Texprocess 2019 Exhibitor Preview: Gerber

TOLLAND, Conn. — April 25, 2019 — From fashion to furniture and transportation interiors to industrial textiles, speed has become the new normal and personalization has become a consumer’s expectation. By definition trends are always changing, but today the pace of what’s trending is accelerating. In order for companies to excel in this era, they need to transform their processes to create quickly and produce with both agility and scalability. Next month, at Texprocess in Frankfurt in Hall 4.0 – Stand B31, Gerber Technology will showcase their industry-leading, end-to-end solution to support on-demand bespoke design through production as well as mass production. Gerber will also play an integral role in the “Smart Textiles Micro-Factory” exhibit.

“At Gerber we have always put our customers at the center of what we do, providing them with industry-leading, innovative solutions they need to meet today’s challenges,” said Mohit Uberoi, CEO of Gerber Technology. “We are empowering our customers to create and produce in an instant through our one-of-a-kind, end-to-end solution, allowing them to become a leader in innovation.”

Gerber Technology is pioneering the end-to-end process by providing their customers with a full suite of cutting-edge solutions that increase creativity, productivity and efficiency. The 50-year-old industry leader will be showcasing how their end-to-end solutions passed a real world test as they reveal the Waldrip Collection by Gerber. The collection is a collaboration between Gerber and designer Stephanie London. Every piece has been designed, developed, and produced with Gerber’s end-to-end solutions. Several garments were produced using Gerber’s unique digital print workflow that enables customized garment production with speed and sustainable practices. Other pieces were produced using integrated small batch production workflows, enabling Stephanie to adapt to trends and scale production to accommodate the demands of her consumer.

Gerber will be exhibiting the industry-leading, integrated end-to-end solution on the market that seamlessly takes you from design to print to cut. With an aggressive product launch schedule planned for the year ahead, they will present a number of their latest integrated technologies. These will include the newest releases of YuniquePLM® product lifecycle management software, as well as AccuMark®, the industry-leading pattern design, grading, marker making and production planning software, AccuMark 3D and AccuPlan™.

All software is seamlessly integrated to the production floor, where Gerber will be showcasing the world’s first fully integrated print-to-cut workflow that will feature a Mimaki direct-to-textile printer and the GERBERcutter® Z1 with ContourVision™. These two solutions will be seamlessly connected using Gerber’s PrintSync concept.

This Industry 4.0 enabled, automated scan-to-cut system allows manufacturers to scan custom textiles, generate cut files automatically and cut directly from textile rolls. The PrintSync device on the single-ply Z1 integrates the printing and cutting process into a single step, increasing throughput and reducing labor. PrintSync is printer agnostic and can connect with any direct-to-textile printer with in-line drying capability.

In addition to their booth, Gerber will also be a key contributor to the “Smart Textiles Micro-Factory” exhibit, located in the passage between Halls 4.1 and 5.1. The GERBERcutter Z1 will play an integral role in helping produce a smart pillow. The micro-factory was created by RWTH Aachen University in collaboration with partners from the industry.

Posted April 27, 2019

Source: Gerber Technology

ITMA 2019 Exhibitor Preview: Eltex

OSBY, Sweden — April 26, 2019 — Eltex of Sweden will introduce a yarn tension monitoring system for woven fabrics with a big difference at ITMA 2019 from June 20-26 in Barcelona, Spain.

Unlike yarn tension monitors that are fitted solely on the weft insertion systems of the weaving machines in a modern mill, Eltex is introducing the EyE™ system for the warping process prior to weaving — and instead of monitoring only the tension of the six-to-eight yarns fed by the weft insertion system they are keeping a close eye on literally hundreds.

“Several hundred yarns can be fed from the creels during the warping process compared to only a few weft insertion yarns during weaving,” explained Brian Hicks, managing director of Eltex. “In 2015 we decided to broaden our portfolio and move into multiple end application in the warp preparation in response to customer demand. It’s obviously a much different process, but we completed development in Spring 2018 and in less than a year have had better than expected demand from a diverse sub-set of markets, with a first full installation already operational at a premier UK fashion customer.”

With warping that can operate at speeds of 500 meters a minute, the yarn tension values from all yarns are continuously updated and displayed on a screen. Tension values outside the warning level are indicated both on the sensor’s LEDs and on the screen. It is possible to expand a sector of the display to have a detailed view including the position ID and the cN value for the yarns in this sector.

