TOKYO — January 22, 2019 — Teijin Frontier Co. Ltd., the Teijin Group’s fiber and products converting company, announced today that it will participate in Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2019, the world’s largest international sports and outdoor trade fair to be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Clo., from January 30-February 1.
The Teijin Frontier stand (#MR208) will exhibit DELTAPEAK and related hybrid materials that offer excellent combinations of performance, appearance and texture for sportswear. The stand also will promote Teijin Frontier’s environmentally friendly solutions, including microplastics pollution prevention, reducing hazardous chemicals usage, fossil resource conservation and CO2 emissions reduction.
Some of the many exhibits at the Teijin Frontier stand will include the following:
DELTAPEAK
Deltapeak is a next-generation fabric that integrates physical properties, functionality and quality on a highly advanced level. Thanks to its dense, flat-knit surface, it is a light and stretchable form-fitting, anti-transparent and snag-resistant fabric. Various DELTAPEAK versions will be displayed, including a unique new material that is both form-fitting and highly natural like appearance.
Octa
This fiber features a unique, highly modified cross section of eight projecting fins aligned in a radial pattern around a hollow fiber. Notable advantages include rapid wicking and drying as well as useful bulkiness. Octa Neo is a multilayer fiber that combines Octa fiber with various chemical and natural staple fibers.
SOLOTEX
Polytrimethylene terephthalate fiber SOLOTEX is soft, stretchable, shape-retaining, dimensionally stable and brightly colored thanks to its molecular structure from a flexible spinning-like helix.
Microplastics Pollution Prevention
Non-brushed and heat-insulating materials that help to reduce microplastics will be exhibited. These will include a towel-like pile-structure material, a soft, bulky sweatsuit fabric in the Deltapeak series, and Octa integrated with insulation and lining materials.
The booth will also present Teijin Frontier’s initiatives to protect the human rights of its technical interns from overseas.
Teijin Frontier looks forward to strengthening its recognition and cultivating new customers in the North American outdoor market through its appearance at the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2019.
LENZING, Austria — January 21, 2019 — Planet REhab is a capsule collection produced by an international partnership of textile and apparel companies committed to reducing their impact on the environment. The companies recognize that achieving their goal requires both working collaboratively and responsibly — seeking out more sustainable raw materials, implementing new technologies and employing processes that reduce resource utilization and waste.
Juan Carlos Gordillo designed the Rehab collection around TENCEL™ and TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ branded lyocell fabrics from Tejidos Royo. The fabrics were dyed using Recycrom technology from Officina+39 and the resultant garments finished by Tonello. The aim of Planet REhab collection is to illustrate that fashion can be both responsible and beautiful given the right supply chain partnerships.
In Planet Rehab, Lenzing, Tejidos Royo, Officina+39 and Tonello joined together with designer Juan Carlos Gordillo to create a soulful Latin inspired womenswear collection:
Lenzing’s Tencel and Tencel x Refibra branded lyocell fibers enhance the sustainability of the fabrics. Made from renewable wood in a closed loop, energy and resource efficient manufacturing process, Tencel fibers and Tencel x Refibra fibers made with recycled cotton scraps provide the fabrics with softness, smoothness, tenacity, and color intensity.
Spanish fabric producer, Tejidos Royo, creates “fabric with values” through the company’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The vertically integrated manufacturer has substantially reduced its energy consumption and CO2 emissions through aggressive R&D and provides complete transparency and traceability for customers.
Officina+39’s Recycrom dyes are made from recycled clothing and textile scraps that are specially processed by these Italian experts through a sophisticated production process using only sustainable chemicals. Waste fabrics are crystalized into an incredibly fine powder that can be used as a pigment dye. Recycrom was awarded the Hightex Award at Munich Fabric Start for Autumn/Winter 17/18.
Laundry specialist, Tonello, also based in Italy, contributes their All-in-one system to the project. Born from ideation with designers and customers, Tonello’s revolutionary washing process significantly reduces the water and hazardous chemical consumption typically associated with denim finishing.
