J. Geiger Shading Expanding Operations In Charleston County 

COLUMBIA, S.C. — April 10, 2018 — J. Geiger Shading, a provider of modern window shading, is expanding its existing Charleston County operations. The company’s $1.1 million investment is projected to create 26 new jobs.

J.Geiger Shading is a designer, manufacturer and provider of high-end window shades to architects, builders and developers. Offering both wireless and digital integration, the company’s fascia-free shades are designed to work with all automation and lighting control systems currently on the market.

To accommodate its continued growth, the company will be moving its offices from downtown Charleston to 7421 Industry Drive in North Charleston, S.C.

“We are very excited for the expansion of our manufacturing facilities and team in the Lowcountry,” said James Geiger, CEO, J. Geiger Shading. “Our rapid growth has given us the ability to take a product that was born in Charleston and deliver it to customers all over the world. We appreciate the support of the S.C. Department of Commerce and look forward to growing our business community together.”

“We’re always proud to celebrate the success of one of our existing companies in South Carolina. Today, we congratulate J. Geiger Shading for making the decision to expand its Lowcountry operations,” said Henry McMaster, S.C. governor. “This is a milestone for the company, and we look forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come.”

“South Carolina has a long history of making things and making them well,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “We appreciate the continued commitment of J. Geiger Shading, a dependable member of our state’s business community, and we know these new jobs will make a real difference in the community.”

“We are thrilled to see cutting-edge companies like J. Geiger Shading finding success in Charleston County,” said Charleston County Council Chairman Victor Rawl. “The addition of 26 new jobs is welcomed. We are pleased they chose to partner with our community and look forward to their continued growth and success.”

“Providing the right business environment for our local companies to flourish is key in facilitating the growth and success of our region’s economy,”  said North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey. “We welcome J. Geiger Shading to North Charleston, and we appreciate the 26 new jobs and employment opportunities that will benefit our community.”

“J. Geiger Shading’s expansion was a seamless team effort and an example of our dedication to existing industry in Charleston County,” said Charleston County Economic Development Director Steve Dykes. “Our Business Concierge team stands ready with the S.C. Department of Commerce and the City of North Charleston to support their growth in the Lowcountry.”

Fast Facts

  • J. Geiger Shading is expanding its operations in Charleston County.
  • $1.1 million investment to create 26 new jobs.
  • J.Geiger Shading is a provider of modern window shading to a variety of suppliers.
  • To accommodate its continued growth, the company will be moving its offices from downtown Charleston to 7421 Industry Drive in North Charleston, S.C.

Posted April 11, 2018

Source: South Carolina Office of the Governor

Albaad USA To Add 302 New Jobs In Rockingham County Expansion

RALEIGH, N.C. — April 10, 2018 — Albaad USA Inc., a multinational manufacturer of wet wipes and other hygiene products, will expand its U.S. operations in Reidsville, creating 302 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $45 million to produce additional lines of personal care products in Rockingham County.

“International manufacturers appreciate North Carolina’s outstanding business climate and our strong focus on education and workforce training,” said Governor Cooper. “Today’s announcement is more proof that North Carolina is the place for companies from around the globe to grow and succeed.”

Albaad USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Albaad Holdings, with headquarters in Israel. The company maintains manufacturing facilities in Israel, Germany, Poland, and the United States. The company produces products in two broad categories, wet wipes and feminine hygiene. Leading products include baby wipes, cosmetics and household wipes, and tampons.

“We are very pleased to continue expanding our Albaad USA business in Reidsville,” said Gidi Tenne, plant manager, Albaad. “We continue to build on a great workforce, culture and community that supports advanced manufacturing jobs in Rockingham County. This merging of technology and a strong, creative workforce is the foundation of our success and we look forward to continued growth in the future.”

“In 2004, I was part of the team that recruited this outstanding Israeli company to North Carolina,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “It’s been a great pleasure to watch their growth over the years, and we congratulate Albaad as they expand and add jobs once again.”

