Spinners Optimistic About Third Quarter

Jim-Phillips-colorBy Jim Phillips, Yarn Market Editor

Spinners and industry insiders interviewed by Yarn Market say they are optimistic that the improved results of the past few months will continue through the third quarter of the year.

“I would say I feel good about where we are and how the next few months look,” said one multi-national spinner. “We are getting good week-to-week results, but we haven’t yet built a substantial backlog.” He maintains an inventory correction is still in progress with a number of major customers. “We knew there was an excess of inventory; we just didn’t realize how big it was.

I believe some major customers still have inventory they need to move. Once that happens, I believe we will start to see bigger orders come in. That will create some longer-range opportunities.”

Another spinner commented: “Many ring-spun yarns are still in demand. Blends are still moving well. I’ve seen some improvement in 100-percent combed cotton yarns. OE products are still sluggish, and a lot of that is because the market is currently oversupplied.”

From a yarn broker: “Specialty yarns are strong — but they’ve been pretty solid all along. I’ve seen some improvement in size of orders, as well. Overall, I am happy with where we are at the moment, but there is still room for improvement. I hope — and believe — that business conditions will continue to improve for us as the year progresses.”

Opportunities For Growth

Several spinners are seeing niche products as an opportunity for growth. “One of the things that works in our favor is our research and development capabilities,” said one spinner. “We have developed a reputation as an innovator, and we have customers coming to us asking for us to help develop a yarn that fills a specific need.”

Another spinner commented: “There are a lot of opportunities out there for development of yarns for technical and specialty applications. We have been working to further develop better fire-retardant products, for example. And there are new opportunities every day for new high-technology applications.”

The demand for advanced products is one of the reasons for the resurgence of the U.S. textile industry, sources say. As a result, textile colleges and schools are once again turning out high numbers of graduates. For example, a late June news release from the American Chemical Society read in part: “… the high-tech nature of modern textiles and a drive for productivity has increased the demand for experts, including polymer chemists and dye specialists. For example, the North Carolina State University College of Textiles reported its largest-ever graduating class this year. And if the past is any indication, most are likely to find jobs within three months of earning their degrees. In a field once marked by rampant job loss, stability is returning with a new focus on advanced specialty products.”

Beyond high-tech applications, rising wages in China and other countries, along with higher infrastructure costs, have resulted in numerous programs returning to the Western Hemisphere. “Our industry is the most technically advanced in the world,” said one industry expert. “Productivity and efficiency enables us to be competitive even with low-wage countries. And our industry is unmatched in product quality, delivery and service. There are going to be bumps in the road from time to time, but I think the future for U.S. textiles is bright and that you will continue to see growth.”

Added another spinner: “Barring some unforeseen upheaval, our industry is healthier today than it has been in many years. More and more customers are realizing the advantages that can be had by placing programs with U.S. companies.”

Cotton Prices

For the week ending June 29, the price for the base quality of cotton (color 41, leaf 4, staple 34, mike 35-36 and 43-49, strength 27.0-28.9, uniformity 81.0-81.9) in the seven designated markets measured by the USDA averaged 66.85 cents per pound. This is the lowest weekly average since August 19, 2016, when the average was 66.94 cents. The weekly average was down from 66.99 the previous week, but up from 63.44 cents reported the corresponding period a year ago. The ICE October settlement prices ended the week at 69.05 cents, compared to 68.03 cents the previous week.

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July/August 2017

July/August 2017: Textile Activity At A Glance

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July/August 2017

U.S. Textiles: Getting Technical

BornemanBy James M. Borneman

jborneman@TextileWorld.com

Articles in this issue of Textile World lean heavily on the technical side. This wasn’t intentional, but it illustrates the continued emphasis on innovation and investment in the industry. On the back of solid Techtextils in Germany and Chicago, and with INDA’s RISE® conference and IFAI Expo 2017 on the horizon, the industry’s appetite for exploring technical textiles is significant.