Guatemalan designer, Juan Carlos Gordillo, applauds the Planet REhab objectives and used the member companies’ products to create fifteen women’s outfits that celebrate life and nature with exceptional color flair and a decided Latin influence. The collection displays the eclectic, artistic style for which Gordillo is known.
“Planet REhab is my tribute to the ocean with its deep colors and flowing shapes,” the celebrated designer said. “The collection also protects the ocean because it is created from the sustainable fibers, fabrics, dyes, and finishing techniques perfected by the Planet REhab companies. While many companies talk about being sustainable, these companies had the courage to actually create sustainable products and processes that benefit the industry, society, and the planet. I hope this collection can inspire other designers to prioritize sustainability in their creative processes,” Gordillo concluded.
“We are excited to unveil Juan Carlos’s Planet REhab collection, which is as beautiful as it is sustainable,” says Tricia Carey, Director of Global Business Development for Denim at Lenzing Group. “Juan Carlos has proven Planet REhab’s premise that global collaboration of sustainability-minded companies results in gorgeous designs that are made with respect for the environment. Keyhouse at Bluezone is the perfect place to showcase this outstanding collection and the supply chain and manufacturing innovations that made it possible.”
“We strongly believe in this type of cooperation,” explains Andrea Venier, Managing Director of Officina+39 – Italy. “Planet REhab will be a model for positive change. Innovation, sustainable practices, clear information, transparency, and social responsibility are the pillars of our #TRUSTAINABLE concept. We are honored to contribute to Planet REhab, which exemplifies our commitments and also maximizes the synergies between companies that are investing in green innovations and a sustainability-oriented designer like Juan Carlos Gordillo. Planet REhab stands as a genuine call to action for the industry.”
“Companies who want to be in business one hundred years from now must become cleaner and more sustainable right now,” predicts Jose Royo of Tejidos Royo. “Planet REhab represents the business model of the future. We were proud to take action with such a forward-thinking project, collaborating with companies as committed to sustainability as we are. This is the responsible approach that the textile industry must embrace to ensure the future of the business, the planet, and the people who come after us.”
“Environmental sustainability, energy savings and garment wholesomeness have been at the center of our vision, our research, and our production for many years,” says Alice Tonello of Tonello. “We are therefore very proud to participate, along with other prestigious companies, in Planet REhab because we believe that only through a greater awareness and sense of responsibility from those companies working “on garments” will we, all of us together, be able to plan a future where fashion, art, and design can continue to give us beauty, pleasure, and well-being.”
Munich Fabric Start/Keyhouse at Bluezone/January 29-31, 2019
The special double-rapier weaving loom and Vandewiele Jacquard attachment at the Open Hybrid Lightweight Campus (OHLF) in Wolfsburg, Germany.
Unique Vandewiele jacquard technology is proving central to research exploring the potential of hybrid woven technical textiles for a leading German research institution.
TW Special Report
Along with a number of partners, HOFZET® — the Application Center for Wood Fiber Research of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research based in Hannover — has developed new forms of bio-hybrid fibre reinforced composites (bio-HFCs) containing the highest possible bio-based content.
“Bio-HFCs are already successfully employed in a range of sporting goods, such as racing cycle frames, tennis rackets and skis, where they have a number of advantageous properties,” explained technical textiles specialist Jana Winkelmann. “In particular, they have a low density, high vibration damping and flexible mechanical characteristics, in addition to the added benefit of containing substantial renewable raw material content.
“We are developing new and practical combinations of natural and high-performance fibers, such as flax, hemp and viscose with carbon, glass or polyamide in multi-layer fabrics. These have application-oriented properties with the potential to be scaled up for mass production, and are targeted at applications in both the automotive and construction sectors.”
