Materials Science Innovator Gelest Acquires Specialty Monomer And Polymer Manufacturer And Marketer Bimax

MORRISVILLE, Pa. — July 1, 2019 — Gelest Inc., an innovator in materials science and a New Mountain Capital portfolio company, announced today the acquisition of Bimax, a manufacturer and marketer of specialty monomers and polymers for use in the manufacture of contact lenses, intraocular lenses, personal care products, coatings and adhesives, and other advanced technology applications.

“The addition of Bimax is an important step in our strategic plan. Bimax strengthens our position in high-growth value-added applications, provides access to new customers and talent, and expands our production capability and R&D pipeline,” said Ken Gayer, CEO, Gelest. “Like Gelest, Bimax has a long track record of growth built over decades of developing products based on specific and unique customer needs. Bimax fits very well with our corporate culture and our philosophy of enabling our customers’ technology, and we look forward to working with the management team at Bimax going forward.”

“The acquisition of Bimax represents significant progress in New Mountain’s growth plan for Gelest. The two businesses are highly complementary, and the combination will provide enhanced value to customers,” said Andre Moura, managing director at New Mountain Capital. “New Mountain looks forward to continuing to support growth investment at Gelest.”

“We are extremely pleased with the opportunity to join Gelest. The two companies are very similar in terms of their driving focus on technology, end user need and growth.  We see a bright future for Bimax and its customers as part of Gelest,” said Dr. Chris Sghibartz, global vice president of Bimax.

Bimax will continue to operate under the Bimax name, and all employees will be retained in their current roles. As they increasingly look for challenging materials and innovative technology solutions, customers of Gelest and Bimax will benefit from a wider product range, greater service infrastructure and the enhanced technical capabilities of the combined company.

Posted July 1, 2019

Source: Gelest Inc.

Running To The Future: BASF Bolsters Investment In Footwear Segment

LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany/WYANDOTTE, Mich./SINGAPORE — July 1, 2019 — BASF announces new investments to strengthen its global footwear presence: opening new Footwear Development Centers in the US. and Thailand, launching a Footwear Innovation Center in Taiwan, and expanding the Footwear Development Center in Italy. Bringing together a dedicated team of process engineers, footwear specialists and technicians coupled with the latest technologies and machinery, these centers will serve as a global platform to formulate and test new material innovations, refine processes and evaluate concepts in large-scale production environments.

New Footwear Development Centers in the U.S. and Thailand, Expansions in Italy

Located in Wyandotte, Mich., the Footwear Development Center is a 2000-square-foot lab that is fully equipped with advanced footwear machinery for outsole, midsole and unit sole developments. The Center helps designers bring their visions to life and enhances customers’ speed to market by new material testing and prototype production via polyurethane direct injection molding.

“Through the Footwear Development Center, BASF is helping customers drive innovation in the footwear industry and making the future happen now,” said Pete Zorney, Business Director Consumer, North America, BASF.

BASF also recently expanded its Footwear Development Center in Italy and has opened a new center in Thailand. Both feature new machinery with direct injection molding technology, as well as showrooms that highlight BASF’s decades-long experience in producing innovative products.

“The Footwear Development Center located in Italy is considered a pioneer in the industry as it was the first that brought material expertise and innovation under one roof in this fashion and footwear hub,” said Thomas Bartz, Business Manager Consumer, Europe, BASF. “We now can connect designers and brand owners to material innovation and production, be it Europe, the U.S. or Asia. This has become all possible thanks to our footwear powerhouses across the world.”

Taiwan Footwear Innovation Center to launch in 2020

In 2020, BASF will also launch the Footwear Innovation Center in Taiwan to further strengthen its capabilities and customer co-development approaches in Asia Pacific. Strategically located in Taiwan, the Center will give footwear professionals first-hand experience about how BASF materials can help develop future footwear using the latest manufacturing processes in areas such as comfort, performance, quality and design.

BASF Solutions Shaping the Future of Footwear Materials

BASF recently introduced X-Swift, a multipurpose athleisure shoe featuring its performance technologies, in collaboration with Longterm Concept. BASF will also present a visionary new shoe concept that will be unveiled at the upcoming A+A Fair in Düsseldorf, Germany.

“With over 40 years of rich experience in the footwear materials segment, we are proud of our innovations, such as Infinergy®, high rebound PU midsole or new thermoplastic polyurethane grades, which have transformed the footwear landscape. Our recent investments into this segment are a symbol of our commitment to the industry, and we look forward to developing more exciting innovations in the future,” added Andy Postlethwaite, Senior Vice President, Performance Materials Asia Pacific, BASF.