Traditional textiles are still important sectors, and are benefiting from near shoring and Made in America trends. Investment continues to expand as the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) states in “Annual Capital Investments By U.S. Textile Mills Surge,” in this issue.The article states: “In a positive sign, capital investments by America’s textile industry have surged during recent years, driven by growing demand for innovative textile products, expanding exports and greater recognition of the added value of domestic sourcing. In the most recent government statistics, annual capital investments by U.S. textile mills reached nearly $1.7 billion in 2015, a 75 percent increase from $960 million in 2009.” The interesting aspect of this trend is that capital expenditures are thought of as a dependable leading indicator with the exception of a major economic disruption or force majeure.

Energy prices are low with gasoline in the $2.15 to $2.25 range and some consumers are finding prices under $2.00 per gallon. Consumers are optimistic, manufacturers are optimistic and retailers are trying to figure things out.

Edward Gregor’s article, “New, Emerging And Disruptive Technologies,” in this issue is very enlightening on how the industry is changing. He says a great deal by stating: “New technologies are positioned to become potential market leaders in the increasingly sophisticated world of textiles.” Gregor continues with profiles of new advances and the companies driving the developments forward.

China also continues to invest in the United States, this time through Key Safety Systems (KSS) — a division of China-based Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp. — which has announced its intention to acquire substantially all the assets of automotive safety systems supplier Takata Corp. for $1.588 billion. Takata’s Kernersville, N.C.-based high-performance textile and composites manufacturer Highland Industries Inc. is included in the transaction and will become part of KSS.

The editors and staff of TW, Textiles Panamericanos and TW Asia would like to express condolences to the families and friends of two great industry leaders for their recent losses.

Paul T. O’Day recently passed away, having led the American Fiber Manufacturers Association (AFMA) from 1984 to 2017. “Famously courteous and humble, Paul won heated policy debates through the power of his extraordinary intellect, his expansive institutional knowledge and his total command of the subject matter at hand,” said Auggie Tantillo, president and CEO, NCTO.

Industry pioneer Gerold Flessner also recently passed away at the age of 92. Known for significant innovations in textile, man-made fiber and nonwovens technology, his innovations impacted textiles in a meaningful, positive way.

Both men, with their great talents, made U.S. textiles and textiles in general better with their dedication, vision and loyalty to the textile industry.

July/August 2017

 

Pharr Introduces New Company Branding

McAdenville, N.C.-based Pharr Yarns has announced a new brand identity for the company to unite its five business units under one parent brand. Moving forward, the parent will be known simply as Pharr and its family of companies includes: Pharr Fibers & Yarns, a McAdenville-based carpet fiber and yarn producer; high performance yarn manufacturer Pharr High Performance (HP), McAdenville; Dalton, Ga.-based Phenix Flooring, a producer of residential carpet and distributor of hard surface flooring; Strand Hospitality Services, a hotel management services company, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Belmont Land & Investment, a diversified real estate company, Belmont, N.C.

“It was important that our core values — Family, Innovative, Responsive, Strong Relationships and Trustworthy — came through in every application of the new Pharr brand,” said Merrie Barnett, vice president, marketing, Pharr. “From the logo to type treatments, all the way to how each individual brand’s color palette and logos worked together, it was imperative that those five values were infused in everything we did.”

July/August 2017

Nan Ya Plastics Corp. America Files Trade Petition

In response to surging volumes of aggressively-priced low melt polyester staple fiber (PSF) imports from Korea and Taiwan, Livingstone, N.J.-based Nan Ya Plastics Corp. America has filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission requesting that the government investigate the dumping and resulting injury to the domestic industry, and to impose anti-dumping duties on the imports of low melt PSF from the aforementioned countries. The document states that volumes of imports of these fibers have increased more than 31 percent from 2014 to 2016, and have continued to rise during the first quarter of 2017.

“The U.S. companies producing low melt polyester staple fiber have suffered for years against rising volumes of dumped imports from Korea and Taiwan,” said Paul Rosenthal of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, counsel for Nan Ya. “The domestic industry needs trade relief from unfair import competition so that the business can thrive and continue providing critical manufacturing jobs in the United States.”