One Of A Kind
The development work is being carried out on a special double-rapier weaving loom and Vandewiele Jacquard attachment — the only one of its kind in Europe — at the Open Hybrid Lightweight Campus (OHLF) in Wolfsburg, not far from Volkswagen AG’s parent plant. It serves as a competence and research centre for cost-efficient lightweight engineering and innovative materials and manufacturing technologies developed by Volkswagen and its industrial and institutional partners.
The OHLF weaving technology is enabling the Fraunhofer experts to cost-effectively produce materials with complex, application-specific textile structures and integrated functions, in widths of up to 50 centimeters.
“We are producing load path-appropriate combinations of the different reinforcing fibres and additional matrix fibers to produce hybrid textiles which will provide simpler handling and faster processing, as well as flexibility in achieving the desired mechanical properties in the finished product,” said Winkelmann.
Samples of the HOFZET® multi-layer fabrics constructed from new combinations of natural and high-performance fibers.
At present, a key HOFZET research focus is on composite reinforcements with a thermoplastic matrix, or organosheets, which offer reversible deformation and recycling potential in comparison with thermoset composite materials. The weaving loom enables the integration of thermoplastic matrix fibers into hybrid textiles as perfect thermoplastic prepregs. These prepregs can be shaped to a required form and turned into composites using hot pressing technology. This approach enables a reduction of process steps, cycle times and production waste. Furthermore, the process allows new design freedom, which enlarges the component spectrum of fiber-reinforced composites. The shaping, for example, can be carried out simply and quickly through thermoforming in a die or in the clamping unit of an injection molding machine.
A robot-controlled fiber-spraying unit further expands possibilities, allowing continuous filaments and yarns to be cut to a specific length and simultaneously wetted in an air stream with a mixture of resin and curing agent and sprayed onto a shaping tool.
Construction
In another project, flax-based multi-layer fabrics produced on the special HOFZET weaving system are being employed to reinforce concrete.
Textile-reinforced concrete has already proved to be durable, formable in diverse shapes and suitable for lightweight construction and so far has been based on carbon or glass fibers to replace the steel which is conventionally employed.
The flax-based textile is embedded in the given component in layers. Its stiffness is variable, so it can be arranged in a desired shape and could conceivably be cast to create curved contours such as domes and rounded wall elements.
“The quality of reinforced concrete made with a flax fabric is higher than that of the reinforced concrete in bridges,” says Jan Binde, a scientist at ZELUBA®, a second department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research based in Braunschweig. “The matrix — that is, the structure — is so dense that harmful substances cannot penetrate the component. This results in a far longer service life of several decades.”
“The natural fibers mesh very well with the building material and we can control how the textile is fixed in the concrete. The textile’s specific surface is variable. A reinforced concrete bridge with a span of 15 meters would be about 35 to 40 centimeters thick, while its flax counterpart would be considerably slimmer at 12 to 16 centimeters. This saves a lot of material.”
HOFZET® technical textiles specialist Jana Winkelmann.
HOFZET next plans to make various modifications to the unique, advanced weaving system, in order to manufacture special spacer fabrics, for which the Vandewiele Jacquard will also play an integral part.
A special feature of the jacquard is that every warp of the fabric can be controlled individually. This results in an unlimited variety of patterns. By using different patterns it is also possible to change the structure from one-layer to multilayer fabric in a single process.
“We have further ideas for such new materials for both the automotive and construction sectors,” Jana Winkelmann concludes. “Watch this space.”
HAMILTON, BERMUDA — January 22, 2019 — Coastal lifestyle apparel brand Coral Coast Clothing is pleased to announce a new partnership with brrr°. Coral Coast Clothing will debut a new line of men’s Bermuda Performance Shorts powered by brrr° cooling technology in Spring/Summer 2019. Inspired by the birthplace of Bermuda shorts, the Coral Coast Bermuda Performance Shorts featuring brrr° put the island lifestyle front and center. They are perfect for work, sport, leisure and everything in between.