“Tension monitoring for multiple ends has been a great challenge to achieve but we’re confident the system will generate a lot of interest at ITMA 2019,” Hicks said. “Perhaps the biggest challenge of all has been getting such a comprehensive system — with a sensor for each individual yarn — down to an acceptable price for the industry, but I’m happy to say, we’re there now. The EyE will allow mills to greatly reduce problems, not only when warping, but also in the subsequent weaving or tufting processes.

With its research and development work primarily carried out at its headquarters in Osby, Sweden, and North American sales and service operated from its subsidiary in South Carolina, the manufacturing plant of Eltex has been located at Templemore in Ireland since 1976, providing significant advantages in terms of high flexibility and logistical services to customers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Eltex is a member of TMAS — the textile machinery association of Sweden, which will have a significant presence at ITMA 2019 in Barcelona.

“The latest technologies being developed by Eltex perfectly illustrate how Sweden’s long tradition and history of textile production are being combined with a good climate for innovation,” says TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “There will be many more innovations on show from our members at ITMA 2019.”

Eltex will be at stand B102, in Hall 4 at the Barcelona exhibition.

Posted April 27, 2019

Source: Eltex

ITMA 2019 Exhibitor Preview: TMAS — The Swedish Textile Machinery Companies

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — April 26, 2019 — A focus on customer service, aligned with the drive to constantly innovate, has long ensured that the member companies of TMAS — the Swedish texile machinery manufacturers’ association — stay well ahead of the curve.

“All of the Swedish textile machinery companies are doing really well in major markets such as Europe, China, India and the USA,” says TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “They are now gathering forces to prepare for the most important show — ITMA 2019 in Barcelona in June. I expect to see new players and partnerships as we enter the industry 4.0 era for real. We are ready to display an even higher degree of the real time monitoring of processes, automation, flexible customisation, and the incorporation of robots into production lines.  Our customers expect a lot of in terms of knowledge and our ability to customise and offer turnkey solutions.”

The forward-looking attitude of the Swedish companies is perhaps best summed up by Reimar Westerlind, the owner, since 1961, of ACG Gruppen.

At the age of 90, Reimar still travels to his office every day to oversee the operations of the diverse companies operating under the ACG umbrella.

“Everything now is about automation and digitization,” he says. “We have to be on that track or we will be lost — innovate or die.”

Robotics

One ACG Gruppen company moving rapidly forward with new innovations in this area is ACG Kinna, which at ITMA 2019 will be providing dramatic live demonstrations of its new robotic pillow filling system.

This has the ability to fill and finish some 3,840 pillows per eight-hour shift, which is a considerable improvement on what is currently possible with existing systems, resulting in significant savings in both labour and energy for busy home textile businesses.

“There has been much talk about the potential of Industry 4.0 enabled by advanced software, but I believe we are at the forefront of pioneering it in the textile industry,” says ACG Kinna CEO Christian Moore. “The use of robotics is now standard across many industries dealing in solid goods, but the handling of soft materials such as textiles is a little more complex. Nevertheless, we have already begun commercial shipments of our new system and we believe it will make a real splash at ITMA 2019.”

“Successful Swedish brands such as IKEA and H&M ensure that we are constantly on our toes and this latest technological breakthrough from ACG Kinna Automatic is a good example of how Industry 4.0 is helping our companies to further develop their products,” adds TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “The latest Eton Systems concepts for fully automated work flows in finished garments and textile-based products are another strong example of this.”

At ITMA 2019, Eton will be demonstrating a complete material handling solution with advanced software providing real-time information covering every aspect of the process.

“Our systems are a natural fit with the major Industry 4.0 networked manufacturing plants that are now being constructed worldwide for sectors such as the garment and home textiles manufacturing and automotive industries,” says Eton’s Sales and Commercial Director Roger Ryrlén.

Sensors

Advanced senor developments are playing a large part in moving many areas of the textile industry forward too.

Eltex of Sweden, for example, is achieving considerable success with its yarn fault detection and tension monitoring systems across a range of sectors, including the tufting of carpets, the creeling of woven materials and even the production of woven reinforcements for the composites industry.

“Unlike scanning inspection systems, we are monitoring each individual yarn position in real time,” says Eltex managing director Brian Hicks. “As a consequence, we have concentrated on the further miniaturisation of our sensors, as will be demonstrated at ITMA 2019.”