July/August 2017

Jason Mills Reaches 10-Year Milestone

Milltown, N.J.-based textile convertor Jason Mills LLC recently celebrated a 10-year anniversary as a provider of knit industrial textiles. The company originally was incorporated in 1976 as a manufacturer of fabrics for laundry bags, but in 2007, long-time employee Michael Lavroff purchased the firm. In its current incarnation, Jason Mills is combining product design and engineering with finishes and fiber technologies to expand into markets including personal/occupational safety, automotive, aeronautical and healthcare textiles. “To borrow the mantra from Apple, Jason Mills wants to be where the puck is going, not where it’s been,” said Lavroff.

July/August 2017

NWI Cuts Ribbon On New Pilot Facility

The Nonwoven Institute (NWI), Raleigh, N.C., recently celebrated the grand opening of a new Advanced Spunmelt and Hydroentangling Pilot Facility on the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University (NC State). The state-of-the-art facility —designed as a testbed for education and industry — was made possible through the support of NC State, as well as industry partners Reicofil, Andritz, Hills, A. Celli among other supporters.

The center houses a Reicofil 1-meter-wide bicomponent RF®4 spunbond line as well as Hills bicomponent and monofilament die packs, a thermo-bonding calendar from Andritz, two Perfojet hydroentanglement units and a high-speed A. Celli winder.

NWI reports its research and development efforts have generated 80 U.S. and international patents. “We create not only jobs, but new industries,” said Behnam Pourdeyhimi, executive director, NWI. “We make things that haven’t existed — new applications.”

July/August 2017

Genesta Inks Awarded Oeko-Tex® Certification

The full range of water-based Genesta inks — acid, reactive, disperse, pigment and sublimation-disperse — manufactured by Japan-based Epson in collaboration with its owned company Italy-based FOR.TEX, have achieved Eco Passport certification from Oeko-Tex®. The certification demonstrates to the marketplace that the products can be used in sustainable textile production processes.

The inks had to pass a two-stage verification test to earn the certification and meet the chemical requirements of STANDARD 100 by Oeko-Tex.

“We are very proud to have received the Eco Passport certification for all our Genesta, our top textile inks,” says Tomoaki Kuwata, general manager, Epson’s P Strategic Planning Department. “It assures all Monna Lisa users around the world that Epson complies with
the necessary environmental legislations and is the next step to promoting a new, sustainable, printing methodology after the previous Eco Passport achieved by the UltraChrome inks.”

July/August 2017

SPGPrints Announces Expansion Plans

To support the production of digital inks, the Netherlands-based SPGPrints will open a 1,000-square-meter addition to its headquarters location during the final quarter
of 2017. The addition is part of an 8-million euro investment plan, and represents the second expansion at the facility in two years.

Part of SPGPrint’s investment plan also includes a new Experience Center, which will be dedicated to innovation in digital textile printing.

“The increase in the volume of our ink production means that we will continue to be able to serve the expanding digital textile printing market that we have helped to build over the last three decades,” said Jos Notermans, commercial manager, digital textiles, SPGPrints. “The global retail markets are now in a position to take advantage of the benefits of digital printing as it moves into the mainstream as a production method.”

July/August 2017

SoftWear Automation Secures $4.5 Million In Funding

Atlanta-based SoftWear Automation Inc. has received an additional $4.5 million in financing from existing investor CTW Venture Partners. The company will use the funding to keep growing its Sewbots™ technology for the apparel industry, as well as add 20 employees.

The company reports sales grew 1,000 percent from 2015 to 2016 when the company began shipping its technology to customers. It predicts a similar growth rate through 2017. SoftWear’s goal is to bring manufacturing back to the United States along with higher-wage jobs for Sewbots’ supervisors.

“Our innovative Sewbots are moving needles to the fabric instead of fabric to the needle,” said Palaniswamy “Raj” Rajan, chairman and CEO, SoftWear Automation. “Factories today chase cheap labor around the world and we have ended up with an unsustainable supply chain. SoftWear Automation’s Sewbots can move that manufacturing closer to the customer or the raw materials.”

July/August 2017

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