“Style and comfort are central to everything we do, and adding brrr° performance cooling
technology to our bestselling line of Bermuda Shorts will keep men dry, comfortable and confident all day long,” said Adam Petty, co-founder and creative director of Coral Coast
Clothing.
brrr°’s disruptive cooling technology uses natural cooling minerals, active wicking and rapid drying to create a “Triple Chill Effect™” that is instant and permanent. It is cool to the touch, and draws heat and moisture away from the body. The cooling effects of brrr° fabrics have been rigorously tested by globally recognized independent labs, and brrr° consistently outperforms other products.
“Coral Coast Clothing defines the island way of life with unbeatable style, and we are excited to combine brrr° Tripe Chill Effect technology to make their clothing more comfortable than ever before,” said Mary-Cathryn Kolb, CEO and founder of brrr°.Coral Coast Clothing Bermuda Performance Shorts with brrr° cooling technology will be available at www.coralcoastclothing.com and at Coral Coast Clothing’s retail store near the waterfront in downtown Hamilton, Bermuda, beginning this spring.
RICHMOND — January 17, 2019 — Governor Ralph Northam today announced that nine companies from across the Commonwealth have graduated from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s (VEDP) Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. The VALET program now has 276 graduates. The VALET program assists Virginia exporters that have firmly established their domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as a growth strategy.
The graduating companies recognized during an event in Richmond today include:
Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC (City of Newport News);
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery LLC (City of Richmond);
Integrated Textile Solutions Inc. (City of Salem);
Lessard Design International LLC (Fairfax County);
NewBold Corp. (Franklin County);
Northern Defense Industries (NDI) Inc. (City of Alexandria);
Sumitomo Machinery Corp. (City of Chesapeake);
Tek Fusion Global Inc. (James City County); and
Wolf Gourmet (Henrico County).
“We are thrilled to celebrate the nine companies graduating from the Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program, which paves the way for businesses to grow internationally through access to top-tier resources, expertise, and technical assistance,” said Governor Northam. “The Commonwealth has long been a global trade hub, and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s VALET program is one of our most powerful tools for expanding this legacy. We look forward to the future success of these Virginia businesses here in the Commonwealth and around the world.”
Currently, the VALET program has 49 companies as participants. The program provides participating companies assistance from a team of experienced international service providers to help meet their international goals. To date, 325 Virginia companies have participated in the VALET program.
“VALET is a core component of VEDP’s efforts to help Virginia companies explore international markets and enhance the economic vitality of the Commonwealth,” said VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret. “This award-winning program has made it possible for more than 300 homegrown businesses to successfully navigate the changing global marketplace and increase international sales, creating valuable trade and trade-related jobs and contributing meaningful growth to Virginia’s economy.”
The Commonwealth of Virginia exports more than $35 billion in goods and services annually. Exports of Virginia’s products and services to the world are vital to the growth of the Commonwealth, supporting more than 257,000 jobs and generating $2 billion in annual tax revenue. VEDP offers numerous programs to assist Virginia companies with selling into the global marketplace and has a network of international market research consultants covering more than 70 countries around the globe.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion within the Commonwealth, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion, and international trade development.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — January 18, 2019 — Miwon Specialty Chemical Co. USA — a specialty chemical manufacturer of raw materials and subsidiary of Miwon Specialty Chemical Co. Ltd. — today announced plans to locate new production operations in Richland County. The company’s $19.5 million investment is projected to create 25 new jobs.
Miwon Specialty Chemical Co. Ltd., based in South Korea, is a global company with manufacturing plants in South Korea and Spain, as well as research and development centers in Austria, China, South Korea and the United States. Miwon began serving the ultraviolet and electron beam (UV/EB) markets in 1983. The company produces and supplies raw materials for eco-friendly UV/EB curing systems that are utilized in a variety of applications, including in high-quality inks for food packaging; in special coatings for wood, plastic and metal; and in adhesives for DVD/Blu-ray discs and mobile phones.