At successive ITMA shows, IRO AB has also consistently introduced new milestones in the field of yarn feeding technology for weaving machines, and ITMA 2019 will be no exception.

“Following significant investment in our R&D capabilities, we have been making great progress in further boosting the efficiency and performance of our expanding X3 range,” says IRO AB Managing Director and Chairman of TMAS Mikael Äremann. “I can’t remember a time since the 1980s when we had so many new innovations to unveil at an ITMA, and I’m greatly looking forward to the positive response to them we are anticipating in Barcelona this June.”

Resource savings

ITMA 2019 will meanwhile see the launch of TexCoat G4 — the next generation of Baldwin Technology’s non-contact precision application system for fabric finishing. The TexCoat G4 enables a continuously high-quality and productive textile finishing process with zero chemistry waste and minimized water and energy consumption.

The non-contact spray technology brings a range of advantages including single or double-sided application,  the elimination of Foulard bath contamination, low wet pick-up levels leading to the elimination of drying steps, zero chemistry waste in changeovers of chemistry, colour or fabric, and the possibility of batch reporting, visibility of pad loading, chemical usage etc.

“We are immensely proud to be launching the TexCoat G4 at ITMA 2019,” says Eric Norling, Baldwin’s segment leader for precision application technology. “This is an opportunity to assess innovation-enhancing productivity, while saving valuable resources and contributing to a sustainable future. The TexCoat G4 can process a wide range of low-viscosity water-based chemicals, such as water-repellents, softeners, anti-microbial and more.”

Other TMAS companies exhibiting in Barcelona include Texo AB, whose wide-width weaving looms make the belts for machines on which half of the world’s paper is made, ES-Automatex, which specialises in bespoke automation concepts and Svegea, a company leading the field in a number colarette machines and cutting and slitting equipment.

“At the last ITMA in 2015 in Milan, there was much talk about Industry 4.0 technologies but certainly from the perspective of TMAS, ITMA 2019 will be the place for concrete solutions as to how data and the new tools we have available can be exploited to the full,” says Therese Premler-Andersson. “There is already much more networking between the companies, with software very much the enabler and common interfaces bringing ideas closer together. We are greatly looking forward to further exchanges of ideas when meeting with customers old and new in Barcelona.”

Members of the Textile Machinery Association of Sweden at ITMA 2019:

ACG Kinna Automatic AB        H3 D239          kinnaautomatic.com

Baldwin Technology  AB         H2 A204          baldwintech.com

Eltex of Sweden AB                H4 B102          eltex.se

ES Automatex Solution AB     H3 C250           automatex.com

Eton Systems AB                    H2 A214          etonsystems.com

IRO AB                        H4 A206b        iroab.com

Svegea of Sweden AB            H3 D250          svegea.se

Texo AB                                   H5 A101          texo.se

Posted April 27, 2019

Source: TMAS, The Swedish Textile Machinery Association

Arville And Svegea – Finding New Angles On What Technical Textiles Can Do

UDDEVALLA, Sweden/WETHERBY, England — April 26, 2019 — Arville Textiles has recently taken delivery of a new wide-width bias cutting and winding line in order to meet the demand for advanced technical textiles that are employed in a range of components by the aerospace and automotive industries.

The line is being supplied by Svegea of Sweden, a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association.

Bespoke products

Privately-owned Arville, which is headquartered in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England, is currently going from strength-to-strength in the supply of bespoke products for specialised markets, based on its long-standing and highly-integrated expertise in design, circular and flat weaving, coating and fabrication, at five plants in the north of England.

“We have achieved a 30-percent increase in turnover over the past three years and we are on track to achieve a further 10-percent growth this year, despite the uncertainty that Brexit is causing for us here in the UK,” says Arville’s head of marketing Andy Smith. “We are building on this success with a solid investment programme that has seen the installation of new weaving looms, warping equipment and a new finishing stenter, as well as the new bias cutting and winding line from Svegea.”

Originally founded back in the 1950s as a weaver of heavyweight cotton fabrics for uniforms for the public transport services industries in the United Kingdom, Arville has been training its focus on niche and highly-specialized technical textile applications since the advent of synthetic fibers.

Today, it supplies bespoke fabrics  to over 50 countries, with its major customers involved in manufacturing high performance  products and components for the aerospace, automotive, medical, filtration, personal protection and industrial sectors.