Posted July 1, 2019

Source: BASF’s Performance Materials Division

Archroma To Introduce New Eco-Advanced “Indigo Clone” Solution

REINACH, Switzerland — July 1, 2019 — Archroma has recently launched at the ITMA exhibition its new Diresul® Smartdenim Blue, a liquid sulfur blue dye designed to mimic indigo.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue liquid was developed in compliance with “The Archroma Way: safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature”. The approach finds its origin in Archroma’s deep belief that it is possible to make the textile industry sustainable, economically and ecologically.

The new product will be the core of Archroma’s Indigo Reflection, a coloration system that behaves like indigo, with an even more sustainable and efficient application process compared to indigo.

With this new innovation, Archroma completes its spectrum of eco-advanced denim coloration solutions, from this new indigo-mimicking Diresul® Smartdenim Blue which is aniline-free* and can be used in Archroma’s water-saving Advanced Denim technology, to its recent launch of the purest indigo, the aniline-free* pre-reduced liquid Denisol® Pure Indigo liquid.

The sulfur-based Diresul® RDT Indicolors dyes have been introduced by Archroma back in 2007 to offer a water-saving alternative to indigo for blue denim, especially when applied with Archroma’s recommended Advanced Denim application processes, Denim-Ox and Pad-Sizing-Ox.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue is a liquid sulfur dye that behaves like liquid indigo in elegant neutral-green blue tone and in the most common wash-down processes.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue has been especially designed to address the limitations of the Indicolors earlier technology. The new Diresul® Smartdenim Blue has a greener shade, better fastness to minimize back staining, and allows to create overall wash-downs much closer to actual indigo than any other dyestuff, whilst avoiding greyish cast especially in bleaching with hypochlorite.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue can be applied in all the standard dyeing methods recommended for sulfur dyes, including pad-ox, pad-steam, exhaust, denim in all its variations (color denim, bottoming and topping of indigo), as well as in the Advanced Denim procedures (Denim-Ox, Pad-Sizing-Ox).

The innovation is the brain child of the Global Competence Center for Denim & Special Dyes experts in Archroma’s Castellbisbal plant, near Barcelona, Spain, where Diresul® Smartdenim Blue is produced.

Diresul® Smartdenim Blue meets the requirements of the major brand and retailer manufacturing restricted substances list (MRSL) and eco-labels such as C2C**, and it is aniline free*.

“In the current context of tight availability of indigo precursors,” says Albert Llort, Head of Archroma’s Global Competence Center for Denim & Special Dyes, “Archroma offers with Diresul® Smartdenim Blue an alternative dyestuff to create new blue denim articles that is aniline-free* and light in water consumption, but also offers a reliable supply source. Because it’s our nature!”

* Below limits of detection

**Cradle to cradle in process

Diresul® and Denisol® are trademarks of Archroma registered in many countries.

© 2019 Archroma

Posted July 1, 2019

Source: Archroma

 

 

 

 

 

ORTA Biodesign Challenge Prize Awarded To RMIT University’s Enzer, A Water Filtration System For Microplastics

NEW YORK CITY — June 28, 2019 — ORTA, a premiere denim manufacturer, awarded the ORTA Prize for Bio-Inspired Textile Processes to a team of Australian students from RMIT University who developed Enzer, a water filtration and treatment system for microplastics that can be retrofitted to washing machines. The ORTA Prize was awarded on June 21 at MoMA in New York City.

The Biodesign Challenge program partners university and high school students with artists, designers, and biologists to reimagine biotechnology.

The students of RMIT University tackled the issue of microplastics that are released in the washing cycle by polyester, nylon, acrylic and other synthetic fibers. Microplastics are a growing global problem: according to a 2017 International Union for Conservation of Nature report, it’s estimated about 35% of the microplastics that enter the ocean, come via synthetic textiles. About 60% of clothing today contains polyester, due to its cost-effectiveness, high performance for today’s athleisure lifestyle.

“We found the Enzer filter system very promising for mitigating the runoff of microplastics from washing machines that pollute waterways, simply by fitting a filter onto the machine’s water hose. The filter has an enzyme that breaks down the microfibers that contain these plastics. Microplastics in synthetics are a systemic problem, and we see great potential in what these students proposed, especially for industrial application in water treatment systems,” states Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki, head of ORTA’s Denim Sales & Marketing, PD, R&D and Sustainability.