Miwon Specialty Chemical’s new, 65,000-square-foot production facility will be located at 1700 Longwood Road in Columbia, S.C., and is expected to come online in the third quarter of 2020.
“As the leader in energy curing raw materials, Miwon demonstrates its commitment to enhancing its global presence by supporting the U.S. market with local production,” said Miwon Specialty Chemicals Chairman H.W. Kim. “This new plant is Miwon’s first manufacturing facility in the United States that is designated to support the growth of domestic customers, many of whom are located in the southeastern part of the country. We are proud to locate in South Carolina, and particularly in Richland County, which offers a business-friendly atmosphere and strong workforce with positive attitudes that are the core of a healthy business.”
“We’re proud to welcome Miwon Specialty Chemical to the South Carolina business community and look forward to seeing all that we know they will achieve in the Midlands,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “With a workforce at its disposal that is second to none and one of the most competitive business environments in the world, we know that Miwon Specialty Chemical will have the tools necessary for success.”
“In 25 years, South Carolina has gone from being a textile, tobacco and tourism state to a state that can engage in complex, advanced manufacturing,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “Miwon Specialty Chemical’s new, state-of-the-art production facility shows the world South Carolina’s reputation as a manufacturing powerhouse is well-earned.”
“We welcome Miwon Specialty Chemical to Richland County,” said Richland County Economic Development Committee Chairman Paul Livingston. “This new production operation and the 25 jobs it will bring build on our success in growing our manufacturing sector and strengthening our economy.”
FAST FACTS
Miwon Specialty Chemical is locating new operations in Richland County.
$19.5 million investment to create 25 new jobs.
Miwon is a specialty chemical manufacturer of raw materials that are utilized in inks, coatings, adhesives and other market applications.
Miwon Specialty Chemical’s new, 65,000-square-foot production facility will be located at 1700 Longwood Road in Columbia, S.C.and is expected to come online in the third quarter of 2020.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — January 17, 2019 — Fuyao North America Inc., a venture of China-based Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd. (Fuyao Group), is launching a new processing center in Greenville County. The company’s $16.1 million investment is projected to create approximately 70 new jobs.
Since 1987, the Fuyao Group has been producing high-quality automotive glass for original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers. Operating as one of the largest producer of automotive glass worldwide, the company holds more than 300 patents and manufactures four million glass car sets in the United States annually.
Fuyao North America Inc. will be establishing a new, 182,000-square-foot processing center with light production capabilities at 110 Milacron Drive in Fountain Inn, S.C. Hiring for the new positions is projected to begin in this quarter.
The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has awarded a $100,000 Set Aside grant to Greenville County to assist with costs associated with the project.
“Today marks another chapter for our company as we invest in this new Greenville County processing center,” said Fuyao North America Inc. General Manager Dan Martin. “We are thankful for the assistance we have received from the state and county governments, and we look forward to making a difference in the local community.”
“We’re excited to welcome Fuyao North America to the South Carolina business community,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “Any time a company chooses to call South Carolina home, it’s a testament to our great workforce and business-friendly environment. The 70 new jobs will have a big impact in Greenville County.”
“The automotive industry continues to be a real job creator in our state’s economy, and today’s announcement is another sign of that,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “Fuyao Group’s decision to locate new operations in Greenville County further builds on our reputation for job creation related to foreign investment.”
“Fuyao North America was attracted to upstate South Carolina due to the great opportunities in our automotive manufacturing sector,” said Greenville County Council Chairman H.G. “Butch” Kirven. “As a globally-respected business focused on innovation, product excellence and customer service, we welcome them to Greenville County.”
“We are ecstatic that Fuyao North America has chosen the city of Fountain Inn as the location for its new processing center,” said Fountain Inn City Administrator Shawn Bell. “We look forward to having another international company in the Diamond Tip of the Golden Strip.”
“South Carolina Ports Authority congratulates Fuyao North America Inc. on their new facility and looks forward to supporting their operations through the Port of Charleston and Inland Port Greer,” said S.C. Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome. “The Port is pleased to play a role in the continued growth of processing center activity in South Carolina.”
