EDANA Wins Two European Association Awards

BRUSSELS — February 27,2018 — EDANA awards in two categories at the 2018 European Association Awards held at the Steigenberger Hotel in Brussels on February 23.

EDANA won the Best Association Conference Award for OUTLOOK ™ 2017 and was honored with silver in the category for Best Provision of Industry Information and Intelligence for EDANA’s Marketing Intelligence service and tools.

“Last October, during one of the peak busy times of 2017, which was a hectic year overall for our team, I was crazy enough to burden us with this additional challenge: why not, to complement the on-going appreciation of our members, apply and compete for the acclaim of our peers in the most challenging environment, alongside dozens of other excellent European associations?” asked Pierre Wiertz, general manager of EDANA. “The result has been a most rewarding surprise and honor.”

“In our dossier, we emphasized the fact that although OUTLOOK™ is the annual must-attend event for all decision-makers in this industry, EDANA is not just content with a ‘copy paste’ strategy year-on-year”, said Natacha Defeche, marketing and communications director. “For the 2017 edition the team set 3 targets; match the conference content with the industry’s reality, grow attendance while keeping the promised quality of interaction and maximise participant satisfaction.”

Empowering the team with new communication techniques and enabling a willingness to take risks by adopting new features were the main drivers in achieving these goals, resulting in a record attendance and online engagement of the wider nonwovens community.”

Jacques Prigneaux, Market Analysis and Economic Affairs director, saw EDANA’s second award as a testament to what the association’s business intelligence offering means to the membership “This silver award is our peer’s recognition of the achievements of a tremendous 10-year journey since the creation of the EDANA market intelligence department. It is very rewarding, and encouraging, to receive this confirmation that our statistics, reports and forecasts add such value.”

Posted February 27,2018

Source: EDANA

Albany International Announces New Director Nominee

ROCHESTER, N.H. — February 23,2018 — Albany International Corp. announced today that its Board of Directors has nominated Lee C. Wortham as a candidate for election to the Board at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be held on May 11, 2018. In connection with Wortham’s nomination, current Director John C. Standish has informed the company of his intention to retire from the Board, effective May 11, 2018. Christine L. Standish, a Director of the company since 1997, has been re-nominated and will remain a candidate for re-election at the May meeting.

Wortham is a director and officer of the J.S. Standish Co. The J.S. Standish Co. holds or controls shares representing approximately 53 percent of the combined voting power of all stockholders of the company.

Wortham has been a partner of Barrantys LLC, a consultant and service provider to wealthy families and family offices, since 2007, and during that time has been an adviser to the Standish family. Wortham has also served as a director of Evans Bancorp Inc. since 2011, and currently serves as vice chairman.

Prior to joining Barrantys, Wortham served in senior management positions at First Niagara Financial Group Inc. (2005 to 2007), The Bank of New York (1999 to 2005), and Chase Manhattan Bank and Chemical Bank (currently JP Morgan Chase & Co.) (1985 to 1999).

Albany Chairman Erkie Kailbourne said, “The Board is pleased to nominate Lee Wortham as a candidate for election at the May meeting of stockholders. We believe that Lee’s extensive experience in the financial services industry will make him a valuable contributor to our Board. As a long-time adviser to the Standish family, and a director and executive officer of the J.S. Standish Company, his election will also preserve the continuity of the Standish family’s Board presence, as John Standish retires from the Board at the end of his current term in May.

“The Board also thanks John Standish for his many years of service and support, both as an employee and a Board member. We are sorry to be losing such a valued colleague and friend, and we wish John the very best.”

Posted February 26,2018

Source: Albany International Corp.

The Shop: Assembled By Hagerty Launches “Keeping Future Drivers Safe” Initiative

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — February 26,2018 — Keeping children of all ages safe while in the car is the focus of Hagerty’s new “Keeping Future Drivers Safe” initiative.