The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. (EDPNC) led the state’s support for the company’s expansion.

Albaad will add a variety of positions with this expansion, including engineers, technicians, and production and logistics personnel.  Salaries for the new positions will average $38,300, which is higher than the current Rockingham County average wage of $34,620.

Albaad’s expansion in Rockingham County will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project will grow the state’s economy by an estimated $810 million. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $3,688,200, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.

Because Albaad chose to expand in Rockingham County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 2, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving nearly $410,000 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. When new jobs are created in a Tier 2 county such as Rockingham, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps more economically challenged communities elsewhere in the state.

“I am deeply grateful to Albaad for its loyalty, commitment and ongoing contributions to Rockingham County. It is a testament to the high quality of our local workforce that this company, which could have gone anywhere, chose to expand its operations in Reidsville,” said Senate Leader Phil Berger. “I am also grateful to Gov. Roy Cooper for his very wise decision to nominate Tony Copeland as his Secretary of Commerce and I’m very proud of the productive working relationship we have on economic development.”

“Many economic development partners worked together to bring this investment to Reidsville,” said N.C. Representative Kyle Hall. “These community partners will continue to collaborate with Albaad to help the company succeed now and for many years to come.”

Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the EDPNC on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Duke Energy, Rockingham County, the City of Reidsville, The Rockingham County Center for Economic Development, Small Business and Tourism, and the City of Reidsville Economic Development Department.

Posted April 11, 2018

Source: North Carolina Office of the Governor

OEKO-TEX® Launches GMO Test For Organic Cotton

ZURICH — April 11, 2018 — The popularity of organic cotton has grown substantially in recent years. Consumers are increasingly worried about the environment and about harmful substances in the products they
buy for themselves and their families. For them, organic foods and textiles are good choices, and are products for which they are willing to pay a premium. But, in return for that extra investment, consumers expect the organic products they buy to be genuine and verifiable as such. New testing from OEKO-TEX® helps companies throughout the global supply chain easily test their organic cotton products for GMOs (genetically modified organisms), a molecular-level indicator of whether or not cotton products actually meet a fundamental definition of organic.

Today, about 70 percent of cotton globally is genetically altered. For example, some forms of cotton have been engineered to be herbicide-resistant. Others have been infused with an insecticide to kill pests like boll weevils. While the industry can make strong arguments in favor of these cotton DNA modifications, the producers and consumers of organic cotton reject them. They place greater value on the environmental, social, and product safety paybacks that they perceive organic cotton offers.

To qualify as organic and to be marketed as such, cotton must meet a comprehensive list of criteria governing the cultivation, processing, and segregation of the cotton. One major requirement is that the cotton plants cannot be genetically engineered. With today’s complex, global, multi- sourced supply chain, how can a manufacturer be confident that organic cotton products are not contaminated with non-organic cotton so that customer and consumer expectations as well as regulations are consistently met?

New GMO testing by Oeko-Tex provides a straightforward manner to test for genetically modified organisms in organic cotton. Samples are analyzed using RT-PCR (reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction) technology, which can identify known genetically modified materials at a limit of 0.1%. Test results clearly indicate whether these GMOs were detected or not. Organic cotton products seeking STANDARD 100 by Oeko-Tex certification will be required to undergo GMO testing. GMO testing is optional for other products. Currently, the GMO testing technology is limited to cotton.

“We learned in our ‘The Key To Confidence’ study that consumers who buy eco-friendly clothing and home textiles are likely to verify claims,” says Georg Dieners, Oeko-Tex General Secretary. “The new GMO testing gives manufacturers and marketers confidence that their organic cotton products meet regulatory and consumer expectations with regards to GMOs as well as the independent, traceable documentation to prove it.”