FAST FACTS
Fuyao North America Inc. is opening a new Greenville County processing center.
$16.1 million investment to create approximately 70 new jobs.
Fuyao North America Inc. is a venture of Fuyao Group, an industry leader in automotive glass production.
Fuyao North America Inc. will be establishing a new, 182,000-square-foot processing center at 110 Milacron Drive in Fountain Inn, S.C.
AMSTERDAM — January 21, 2019 — With a literal interpretation of its show theme “Join the Experience,” Mimaki Europe invites Salon C!Print visitors to participate in its celebrations of Mimaki France’s 10th anniversary throughout the show. Fun activities — including a wind tunnel for the more adventurous — and prize giveaways will take place on the Mimaki stand (2L22) from 5-7 February 2019 at Salon C!Print in Lyon.
Mimaki will also showcase the extensive business-enhancing applications possible with its range of sign graphics, industrial products and textiles and apparel printers, and participate, as a partner, in the show’s PLUG&PLAY area. A space dedicated to trends, innovation and experimentation, Mimaki’s small format LED UV UJF-MKII printer will enable visitors to personalize their own products, envisioning their latest campaign or opting for something more personal.
“Our aim is to inspire visitors at C!Print with applications that are relevant to them and their businesses, but also stimulate new ideas. Mimaki has an incredibly comprehensive range of printers so there’s something there to suit all requirements,” stated Danna Drion, marketing manager, Mimaki Europe. “From our unique four-layer technology for backlit signage to five-layer printing for printing on both sides of a transparent substrate to various promotional items, and home décor, Mimaki really does have something for everyone!”
Mimaki will have seven printers in operation at the exhibition, with highlights including:
Mimaki UCJV300-75 — The award-winning UV integrated printer/cutter for sign and graphics features a white ink capability. It uniquely enables four-layer printing, ideal for creating transformative graphics for backlit applications, and five-layer printing for producing different designs on both sides of the substrate simultaneously, perfect for transparent film.
Mimaki UJF-7151plus — A high accuracy, direct-to-object UV flatbed printer with a maximum print size of 710mm x 510mm. This state-of-the-art high quality and high-performance printer is ideal for wide range of promotional products, ID cards and personalized gifts.
Mimaki TS55-1800 — Mimaki’s latest dye sublimation printer is ideal for interior fabrics, sports and fashion apparel, flags and tapestries. Offering continuous operation, this printer is designed for users that demand high productivity and high-quality print. Featuring a plotter roll for small runs or a mini jumbo roll for long runs, the TS55-1800 Series has the flexibility to adapt to changing business needs.
“We’re also taking time at the show to mark the ten-year milestone since we established our Mimaki France office in Paris. The facility represents Mimaki’s ongoing commitment to the French market and a determination to ensure each market is supported with first-rate local service. Mimaki is not only a specialist in added value technology, but in customer support too. We’re keen to celebrate that,” Drion concluded.
ERIE, Pa. — January 21, 2019 — Eriez® President and CEO Tim Shuttleworth announced that Charlie Ingram has been promoted to the newly created position of executive vice president and chief marketing officer, effective January 1, 2019. Ingram served most recently as Eriez vice president of sales and marketing.
Shuttleworth says, “Over his 25 years of dedicated service to Eriez, Charlie has played a key role in developing and executing sales and marketing strategies which have significantly contributed to our company’s substantial growth and worldwide success. He is an extremely effective, respected and strategic leader in the industries we serve.”
As executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Ingram will oversee global marketing operations and facilitate greater collaboration and standardization of marketing resources utilized by the company’s 10 subsidiaries and 12 manufacturing locations. Ingram will champion the introduction of new Eriez products to target countries, as well as managing product line re-alignment and standardizing product designs based on market intelligence. Other duties include monitoring the professional growth of Eriez’ sales and marketing team, enhancing customer satisfaction through improved sales processes and tracking global marketing performance.