The initiative will use proceeds from purchases at “The Shop: Assembled by Hagerty,” Hagerty’s exclusive collection of custom-made, car-themed merchandise, to purchase car seats for low-income families.

“Hagerty and The Shop are committed to preserving driving for generations to come, and that starts with protecting future drivers,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO, Hagerty.

Motor vehicle crashes are the Number 1 cause of death among U.S. children under 15, according to an analysis by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Between 2010 and 2014, 2,885 children died in vehicle accidents, an average of 11 a week. Forty three percent were either not restrained or improperly restrained.

For 2018, The Shop is partnering in this effort with Baby2Baby, a nonprofit that provides low-income children, ages 0-12, with diapers, clothing and all the basic necessities that every child deserves. They will serve more than 180,000 children in Los Angeles this year and tens of thousands more in over 20 cities across the country through their national network.  Car seats are one of the many essential items that Baby2Baby distributes to families in need.

The Shop: Assembled by Hagerty carries a full line of apparel, accessories, garage and home items, and gifts, all aimed at motoring enthusiasts of all ages. Featured products that were voted most popular by customers include a steering wheel-themed travel mug, a “Three pedals, no problem” baseball cap, a “No I’m Not the Original Owner” T-shirt, blueprint polo shirts, a “Here’s to Good Friends and Great Cars” coaster set, a nail polish detailing kit, a whiskey decanter, and auto-themed necktie, cufflinks and pocket squares.

Posted February 26,2018

Source: Hagerty

GEODIS Pilot With Locus Robotics Doubles Picking Productivity And Enhances Employee Experience

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — February 26,2018 — To address the record-low unemployment rate (~3%) and the strain on labor during peak seasons, GEODIS and a major online women’s apparel client partnered to pilot collaborative each-picking using 30 autonomous mobile robots from Locus Robotics in a 139,000 square foot warehouse in Indianapolis. The location handles over 30,000 SKUs and uses a manual picking process that is complex and leaves little margin for error.

“We’re committed to innovative solutions for our customers to address industry-wide challenges,” says Eric Douglas, Geodis Executive vice president of Technology & Engineering. “The labor market is tight, and we want to enable our team to better execute for our customers. And in this case, the technological support of robots effectively solved the challenge.”

The success of the pilot started with simplifying Geodis employee training. Rather than spending hours in the classroom, team members were instructed on how to pick to the robots on the warehouse floor, completing the training within a matter of minutes. The messaging on the robots is displayed in their preferred languages (English, Burmese, Chin and Spanish) allowing for faster absorption of training and a decrease in picking errors. Picking units to the robots also reduced physical demand by eliminating the need to pull pick carts and decreasing overall travel.

And the results have been staggering. Now, 80 percent of the units are picked to the robots daily. Employee productivity has doubled and there was at least 50 percent reduction in time to train new employees.

“This is the first of what we anticipate to be multiple deployments of the robots this year,” said Eric Douglas, as Geodis looks to expand the partnership with Locus Robotics in more warehouses with their retail and ecommerce customers.

“While technology can never replace the human aspect of business, the Locus Robotics solution has proven to be a great asset to assist our operations to increase productivity,” said Mike Honious, COO, Geodis.

“We are very proud to welcome Geodis as a customer,” said Rick Faulk, CEO, Locus Robotics. “We are not only able to help Geodis realize immediate productivity gains, but our solution is able to scale on-demand to meet the growing future needs of their customers. Our robots enhance more than worker productivity, they improve worker job satisfaction by removing some of the more physically demanding aspects of the picking process. We look forward to continuing to help the Geodis team drive operating efficiencies.”

Both Geodis and Locus Robotics will be exhibiting this exciting new technology at Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) Retail Supply Chain Conference in Phoenix February 25-28.