ORTA Prize finalists also tackled the environmental damage that Spandex® causes. A team from Fashion Institute of Technology’s solution was harvesting discarded oyster shells for its connective elastin tissue that could replace elastane fiber.

Awareness of issues around sustainability and ethics is becoming a key concern for many in their apparel purchases – especially for millennials, often called the ecomodern generation, whose purchasing decisions are becoming more discerning. According to the Millennial Impact Report, 87% of millennials would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social and environmental issues.

“Rising consumption around the world is causing a landfill and waste crisis, which is challenging ORTA to reimagine denim, and turn waste and scarcity of resources into abundance,” added Dr. Sedef Uncu Aki.

Posted June 28, 2019

Source: ORTA

Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-Joon Signs MOU With Saudi Aramco On The Construction Of Carbon Fiber Plant

SEOUL, South Korea — June 28, 2019 — Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-Joon signed a memorandum of understanding with Amin H. Nasser, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, a global petrochemical company of Saudi Arabia, at Conrad Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul, on June 25 to consider building a carbon fiber plant.

Under the MOU, Hyosung and Saudi Aramco will positively consider a plan to build carbon fiber plants in Saudi Arabia and South Korea through cooperation in the development and application of carbon fiber production technology.

Carbon fibers are four times lighter and 10 times stronger than steel. Hyosung developed carbon fibers in 2011 independently for the first time as a Korean company. It has operated a carbon fiber plant with the annual output capacity of 2,000 tons built in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, in 2013. Another carbon fiber plant with the same capacity is under construction on the premise of the Jeonju plant since February.

In March, Hyosung Chairman Cho had signed a wide-ranging MOU with Saudi Aramco for cooperation in projects related to chemicals, advanced materials, and hydrogen. Saudi Aramco was considering new projects in the fields of automobiles and new renewable energy, so it allegedly recognized the need to cooperate with Hyosung which had built up its own technology in advanced materials, including carbon fibers.

At that time, Ahmad A. Al-Sa’adi, senior vice president of Saudi Aramco and other executives visited the Hyosung carbon fiber plant in Jeonju, to inspect production lines carefully, and they verified Hyosung’s differentiated technology with their own eyes, putting their confidence in it.

Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-Joon said, “I look forward to seeing carbon fiber and other new businesses grow down the road through the combination of Saudi Aramco’s management know-how and Hyosung’s proprietary technology.”

Posted June 28, 2019

Source: Hyosung Corporation

The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) Announces Winner Of The 2019 Paul T. O’Day Memorial Scholarship

WASHINGTON — June 28, 2019 — The National Council of Textile Organization’s (NCTO) Fiber Council announces Reagan Dunnam, of Florence, S.C., as the recipient of the 2019 Paul T. O’Day Scholarship Award. She is the daughter of Jennifer Dunnam, who works for Fiber Industries LLC, and Robert Dunnam.

Dunnam graduated in June with high honors from West Florence High School. She will pursue a major in Fashion and Textile Management at NC State University this fall.

NCTO Fiber Council Chairman David Poston, president of Palmetto Synthetics LLC, commented: “We are pleased to recognize Ms. Dunnam’s exceptional record of academic achievements with her selection as the 2019 recipient of the Paul T. O’Day Memorial Scholarship.  All of us on the Fiber Council congratulate Ms. Dunnam and wish her continued success in her academic career.”

The scholarship program was created in 2014 in honor of Paul T. O’Day who served as President of the American Fiber Manufacturers Association (AFMA) for more than three decades. The Association merged with the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) in April 2018, and NCTO’s Fiber Council now administers the scholarship program.  Recipients receive a $5,000 award each year, totaling $20,000 for four years of study.  Sons or daughters of NCTO’s Fiber Council member company employees are eligible to apply.

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 June 28, 2019

Source: The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

NCTO Applauds Senate Passage Of The National Defense Authorization Act Of Fiscal Year 2020

WASHINGTON — June 27, 2019 — The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) commends the Senate for passing the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2020, which strengthens the Berry Amendment and safeguards our national security, by setting compliance requirements to all Department of Defense acquisitions at or above $150,000.

The Senate bill rolls back the threshold for Berry compliance requirements to 2017 levels and adjusts future increases for inflation, which the U.S. textile industry supports.

The Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA bill raised the Simplified Acquisition Threshold to $250,000. The higher threshold put more than $50 million worth of Berry contracts annually at risk of being outsourced to China and other foreign countries.