“Our approach is always to determine exactly what customers require in terms of performance and function, by exploring all the potential parameters in respect of weight, tensile strength, chemical and thermal resistance etc.,” said Smith.

“The aim is to design something that meets the customer’s needs exactly. We enjoy a challenge so the more complex and demanding it needs to be, the more we can leverage our technical expertise. We cast a very exacting eye over the manufacturing process, ensuring that  ISO processes are applied throughout,  with stringent quality assurance checks to back this up. Our integrated approach of design, weaving, coating and fabrication makes us unique in the UK.”

From apparel to technical

By coincidence, Svegea of Sweden was founded around the same time as Arville, and now has over 60 years of experience in exclusively designing, manufacturing and installing the highest quality collarette and band cutting machines, as well as other specialised systems such as the new installation at Arville.

Svegea’s cutting machines have traditionally been employed to make components for apparel such as waistbands, cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements, but increasingly, the emphasis has been on products for technical end-uses.

The special bias cutting machine which is being installed at Arville is based on an ingenious system in which circular woven materials are fed to the cutter via a revolving winder and slit at angles, so that both the warp and weft of the weave are skewed at specified angles rather than just in the vertical and horizontal directions, as is usual.

This allows the slit fabrics to drape and form much more easily to the complex shapes of components such as circular rubber hoses and special diaphragms and seals which are employed in the aerospace and automotive industries, and for which they act as critical reinforcements.

“Our ability to produce tubular fabric which is cut on the bias allows us to provide textiles which not only have improved drape and elasticity properties for complex and intricate shapes, but also offers ways to reduce our customers’ production costs by eliminating unnecessary wastage from the manufacturing process,” Smith said. “Pre-cutting the fabric to a specific bias reduces extra handling of the fabric in further processes, saving our customers both valuable production time and costs.”

“This is a much bigger and wider bias cutter than we usually supply, but it’s a good example of the number of specialised machines we are now installing in Europe where we are definitely experiencing a boom,” added Hakan Steene, managing director of Svegea of Sweden. “Even in our traditional area of collarette machines for apparel making up, Industry 4.0 is seeing new business arise in developed markets where for many years it has been uncompetitive.”

Both Arville and Svegea will be at the forthcoming Textextil and Texprocess exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, from May 14-17. Arville will be at Hall 3.1, stand G15 and Svegea in Hall 4.0, at stand D68.

As a member of TMAS, Svegea will also be at the ITMA 2019 textile machinery exhibition in Barcelona, Spain, from June 20-26, at stand D250 in Hall 3.

“Svegea continues to find major niche markets for its advanced cutting systems which go way beyond their original intended purpose,” says TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “The company is a great example of the TMAS attitude of being always open to new ideas and applying fresh thinking based on many years of engineering know-how.”

Posted April 27, 2019

Source: Svegea Of Sweden — Member Of TMAS, The Swedish Textile Machinery Association

ITMA 2019 Exhibitor Preview: KARL MAYER — Solutions For Warp Knitting, Warp Preparation And Technical Textiles

OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — April 26, 2019 — KARL MAYER will be presenting state-of-the art technology and best-of-textile solutions for warp knitting, warp preparation and technical textiles at ITMA, 20.-26.6.2019 in Barcelona

KARL MAYER will take its visitors on a voyage of discovery through the textile world of tomorrow at ITMA, which is to be held from 20 to 26 June 2019. The meeting-point for all this will be at stand 8.0/B107 on the exhibition site in Barcelona. Here, the visitors can expect a display of highly efficient, complete solutions for production, which will give them the edge over their competitors in the long term. The show includes flexible, trendsetting machines with excellent cost:benefit ratios for use in warp knitting, innovations in warp sampling and direct warping for the warp preparation sector, a completely new machine for composite materials, and new products of the software trendsetter of the industry, KM.ON. The subject of “Future in Textiles” will also showcase well-thought-out textile solutions for modern living and highlight the most important trends of our times – digitisation and sustainability. Innovative warp preparation technology for processing high-quality yarns and a display of exciting fabrics will round off KARL MAYER’s presentation at ITMA.

