NCTO President & CEO Kim Glas To Deliver Textile Policy Update At The Southern Textile Association’s (STA) Southern Division Spring Meeting
WASHINGTON — May 7, 2019 — The Southern Textile Association’s (STA) Southern Division Spring Meeting will host NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas who will outline key textile policies. Cameron Hamrick, president of Hamrick Mills and chairman of STA’s Southern Division, and Matt Shannon, plant manager for Greenwood Mills and first vice president of STA, will give opening remarks.
The meeting will be held Wednesday, May 15, 2019, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the The Madren Conference Center, Clemson, S.C.
Glas will present an update on textile policies in Washington, ranging from the status of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA) to Section 301 tariffs.
NCTO is a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents domestic textile manufacturers, including artificial and synthetic filament and fiber producers.
- U.S. employment in the textile supply chain was 594,147 in 2018.
- The value of shipments for U.S. textiles and apparel was $76.8 billion in 2018.
- U.S. exports of fiber, textiles and apparel were $30.1 billion in 2018.
- Capital expenditures for textile and apparel production totaled $2.0 billion in 2017, the last year for which data is available.
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: The National Council Of Textile Organizations (NCTO)
Keeping Up With A Sustainable Lifestyle Through Riding On An Eco-Journey With TENCEL™
LENZING, Austria — May 7, 2019 — One year ago, Lenzing launched the all-new TENCEL™ brand in Paris, and what a year it has been for the brand. Through its unwavering commitment to innovation, quality and sustainability, Lenzing has made great progress towards establishing our new B2Me strategy, which has helped to enhance relationships with customers, brands and retailers, and engage more closely with a growing base of impassioned conscious consumers.
Building on the success in 2018, Lenzing will continue to strengthen the TENCEL brand, by leveraging and increasing consumer engagement and its co-branding portfolio. In January, Lenzing supported the “Make it Feel Right” campaign — an important awareness initiative for sustainable fashion. It also partnered with organizations for environmental preservation and support the Earth Day this year. To drive greater industry presence Lenzing opened a bespoke TENCEL Studio in Singapore in addition to collaborating with industry brands across fashion, home textile and sportswear.
“Last year was a special year for the TENCEL brand, and with widespread support from our partners and customers, we are proud to see the brand evolve in such a positive way. In 2019, we will strive to further collaborate and develop valuable relationships with our partners. Our products offer unparalleled sustainability and comfort, and continuing to provide these valuable features to our customers is a core focus of our brand this year,” said Robert van de Kerkhof, Chief Commercial Officer, Lenzing Group.
Here’s an overview of the latest TENCEL brand stories:
- TENCEL Supports All-New “Make it Feel Right” Campaign To Drive Greater Eco-Fibers Awareness
- Launched in January, the “Make it Feel Right” campaign seeks to empower consumers to make more informed choices about the clothing they purchase, care for and dispose of. International organizations, brands and thought leaders from the industry have become supporters of the movement, spreading its message across global channels. The campaign is already having an impact and promises to outreach to more people throughout the year.
- Bespoke TENCEL Studio Opens At Design Orchard In Singapore
- Lenzing has partnered with the Textile and Fashion Federation Singapore to launch the “Cocoon Space” within the innovative new hub for local fashion designers — Design Orchard. The area comprise of a TENCEL fabric library and TENCEL studio which will raise awareness about sustainable fashion design for the Singaporean fashion community.
- AKEMI and TENCEL Announce Bold And Innovative Collaboration Paving The Way For The Future of Bedding
- AKEMI has launched a new collaboration with TENCEL, showcased at a special premiere in Malaysia in April. TENCEL aims to deliver unparalleled comfort, look and moisture management to AKEMI’s high quality bedding. AKEMI claims it has long been inspired by TENCEL’s reputation for providing industry’s best renewable fibers and its status within the sustainable fiber movement in addition to superior quality, comfort and durability made TENCEL a natural choice for AKEMI.