Posted April 11, 2018

Source: OEKO-TEX®

Columbia Sportswear Company Announces Intention To Acquire Remaining Interest In China Joint Venture From Swire Resources Limited

PORTLAND, Ore. — April 10, 2018 — Columbia Sportswear Co. today announced its intent to acquire the remaining 40-percent interest in Columbia Sportswear Commercial (Shanghai) Co., the joint venture that it currently operates in China with Swire Resources Ltd., a subsidiary of Swire Pacific Ltd. The acquisition is subject to various conditions, including regulatory approval in China, and is expected to be completed on or about January 1, 2019.

Tim Boyle, Columbia’s president and CEO, said: “We thank Swire Resources for contributing to the success and growth of the Columbia brand in China. They have been an exceptional partner for us over the years and we look forward to continuing our strong relationship in Hong Kong and Macau going forward. We are very pleased with the performance of our joint venture since 2014. We have positioned the Columbia brand for long-term sustained growth in the crucial Chinese market. The acquisition is consistent with our strategy to accelerate investment as a brand-led, consumer-first business in the areas of highest growth potential for our existing brands”.

Richard Sell, director, Trading and Industrial Division of Swire Pacific, said: “The strategic partnership between Columbia Sportswear and Swire Resources in greater China has been a proven success over many years. As the mainland China business embarks on its next phase of growth, we wish Columbia every success. We look forward to continuing to develop our Hong Kong and Macau business together and building our partnership over the years ahead”.

The joint venture began operations on January 1, 2014, with headquarters in Shanghai. Columbia Sportswear Co. currently owns 60 percent of the operation; Swire owns 40 percent, with profits and losses shared in similar proportions. The joint venture had an initial term of 20 years but included a provision for the purchase or sale of the minority interest any time after the fifth year.

The joint venture’s 2017 sales in China totaled approximately $168 million, generating low-teens operating margin. Sales are on pace to achieve high single-digit growth in 2018. Future plans include continued investments in building the Columbia brand in China, as well as expansion of direct and dealer-operated retail locations. We also intend to maintain the existing management team, staff, dealers, and distribution networks that have helped the Columbia brand flourish in China.

Jason Zhu will continue as general manager of Columbia Sportswear Commercial (Shanghai) Co.

As of December 31, 2017, the joint venture operated 86 retail store locations in China. In addition, the joint venture sells its products through brand-specific e-commerce websites in China across multiple platforms and has distribution relationships with approximately 50 wholesale dealers that operate approximately 750 retail locations.

Reflecting Columbia’s 60 percent ownership stake, the joint venture has been fully consolidated in Columbia Sportswear’s operating results and financial position beginning with the first quarter of 2014, in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

Swire’s share of the net income of the joint venture is included in net income attributable to non-controlling interest in Columbia’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. The non-controlling equity interest in the joint venture is presented separately in Columbia’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Equity.

Swire’s share of the profit of the associated company is included in the share of losses less profits of associated companies in Swire’s consolidated statement of profit or loss. Swire’s share of the net assets of the associated company is included under associated companies in Swire’s consolidated statement of financial position.

Swire Resources will continue to serve as the exclusive independent distributor of Columbia Sportswear in Hong Kong and Macau. Swire Resources had previously operated as Columbia Sportswear’s exclusive independent distributor of Columbia branded products in China from 2004 until the beginning of the joint venture.

Posted April 11, 2018

Source: Columbia Sportswear Co.

Lectra Launches Quick Estimate And Quick Nest Cloud Applications

PARIS — April 10, 2018 — Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather, has released its first of a series of cloud-based applications conceptualized for product development and production teams. Quick Estimate and Quick Nest will be launched in France and Italy and will then become available progressively in other countries.

As part of Lectra’s Industry 4.0 strategy, Lectra collaborated with its leading, digitally-attuned customers to develop apps that empower decision-makers to respond in an instant.

Quick Estimate revs up product development efficiency and
is instrumental to managing costs. Quick Nest provides easy access to automatic marker making and capitalizes on cloud technology to handle heavy volumes of calculations in parallel, maximizing productivity and marker efficiency.