This innovative show is intended to inspire the sector. “With the innovations that we intend to show at ITMA, we are forging a link from machine building, through applications, textiles and yarns, to the world of digitisation. With our holistic approach, we meet the demands of the upheavals of our time. The nature of production, as well as the use of resources and new technology, and the development of new fabrics and textile materials are all changing radically. These far-reaching changes are throwing up many questions. With the offers of our company, we want to provide our customers with answers and make them confident that their future will be a successful one,” says Arno Gärtner, KARL MAYER’s CEO.

Posted April 27, 2019

Source: KARL MAYER Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH

Cooperative Laundry Achieves Clean Green Certification

ALEXANDRIA, VA — April 26, 2019 — Cooperative Laundry of Kearny, N.J., a commercial laundry serving hotels in the greater New York metro region, has been certified Clean Green. This certification reflects the company’s dedication to operational efficiency and sustainability. Linen, uniform and facility services companies receive this distinction by adhering to TRSA-designated water and energy use thresholds and deploying best management practices (BMPs) consistent with the ASTM International environmental laundering standard.

Cooperative Laundry’s customers can be assured their reusable healthcare textiles are washed, dried and finished with processes that maximize sustainability and reduce greenhouse emissions. Clean Green certified operations demonstrate significant commitment to conservation and green operations through these BMPs:

  • Recovering heat from drained hot water and heat dispersed from the process of warming water;
  • Recapturing drained water from rinses for reuse;
  • Using environmentally friendly detergents;
  • Removing solids and liquids from wastewater;
  • Solar energy and energy-efficient lighting;
  • Recycling programs;
  • Re-routing trucks to save vehicle fuel; and
  • Spill prevention plans.

The Clean Green certification is valid for three years at a time. TRSA inspects laundry facilities seeking certification and approves documentation of their water and energy use and BMP deployment through production reports they submit to auditors during the inspections. TRSA’s certification management protocol includes auditor training by the association’s inspection program administrator.

Clean Green aligns with the ASTM International standard, Guide for Sustainable Laundry Practices, which recognizes key criteria for the certification as universal indicators of maximum sustainability in commercial laundry work. ASTM’s review of TRSA BMPs verified these as the most effective and practical techniques for a laundry to achieve green objectives.

TRSA members prompted development of the standard, which was vetted in the sustainability subcommittee of the ASTM Committee on Textiles. Top technical experts, scientists and environmental professionals from outside the linen, uniform and facility services industry reviewed the BMPs. ASTM is the global leader in developing and delivering voluntary consensus standards unparalleled in building consumer confidence in product and service quality.

“I applaud Cooperative Laundry for their sustainability efforts and maintaining the highest standards in their production and delivery operations,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “Meeting all the criteria for certification is not easy, but the company is committed to industry-leading processes and technologies.”

Posted April 27, 2019

Source: TRSA  

TECNIcart — New Technology Has The Potential To Change The Way Expensive Sample Books Are Produced

MONTREAL, Cal. — April 25, 2019 — Amzak International Sample, a designer and manufacturer of sample books, product decks, and swatch cards, announced that the company has been selected to be the exclusive North American sales office for TECNIcart.

Traditional sample books are manufactured using real product that has to be cut and sized. It doesn’t matter if the product is ceramic tile, vinyl, flooring, wall covering or other products marketed with sample books, the process is not only expensive, but the books may become overloaded and heavy. Many times, the number of styles has to be scaled down to fit.

TECNIcart, a printing company with offices in Barcelona and Madrid, has created a new unique technology for sample books, color cards, and product decks, that does not use pre-cut pieces of real materials or bonded samples. This innovative system is based on a proprietary graphic printing system that creates the attributes of true color, texture, feel, and even the scent of the actual finished material for sale.

For manufacturers of home décor products that produce sampling merchandising products there are a multitude of benefits:

  • Reduction in manufacturing and delivery from months to weeks;
  • Reduction in the weight of catalogs and sample books that are lighter, and less expensive to ship and distribute to regional sales offices;
  • Far lower cost per sample product; and
  • Sales offices can easily afford to order more books for salespeople.

According to David Migi, president of Amzak: “merchandising aids like sample books produced by TECNIcart are non-abrasive, last longer, and easier to work with. I’ve been in the sample book business for more than 30 years and I’m nothing short of amazed at this brilliant technology. This changes everything for many product categories that depend on sample books to sell retailers, designers, and contractors”.