- Lenzing and Solvay Unveils Eco-Collaboration For New Sustainable Fabric
- Solvay and Lenzing are partnering to create innovative new fabrics derived from the best of both company’s offerings. The new fabric has been created by layering TENCEL Active branded lyocell fibers with Solvay’s pioneering AMNI SOUL ECO® Fiber, which comprises a material that work together to enhance each other’s’ benefits, creating a material with unmatched thermal and moisture regulation, comfort and hygiene.
- TENCEL Revealed Collaboration With Renowned Designer Giray Sepin At Istanbul Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
- Giray Sepin’s Fall Winter 2019 offering in collaboration with TENCEL was unveiled at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Istanbul, delivering the brand’s signature style with a focus on eco-fashion. The collection reimagines utilitarian garments in bold colorways with an impressive attention to detail.
- TENCEL Enriches Homes And Interiors Offerings, Bringing REFIBRA™ To Heimtexil And Collaborating With Luxury Home Brand Whinny In China
- TENCEL has begun venturing into the home & interior fiber development by bringing REFIBRA technology to Heimtexil and awarding their one of the first China premium brand partnership to luxury home textile brand Whinny. These developments addressed the industry’s need for further transparency and growing demand for sustainable products.
- Why reDEW8 Does What It Does For Denim
- TENCEL spoke to reDEW8 co-owner Peter Lantz about the brand’s mission to combat disposable, unsustainable fashion, and challenge the fast-fashion culture. Peter discusses how he is using this collaboration with TENCEL brand to motivate others to minimize the detrimental impact of fashion on the environment, encouraging shoppers to consider environment preservation and rethink the quality of fast-fashion garments and push for more industry transparency.
- Why Girls Are Going Boyish When It Comes To Jeans?
- Boyish Jeans’ Creative Director Jordan Nodarse chatted with TENCEL team to discuss Boyish Jeans’ origin story, latest and future projects, product concept, sustainability, current trends, and Jordan’s own denim journey, and most importantly, why they chose to use TENCEL branded fibers to produce their jeans.
- TENCEL Launches Eco-Campaigns In Honor Of Earth Month 2019 in US And Taiwan
- As part of Lenzing’s global environmental strategy, the company launched campaigns in key markets as a part of Earth Month this year. TENCEL collaborated with US-based NGO One Tree Planted on a new campaign entitled “From Trees, For Trees” through donating trees. It also launched its first green initiative “Green Taiwan, Green Earth” in Taiwan by partnering with Blue Magpie Tea, utilize technology and contractual farming system to protect local tea farms.
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: TENCEL™
Sappi North America Invests $25 Million in Cloquet, Minn., Mill
CLOQUET, Minn. — May 7, 2019 — Sappi North America Inc. — a producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and dissolving wood pulp — today announced the completion of a $25 million capital investment at its Cloquet, Minn. mill to debottleneck areas of the pulp manufacturing process. The bulk of the investment was made in the recovery areas of the pulp mill.
“We are pleased that this investment brings an additional 30,000 tons per year (TPY) of pulp production capability to better serve our dissolving wood pulp customers,” said Mike Schultz, managing director, Sappi Cloquet Mill.
Sappi North America Inc., headquartered in Boston, converts wood fiber into products that customers demand worldwide. The success of its four diversified businesses — high-quality Coated Printing Papers, Dissolving Wood Pulp, Packaging and Specialty Papers and Casting and Release Papers — is driven by strong customer relationships, best-in-class people and advantaged assets, products and services. High-quality Coated Printing Papers — including McCoy, Opus, Somerset, and Flo — are the key platform for premium magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail and high-end print advertising.
The company is a manufacturer of Dissolving Wood Pulp with its Verve brand, a sustainable fiber used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods. Sappi delivers sustainable Packaging and Specialty Papers for luxury packaging and folding carton applications with our single-ply packaging brands, Spectro and Proto, and for the food and label industries with specialty papers LusterPrint and LusterCote. Sappi also offers Casting and Release Papers with the Ultracast, PolyEx and Classics lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries. Customers rely on Sappi for high technical, operational and market expertise; products and services delivered with consistently high quality and reliability; and, state-of-the-art and cost-competitive assets and innovative spirit.
Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Ltd., a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries.
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: Sappi North America, Inc.
MXP (Manufacturing Sportswear Joint Stock Company) Proposes Six Breakthrough Solutions For Vietnam’s Private Sector Development
HANOI, Vietnam — May 7, 2019 — MXP (Manufacturing Sportswear JSC.) has proposed six strategic solutions to Vietnam’s Government to strengthen Vietnam’s private enterprises, particularly in the apparel sector, in accordance with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which took effect in the beginning of this year. These proposals were made at the Vietnam Private Sector Forum 2019.
One of the leading textile and apparel manufacturing and exporting companies in Vietnam, MXP, produced more than 10 million items in 2018. MXP proposed six strategic solutions in a constitutional proposal to the Government and leaders of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO), and Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), including:
- Creating a policy for Vietnamese banks to grant credit and disburse funds for businesses with sustainable production activities;
- Eliminating discrimination in the apparel industry and creating equal competition between Vietnamese and FDI enterprises;
- Designing a mechanism to cut corporate income tax to support enterprises creating lots of jobs for society;
- Appealing to the Government to create stipulations for companies with over 10,000 employees to provide reserve funds to provision against unemployment contingencies;
- Asking the Government to issue a minimum wage schedule for the coming 5 and 10 years; and
- Revising regulations for a maximum total overtime of 40 hours per month, instead of the current 30 hours.
The private enterprise economic forum was held on a national scale, focusing on discussing key strategic macroeconomic issues and policies regionally and globally. MXP represented the voice of the private sector to discuss and design solutions with the Economic Ministries and industry experts to promote the strong export industry of Vietnamese enterprises amidst the opportunities stem from the CPTPP.
Mr. Tran Quang Hao, MXP’s Sales Director, said: “MXP has pioneered the application of 4.0 technology to increase labor productivity and management capacity, partnering closely with suppliers of raw materials to open the way for FOB customers who are readily integrated in the global fashion industry’s value chain.”
These strategic shifts will aid businesses to adapt and capture the impending wave of the CPTPP, increasing the value of Vietnamese enterprises manufacturing for export.
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: MXP (Manufacturing Sportswear Joint Stock Company)
Teijin’s Sereebo® Now In Use For General Motors As World’s First CFRTP For High-Volume Production Vehicles
TOKYO, Japan — May 7, 2019 — Teijin Limited announced today that its Sereebo® carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) has been selected by General Motors (GM) for use in select pickup box applications. This is the world’s first use of CFRTP for structural parts in a high-volume production vehicle.
Sereebo® will be used to manufacture the optional CarbonProTM pickup box jointly developed by Teijin and GM for the GMC Sierra Denali 1500 and GMC Sierra AT4 1500. Specifically, the pickup box’s inner headboard, side and floor panels will be made with Sereebo®. Following production startup in early June, GMC Sierra CarbonProTM Editions for both vehicles will begin appearing at select GMC dealerships in the U.S. this summer. The CarbonProTM panels will be produced at Continental Structural Plastics’ Huntington, Indiana, manufacturing facility.
Sereebo® used for CarbonProTM contains randomly-orientated, isotropic carbon fiber in a polyamide matrix resin. Manufactured using with the world’s first mass-production technology for CFRTP, the molding time for Sereebo® is approximately one minute, which is significantly shorter than the molding time for conventional carbon fiber reinforced thermoset plastics (CFRP). Compared to steel, CarbonProTM is 40 percent lighter, offers 10 times greater impact resistance, is more corrosion-resistant, and is even more readily recyclable. Finally, because of its material characteristics, Sereebo offers extended design flexibility and freedom, which allowed GM engineers to mold in many of the unique features of the CarbonProTM box.