“We are really pleased the Senate passed the NDAA, which strengthens the Berry Amendment, a provision that is critical to the U.S. textile industry,” said NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas.

“Berry provides the U.S. military with high-quality textile and apparel products that are produced with 100-percent U.S. materials and labor. It also helps keep the industrial base strong and provides the best R&D, materials, and equipment for our warfighters,” Glas said. “We also urge the House to follow the Senate’s lead and take similar action to strengthen our national industrial base.”

“Without the Berry Amendment in place, defense-related activities are at risk if supply chains are filled with imports of undocumented origin,” said Kathie Leonard, President and CEO of Auburn Manufacturing Inc., a small manufacturer of fire-resistant fabrics based in Mechanic Falls, Maine.

“Our ability to continue supplying 100% domestically produced products to the military is contingent upon a reasonable Berry threshold. The minimum was raised from $50K to $150,000 several years ago. Last year it jumped to $250,000, leaving us with only 15 percent of the defense market we serve,” Leonard said.

Ashley Bullock, Government Contract Sales Manager, Raeford Uniforms, a division of Burlington Industries, said: “Passage of the NDAA along with the continued support of the Berry Amendment are critical for Burlington and our ongoing support to the U.S. military and our men and women in uniform.  As a proud part of the military’s clothing and textile supply chain, Burlington Industries, an Elevate Textiles Company, relies on the Berry Amendment to maintain our current operations in North and South Carolina and our ability to make continual investment to ensure the U.S. warfighter has the most innovative, highest-quality, and technologically advanced clothing and equipment possible.  Correcting the Berry Amendment’s threshold level is a major and positive step in protecting this important law from being watered down. “

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 June 27, 2019

Source: The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

Burlington To Produce Fabric For The New Army Green Service Uniform

GREENSBORO, N.C. — June 27, 2019 — Burlington Industries LLC, a division of Elevate Textiles, is proud to announce it will supply wool blended fabrics for use in the newly-updated Army Green Service Uniform, specifically the jacket, tie, and bottoms. These fabrics will be produced at the company’s facilities in Raeford and Cordova, N.C.

Burlington is honored to be an integral part of the defense supply chain for more than 55 years. The development of the new Army Service Uniform fabric has been underway for over two years in partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the United States Army, and several private industry partners. Continuing in the Burlington tradition, the entire process has focused on one core concept — serving the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

These new fabrics allow their wearers the confidence to be their best with unmatched comfort, durability, colorfastness, and appearance as they represent the best of our nation both at home and abroad. Burlington’s Raeford operation is known for superior consistency and color continuity, which is a requirement for a force as large and diverse as the United States Army. Skilled workers, many with more than 20 to 50 years of experience, carefully tend to each process, ensuring the yarn and fabric are produced to meet the highest quality standards.

“At Burlington, we honor our public servants with a dedication to quality and innovation, to make sure those who serve are always served by the garments they wear,” says Allen Smith, president of Burlington. “Our Raeford brand of worsted wool fabrics are engineered to provide the soldier with advanced durability, comfort, and wrinkle-resistance, and provide Burlington’s unmatched color capability to ensure each uniform issued matches over the span of many years. As our nation prepares to celebrate the anniversary of its independence, we are honored to see the new Army Green Service Uniform in action and to pay tribute to the men and women who protect our freedoms each day.”

Since 1923, Burlington has been a global textile leader with core competencies in worsted wool and performance synthetics and has been an integral part of the defense supply chain for more than 55 years. Offering a diverse range of vertical manufacturing capabilities, fiber, and fabric blends, Burlington® Military is proud to provide quality fabrics for United States Military personnel. Through innovation, Burlington’s in-house Research and Development department, Burlington Labs®, engineers advance fabrications and technical finishes that are applied to protect and enhance performance while providing troops protection, easy-care, and advanced comfort in all their diverse environments.

Burlington Military combines the resources from the Burlington, Safety Components, and Carlisle business units to create an extensive military products platform of diversified fabrics developed to service the specific needs of the military market. Products include fabrics for Class A dress uniforms, camouflage combat and utility uniforms, physical training and extreme cold weather wear, flame resistant and firefighting protective clothing, high performance equipment, ballistic fabric for body armor and load carrying equipment, and other specialty items.

Posted June 27, 2019

Source: Burlington Industries LLC, a division of Elevate Textiles

Warrior Protection And Readiness Coalition Commends Passage Of The Homeland Procurement Reform (HOPR) Act By U.S. House Of Representatives

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. — June 25, 2019 — The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) today announced its robust support for the actions taken by the U.S. House of Representatives, who have unanimously approved H.R. 2083, the Homeland Procurement Reform (HOPR) Act. This important bipartisan legislation is designed to ensure that the operational units within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) including Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Secret Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) purchase uniforms and equipment manufactured in the United States.