Posted February 26,2018

Source: GEODIS

KPS Capital Partners To Sell American & Efird To Platinum Equity Capital Partners

NEW YORK CITY — February 26,2018 — KPS Capital Partners LP (KPS) announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement, through an affiliate, to sell its portfolio company American & Efird (A&E) to Platinum Equity Capital Partners.  Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

A&E is the largest U.S. manufacturer and the world’s second-largest manufacturer and distributor of premium quality industrial and consumer sewing thread, embroidery thread and technical textiles for the apparel, automotive components, home furnishings, medical supply, footwear and diversified industrial end-markets. Through its global network, A&E’s products are manufactured in 21 countries, distributed in 50 countries and sold in over 100 countries. A&E is a recognized industry leader in environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

KPS acquired A&E in 2011 from Ruddick Corp. (now a subsidiary of The Kroger Co.) in a highly complex corporate carve-out transaction.

Under KPS’ ownership, A&E was transformed into a truly global business, doubled its revenue and nearly tripled its operating cash flow (EBITDA). KPS made A&E a better business by optimizing its global manufacturing footprint, investing in its manufacturing facilities, innovation, new product development and technology, and by implementing a process and culture of continuous improvement. As a result of KPS’ global vision and strategy for A&E, the Company acquired majority control of four market-leading former joint ventures in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China and India, and also acquired Gütermann GmbH, the fourth-largest company in the global premium thread industry. As a result of these acquisitions, A&E expanded into adjacent geographies, products and end-markets, and successfully transformed the global premium thread industry.

Michael Psaros, a managing partner of KPS, stated: “A&E exemplifies the KPS investment strategy of seeing value where others do not, buying right and making businesses better, consistently executed across decades, economic cycles, geographies and industries.

“We take pride in A&E’s extraordinary transformation under our ownership. A&E capitalized on KPS’ experience and ability to build industry-leading companies on a global basis. We congratulate and thank Les Miller, A&E’s Chief Executive Officer, his immediate predecessor Fred Jackson, and the senior management team for their strategic vision, brilliant execution and passion.

“We also thank A&E’s former joint venture partners Brandix Lanka Limited, Brandot International Ltd., Ningbo Veken Elite Group Co., Ltd. and, especially, Vardhman Textiles Limited for their valuable contributions to A&E’s long-term success.”

Les Miller added: “KPS was the only investor to recognize the potential to create value by investing in our company. Working in partnership with KPS, we invested significantly in our operations, technology and people, becoming a far better company. We are grateful to KPS for providing our team with expertise, capital and the resources needed to acquire and integrate five acquisitions, and for creating a lasting culture of innovation and continuous improvement. We are confident in our growth trajectory, and will continue to provide our customers with the highest levels of product quality, innovation and customer service.”

Completion of the transaction, which is expected in the second quarter of 2018, is subject to customary closing conditions.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as lead financial advisor and Nomura Securities International Inc. also served as financial advisor to KPS and A&E with respect to the transaction.

Posted February 26,2018

Source: KPS Capital Partners LP

Clariant Publishes Its Integrated Report 2017

MUTTENZ, Switzerland — February 26,2018 — Clariant, a specialty chemical manufacturer, today announced the publication of its Integrated Report 2017. The report combines financial and non-financial elements to provide an in-depth view of Clariant’s holistic approach to creating added value for customers, employees, shareholders, and the environment.

This year’s edition also features an enhanced Materiality Matrix. Based on an incisive review process with input from over 200 internal and external stakeholders, important long-term value creation themes for Clariant were defined. Various interviews throughout the report then provide detailed insight into how these themes are managed.

“When a company adopts an integrated reporting approach, it highlights that sustainability is embedded in all its activities”, said Dr. Rudolf Wehrli, Chairman of Clariant’s Board of Directors. “We further expanded integrated reporting within Clariant by building on the experiences of last year and by incorporating the opinions of a variety of internal and external stakeholders. This ensures that the mutual impacts between financial and non-financial indicators are considered and used to steer the business and review its performance.”