Teijin has been developing leading-edge composite product technologies and applications since establishing the Teijin Composites Innovation Center in 2008. In 2011 the company developed the world’s first mass-production technology for CFRTP, realizing a production interval (takt) time of just one minute. Teijin subsequently established a technical facility in the U.S. and a pilot plant for the fully integrated production of CFRTP in Japan. Since branding its CFRTP product as Sereebo® in 2012, Teijin developed high-volume production methods in collaboration with domestic and international partners, including GM. After acquiring CSP, a global leader in automotive lightweight composite technologies in 2017, Teijin established an organizational framework for composites production, sales and evaluation in North America. GM’s adoption of Sereebo® for CarbonProTM is a momentous step forward for CFRTP’s use in high-volume vehicles.
Teijin is expanding its product portfolio ranging from materials to component design, as well as its global supply chain, in an effort to help automakers reduce vehicle weights. Teijin also aims to become an automotive solution provider by expanding its offerings beyond carbon fiber and glass fiber materials, for which the company is actively collaborating with other materials manufacturers. The automotive composite products business of the Teijin Group is targeting annual sales of USD 2.0 billion by 2030.
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: Teijin Limited
ITMA 2019 Exhibitor Preview: KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH
OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — May 7, 2019 — KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH is getting into the market for machine technology for producing thermoplastic UD tapes.
KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH is launching a completely new line for efficiently producing thermoplastic UD tapes, a special type of fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs).
FRPs are important drivers in the lightweight construction sector and are contributing to the concept of sustainability in the building sector. UD tapes score points here by offering maximum potential for producing lightweight structures. They are made up of unidirectional, continuous reinforcing fibres, which means that they can absorb high levels of stress. Using thermoplastic rather than thermosetting matrix systems gives rise to further advantages. For example, thermoplastic UD tapes can be recycled but, above all, they can be processed more efficiently – an important requirement for mass production.
The mass production of semi-finished products forms the focus of the new line for processing thermoplastic UD tapes. There is a need for reproducibility, quality and efficiency at a reasonable cost – challenges that this company, with its many years of experience in non-crimped fabrics (NCFs) made from glass and carbon fibres, has been tackling.
More specifically, KARL MAYER Technische Textilien has extended its spreading technology to include suitable heating and impregnating modules. The result is a machine system that is setting the trend. This new development delivers a continuous mode of operating, a high production speed, and large tape widths. It represents KARL MAYER Technische Textilien’s latest step along the way to being a systems supplier for dry and impregnated NCFs.
The first line for producing thermoplastic UD tapes will be ready to be presented in autumn of 2019 at KARL MAYER Technische Textilien in Chemnitz and will be available for producing samples on behalf of customers. The first public debut of the new line will be at ITMA, which is to be held from 20 to 26 June 2019 in Barcelona. The machine will also be part of KARL MAYER Technische Textilien’s presentation in the forum of the next Techtextil fair in Frankfurt. The date of this event is 15 May 2019.
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: KARL MAYER Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH
Oritain Maps Supima Cotton Origin, Tackling Fraud In The Global Cotton Supply Chain, And Enabling The First True Authentication Of Premium Cotton Fiber
LONDON — May 7, 2019 — Oritain, the product and supply chain traceability specialist, has now mapped all Supima cotton growing regions. All Supima cotton is only grown in the USA, and specifically in the west and southwestern states of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.
With over 500 licensees in more than 45 countries, Supima partners with over 200 brand/retailers around the globe that use Supima cotton, all of whom now have the capability to independently verify the authenticity of their product. By working with Oritain, licensees can assure consumers that their SUPIMA® cotton garments are authentic and have not been substituted or blended.
High-profile scandals have exposed how vulnerable the cotton supply chain is to fraud. Premium cotton can be blended or substituted with cheaper, inferior alternatives without the manufacturer’s knowledge. Supima has addressed this problem head-on by partnering with Oritain to protect the integrity of their high-quality, extra-long staple cotton. Without verifying the origin of the fibre, claims about authenticity and sustainability cannot be made. Brands can use Supima cotton and ensure that they are using an authentic and verifiable cotton in their garments.