Posted April 27, 2019

Source: Amzak International Sample  

Men’s Custom Clothing Brand J.Hilburn Names Casey Shilling As Chief Marketing Officer

DALLAS — April 24, 2019 — Custom-made menswear brand J.Hilburn, today announced Casey Shilling has been named chief marketing officer. Shilling joins J.Hilburn with significant experience marketing lifestyle and consumer brands.

Shilling joins the already heavy-hitting leadership team, consisting of CEO Andy Janowski, former COO of Burberry and CEO of Smythson; COO Joe Dixon, former CEO of Size Stream and senior vice president of Brooks Brothers; and Chief Creative Officer Simon Kneen, former executive vice president of design and creative director for Banana Republic and creative design director for the Retail Brand Alliance setting the direction for Brooks Brothers and Adrienne Vittadini.

“I’m thrilled to join J.Hilburn and this dynamic, seasoned management team during such an exciting time for the brand,” said Shilling. “Together, we plan to increase our stylist network and transform the company into an omni-channel business, increasing brand awareness to attract new customers and deepening engagement with our loyal base of clients.”

“Casey has deep experience in building lifestyle brands, which will be instrumental in telling our disruptive custom-made story,” said Janowski. “She is a rare combination of digital, strategy and creative. She has a keen focus on driving results and is a tremendous culture fit. I look forward to watching her grow the business alongside our strong leadership team.”

Shilling most recently served as chief marketing officer of Zoës Kitchen, a leading fast casual Mediterranean restaurant group with more than 260 locations nationwide. While at Zoës, she led the brand’s digital transformation and crafted strategic partnerships, such as Zoës-branded in-flight food with American Airlines and an exclusive partnership with Whole30™.

Prior to her time at Zoës, Shilling served as vice president of marketing and public relations at The Container Store, the nation’s leading retailer of storage and organization products. She spent the majority of her 20-year tenure at the company as an executive marketer helping establish the retailer as a beloved brand and solidifying its reputation as a forward-thinking employer of choice. Prior to The Container Store, Shilling held marketing positions at Dallasbased agencies, Meltzer & Martin Public Relations and Bustin & Co., after beginning her career in broadcast journalism as a television anchor/reporter. In 2018, she received the Dallas Power 50 Award by the National Diversity Council and was named to the 2018 Power Player list by Nation’s Restaurant News.

J.Hilburn started with one mission: to guarantee fit and eliminate unnecessary markups in menswear by offering a customized experience and high-quality clothing at a variety of affordable price points for all occasions. Led by an expansive network of nearly 2,000 expert Stylists across all 50 states and a mix of online and retail sales, these leadership changes continue to position the brand for strong future growth.

Posted April 24, 2019

Source: J.Hilburn

Chico’s FAS Announces CEO Transition Plan — Bonnie Brooks Appointed Interim CEO

FORT MYERS, Fla. — April 24, 2019 — Chico’s FAS Inc. today announced that Bonnie Brooks, former vice chair, president and CEO of Hudson’s Bay Co. and a current member of the Chico’s FAS board of directors, has been appointed interim CEO of the company, effective immediately. This appointment follows the resignation of Shelley Broader from her roles as CEO and president, and as member of the board.

“Bonnie is a successful retail executive and merchant who has led the turnaround of other fashion retailers, and we are pleased to have her step into the CEO role on an interim basis,” said David Walker, chair of the Board. “Her experience in the industry as well as her time on the Chico’s FAS Board give her a deep understanding of our brands and customers. We are confident that Bonnie will be able to quickly step into the business to benefit the sales, products and merchandising across all of the Company’s brands as the Board continues its search for a permanent CEO with a strong apparel track record.”

Walker further commented: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Shelley for her many contributions to Chico’s FAS over the past three and a half years. We appreciate the significant operating improvements she initiated and implemented and wish her well in her future endeavors.”

Brooks said: “One of our company’s key competitive advantages is the loyalty and strength of the core customer. We look forward to tapping into this further, and more aggressively, to enhance the growth and positioning of our Chico’s, White House Black Market, Soma and our newest brand, TellTale™. We have dedicated associates across the organization, and I look forward to working with them as Interim CEO.”

Chico’s FAS has engaged Herbert Mines Associates to search for a permanent CEO and President. The board Search Committee is Chaired by Bill Simon, a member of the Chico’s FAS Board since 2016 and previously president and CEO of Walmart U.S. and executive vice president of Walmart Stores Inc. Janice Fields, a member of the company’s board since 2013 and formerly president of McDonald’s USA LLC, and Brooks also serve on the committee.