The complete report, including the Corporate Governance Report, Compensation Report, Financial Report and GRI report, is available on http://reports.clariant.com and can be downloaded in English and German. A condensed printed version of the report in English or German can be ordered via the company website. As a result of the integrated reporting approach, there will no longer be a separate Sustainability Report.

Posted February 26,2018

Source: Clariant

Beaulieu Fibres International Honoured With Yanfeng Automotive Interiors “Distinguished Supplier” Award For Second Consecutive Year

WIELSBEKE, Belgium — February 26,2018 — Beaulieu Fibres International, the European polyolefin fiber producer, is once again the proud recipient of a “Distinguished Supplier” European Supplier Award from Yanfeng Automotive Interiors (YFAI). It is the second year in succession that the global leader in automotive interiors has recognized the significant expertise and support provided by Beaulieu Fibres International.

The very close cooperation between the two companies in 2017 enabled YFAI to successfully develop its latest generation of lightweight door panels, helping to further reduce weight. The technical team at Beaulieu Fibres International worked closely with YFAI’s development team to achieve this important step forward for the automotive industry.

Beaulieu Fibres International was presented with the award at YFAI’s annual European Supplier Award ceremony held this year on February 7th at its European headquarters in Neuss, Germany.

A total of 15 suppliers providing plastics, resins, chemicals, foams, trim and metal components received the European Supplier Award in various categories in recognition of their outstanding performance in 2017. Suppliers are rated on the factors of quality, cost, customer satisfaction, development, technology and innovation, and service.

Posted February 26,2018

Source: Beaulieu International Group

RadiciGroup-POLIMI Partnership — UV Protection And Innovative Design For Sailing Caps

MILAN — February 26,2018 — Creating a mini capsule collection of caps for both professional and amateur yachters and regatta sailors. That was the objective of the UV Protection and Innovative Cap Design workshop, which recently took place at the scientific-technological university Politecnico di Milano for students enrolled in the Fashion Design Master’s program.

As in the Sportswear Design workshop held in the autumn of 2017, the participating students from countries around the globe were split into 4 workgroups with the goal of developing collection proposals and presenting prototypes.

Besides RadiciGroup — which introduced the students to various yarns that could be used for the specific application — two other companies collaborated on the workshop: Master Italia S.p.A., a cap and hat specialist; and Slam S.p.A., a manufacturer of sailing sportswear.

“After the positive experience of our collaboration with POLIMI on the design of garments for the Alpine Rescue Corps of Lombardy, in the second workshop we continued our young designer training program starting from the knowledge of raw material characteristics,” noted Marco De Silvestri, marketing director of the RadiciGroup Comfort Fibers Business Area. “The students chose their materials from the range of synthetic fibers proposed by RadiciGroup. They matched the functions of the different parts of the cap with fibres not only ensuring high UVA, UVB, and UVC protection, but also capable of retaining their high-performance characteristics over time.”

The RadiciGroup yarn portfolio includes a wide range of products incorporating additives to provide protection up to UPF 50+. The yarns are also available in solution-dyed and r-PET versions, so as to protect the body and reduce the environmental impact of the garments at the same time.

Workshop organization and activities. Firstly, the student workgroups analyzed the sailing wear market and evaluated the performance of the main garments already

available. They also identified the real needs of sailors, by interviewing people directly involved in the sport. Then they studied the potential damage caused by excessive unprotected solar exposure. At this point, all the workgroups made their choice of materials: the highest possible UV shielding effect, together with the best wind and salt water resistance. All of that was done taking into account the aesthetic and functional features, such as detachable cap parts to allow for washing, a way to combine sunglasses with the cap and a mechanism to secure the cap to a polo shirt.

The workgroups also dealt with the safety aspects of sailing, considering even the use of electronic devices to monitor the sailors’ health and to automatically signal emergency situations, if needed.