Using Oritain’s forensic technology, Supima licensees can test and authenticate the origin of their Supima products at any stage in the supply chain, revealing if it has been blended or substituted and ensuring the product’s provenance. By testing the intrinsic natural properties of the cotton, Oritain identifies a unique distinguishing fingerprint for each product verifying where it was grown. Unlike other traceability methods such as paper ledger systems, block chain, RFID, barcodes, sprays, additives, or labels, this fingerprint cannot be forged or altered and is unique to the land the cotton was grown on. Without the ability to authenticate the underlying physical product throughout the supply chain no product claims can be effectively made. Oritain enables brands and retailers to speak knowingly and knowledgeably about the authenticity of their product.
Global luxury group, Kering has implemented Oritain’s services to verify that SUPIMA® cotton used in its garments is Supima cotton, woven and dyed by Albini. The partnership has produced the world’s first 100% traceable organic Supima cotton by testing the cotton at every stage of production, from field to the retail floor.
Rupert Hodges, Executive Director, Oritain said: “Consumers are increasingly looking for guarantees of where their clothes are produced and that they are ethically made. Oritain’s partnership with Supima will allow brands to confidently reassure customers that their Supima product is made with 100% SUPIMA® cotton.”
“Products can cross multiple borders and pass through several sets of hands before reaching the stores, making it increasingly difficult for companies to trace the journey of their products. By mapping Supima’s growing regions and helping licenses to verify the origin of products, the cotton industry is making an important step towards rooting out fraud in the global supply chain.”
Marc Lewkowitz, President and C.E.O., Supima said: “The demand for authenticity by brands/retailers and consumers is a growing subject across the entire supply chain. The ability to talk about sustainability, environmental and social responsibility are not effectively possible unless you can authenticate the actual origin of the physical product. Today’s discerning consumers are looking for real value which arises from authenticity and quality and not the cheapest price. It is the quality of the materials used in a product, the quality of the workmanship, the responsible sourcing practices employed throughout the supply chain that all add up to something greater than just all the components individually.”
“Oritain has opened the door for Supima and our partners for true and verifiable authentication. Transparency through the supply chain is entirely possible through an active audit program to ensure that products that are identified as Supima are made with U.S. grown Supima cotton. This development represents a monumental milestone for the textile industry and represents the first steps in mitigating non-compliant or fraudulent products by authenticating the origin of the physical product.”
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: Oritain Global
ITMA 2019 Exhibitor Preview: Vandewiele
KORTRIJK, Belgium — May 7, 2019 — A wide range of new technologies will be demonstrated by Vandewiele at the ITMA 2019 textile machinery show in Barcelona from June 20-26, including the latest RCE2+ digital carpet weaving machine.
All Vandewiele technologies are now being equipped for machine-to-machine interaction and learning, as part of the company’s comprehensive TEXconnect programme.
Meeting new industry needs
As a leader in complete carpet manufacturing systems – including BCF extrusion lines, heat setting systems and carpet weaving and tufting machines – Vandewiele has rapidly responded to the evolving needs of the textile industry for smaller and customised production runs, the most challenging of designs, and faster and more sustainable manufacturing.
The company’s sensors, software programmes and servers have become increasingly sophisticated as part of the TEXconnect program, and the real-time data from different machines – across connected manufacturing sites and across different countries and even continents – can be collected and shared. Digital models of both machines and production processes can be created and analysed for the optimisation of production settings, to vastly improve scheduling and planning and also make considerable savings in raw materials and energy consumption.
Virtual and remote control now allows for the Big Data analysis that is propelling the industry forward and will pave the way for AI applications. For carpet manufacturers, all of this is leading to the creation of truly Smart Factories.
RCE2 carpet weaving
The new RCE2+ Rug and Carpet Expert weaving machine is a truly digital workhorse, with all yarns continuously controlled and measured and the difficult bobbin changes of the past completely eliminated. This is as a result of Vandewiele’s latest Fast Creel, with the feed and tension of each pile yarn controlled by individual servomotors.
The pile yarns are now fed directly into the machine without having to pass pile-stop motions, to both increase efficiency and eliminate any waste yarns, while achieving previously unreachable industrial speeds.
The filling enters the machine smoothly via the latest IRO X3 winders, heavy duty filling brakes with multi lamellas, an active yarn recuperator and a high speed weft mixer, where again, all tensions are set electronically. Vandewiele’s servo-driven heddle frames (Smart Frames) are meanwhile already well proven in the industry.