Leveraging the industrial Internet of Things, lean development principles and cloud-based computing, Lectra aims to provide anytime, anywhere access to business enhancing applications. Gone are the days of limited storage space and slow calculation speed. These well-packaged, light cloud applications will redefine the way fashion customers store and process data.

Fabric often accounts for as much as 60 to 70 percent of the cost of a garment. Quick Estimate allows product development teams to calculate fabric requirements instantly from their Modaris® — Lectra’s 2-D/3-D patternmaking and grading solution — working environment with direct access to the cloud applications. Pattern developers now have the flexibility to make pattern adjustments more quickly to optimize costs, while protecting the brand’s quality and assuring speed-to-market.

Quick Nest can be accessed through Diamino®, Lectra’s marker-making solution. During the production development stages, Quick Nest users will be able to process more detailed markers faster. Quick Nest can also be used by production teams to treat lists of markers automatically in record time via the cloud.

These apps will also ensure enterprise-wide transparency as management teams gain full visibility of consumption needs for all products in development and production, thanks to viewable access of consolidated data for approval and reporting purposes.

“The end-goal of our new strategy is clear: we want to put our customers at the core of our business. We want them to thrive in this new digital era. Our latest Industry 4.0-friendly apps will serve as growth catalysts for their businesses by enabling them to make sound decisions based on real-time information,” explains Daniel Harari, chairman and CEO, Lectra. “And this is just the beginning. More innovative apps are yet to come.”

Posted April 10, 2018

Source: Lectra

Americhem Offers Antimicrobial Performance In More Markets, More Applications

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — April 10, 2018 — Americhem — a designer and manufacturer of custom color masterbatch, functional additives, engineered compounds and performance technologies — has widened its antimicrobial functional additive offerings to provide protection for more applications in more markets than ever before. While the company has long been recognized as a supplier of antimicrobial additives in applications such as textiles and carpets, acquisitions and ongoing R&D efforts have allowed Americhem to become a full-service provider of antimicrobial additives for manufacturers using resins such as nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, thermoplastic elastomers, thermoplastic olefins, polyvinyl chloride, and other polymers.

Americhem now provides antimicrobial solutions to the fiber, nonwoven, molded or extruded profiles markets throughout the world, including additives that remain stable during processing across a wide range of temperatures. Depending on the application, Americhem offers a variety of different antimicrobial technologies through its nShield™ family of products to suit various polymer chemistries, surface characteristics and processing requirements. Attendees of the NPE2018 tradeshow, taking place from May 7-11 in Orlando, Florida, will have an opportunity to see some of the varied end-use products benefiting from Americhem’s antimicrobial technology at Booth S17031.

“We are taking our expertise in perfecting antimicrobial additives for applications like odor-resistant garments and are applying that knowledge to help promote public hygiene and general cleanliness,” explained Vaman Kulkarni, director, Technology and Business Development, Extrusions for Americhem. “We now offer antimicrobial additives for everything from consumer goods that are frequently touched, like baby changing stations, to applications that require strong antifungal protection, like fuel tanks. We have the tools to deliver solutions at the right performance point for each customer.”

Posted April 10, 2018

Source: Americhem

Phoseon Announces Investment For Continued Strong Growth

HILLSBORO, Ore. — April 10, 2018 — Phoseon Technology has announced its continued business expansion and growth plan.

“The positive investment atmosphere for corporations in the U.S. and the continuing need for innovative LED solutions demanded by the markets we serve, have created the need for further expansion of our Hillsboro, Oregon, facility,” said Bill Cortelyou, president and CEO, Phoseon. “Operating as a global supplier to the industry, the latest move by the U.S. government to support a competitive corporate tax structure will make us even more competitive.”