Professor Maurizia Botti, workshop coordinator, also expressed satisfaction with the course outcome: “All the projects boast innovative and technologically advanced aspects. The academic world always encourages students to design new garments that are beautiful, useful and high-performance in the shortest possible time. That is because the apparel industry is constantly evolving, and it is important for young people to learn sooner, rather than later, how to quickly take on the challenges thrown their way by the market.”

Posted February 26,2018

Source: RADICIGROUP

CHOMARAT Unveils Its New Multiaxial NCF Reinforcement
 For Thermoplastics Plus An Innovative Carbon Reinforcement For Wind Energy

LE CHEYLARD, France — February 26,2018 — CHOMARAT will present its latest innovations at the 2018 JEC World trade show on March 6-8 at Paris Nord Villepinte, Hall 5A, Stand J42.

Chomarat, the composite reinforcement specialist group, is launching its multiaxial glass NCF for thermoplastic composites. The unique patented stitching yarn used can withstand processing temperatures to 400°C, making it an innovative industrial solution for thermoplastic composites and an alternative to the woven reinforcements used especially in the automotive sector. For the first time, Chomarat is also exhibiting a unidirectional carbon NCF reinforcement that is adapted to the productivity and performance requirements in the wind energy sector.

An Innovative Industrial Solution To Reinforce Automotive Thermoplastics

Thanks to a unique patented stitching yarn, the glass NCF reinforcement (G- PLY™) developed by Chomarat offers new possibilities in thermoplastic RTM and organosheet processes. “This is an especially innovative solution, utilizing stitching yarns that are compatible with processing temperatures to 400°C. These multiaxials improve the performance and provide a lot of construction freedom in terms of fiber orientation. These new design possibilities contribute to structural optimization. The quest for more lightweight vehicles, shorter cycle times and lower cost is a major issue for all builders,” explains Chomarat Automotive Market Manager Francisco De Oliveira.
 This new heat-stable G-PLY reinforcement can withstand very high processing temperatures without deformation and provides optimal mechanical performance.

A Carbon UD To Reinforce Extra-Thick Wind Turbine Structures

For the first time, Chomarat is exhibiting an infusion-moulded laminate made with 150 plies of its new unidirectional carbon C-PLY. This 600g/m2, high-permeability NCF can be used to create extra-thick structures, in particular the wind-turbine blade stiffeners, or spar caps. “Cost reduction is the challenge in the wind energy industry. Increasing the blade length by incorporating carbon stiffeners increases power, and so it also lowers the cost of the energy,” says Chomarat Wind Energy Market Manager Raphaël PLEYNET. The carbon UD developed by Chomarat provides a solution to achieve the goal to optimize the weight/power ratio. The UD’s high permeability reduces cycle times and lowers the blade production costs.

Professor Sung Ha from the University of Hanyang will give a conference on composite challenges in the wind energy sector at 11:30 am on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at JEC World.

Posted February 26,2018

Source: CHOMARAT

Atlas Material Testing Technology Launches Redesigned Website

MT. PROSPECT, Ill. — February 26,2018 — Weathering technology is a mix of science and experience. Atlas Material Testing Technology is bringing both to its newly redesigned website — www.atlas-mts.com. As a global leader in materials testing, Atlas, used extensive customer research to simplify site navigation and deliver information-rich content that users are seeking.

Visitors can now access an expanded Knowledge Center offering in-depth product information, videos and recorded webinars. They can also sign up for a full calendar of educational events including webinars, seminars and workshops. There is also a calendar listing conferences Atlas hosts throughout the year on material testing trends and advancements in weathering testing.

A newly added Applications section provides detailed content for vertical industry applications, such as automotive, textiles and pharmaceuticals.

“Our customers told us that they were looking for more product and testing information that applied to the needs of their particular industries,” said Andreas Riedl, Director of Marketing. “The navigation, content and organization of our redesign reflects their input.”

In second quarter 2018, the redesigned website will also be available in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German and Spanish, in addition to the current English version.

Posted February 26,2018

Source: Atlas Material Testing Technology

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