TEXconnect further provides readily-available data on all yarn consumption, tension and threading, and then will supply the predictive maintenance that is paving the way to self-learning carpet weaving machines.
All of this would be unnecessary, if it didn’t result in allowing manufacturers to make the highest quality carpets at the most economic prices ever, with savings on the highest-bulk pile yarns from the Vandewiele extrusion lines, reduced waste yarns in the creel and industrial production speeds that have never before been attained.
Further Vandewiele innovations to be unveiled by the company at ITMA 2019 will include:
- The INCA (interlacing by non-continuous air) system for BCF extrusion systems – a new method for intermingling BCF yarns which greatly improves tangle knot uniformity for significant cost savings.
- The new VSi32 Velvet Smart Innovator jacquard, in combination with the latest Smart Creel, for the production of Italian velvet – combining the potential of flat woven jacquard fabrics with pile yarns leading to the potential for the creation of whole new range of fabrics for the home and for fashion.
- The latest Superba MCD/3 space-dyeing machine, which is capable of handling a layer of 72 ends with an unequalled range of spot length, especially for ultra-short spots of below 25mm, enabling true ‘one-pile/one-colour’ in carpet production.
- The Vandewiele Cobble Colortec L+, which is now the most versatile tufting machine available on the market.
- A range of jacquards from Vandewiele Bonas, demonstrated across ITMA 2019 above flat weaving machines from the industry leaders, as well as Vandewiele’s own RCE2+.
- The completely revised Titan 5540 carpet finishing machine from Vandewiele Titan, which is now able to accommodate carpets with straight, round and complexly-shaped corners simultaneously.
- The Vandewiele Arraycam 5420 optical inspection system which is suitable for monitoring standard fabrics on all common tricot warp knitting machines.
- The latest IRO-ROJ weft insertion technologies.
Come and see us in Hall 4, at stand A206, during ITMA 2019.
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: Vandewiele NV
ITMA 2019 Exhibitor Preview: KARL MAYER — Solutions For Warp Knitting, Warp Preparation And Technical Textiles
OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — May 7, 2019 — KARL MAYER can be found on Stand 8.0/B107 at the ITMA 2019 trade fair. This innovative textile machinery manufacturer will present here technical pioneering solutions for an efficient, flexible production in the fields of Warp Knitting, Warp Preparation and Technical Textiles, as well as new digital products of the sector‘s software trendsetter, KM.ON. Moreover, under the motto „Future of Textiles“ the company will present clever textile solutions for new, exciting applications and markets as well as contributions to the topic of sustainability. Progressive warp preparation technology for processing high-quality yarns and an experience world with fabrics full of creative ideas will round off KARL MAYER’s presence at ITMA.
Warp-knitting machines with improved price-performance ratio and new textile products
In the field of raschel machines a new RSJ 4/1 EL will be premiered at ITMA. Offering 50 % more working width at the same speed compared to its predecessor, this machine is highly productive and uniquely flexible. Thanks to the EL technology, it is possible to ensure a rapid pattern change and to produce patterns with long repeats. For the development of new articles, the innovative model takes full advantage of the integration into the KM.ON eco system. This machine is the first representative which in the product category k.innovation, provides optimum support for the virtual textile development commonly used today.
Under the LACE.EXPRESS trademark, KARL MAYER launched the OJ series in 2016, perfectly tailored to the special needs of the apparel market. At ITMA 2019, this manufacturer will now present a self-contained, complete 134″ machine platform for the intimate sector., The company will offer a B- (Back) version and a F-Jacquard (Front) version for each of the representatives. The special highlight of the system: the related models are compatible to one another. Every machine can be upgraded to the technical level of high-bar platform neighbours. Low-bar articles can be produced on high-bar machines without any adjustments. In this way, the customer benefits from highest flexibility. In Barcelona an OJ 91/1 B will be on show.