This bill establishes specific criteria that increases the ability of DHS to obtain high-quality, American-made personal protective equipment (PPE) and organizational clothing and individual equipment (OCIE). The HOPR Act builds upon earlier procurement provisions such as the Berry Amendment and the Kissell Amendment.

The Berry Amendment sustains an essential industrial base, as well as tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs. It ensures Department of Defense personnel receive high quality, advanced American-made equipment and clothing. No warfighter can be sustained in the field without advanced fabrics, armor, footwear, protective safety gear and many other critical tools.

The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) of 2009 contained a provision known as the Kissell Amendment. As enacted, it attached a very narrow requirement for domestic clothing and textile procurement by DHS. The Kissell Amendment has not had its intended effect. DHS continues to procure uniforms and equipment manufactured in foreign countries, including CBP uniforms which are currently produced in Mexico, in a low security environment.

Introduced by Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA, 46th District) and co-sponsored by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS, 2nd District), Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL, 18th District), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA, 2nd District), Rep Chris Pappas (D-NH,1st District),  the HOPR Act ensures that American tax dollars are not improperly spent on low quality items made overseas when American businesses produce the same items at a better value here in the United States. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate (S. 1055) by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and co-sponsored by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL).

Original Sponsor Rep. Lou Correa said: “I want to thank my colleagues for their support in bringing this legislation to the House Floor. It is a necessary step to ensure our DHS frontline personnel have access to domestically sourced, high-quality uniforms and equipment while allowing domestic small businesses to better compete for Federal government contracts. This is a critical step in helping our men and women in the field get the tools and equipment they need to do their jobs. I am proud of this legislation and proud to say this bill protects our national security and helps small businesses.”

Rep. Brian Mast said: “The men and women who serve on the border are willing to put their lives on the line to protect our nation’s security,” Rep. Mast said. “Providing Homeland Security with the highest quality, American-made uniforms and protective gear is critical for ensuring their safety and the success of the mission.”

WPRC Executive Director David Costello said, “We are pleased to support the bipartisan effort to extend domestic-focused procurement to the Department of Homeland Security. DHS officials responsible for our national security should be provided with American-made, quality gear and equipment. The HOPR Act will not only provide high-quality, American made equipment for DHS personnel but also help create jobs and spur manufacturing within the United States. We look forward to working with Senator Shaheen and her colleagues to ensure that this critical legislation passes the Senate and becomes law.”

Posted June 27, 2019

Source: Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC)

Three Ways Converse’s Renew Initiative Is Rethinking Waste

BOSTON — June 26, 2019 — Initially released as a basketball shoe, the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star is an enduring icon of footwear design.

During the past 100 years, Converse has been committed to the shoe’s continual reinvention. This is evident in design and materialization, where the Chuck Taylor All Star has been the natural starting point for a number of fabric and construction experiments.

Converse Renew, emblematic of a new era of Converse design, takes on the challenge of — and finds solutions for — product creation using post-consumer and post-industrial waste. It blends a new approach to materials with inventive new methods of manufacturing, and with a singular aim: develop new and more sustainable ways of making Converse icons.

Starting with the Chuck Taylor All Star, three Renew Processes — upcycled textiles, recycled PET and recycled cotton canvas blends — will give literal tons of waste a second life.

Converse Renew’s Three Processes

  1. Renew Canvas: the same feel and look as traditional Converse canvas, except now made from 100 percent recycled polyester that came from used plastic bottles.
  2. Renew Denim: using an in-house upcycling process, denim jeans that were diverted from landfills serve as the first example of Converse’s capacity to turn single-source upcycled textiles into a Chuck Taylor All Star or Chuck 70.
  3. Renew Cotton: this proprietary process transforms cotton canvas waste from the manufacturing process to create a composite 40 percent recycled cotton with polyester to form a new yarn. (In future seasons, additional recycled blends will be explored.)

Chuck Taylor All Stars and Chuck 70s featuring Converse Renew Canvas, which uses recycled PET, release July 5. A Chuck 70 with Converse Renew Denim, which demonstrates Converse’s upcycled textile capabilities, follows in August.

Converse Renew Cotton will release in early 2020.

Posted June 27, 2019

Source: Converse Inc./Nike Inc.

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