Phoseon is excited to announce its latest expansion, increasing its headquarters by more than 50 percent, including added space for manufacturing, design and its new Life Sciences division. Phoseon has exceeded 25 percent annual growth for the past five years and this expansion will allow Phoseon, with 175 employees, to continue its growth trajectory at an even greater pace. In addition to this U.S. expansion, Phoseon recently established a wholly owned entity in Shanghai, China.

“The UV LED market is still in its infancy,” said Avinash Matani, research analyst from The Insight Partners. “As the technology grows and matures, and market leaders like Phoseon Technology amplify its capabilities, we expect this market to continue to grow at greater than 25 percent annually.”

Furthermore, the global UV LED market is anticipated to exceed $1.3 billion by 2025. An increase in the number of companies offering UV LED packages, and expansion of UV technology in various applications, including curing, purification, analytical instruments and medical phototherapy, will have the biggest impact on the adoption of UV LED technology over the forecast period.

“Phoseon is encouraged by the progress and market presence we’ve attained over the past 16 years moving us forward while strengthening our leadership position,” said Chris O’Leary, Phoseon CFO. “With a strong balance sheet, we will continue to invest heavily in research and development to enable high-value solutions to lead this market transition. Phoseon currently offers the broadest portfolio of innovative LED solutions across the industrial curing and life sciences market.”

Phoseon has shipped more than 100,000 lamps used for applications ranging from packaging solutions for consumer goods to disinfection of laboratory samples. Its platform of LED solutions are found around the world, and it continues to be the performance leader due to Phoseon’s capability of getting more energy and focused output from UV LEDs than any global competitor.

Posted April 10, 2018

Source: Phoseon Technology

ITM 2018 Exhibitor Preview: Santex Rimar Group – SMIT

TRISSINO, Italy — April 10th, 2018 — On the occasion of ITM 2018, SMIT is proud to present the brand-new model of the GS900 series released after the entrance in SANTEX RIMAR GROUP: SMIT GS980.

New Smit GS980 is the fastest free flight rapier machine of the market and has improved in terms of versatility, performance, production quality, efficiency and sustainability.

The free flight ribbons system marks out Smit weaving machine since years: smart and flexible, Smit GS980 has been designed and manufactured in Italy combining some of the most reliable Smit features with groundbreaking function solutions that make Smit GS980 an asset that will keep its value for a long time.

Fabrics for apparel, home textile, technical applications and exclusive yarns and patterns can today be woven with excellent quality on Smit GS980.

The year 2018 represents a significant milestone for Smit which celebrates 80 years after the foundation in 1938.

The machine name has been given after the 80th anniversary of Smit which was founded in Italy and soon turned out to be an estimated leading manufacturer of weaving machines.

“Smit GS980 will bring more value to our customers and the best ratio between productivity versus running costs,” said Simone Rancan, Smit CEO. “At our booth we will be weaving denim, curtains and our famous high-quality terry towel fabric. The quality of the fabric produced with our machines has always been a reference for the market and with the new Smit GS980 we will surely continue to exploit this advantage. The general trend of moving towards productions of higher quality fabrics is already happening and some of our customers at the moment are exploiting some market niches where they can find more profitability: in these circumstances our new Smit GS980 is the right technology for forward momentum.”

Thanks to Santex Rimar Group’s combined know-how, Smit is committed to innovation and machinery improvement, considering the whole complementary processes and specific customers’ needs. During the tradeshow it will be possible to see Smit GS980 for the first time and meet our staff.

Visit Smit at ITM 2018 at Hall 2, Booth 215A. Visit Santex Rimar Group in Hall 12, Booth 1206.