Besides, in its „Future of Textiles“ Application Show, KARL MAYER will be presenting extraordinary product developments, that require little effort during making-up but offer a lot of chic and function: well thought-out solutions for highly comfortable bras with few seams, a sporty body made from novel power lace with shaping and supporting effects as well as a swimsuit in lace look.
As far as the double raschel technology is concerned, KARL MAYER will show how a new RDPJ 6/2 EL machine can be used to open up a previously unknown product world. The outstanding warp-knits are marketed under 4D-KNIT.SOLUTIONS. They attract attention by pronounced, three-dimensional and manifold patternings on the outer sides, but they can also show open-work patterns, that are a clear advantage over competitive products of circular knitting. Eye-catching 4D-KNIT.SOLUTIONS articles can be seen in the „Future of Textiles“ area. A live machine demonstration will be organized to present the RDPJ 6/2 EL, 138ʺ, in a gauge of E 24.
As innovation in the field of tricot machines, KARL MAYER will be displaying the first three-bar HKS model with electronic guide bar control. The new HKS 3-M-ON offers the same performance in terms of speed and design variety as the previous version, but thanks to an innovative gear solution it is faster and simpler during pattern change. Instead of pattern disks, it is only necessary to exchange data. The required information can simply be downloaded to the machine from a secured cloud. In Barcelona, a HKS 3-M-ON, 180ʺ, in E 28, will demonstrate its flexibility during a performance show while working an eye-catching demonstration pattern, showing the interlinking of different lappings.
Innovations for the entire warp preparation sector
KARL MAYER will showcase its new MULTI-MATIC® 32 for producing sample and short production warps. This new machine impresses with its excellent price-performance ratio. and offers all the advantages of the KAMCOS® 2 platform. Thanks to the integrated OPC UA interface in particular, the machine can be digitally networked and the operating data can be collected in real time.
Regarding the direct beamers, KARL MAYER has consistently pursued its twin product line strategy. The new ISODIRECT was successfully launched at ITMA ASIA 2018 as a standard model, and the PRODIRECT will be presented to the public as a version for the premium market at the next ITMA in Barcelona. The latest electronic systems, the KAMCOS® 2 platform, and sophisticated technical solutions make this new machine the high-end model that achieves optimum levels in terms of quality and productivity.
Moreover, KARL MAYER will be showing the new stop motion MULTIGUARD as prototype. Positioned at the exit to the creel, this newcomer continuously determines the yarn tension values of all the yarns, thus, also controlling any yarn breakages and tension peaks.
Guests will be able to experience the latest generation of sectional warping machines via a live link at KARL MAYER’s German site in Hausen. The PROWARP® will be demonstrating its new features and capabilities. The latest innovations include a modern module for the camera-assisted recording of production data, which is important for the high reproducibility of beam build-up. The PROACTIVE Warping is also new. This new brand is a self-learning quality control system, which records the quality-relevant beam parameters by means of sensors and compares them with the target values. If any deviations occur, the production data are optimised accordingly when processing repeat orders. A high beam quality can be achieved, irrespective of the operatives.
With models and presentations, KARL MAYER will be showing innovative technical solutions for guaranteeing improved efficiency and sustainability in the denim production in its „Future of Textiles“ sector. One main focus in this context is the topic of SUSTAINABLE DENIM. KARL MAYER presents a newly developed technology for an indigo dyeing process in nitrogen atmosphere, which ensures an optimum setting of the dye in terms of solidity and brilliant tone, at the same time requiring less dye bath volume, chemicals and water. The dyeing process ensures highest efficiency.
Also on show will be the new LINK-MATIC® system for the automatic knotting of the batches on the PRODYE-S indigo machine and the PROSIZE sizing machine. By means of this innovation it is possible to reduce retooling times to just a few minutes. The almost continuous production increases machine efficiency, at the same time reducing waste yarn and personnel expenditure. The perfect arrangement of the warp after retooling reduces the share of second-grade fabric.
Premiere of a composite machine and innovative technical applications
KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH is continuing to develop into a systems supplier for non-crimped fabrics (NCFs) and is launching a new line for producing thermoplastic unidirectional tapes (UD tapes). The company is already known for its multiaxial warp knitting machines and its fibre spreading unit. This newcomer combines a completely revised spreading module with well-thought-out impregnation technology in a continuous, efficient processing sequence. The seamless interface guarantees a consistently high spreading quality.