Ingram joined Eriez in 1994 as National Sales Manager. Prior to that, he was manager of International Marketing at Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co., also serving as general manager of the company’s Canadian affiliate. His career also includes 10 years at Warner & Swasey, a machine tool manufacturer, where he rose to manager of Product Sales. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Denison University and received a certificate in advanced management from the University of Tennessee.
Ingram serves on the Advisory Board of Mercyhurst University’s Walker College of Business, the Sterling Technologies Inc. Board of Directors, and as a Trustee Fellow of Denison University. He is also a member of the Edinboro University President’s Advisory Council and is a member of the Manufacturers’ Agents National Association (MANA) Board of Directors. Previously, Ingram was the president of the Erie Philharmonic Board of Directors, Sight Center of Northwest Pennsylvania, and Process Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (PEMA).
Eriez is recognized as world authority in separation technologies. The company’s magnetic lift and separation, metal detection, fluid recycling, flotation, materials feeding, screening, conveying and controlling equipment have application in the process, metalworking, packaging, plastics, rubber, recycling, food, mining, aggregate and textile industries. Eriez manufactures and markets these products through 12 international subsidiaries located on six continents.
NEW YORK CITY — January 18, 2019 — J.Crew Group Inc. announced today that Millard “Mickey” Drexler, chairman and former CEO of J.Crew, has retired to devote his full time to the development of Drexler Ventures LLC and other interests. The company’s Board of Directors has elected Chad Leat to succeed Drexler as chairman, effective immediately. Leat has served as a director of J.Crew since January 2017. Drexler will continue to serve as a strategic advisor to the Office of the CEO and the board.
“It’s been a privilege to have had more than 15 years with J.Crew Group both as CEO and chairman of the board. J.Crew and Madewell have been long admired as iconic American brands, and I am thankful to have been a part of their evolution throughout the years,” said Drexler. “I look forward to working with the Office of the CEO and the board as a strategic advisor to help support J.Crew’s long term success.”
“I’m honored to serve as the next chairman of J.Crew,” said Leat. “Importantly, I want to recognize Mickey for his years of invaluable contributions to the business and to the J.Crew brand, and to thank him for his continued strategic counsel to the board and the Office of the CEO. As chairman, my priorities will be to ensure that the J.Crew brand moves quickly to capitalize on recent momentum and to support Madewell’s growth towards becoming a one billion dollar brand, while also working with the board to identify strong, permanent leadership to guide the Company in its next chapter.”
Mickey Drexler joined J.Crew as CEO in 2003. Under his leadership, J.Crew grew into a leading global fashion brand. In 2006, Drexler also founded Madewell. Drexler retired from the CEO role in July 2017, and subsequently founded Drexler Ventures to invest in and advise emerging brands, including Outdoor Voices and Warby Parker. Prior to J.Crew, Drexler spent 18 years at Gap Inc., where he was named president in 1987 and CEO in 1995. While at Gap, he founded Old Navy and launched Gap Kids and led the company during a period of significant growth. Before joining Gap in 1983, Drexler served as president and CEO of Ann Taylor from 1980 to 1983. Drexler currently serves as chairman of Outdoor Voices and is a board member at Warby Parker. He also previously served as a director of Apple Inc. from 1999 to 2015.
Chad Leat is a retired vice chairman of Global Banking at Citigroup with nearly 30 years of markets and banking experience. He is an acknowledged leader and innovator in corporate credit and M&A finance, and has built and led numerous successful and profitable businesses at Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and their predecessor companies. Leat currently serves on the Board of Directors of Norwegian Cruise Line and TPG Pace Holdings Corp. (TPGH.UN), and as chairman of MidCap Financial, PLC. Leat also is dedicated to many civic and philanthropic organizations. He has served on the boards of several charitable organizations, and is currently a member of Economic Club of New York and a trustee of the Parrish Art Museum.