Brooks has been a member of the Chico’s FAS Board since 2016. She has more than 30 years of global retail executive leadership experience. From 2014 to 2016, she served as the vice chair of Hudson’s Bay Co., a fashion retail group operating through multiple banners, including Hudson’s Bay, Home Outfitters, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Off Fifth and Kaufhof. Brooks joined Hudson’s Bay in 2008 as CEO and president. From 2012 to 2014, Brooks served as president of Hudson’s Bay Co., responsible for both Hudson’s Bay and Lord & Taylor department stores USA. From 1997 to 2008, Brooks was based in Hong Kong serving as an executive officer, including as president of the Lane Crawford Joyce Group, a women’s fashion retailer with over 500 stores in Asia, and as global merchandise manager for Dickson Concepts (International) Ltd., a luxury retail group and owner of Harvey Nichols, UK. Prior to that, Brooks spent over a decade at Holt Renfrew & Co., a Canada-based fashion department store, in roles that included executive vice president and general merchandise manager.

Brooks also serves on the board of directors of Rogers Communications Inc., a Canadian diversified communications and media company, and she is a trustee of RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, a North American real estate owner and developer. Ms. Brooks was formerly a director of Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

Posted April 24, 2019

Source: Chico’s FAS

CSP VICTALL Partners With JMC To Debut The First Composite Pickup Truck Box In China

TANGSHAN, China/AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — April 22, 2019 — As the pioneer of composite automotive component suppliers in China, CSP VICTALL today announced that Jiangling Motors Corp. (JMC) will use advanced composites for the pickup boxes of its new Yuhu 3 and Yuhu 5 pickup trucks, the first such use of composites in the Chinese automotive industry. The composite box developed by CSP VICTALL has solved the issues of heavy weight, low corrosion resistance and high cost for pickup boxes traditionally made of sheet metal.

The collaboration project between two companies started in 2017. The R&D team of CSP VICTALL provided comprehensive solutions for JMC in raw material development, manufacturing processes and product design. With its success in developing similar products in the North American market, Continental Structural Plastics, the parent company of CSP VICTALL, also provided support for the project. The innovative composite product uses integrated sheet molding compound (SMC) that is molded into the desired geometry in just one step, significantly reducing the production cycle and the number of molds required.

“In materials engineering, shaving a single kilogram per car is a significant accomplishment,” said Ding Zhiyong, chief technical officer of Auto Body at JMC “Now the new Yuhu SMC pickup box is 30% lighter than a sheet metal pickup box in the same configuration. This is far ahead of our competition in China. JMC is always looking for innovation opportunities in new material development. We believe the collaboration with CSP VICTALL will benefit our customers by letting them actually experience the performance improvement generated by the weight reduction achieved by using the innovative SMC pickup box.”

To produce its proprietary sheet molded compound, CSP VICTALL uses a fully automated compounding line that accurately controls the ratio of different raw materials like high-strength resin and glass fiber in its patented formula. SMC sheets produced from this formula are made into pickup boxes through a process that includes the material being robotically loaded in to a mold, vacuum-assisted compression molding in a 4,300 ton press, and cooling. This advanced manufacturing process meets the high-efficiency and quality requirements of automotive OEMs.

A pickup box made from composites offers significant benefits over a box made from metals. These benefits include lower weight, resistance to corrosion and high impact strength. After impact testing with a toolbox, a gas barrel and bricks, CSP VICTALL’s composite pickup box did not show any of the damage that a conventional sheet metal box would.

“Our SMC project with JMC will set a benchmark for the industry and generate positive feedback in the market,” said Song Changjiang, general manager of CSP VICTALL. “Compared to traditional sheet metal pickup boxes, SMC boxes are easier to mold, have more complex shapes and are more cost-effective. They will be well received by domestic automobile OEMs for their supremacy in vehicle weight reduction.”

Composite pickup boxes are recognized in the North American market for advantages

in areas such as cost reduction and impact resistance. CSP has been supplying composite pickup boxes for the Toyota Tacoma and Honda Ridgeline for many years. CSP VICTALL will call upon CSP’s experience from the North American market to better serve its customers in China.

Posted April 24, 2019

Source: Teijin Ltd.

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