Posted April 10, 2018

Source: Santex Rimar Group

Loepfe’s WeftMaster CUT-it May Increase Quality, Reduce Lot Change Times

WETZIKON, Switzerland — April 10, 2018 — Hot wire cutters are the standard tools in weaving processes, when it comes to cutting of woven synthetic fabrics. One of the world’s most applied fabric cutter systems is the WeftMaster TC-1S from Loepfe. A hot wire cutter in combination with a matching control unit, melts the fabric and produces a precise cut or a perfect selvedge. The method prevents the cut edges from fraying. Controlling the temperature of the cutting wire is crucial, it must be heated to reach the correct melting point to separate the fabric precisely without burning it. Loepfe now offers the new digital thermal cutting control unit WeftMaster CUT-iT to ensure constant high-quality selvedges.

The digital control unit has various innovative features, which ensure top quality output in the weaving mill. Because of the intelligent control, the cutting temperature remains constant during operation. One control unit can operate up to four hot wire cutters at highest power. The boost mode ensures to reach the temperature needed in a minimum of time during fast machine start-ups. At machine stops, the control unit reduces the temperature immediately to stand-by. Thanks to the exact temperature control, the WeftMaster CUT-iT is a perfect match for cutting sensitive and finest fabrics, which are used in filter materials or medical products.

The newly designed user interface makes the temperature settings very easy. Up to ten user-defined settings can be added to the predefined settings. This ensures reproducible high quality for frequent lot-changes, as the temperature setting is recalled with a press of a button. “The feature of storing lot settings results in the direct benefit of reproducible quality and the easy and timesaving processing of new orders”, said Luc Vanoverschelde, product manager at Loepfe. The WeftMaster CUT-iT control unit can operate in Client-Server mode with a maximum of 32 client units. When changing the setting on the server unit, the settings on all client units change simultaneously. This new functionality allows operating over 100 cutters in parallel. A typical application is the production of ribbons out of woven fabrics. The new thermal cutting control unit operates with 24 V DC. The power comes from the weaving machine or an industry standard power supply is used.

Loepfe´s WeftMaster CUT-iT is the ideal fabric cutter system for thermal cutting from thin and light to dense and heavy synthetic fabrics. All applications with a high quality demand benefit from the innovative solution. Typical applications include carpet backings, airbags, geotextiles, and labels for clothing.

Posted April 10, 2018

Source: Loepfe

Starlinger Provides Circular Loom To Bangladesh University Of Textiles

StarlingerBangladesh
Arnold Sillipp (right), Starlinger, hands over the circular loom to Professor Engr. Mashud Ahmed. ©Starlinger

VIENNA — April 10, 2018 — In mid-2017, the Bangladesh University of Textiles was looking for a state-of-the-art circular loom that could be used in the training of its students. Given Starlinger’s leading position in the field, the university approached the Austrian engineering company with the request for an offer for a six-shuttle circular loom RX 6.0, which produces high quality fabric from polypropylene tapes. After receiving the university’s inquiry, the company decided to combine the request with the 13th Bangladesh International Plastics, Printing & Packaging Industry Fair (IPF) in Dhaka. The floor space booking was increased to around 100 m² in order to exhibit a circular loom RX 6.0. At the exhibition, this machine was then officially handed over to Vice-Chancellor Professor Engr. Mashud Ahmed of the Bangladesh University of Textiles as a free of charge loan for teaching purposes on February 1, 2018.

The Bangladeshi market is of great importance to Starlinger due to its immense potential, as the annual growth in the area of woven sacks is above world market average. In the first half of 2017, Bangladesh was the European Union’s third most important supplier of flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs or big bags)1. For more than 20 years, local customers have been using Starlinger machinery for the production of woven plastic packaging (e.g., woven sacks, cement sacks, or FIBCs) as well as for the recycling of production waste.

“In Bangladesh, approx. 15 companies produce over 500 million sacks on our machines every year,” says Arnold Sillipp, Regional Sales Manager at Starlinger. “Our customers value the quality of our machines as well as the quality of the final product.” Starlinger regards the provision of a circular loom RX 6.0 as an investment into the future, as it will contribute to the technology-based education of future textile engineers.

Posted April 10, 2018

Source: Starlinger

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