faster application,” said James Bellinger, business director Epoxy, Americas. A single coat layer allows our customers to save time and money by significantly reducing application costs and provides an opportunity to increase margins.

With the growing importance of Green Building initiatives (e.g. United States Green Building Council’s LEED), coatings formulators need epoxy systems that meet the more stringent indoor air emissions requirements. To meet this market need, Hexion is introducing a unique amine curing agent to the Americas market called EPIKURE™ Curing Agent 580.

“With the introduction of Epikure Curing Agent 580, we can offer customers a route to gain LEED points for lower indoor air emission coatings at affordable cost,” said Dan Weinmann, market development manager, Epoxy Specialties. “This new curing agent also improves sustainability because it does not contain intentionally-added benzyl alcohol or nonylphenol.”

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: Hexion Inc.

The LYCRA Co. To Showcase Sustainable Solutions At Kingpins 24 Livestream Event

WILMINGTON, Del. — April 20, 2020 — The LYCRA Co. will share its latest sustainable stretch and performance innovations at the Kingpins 24 livestream event on April 22-23. Kingpins is transitioning its spring denim tradeshow in Amsterdam to an online format amid COVID-19 concerns.

Under its EcoMade family of fibers, The LYCRA Co. has developed a variety of offerings with pre and post-consumer content. The latest of these is our LYCRA® EcoMade fiber. Made partly with pre-consumer material, it’s certified to GRS standards, offering the same high-quality performance as our other Lycra fiber offerings. Another stretch vehicle, Lycra T400® EcoMade fiber, contains 50 percent post-consumer content and can be used in conjunction with Lycra fiber for higher stretch with lasting shape retention.

Our performance polyester fibers give new life to plastics — COOLMAX® EcoMade technology helps keep the wearer cool and dry and is made with 100% post-consumer recycled materials. And for lightweight warmth, our THERMOLITE® EcoMade fiber is engineered to help optimize comfort & performance.

To dispel some myths about sustainabilty the company will deliver a presentation titled “Sustainable Stretch – Get the Facts” April 22 and 23. In addition, videos on The Lycra Co.’s Planet Agenda sustainability platform and Lycra EcoMade fiber will run during the Kingpins 24 livestream.

“We want to thank Kingpins for giving us the opportunity to come together as a denim community and engage our customers on these important topics in a new and exciting way,” said Jean Hegedus, sustainability director, The Lycra Co. “At The Lycra Company, we’re focused on developing solutions for a circular economy. Under our Planet Agenda platform, we are also working on technologies for recycling stretch garments, extending garment wear life, and helping our customers use fewer, and more sustainable resources.”

Kingpins 24 will feature livestreamed panel discussions, interviews and exhibitor presentations focused on sustainability and corporate social responsibility, plus a variety of on-demand content about the denim supply chain’s offerings for the upcoming seasons. Registration is now open which grants free access to the livestream and on-demand content. The stream starts at 9 a.m. CET on April 22 and 23. Visit the Kingpins website to learn more.

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: The LYCRA Co.

Panda Biotech Contracts For The Manufacture Of The Largest Hemp Decorticator In The United States And One Of The Largest In The World

DALLAS — April 20, 2020 — Dallas-based Panda Biotech LLC has contracted with an international equipment manufacturer for the construction of the largest hemp decorticator in the United States and believed to be the largest in the world. The 10-ton per hour decorticator is the first of two planned for Panda Biotech’s flagship industrial hemp processing facility to be located in Texas. At full production, the two decorticating lines for processing textile-quality, high-grade fiber, premium hurd and cellulose are expected to generate $30 million per year for Texas agricultural producers.

Panda Biotech’s top mechanical engineers, along with key members of the team, conducted a worldwide search to inspect equipment in operation and evaluate manufacturing capabilities to determine the best equipment for its first Hemp Gin™ facility. The purchase of the decorticating lines was based, in part, on the reputation and caliber of the selected company and the reliability of its equipment that has been proven successful for decades. Panda then worked with the firm’s engineers to “super-size” their existing line of decorticators. Once installed, each line will have a maximum processing throughput of 88,000 tons a year.

For competitive reasons, Panda has not named the manufacturer or country of origin of the Hemp Gin equipment.

“After thorough due diligence, and after achieving encouraging results on fiber that was processed on a smaller version of our line, we were able to confirm that this was the right equipment for our business model,” said Scott Evans, executive vice president of Panda Biotech.

The first decorticator is currently in production and on schedule to complete the preliminary phase of manufacturing in late 2020. Panda expects partial operations to commence in Q1 2021 and for the facility to be fully operational in the first half of the year. Panda Biotech will be entering into contracts with producers for the 2021 growing season.

Panda expects the manufacturing of the second decorticator to begin upon completion of the first line. This will increase the maximum throughput of the Hemp Gin to 176,000 tons of industrial hemp per year and serve as a redundant backup that will allow the facility to reliably operate on a 24/7 basis.

Panda Biotech publicly entered the industrial hemp industry in December 2019 announcing the planned development of its first Hemp Gin facility. The company had previously secured the rights to purchase a building in Lubbock County, Texas, in the town of Shallowater, that subsequently failed to pass inspection. Panda is currently evaluating three different facilities to house its industrial hemp processing center, all of which are located in the High/North Central Plains regions.

The company plans on building other processing facilities in Texas and across the United States as the market grows for fiber, hurd and cellulose from industrial hemp.

Posted April 20, 2020

Source: Panda Biotech LLC

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