With their high quality and precise alignment of the continuous fibres, the tapes are ideal for use in highly stressed, fibre-reinforced, lightweight structures. The thermoplastic matrix also allows for effective processing, enabling mass production to be carried out. The new line, with its high production speed and ability to produce tapes in a broad range of widths, is also suitable for mass production. Not only the new machine will be presented at ITMA, but also one of the products produced on it, together with the sequences for producing a structural component for the automobile sector.
In the „Future of Textiles“ area, the visitors will have the opportunity to see very promising applications for the textiles manufactured on the machines made by KARL MAYER Technische Textilien. The focus here is on the issue of concrete components reinforced with carbon or glass fibre NCFs rather than steel. By using textile concrete, it is possible to save up to 70% of the concrete and, as a result, CO2 emissions, energy and component weight can all be reduced. Other promising applications of technical warp-knitted textiles in the construction sector include cost-effective, flexible, stable roofing materials and bitumen roofing felts, special plaster grids that increase the cracking resistance in the plaster, and self-adhesive tapes for repairing any cracks and holes that do occur.
Besides, an innovative solution for personal protection equipment will also be showcased: a new bulletproof vest made from an aramid NCF, that is both effective and comfortable to wear. The functional textile was produced on a multiaxial warp-knitting machine, type COP MAX 5 with online spreading process.
Expanding the portfolio of solutions of the digital brand KM.ON
At ITMA ASIA 2018, KARL MAYER launched its own digital brand, KM.ON, the associated digital product portfolio with eight categories, and the first solutions. Other offers will follow just in time for the next ITMA in Barcelona.
k.production is also launching its first product. This new digital tool combines a PDA system with a ticket system to enable any disruptions in production to be managed efficiently. Main advantages: Any problems can be dealt with quickly, and the root cause can be tackled rapidly by displaying the relevant sequence.
k.management enables the current production process to be viewed remotely and now includes a greater range of parameters. The key performance indicator, warp beam running time, is a new feature. It provides information quickly and clearly on imminent beam changes, and thus contributes to reducing downtimes and maintenance times.
The new features in the k.maintenance system focus on the topic of planned maintenance. With specified maintenance plans and active reminders of pending jobs, this tool should help to minimise the risk of machine breakdowns.
The k.innovation covers the first software developments, which will enable customers to shorten their time-to-market considerably by adapting their workflows and processes. For example, the software is not installed in situ but is used via a browser. This enables several users to cooperate.
The key for accessing all the KM.ON solutions, k.ey, has also been upgraded. It also enables KARL MAYER’s older machines, equipped with KAMCOS® 1, to be integrated as well as machines belonging to the Warp Preparation Business Unit.
Ecological solutions from the machine to the textile
KARL MAYER keeps the focus on the topic of sustainability. In the course of the generation change of the high-performance warp-knitting machines, almost all models have been equipped with LEO®. The Low Energy Option enables an average energy saving of 10% compared to conventional counterparts, thus, helping to reduce the consumption of resources.
Moreover, it is possible to process resource-saving yarns on KARL MAYER machines. In Barcelona, a HKS 3-M EN will work a textile completely from a recycled filament yarn on the basis of bottleflakes, produced by Trevira. The article carries the new SINFINECO label, which is granted by the fibre manufacturer for textiles made from his sustainable products.
A selection of sustainable warp-knits and application concepts is offered by KARL MAYER’s „Future of Textiles“ section under CLEANER.PRODUCTIONS. These include warp-knitted articles as ecologically beneficial alternative to woven fabrics for modern streetwear and TERRY.ECO terry textiles. TERRY.ECO represents an efficient technological solution for more sustainability, for energy- and resource-saving systems during terry fabric production.
The topic of SUSTAINABLE DENIM is especially addressed to the manufacturers belonging to the denim sector.
Posted May 7, 2019
Source: KARL MAYER Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH
